mit sloan optional essay

Invent the future. Start with yours. Apply today!

Smart. Open. Grounded. Inventive. Read our Ideas Made to Matter.

Which program is right for you?

Through intellectual rigor and experiential learning, this full-time, two-year MBA program develops leaders who make a difference in the world.

A rigorous, hands-on program that prepares adaptive problem solvers for premier finance careers.

A 12-month program focused on applying the tools of modern data science, optimization and machine learning to solve real-world business problems.

Earn your MBA and SM in engineering with this transformative two-year program.

Combine an international MBA with a deep dive into management science. A special opportunity for partner and affiliate schools only.

A doctoral program that produces outstanding scholars who are leading in their fields of research.

Bring a business perspective to your technical and quantitative expertise with a bachelor’s degree in management, business analytics, or finance.

A joint program for mid-career professionals that integrates engineering and systems thinking. Earn your master’s degree in engineering and management.

An interdisciplinary program that combines engineering, management, and design, leading to a master’s degree in engineering and management.

Executive Programs

A full-time MBA program for mid-career leaders eager to dedicate one year of discovery for a lifetime of impact.

This 20-month MBA program equips experienced executives to enhance their impact on their organizations and the world.

Non-degree programs for senior executives and high-potential managers.

A non-degree, customizable program for mid-career professionals.

How to Apply to the MBA Program

What’s your story? What experiences have shaped who you are today? We want to know. We are on a quest to find curious, passionate, analytical candidates who will enhance the collaborative community here at MIT. Our goal is to create a vibrant learning environment rich in diverse ideas and life experiences. That's why we welcome applicants from all over the globe, and from all areas of study, including the humanities, the social and physical sciences, business, and engineering. Above all, we seek thoughtful leaders with exceptional intellectual abilities, determined to make their mark in the world—people who value dignity and respect. Here’s how to get started!

Application Deadlines for August 2024 Entry

The Admissions Committee reviews all applications and will notify applicants of their decision on or before these deadlines. Please note that in the interest of confidentiality, we will only deliver official decisions via your online application.

All applications are due by 3:00 p.m. EST on the deadline date. The deadline is for both application materials and recommendation letters. All decisions will be released by end of day on the decision release day.

LGO applicants must apply in the LGO Round .

READ RECENT UPDATES FROM ADMISSIONS

MIT Sloan MBA Application Tips

A complete 2024 application entry requires:

Cover letter.

MIT Sloan seeks students whose personal characteristics demonstrate that they will make the most of the incredible opportunities at MIT, both academic and non-academic. We are on a quest to find those whose presence will enhance the experience of other students. We seek thoughtful leaders with exceptional intellectual abilities and the drive and determination to put their stamp on the world. We welcome people who are independent, authentic, and fearlessly creative — true doers. We want people who can redefine solutions to conventional problems, and strive to preempt unconventional dilemmas with cutting-edge ideas. We demand integrity and respect passion.

Taking the above into consideration, please submit a cover letter seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA program. Your letter should conform to a standard business correspondence, include one or more professional examples that illustrate why you meet the desired criteria above, and be addressed to the Admissions Committee (300 words or fewer, excluding address and salutation).

Please submit a  one-page  resume. This will help us easily track your academic and career path. Try to focus on your work results, not just your title or job description. Here are some pointers on formatting: 

• One page limit
• Times New Roman font
• Size 10 font
• Word or PDF formats only

Provide the following information in reverse chronological order:

Education: Please include relevant awards, scholarships and professional societies

Work Experience: Please include company name, title, results-oriented bullets that demonstrate your skill set, and dates

Additional information: Please include extracurricular activities/community service, technical skills/certifications, and special skills/interests, and languages spoken (if applicable)

Video Statement

Introduce yourself to your future classmates. Here’s your chance to put a face with a name, let your personality shine through, be conversational, be yourself. We can’t wait to meet you! Videos should adhere to the following guidelines:

• No more than 1 minute (60 second) in length
• Single take (no editing) 
• Speaking directly to the camera
• Do not include background music or subtitles

Note: While we ask you to introduce yourself to your future classmates in this video, the video will not be shared beyond the admissions committee and is for use in the application process only.

One Letter of Recommendation

A detailed recommendation can tell us a lot about you. Make sure you select an individual qualified to speak about your results as a professional and your potential as a leader. Some important details:

• MBA applicants must submit  one letter of recommendation .
• A recommendation from a professional contact is preferred, ideally a manager or supervisor.
• We do not accept recommendations from family members.
• Your letter of recommendation must be received by the deadline date for the round you are applying (see above for our deadlines.) It is your responsibility to remind your recommender to make sure it is submitted on time.

You will be instructed to add your recommender's contact information and they will be sent instructions on how to submit their letter. You should choose a recommender who can answer the following questions:

• How long and in what capacity have you known the applicant?
• How does the applicant stand out from others in a similar capacity?
• Please give an example of the applicant's impact on a person, group, or organization.
• Please give a representative example of how the applicant interacts with other people.
• Please tell us anything else you think we should know about this applicant.
• Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant's response.

Additional References

We want to make sure we give you the best chance to show us your strengths, so please provide us with contact information for two additional professional references. If we still have questions after reading your application, we might reach out to one or both of these references. Similar to your recommender, these additional references should be able to speak to your professional and/or academic background. These two individuals should be different from your recommender.

Organizational Chart

To help us better understand your current role and the impact that you have on your team and department, please submit an organizational chart. We should be able to clearly understand the internal structure of your organization, where you sit in your organization, and your line of reporting.

Organizational charts should not be more than two pages and keep the following in mind:

• Give us as much detail as possible (names, titles, etc.) but it’s ok to redact names if you need to.
• Please circle your role in red so that your position is easily identifiable.
• Make sure we can easily identify where you are, to whom you report, and if applicable, who reports to you.
• If your recommender or references are on your organizational chart (they may not be, and that’s ok!), please highlight them for us.
• If you are a consultant, entrepreneur, or affiliated with the military review our  FAQs  for suggestions on how to approach the organizational chart.

Click here to view a sample organizational chart.

Transcripts

Please scan and upload your transcript(s) from all colleges and universities you attended or are currently attending. If you are currently earning a degree, please upload your most up-to-date transcript.  We review transcripts carefully, please double check that what you have uploaded is legible; if you can’t read it, neither can we!

Some important details:

• All applicants to the program must hold a four-year undergraduate degree or three-year equivalent undergraduate degree from outside of the U.S, by time of matriculation.
• Do not mail any hard copies of official academic records or transcripts.  
• If you received an undergraduate degree as part of a Master's program, please include an undergraduate entry in addition to your Master's degree.
• If your transcripts are not in English, please scan and upload both the original and the certified translation.
• We cannot accept “digitally signed” or encrypted transcripts. If you’re having difficulty uploading your document, this may be the reason. Print out your transcript, scan it, and upload the PDF.
• We do not accept transfer credits. Any MIT classes taken pre-matriculation cannot be counted toward your degree at MIT Sloan

Once admitted to the program you will be required to provide an official signed and sealed transcript from all schools attended. Any discrepancies between the scanned transcripts and official transcripts may result in a candidate’s rejection or a withdrawal of our offer of admission.

Test Scores

Standardized tests, specifically the GMAT and GRE are a critical component of the application process and play an important role in our holistic evaluation process. The MIT Sloan Admissions Committee expects that you will submit a GMAT or GRE score to be reviewed as part of your application. Both the remote and in-person versions of these exams are accepted with no preference. If your current situation prevents you from being able to submit a test score, you may request a test waiver explaining the situation; the Admissions Committee will take your request under advisement and let you know if the waiver has been approved. If the waiver is approved, and you are admitted, the Admissions Committee reserves the right to offer conditional admission such as, but not limited to, receiving a certain score on the GMAT or GRE or taking a supplemental class. To request a test waiver, please start your application and navigate to the Test Scores section; you can submit your request there. Once submitted, you will receive a response by email as soon as possible.

We will accept self-reported test scores by the application deadline, and welcome either traditional or online version of exams. Test scores must be valid by the application deadline. Official scores should also be sent using the following school codes:

• To share your GMAT score, please enter Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - MIT Sloan School of Management
• GRE School Code: 3791

For the 2023-24 admission cycle, we will accept all versions of the GMAT or GRE, including remote or in-person.

Relevant Coursework & Professional Certifications

We welcome applicants from many types of academic backgrounds and do not have any academic prerequisites. That being said, we want to understand what relevant coursework you have already completed in order to assess how prepared you are for our core MBA courses.

In the application, we ask you to tell us which courses (if any) in the following subject areas you have taken. We’ll also ask what grade you received in each course.

• Communications
• Linear Algebra
• Microeconomics
• Organizational Behavior
• Probability

Additionally, if you earned special certifications or took professional development courses in your spare time, please tell us about them! Feel free to submit academic evidence not already on your transcripts, such as: professional certifications CFA, CPA, ACCA, among others; non-degree coursework such as MITx MicroMasters, CORe, edX, MBA Math, or any other non-degree coursework you completed.

Optional Short Answer Question

Applicants are invited to expand on their background by responding to the following  optional  250 word short answer question:

How has the world you come from shaped who you are today? For example, your family, culture, community, all help to shape aspects of your life experiences and perspective. Please use this opportunity if you would like to share more about your background.

This is an opportunity for you to share more about yourself with the Admissions Committee, should you choose to do so.

Application Fee

The non-refundable application fee of $250.00 USD must be paid online prior to submitting your application.

In addition to the list below, attendees of some recruitment events and conferences where MIT Sloan is present may qualify for an application fee waiver. If you are in attendance at one of these events, you will be notified at the conclusion of the event and the payment section of your application will reflect the waiver automatically.

Please note that we cannot grant retroactive fee waivers if the application fee has already been paid online. If you are submitting a request, please wait to hear back from us.

You may be eligible for a fee waiver if any of the following apply:

• Current Peace Corps Members
• Current Teach for America Members or Alumni
• Forte MBA Launch Participants
• Veteran or Active Duty U.S. Military Personnel
• Paying the application fee will result in insurmountable financial hardship

Participants from the following list of programs, conferences, and fellowships are also eligible for an application fee waiver:

MIT Sponsored Programs

• MIT Summer Research Program (MSRP General)
• MIT Summer Research Program (MSRP Biology/BCS/CBMM)
• On-Campus MIT ACCESS Program
• MIT Media Lab Open House Travel Grant Recipients
• MIT OME Laureates and Leaders
• MIT OME The Standard
• MIT Emergent Behaviors of Integrated Cellular Systems (EBICS)
• Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology (HST) Summer Institute

Fellowship Programs

• APSA Diversity Fellowship Program (APSA DFP)
• Emergent Behaviors of Integrated Cellular Systems Research Experience for Undergraduates (EBICS REU)
• Gates Millenium Scholars Program
• Leadership Alliance Summer Research Early Identification Program (SR-EIP)
• Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP)
• Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC)
• McNair Scholars Program
• Mellon Mays Minority Undergraduate Fellowship Program (MMUF)
• Morehouse College Dr. John H. Hopps Jr. Defense Research Scholars Program Hopps (HOPPS)
• National Association of African American Honors Programs (NAAAHP)
• Questbridge
• Ralph Bunche Summer Institute (RBSI)
• Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement Program (RISE)
• The National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science (GEM)
• University of Baltimore Maryland County Meyerhoff Scholars Program
• Woods Hole Partnership Education Program

Events and Conferences

• ACM Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing
• American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES)
• Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS)
• California Forum for Diversity in Graduate Education
• Emerging Researches National Conference in STEM (ERN)
• FIU McNair Scholars Research Conference
• Georgia Tech Virtual Graduate Showcase
• Grace Hopper Celebration Conference
• Howard University Research Month
• Institute on Teaching and Mentoring (SREB)
• Ivy Plus Puerto Rico
• MC-STEMP Graduating Engineering Minorities (GEM) GRADLab
• National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE)
• National Organization of Minority Architects
• National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
• National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP)
• Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
• Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)
• Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
• Spelman College Research Day
• The National GEM Consortium

Instructions for Dual Degree Applicants & Reapplicants

Lgo applicants.

The LGO program at MIT Sloan allows you to pursue two degrees from the MIT School of Engineering (SoE) and the MBA program at the MIT Sloan School of Management. To learn more about the LGO program and read about the application requirements please visit the LGO website .

LGO Applicants are automatically considered for LGO and MBA. You may not submit separate applications to LGO and MBA. If you are unsuccessful in gaining admission to LGO, you will still be considered for MBA.

Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) Applicants

The MIT Sloan MBA program and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government (HKS) offer a dual-degree program that can be completed in three years:

• One year in residence at one school
• A second year in residence at the second school
• A third year with one semester at each school

Applicants who wish to pursue the dual degree option must receive:

• Concurrent admission to the MIT Sloan MBA program and the Harvard Kennedy School; and
• Permission from MIT Sloan to pursue the dual degree option in three years

Applicants intending to pursue the dual degree option with the Harvard Kennedy School of Government (HKS) should follow the MBA applicant instructions above. All applicants intending to apply for the dual degree program must be applying concurrently to HKS and MIT Sloan and submit their application to MIT Sloan in Round 2.

Concurrent applicants to MIT Sloan and HKS must notify MIT Sloan immediately if accepted into HKS so that we can review and approve you to pursue the dual degree program.

Reapplicants

For applicants who applied for entry in a previous year, we require that you complete and submit a new and complete application. We strongly encourage you to submit new application materials and emphasize what has changed since you last applied. Reapplicants may submit their applications in any round, and will have an opportunity to highlight changes since their previous application in a short-answer question. LGO reapplicants must submit their applications by the LGO deadline. You can find more information in our FAQs .

MIT Department of Urban Studies (DUSP) Applicants

This program allows students to pursue an MBA and a Master in City Planning (MCP) in three academic years.

• Concurrent admission to the MIT Sloan MBA program and DUSP; and

All applicants intending to apply for the dual degree program must be applying concurrently to DUSP and MIT Sloan and submit their application to MIT Sloan in Round 2.

The Interview Process

Interviews are by invitation only. They are a required step in the process. An invitation to interview signals that your application has reached an advanced stage of consideration, but it does not guarantee admission. Those invited to the interview will be asked to respond to two additional questions prior to the interview. Details for submitting your essay will be included in the interview invitation.

Interviews will be conducted virtually and will be scheduled in local Boston time. Please adjust your calendar to reflect the correct time if you are located outside of the Eastern Time Zone. 

Interview Tips with Dawna Levenson, Assistant Dean of Admissions

In this video, Dawna Levenson, Assistant Dean of Admissions, walks you through the interview process and shares some tips to help you prepare.

How to Get into MIT Sloan School of Management: MIT Sloan Essay Tips and Examples

July 3, 2023

Jeremy Shinewald

Rather than framing its required application essay as a traditional “essay,” the MIT Sloan School of Management instead requests that applicants submit a “cover letter,” including even the standard formal correspondence elements of an address and opening salutation. Writing cover letters will undoubtedly be a large part of students’ career development efforts at Sloan, after all, so why not start now? Candidates must also submit a one-minute self-introduction video in which they are expected to convey their personality and basically “be themselves.” Some MBA programs use video essays to evaluate candidates’ communication skills, grace under pressure, and potential to contribute to classroom discussions, and even though Sloan’s admissions committee will likely be able to glean hints about these qualities through its video, its primary purpose appears to be to reveal who the school’s applicants are as living, breathing people , rather than one-dimensional aggregates of words and numbers in a folder. As we have noted in the past, while somewhat unorthodox, the school’s “essays” allow applicants to deliver a balanced view of their professional and personal profiles, with a good amount of leeway for creativity. Read on for our full analysis of MIT Sloan’s application prompts for 2023–2024. 

MIT Sloan 2023–2024 Essay Tips

Cover Letter: MIT Sloan seeks students whose personal characteristics demonstrate that they will make the most of the incredible opportunities at MIT, both academic and non-academic. We are on a quest to find those whose presence will enhance the experience of other students. We seek thoughtful leaders with exceptional intellectual abilities and the drive and determination to put their stamp on the world. We welcome people who are independent, authentic, and fearlessly creative—true doers. We want people who can redefine solutions to conventional problems, and strive to preempt unconventional dilemmas with cutting-edge ideas. We demand integrity and respect passion.

Taking the above into consideration, please submit a cover letter seeking a place in the mit sloan mba program. your letter should conform to a standard business correspondence, include one or more professional examples that illustrate why you meet the desired criteria above, and be addressed to the admissions committee (300 words or fewer, excluding address and salutation)..

To start, we strongly advise that you avoid beginning your letter with a rote opening like “My name is , and I am seeking a place in the MIT Sloan Class of 2026.” Your admissions reader will likely be asleep before they even finish the sentence! Such information is obvious—we can assure you that the admissions reader is well aware of your desire to be admitted to the MIT Sloan program—and is therefore a waste of precious word count, not to mention that it is hardly the kind of gripping opening that will grab and hold someone’s attention.

The broad scope of this essay prompt allows you a great amount of freedom to choose and share the information you believe is most important for your candidacy. The 300-word maximum is equal to roughly three short paragraphs. Including specific examples of impact and leadership that clearly illustrate that you possess the qualities discussed in the prompt is crucial (we would encourage you to share at least two). Informal guidance provided by MIT Sloan’s admissions committee after the initial release of this essay question in 2017 indicated that applicants should focus on sharing their personal experiences, accomplishments, values, viewpoints, and/or skills to demonstrate (1) what they can contribute to the school’s greater community as a result and (2) why Sloan’s MBA program in particular is the best one for them. The school does not ask you to outline your post-MBA goals, but if doing so allows you to better substantiate your need or desire for a Sloan MBA specifically, a (very) brief explanation of your aspirations could be appropriate and useful.

After discussing your accomplishments—being careful not to brag!—along with any other elements of your profile that you feel make you a strong candidate for the MIT Sloan MBA program, strive to relate these achievements and qualities to the school’s offerings and community. Citing specific courses, experiential opportunities, or other relevant resources can help you make a compelling case for your spot in the next incoming class. For a thorough exploration of the MIT Sloan academic program, unique offerings, social life, and other key characteristics, be sure to download a free copy of the mbaMission Insider’s Guide to the MIT Sloan School of Management .

VIDEO: Introduce yourself to your future classmates. Here’s your chance to put a face with a name, let your personality shine through, be conversational, be yourself. We can’t wait to meet you! Videos should adhere to the following guidelines:

– no more than 1 minute (60 seconds) in length, – single take (no editing), – speaking directly to the camera, – do not include background music or subtitles.

Before you do anything else, stop and take a deep, cleansing breath. We know video essays can be scary, but MIT Sloan is not trying to stress you out. The admissions committee just wants a more dynamic representation of your personality than a written essay can provide, so your primary goal is simply to be as authentic and natural as possible. This is not a job interview, and you are instructed to consider your fellow students your intended audience, which certainly implies that a less rigid and traditionally “professional” demeanor is okay, though you should obviously never be inappropriate or offensive. Do not concern yourself with trying to say the “right” things in your video. The topic here is one you know very well—you! A good brainstorming tactic is to imagine meeting someone for the first time at a party or other event and to think about the kinds of questions you might ask one another in the process of getting acquainted. What kind of information would you want to know about this person, and what facts about yourself would you be most eager to share, as a way of conveying who you are and making a connection? (You can even Google “icebreaker questions” to find examples of these sorts of questions.) Take some time to delve into your personality in this way.

The admissions committee’s enthusiasm comes through very clearly in this prompt, and we encourage you to make sure your own enthusiasm comes through just as clearly in your video. In a video on Sloan’s YouTube channel, Sloan’s associate director of admissions noted that this submission is “one of [their] favorite components in the application,” and we are pretty confident that is not because these videos tend to be stiff, boring recitations of applicants’ resumes and cloying compliments of the school. Spend some time really delving into what makes you you , what you are proud of, what you get excited about, what you like about yourself and feel you can offer to those around you—all the elements that make you the individual you are today. This is the content that will breathe life into your application. For further inspiration, consider asking your family members and friends how they would describe you to someone who had never met you and what they believe are your standout qualities, abilities, and/or accomplishments. Such outside perspectives can be inspiring and can alert you to compelling points you might have otherwise disregarded or forgotten. 

Even though in the scenario the school presents, you are supposed to be addressing your fellow students, your  actual  audience will be the admissions committee, so keep in mind what they will already have learned about you from your cover letter essay and other portions of your application. If you have a particularly significant story or relevant aspect of your candidacy that you have not been able to convey elsewhere in your materials, this could be a great opportunity to share it (though this would not be the time or place to explain any problematic issues). Also, avoid pandering to the school or expressing your generic admiration for the program. You have only one minute in which to make an impression, and even without knowing you personally, we are confident that you have more to your character than can be conveyed in a mere 60 seconds—so do not waste any of them!

Given that this is a video, you will want to pay some extra attention to the clothing you will wear, your tone of voice, your language style, and other such details. In the end, your message is what is most important, so no fancy bells or whistles are needed, but if you are a more creative type, you might consider ways of nonverbally communicating some of your strongest attributes and key aspects of your life to help permeate your submission with as much information as possible. For example, if you are an avid cook, consider filming your video while standing in a kitchen, perhaps wearing an apron (if you typically do so) and surrounded by the ingredients and tools you need to create one of your favorite recipes. If you are a dedicated guitar player, perhaps hold your guitar as you speak. If you are especially confident, you could even sing about yourself! In short, think about what makes you who you are today, decide what you most want to share with your future classmates, and then let your creativity flow.

On a practical note, be sure to speak clearly. You naturally do not want any part of your message to be lost or misunderstood, and the admissions committee could view your communication skills and style as indicators of how you might interact with your classmates and/or speak in the classroom. Although we recommend spending some time practicing in front of a mirror or a friend, do not over-rehearse, and avoid simply reading from a prepared script. You want to come across as genuine as possible so the admissions committee can “meet” the real you.

Optional Short Answer Question: How has the world you come from shaped who you are today? For example, your family, culture, community, all help to shape aspects of your identity. Please use this opportunity if you would like to share more about your background. (250 words)

This question is truly optional; applicants will not be evaluated more positively or negatively should they choose to respond. this is an opportunity for you to share more about yourself with the admissions committee, should you choose to do so..

Although the Sloan admissions committee is very explicit in spelling out that this indeed is an optional portion of the application and that candidates will not gain (or lose) in any way if they choose to respond to this prompt (or not), we have little doubt that quite a few applicants will panic at the thought of not submitting something. Believe us when we say that you can trust the admissions committee and be confident that the school is not trying to trick or test you in any way. (If this were a test of any kind—and again, it is not —it would be of your ability to assess and respond to such opportunities appropriately, meaning knowing when to provide more information and when to leave well enough alone.) The obvious truth is that everyone is shaped by their background, but not everyone will have a worthwhile story to share for this mini essay. If you do, the admissions committee simply wants to leave the door open for you to do so. But do not force the issue.

If an aspect of your background has pushed you to develop a certain appreciation, value, or skill that is not otherwise conveyed in your application but is central to who you are and how you conduct yourself in the world, that might be worth discussing here. If you have something in your character that is perhaps more lighthearted but stems from an aspect of your upbringing or environment and would help demonstrate that you are a multifaceted individual who can add an interesting new element to the next incoming class, that, too, could be a fitting topic for this mini essay. The bottom line is to ensure that if you choose to respond to this prompt, you offer the admissions committee something that is truly additive to your profile and will help them better understand who you are and what you have to offer for the Sloan community and perhaps even the broader world post-MBA.

Reapplicants: We strongly encourage you to submit new application materials and emphasize what has changed since you last applied. Re-applicants may submit their applications in any round, and will have an opportunity to highlight changes since their previous application in a short-answer question.

Whether you have improved your academic record, received a promotion, begun a new and exciting project, increased your community involvement, or taken on some sort of personal challenge, the key to success this time around is conveying a very deliberate path of achievement. MIT Sloan wants to know that you have been continuing to improve yourself and your profile, and that you have seized opportunities during the time since you last applied to do so, because earning an MIT Sloan MBA is important to you. Make sure the admissions committee is fully aware of any significant work you have done and progress you have made since your previous application.

The Next Step: Mastering Your MIT Sloan Interview

  Many MBA candidates find admissions interviews stressful and intimidating, but mastering this important element of the application process is definitely possible—the key is informed preparation. We therefore offer our free Interview Guides to spur you along! Download your  free  copy of the  MIT Sloan School of Management Interview Guide  today.

To learn more about the essays for other top business schools, visit our MBA Essay Tips and Examples Resources Page .

2023-2024 Business School Essays Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan) MBA Essay Tips

Tags: cover letter MBA application essays MIT Sloan pre-interview essay reapplicants video essay

Upcoming Events

• Dec 4, 2023 HBS 2+2 and Deferred Admissions Workshop (Online)

Upcoming Deadlines

• Nov 23, 2023 Esade (Round 2)
• Dec 1, 2023 Penn State Smeal (Round 2)
• Dec 3, 2023 Ohio Fisher (Round 2)
• Jan 3, 2024 Harvard (Round 2)
• Jan 3, 2024 LBS (Round 2)
• Jan 4, 2024 Berkeley Haas (Round 2)
• Jan 4, 2024 Chicago Booth (Round 2)
• Jan 4, 2024 Dartmouth Tuck (Round 2)
• Jan 4, 2024 Georgetown McDonough (Round 2)
• Jan 4, 2024 Penn Wharton (Round 2)
• Jan 4, 2024 Stanford GSB (Round 2)
• Jan 4, 2024 UNC Kenan-Flagler (Round 2)
• Jan 4, 2024 UW Foster (Round 2)
• Jan 4, 2024 Virginia Darden (Round 2)
• Jan 4, 2024 Yale SOM (Round 2)

Click here to see the complete deadlines

2023–2024 MBA Essay Tips

• Anderson School of Management
• Cambridge Judge Business School
• Chicago Booth School of Business
• Columbia Business School
• Cox School of Business
• Darden School of Business
• Esade Business School
• Fisher College of Business
• Foster School of Business
• Fuqua School of Business
• Goizueta Business School
• Haas School of Business
• Harvard Business School
• HKUST Business School
• IE Business School
• IESE Business School
• International Institute for Management Development
• Ivey Business School
• Johnson Graduate School of Management
• Kellogg School of Management
• Kenan-Flagler Business School
• London Business School
• Marshall School of Business
• McCombs School of Business
• McDonough School of Business
• Mendoza College of Business
• MIT Sloan School of Management
• Questrom School of Business
• Ross School of Business
• Rotman School of Management
• Saïd Business School
• Stanford Graduate School of Business
• Stern School of Business
• Tepper School of Business
• The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management
• The Wharton School
• Tuck School of Business
• Villanova School of Business
• Yale School of Management
• Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management Essay Analysis, 2023–2024

Click here for the 2022–2023 MBA Essay Tips

MBA Program Updates

• Berkeley-Haas
• Boston University (Questrom)
• Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper)
• Columbia University (Columbia Business School)
• Consortium for Graduate Study in Management
• Cornell University (Johnson)
• Dartmouth College (Tuck)
• Duke University (Fuqua)
• Emory University (Goizueta)
• George Washington University (GWSB)
• Georgetown University (McDonough)
• Harvard University (Harvard Business School)
• Indian School of Business
• Indiana University (Kelley)
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan)
• New York University (Stern)
• Northwestern University (Kellogg)
• Notre Dame (Mendoza)
• Ohio State University (Fisher College)
• Oxford University (Saïd Business School)
• Penn State Smeal College of Business
• Southern Methodist University (Cox School of Business)
• Stanford University (Stanford Graduate School of Business)
• University of California Los Angeles (Anderson)
• University of Cambridge (Judge)
• University of Chicago (Booth)
• University of London (London Business School)
• University of Michigan (Ross)
• University of North Carolina (Kenan-Flagler)
• University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
• University of Southern California (Marshall)
• University of Texas at Austin (McCombs)
• University of Virginia (Darden)
• Vanderbilt University (Owen)
• Yale University (School of Management)

Which program are you applying to?

Accepted Admissions Blog

Everything you need to know to get Accepted

July 20, 2023

MIT Sloan MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2023-2024], Class Profile

According to its website , MIT Sloan is looking for individuals from all around the world who demonstrate the following:

• Leadership and an ability to inspire others 
• A collaborative spirit and focus on community
• Intellectual curiosity and analytical strength 
• Creativity to generate new solutions to existing challenges 
• Growth in both professional and personal endeavors 

To uncover these attributes, the MIT Sloan MBA application continues to include its signature cover letter and resume requirements. It also retains the video component and organizational chart.

Ready to get to work on your MIT Sloan application? Read on.

• MIT Sloan application essay tips 

MIT Sloan application deadlines

Mit sloan class profile, mit sloan application essay tips.

Short answer: Professional aspirations

(150 word maximum, double-spaced, 12-point font)

• What are your short-term career goals?

You should be able to answer MIT’s short answer question easily. If not, you shouldn’t be applying yet.

I see this as the typical 60-second “elevator pitch.” If you were to meet someone from your dream company in an elevator, what could you tell them in one sentence that would pique their interest and make them want to know more about you? You have room for more than one sentence here, so provide a little context. What skills do you already have, and where is the gap? What motivates you to pursue this post-MBA goal? Is there a longer-term goal that motivates your short-term one? You won’t have room to answer all these questions, but strategically choose those that are most relevant, and be sure to answer the “why.” You really need to know something about the industry or functional area you are targeting to answer this question succinctly and clearly. Don’t just say, “I want to do management consulting because I’m a good problem solver.” That won’t make you stand out from the hundreds of other applicants who will say the same thing!

<<Applying to MIT Sloan? Listen to our podcast interview with the Director of Admissions>>

MIT Sloan MBA video statement

Introduce yourself to your future classmates. Here’s your chance to put a face with a name, let your personality shine through, be conversational, be yourself. We can’t wait to meet you! 

Videos should adhere to the following guidelines:

• No more than 1 minute (60 second) in length
• Single take (no editing)
• Speaking directly to the camera
• Do not include background music or subtitles

The video statement was introduced at MIT Sloan about six years ago. Your goal here is this: deliver your statement with poise and presence . I suggest you outline a 60-second statement that you would use to introduce yourself to your classmates (not the admissions committee members; they’re just important flies on the wall who happen to be listening in).

Don’t be too casual; your classmates are your future professional network and social group, but do be friendly and remember to smile. What would you tell them about yourself? What would show that you are already a member of MIT’s community – you just don’t happen to pay tuition yet?

Here are a few tips for the video part of this exercise. First, practice in front of a webcam so that you get used to talking to a little lens that has no affect, feedback, or expression. Recording yourself on video is not the same as talking on Skype with another human being. Second, I suggest you put a smiley face just above or below the camera to remind you to smile at appropriate points in your statement. Third, view your practice videos, looking for poise and presence. During some of the practices, maybe have a friend present to encourage you, but also practice without anyone else in the room. We at Accepted are happy to help you prepare, too .

For the real video statement, dress in business or business casual attire. If you’re not confident that your attire is appropriate, it probably isn’t; dress more conservatively. Make sure your location is quiet and that roommates, pets, and children are in a location where they won’t be heard or disturb you. Make sure your background is neutral and not a distraction. Blank walls make a great background.

Watch: Two big mistakes people make about applying to MIT Sloan

MIT Sloan MBA organizational chart

To help us better understand your current role and the impact that you have on your team and department, please submit an organizational chart. We should be able to clearly understand the internal structure of your organization, where you sit in your organization, and your line of reporting.

Organizational charts should not be more than two pages and keep the following in mind:

• Give us as much detail as possible (names, titles, etc.) but it’s ok to redact names if you need to.
• Please circle your role in red so that your position is easily identifiable.
• Make sure we can easily identify where you are, to whom you report, and if applicable, who reports to you.
• If your recommender or references are on your organizational chart (they may not be, and that’s ok!), please highlight them for us.
• If you are a consultant, entrepreneur, or affiliated with the military review our FAQs for suggestions on how to approach the organizational chart.

MIT Sloan’s organizational chart is a way tof illustratinge your role within your organization for the admissions team. The goal is to clearly show your line of reporting, including your peers, supervisors, supervisors’ peers, and any direct reports you might have. If you have received a promotion, make sure to highlight both your current and previous roles.

Not in a traditional organization? The admissions team suggests that for some (e.g., entrepreneurs, or contractors), it might be more helpful to put yourself in the center of the chart and build out from there with respect to those you interact with on a regular basis.  A consultant, on the other hand, might select a specific project and identify the players involved in the project from both the consulting firm’s side and the client’ side.  

CREATE A SUCCESSFUL MIT SLOAN MBA APPLICATION! >>

MIT Sloan optional short answer

Applicants are invited to expand on their background by responding to the following optional 250 word short answer question:

How has the world you come from shaped who you are today? For example, your family, culture, community, all help to shape aspects of your identity. Please use this opportunity if you would like to share more about your background.

This is an opportunity for you to share more about yourself with the Admissions Committee, should you choose to do so.

This optional short-answer question is a great place to share information about yourself that you couldn’t fit into other areas of the application. Notice, however, that this question does not mention your professional life. Most often, circumstances that truly shape who we are today come from a situation that impacted us personally. Despite what we have achieved, we all have taken different paths to arrive at this point. Take time to reflect – what truly impacted you? For instance, did you face some sort of adversity and persevered? Share what you overcame. Have you made a difference in your community? Share how you have done so. In both cases, be sure to include how the situation helped to shape aspects of your identity. MIT Sloan wants to know more about your personal background and how its community will benefit from your being a part of it.

*Applications must be submitted by 3:00 p.m. EST

Source: MIT Sloan website

***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with MIT Sloan directly to verify its essay questions, instructions, and deadlines.***

Here’s a look at the MIT Sloan Class of 2024 (data taken from the MIT Sloan website ):

Class size: 408

Average years of work experience: 5

International: 40%

Underrepresented minority: 32% 

Countries represented: 63

Median undergraduate GPA: 3.62

Median GMAT: 730

GMAT range (middle 80%): 690-760

GRE Quant range (middle 80%): 158-169

GRE Verbal range (middle 80%): 157-168

Pre-MBA industry:

• Consulting: 23%
• Financial Services: 23%
• Technology: 14%
• Government, Education, Nonprofit: 14%
• Pharmaceutical, Healthcare, Biotech: 6%
• Manufacturing: 3%
• Consumer Products, Retail: 3%
• Automotive, Transportation, Defense: 2%
• Media, Entertainment, Sports: 0.5%

Undergraduate majors:

• Engineering: 29%
• Business: 23%
• Economics: 17%
• Science and Math:15%
• Social Science: 10%
• Humanities: 2%
• Computer Science: 2%

Do you see yourself as a future graduate of MIT Sloan?

Accepted has the resources to help you decide which program is right for you:

• GMAT, GPA, and MBA Acceptance Rates: The Selectivity Index
• M7 MBA Programs: Everything You Need to Know
• Top 10 or Bust: Dispelling 2 MBA Myths
• Which MBA Program is Right for Me? The Ultimate Guide to Choosing an MBA Program

For expert guidance with your MIT Sloan MBA application, check out Accepted’s MBA Application Packages , which includes comprehensive guidance from an experienced admissions consultant. We’ve helped applicants get accepted to MIT Sloan’s MBA program and look forward to helping you, too!

As the former executive director of admissions at Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School and assistant dean of admissions at Georgetown’s McDonough School and the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz School, has 23 years’ experience overseeing admissions committees and has reviewed more than 38,000 applications for the MBA and master’s programs in management of information systems, computational finance, business analytics, and product management.   Want Kelly to help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!

About Us Press Room Contact Us Podcast Accepted Blog Privacy Policy Website Terms of Use Disclaimer Client Terms of Service

Accepted 1171 S. Robertson Blvd. #140 Los Angeles CA 90035 +1 (310) 815-9553 © 2022 Accepted

• Top MBA Programs
• Admissions Essays

2023-2024 MBA Admissions: MIT Sloan Essays

At Menlo Coaching, we noticed that most MBA essays will fall into one of a number of categories: personal essays, career goals essays, and behavioral essays etc. Read ahead for our expert guide on approaching these essays for MIT Sloan. 

Organizational Chart

• Our goal is to learn about you and your professional background. Your employer’s organizational chart will help us better understand the role you play within your organization, who you report to, and the impact you might have on your department or company.

Some important details:

-Give us as much detail as possible (names, titles, etc.) but it’s ok to redact names if you need to.

-Please circle your role in red so that your position is easily identifiable.

-Make sure we can easily identify where you are, to whom you report, and if applicable, who reports to you.

-If your recommender or references are on your organizational chart (they may not be, and that’s ok!), please highlight them for us.

-If you are a consultant, entrepreneur, or affiliated with the military review our  FAQs  for suggestions on how to approach the organizational chart.

-Please upload an organizational chart that outlines the internal structure of your place of employment. Limit to two pages.

Click here to view a sample organizational chart.

Behavioral Essay (Cover Letter)

• MIT Sloan seeks students whose personal characteristics demonstrate that they will make the most of the incredible opportunities at MIT, both academic and non-academic. We are on a quest to find those whose presence will enhance the experience of other students. We seek thoughtful leaders with exceptional intellectual abilities and the drive and determination to put their stamp on the world. We welcome people who are independent, authentic, and fearlessly creative — true doers. We want people who can redefine solutions to conventional problems, and strive to preempt unconventional dilemmas with cutting-edge ideas. We demand integrity and respect passion.

Taking the above into consideration, please submit a cover letter seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA program. Your letter should conform to a standard business correspondence, include one or more professional examples that illustrate why you meet the desired criteria above, and can be addressed to:

Admissions Committee 50 Memorial Drive Cambridge, MA 02142

Your cover letter should be 300 words or fewer, excluding address and salutation. If you have any additional questions, please visit our FAQ page.

Upload a Word or PDF document.

Personal (Video) Essay

• Introduce yourself to your future classmates. Here’s your chance to put a face with a name, let your personality shine through, be conversational, be yourself. We can’t wait to meet you!

Videos should adhere to the following guidelines:

-No more than 1 minute (60 seconds) in length

-Single take (no editing)

-Speaking directly to the camera

-Do not include background music or subtitles

Note: While we ask you to introduce yourself to your future classmates in this video, the video will not be shared beyond the admissions committee and is for use in the application process only.

Optional Essay

• We’d like to give you the opportunity to expand on your background. This question is completely optional.

How has the world you come from shaped who you are today? For example, your family, culture, community, all help to shape aspects of your identity. Please use this opportunity if you would like to share more about your background.

Please do not include any links in your response. (250 words or fewer)

Reapplicant Essay

• Please let us know what’s changed since you last applied. (200 words)

Looking for Last-Minute Essay Help?

MBA Deadlines are fast approaching…

Did you know that Menlo Coaching can help you with your MBA essays on an hourly basis?

Our five-hour package starts at $2,500, and you can work with our MBA admissions consultants on anything you like, including:

✓ Essay and Resume Edits

✓ Recommender Support

✓ Application Form Reviews

✓ Interview Preparation

MIT Sloan Organizational Chart

Another of Sloan’s unusual admissions requirements is its organizational chart. From this chart, the AdCom wants to understand visually what your current role is in your organization or company, as well as where you sit in the hierarchy and chain of command. The admissions committee also wants to understand the role and position of your recommenders, so it’s important to be detailed, thorough, and accurate in your organizational chart.

The Behavioral Essay

To make it simple: the behavioral essay is meant to show MIT Sloan that you have developed some sort of leadership skills, what your values are as a leader, and how you are going to most benefit from their development programs. 

The admissions committee is looking for applicants that are self-reflective. Whether it’s through a setback you’ve experienced, or how you dealt with situations that have gone awry, the school is looking for students who are resilient and able to learn from their mistakes. 

Do not overexaggerate (or underexaggerate!) the situations you decide to write about. Be honest about what happened; MIT Sloan is looking for genuine people to join their campus community, and they are less likely to admit an applicant who has overinflated their prior experiences.

Last but not least, make sure to describe what you learned and how you implemented this in a subsequent situation. This is an expected element of the behavioral essay, even if it’s not directly written in the prompt. The Admissions Team is looking for MBA essays that show you are a considerate leader who will make the best of their time in the program. The school “demand[s] integrity and respect[s] passion.” Prompts that deal with these topics can be daunting, especially when they require you to write about a weakness you have or a failure you’ve experienced. 

The Personal Essay

Like we touched on earlier, schools are looking for the right fit for their campus community, just as you are searching for the school that aligns best with your goals. In the personal essay, this is your chance to show MIT Sloan the values that drive you both as a person and as a student. These values tell the admissions council what you prioritize, the moral code you live by, and, most importantly, who you are as a person. 

In these essays, you can talk about almost anything; typically, applicants will write about relationships in their lives, or times when there was a hardship they had to overcome. Be warned, though: there are some topics to avoid, and we have outlined a few things to watch out for  in this article . 

When it comes to  video essays specifically, we have some advice:

• Practice—but don’t memorize:  it’s always clear if someone has memorized what they intend to say in a video essay verbatim, and this can make your content seem staged and inauthentic. If you find that you’re repeating the same speech over and over again, change the first sentence. You’ll be surprised at how this will throw you off!
• Make sure that your setting is appropriate:  you want to make sure that your lighting is good and that there are no empty tequila bottles in the background.
• Speak slowly and clearly:  clear diction can make a big difference when it comes to reviewing your video essay.

Once you’ve completed your application, the optional Sloan essay gives you an additional opportunity to provide the AdCom with any additional information or clarity that you feel would enhance your application.

One trap that MBA applicants fall into is using the additional space provided by this essay to write on a whole new topic. However, this is not always the best idea.

You should only make use of this essay if you what you write will provide context to an element of your application to improve your candidacy—you don’t want to jeopardize your chances by adding unnecessary noise to your application.

For reapplicants, Sloan requires a specific essay in which you can address how your application has improved since your last application.

In this essay, you can address any improvements to your test scores, promotions at work, additional volunteer or community work, or any significant professional development that you have undertaken since you last applied to the program.

Timing is key for reapplicants, and when you’re applying for an MBA program a second time around, you want to be sure that you are a more qualified and desirable client than you were in the past—even if your application was stellar the first time.

Writing strong, coherent, genuine stories is an essential part of your MBA application. These essays are meant to help you stand out among many other applicants, so it is worth your time to do the work and write about situations unique to your life and that you truly learned from. Visit our process page to understand how Menlo Coaching can help you with your MBA essays for MIT Sloan. 

Related Articles

• MIT Sloan MBA Program Overview
• MBA Essay Tips From 3 Top Admissions Consultants
• How to Get Into MBA Programs at Top Business Schools

Tips for Your MIT Sloan Application Essays

July 15, 2023

Lisa Cummings

MIT Sloan Application Essay Tips, 2023–2024 

MIT Sloan wants you to make your pitch for admission in a somewhat unique application essay format: a business cover letter. Although the information the admissions committee wants is not that different from what most programs seek, the presentation might be a bit daunting for some candidates. Sloan also asks for a short video introduction, which is probably also intimidating. So, how do you craft winning application essays for MIT Sloan? Here are our tips. 

Free : Download Stratus Admissions’ Guide to Getting into MIT Sloan School of Management

Cover letter: mit sloan seeks students whose personal characteristics demonstrate that they will make the most of the incredible opportunities at mit, both academic and non-academic. we are on a quest to find those whose presence will enhance the experience of other students. we seek thoughtful leaders with exceptional intellectual abilities and the drive and determination to put their stamp on the world. we welcome people who are independent, authentic, and fearlessly creative — true doers. we want people who can redefine solutions to conventional problems, and strive to preempt unconventional dilemmas with cutting-edge ideas. we demand integrity and respect passion., taking the above into consideration, please submit a cover letter seeking a place in the mit sloan mba program. your letter should conform to a standard business correspondence, include one or more professional examples that illustrate why you meet the desired criteria above, and be addressed to the admissions committee (300 words or fewer, excluding address and salutation)..

Sloan’s “cover letter” essay bedevils many an applicant because it is so unconventional, relative to other schools’ more traditional essays. Just keep it simple! Whether framed as a letter or an essay, the spirit is the same: you need to write 300 words that convey your identity as an applicant and can distinguish you from thousands of others. In this case, Sloan’s very lengthy prompt lists the types of people the program seeks: “thoughtful leaders,” “true doers,” “people who can redefine solutions,” and so on. Odds are, with so much breadth in these characteristics, you have an anecdote that demonstrates that you, too, exemplify some of them. So, while “conform[ing] to a standard business correspondence,” quickly introduce an example of how you have exhibited one or more of the qualities the prompt highlights. At the end of your example story, relate the experience and traits not to your goals (the school regards your goals as too hypothetical to matter) but to MIT Sloan itself. Using approximately 75−100 words, discuss your fit with MIT Sloan and your need to experience or learn from specific aspects of its program. Three hundred words is a tight fit; in some ways, it might be harder to write this essay than one with a much larger or even unlimited word count (such as Harvard Business School’s). Still, the brevity of this essay allows the thoughtful ones to really “pop.” 

Video: Introduce yourself to your future classmates. Here’s your chance to put a face with a name, let your personality shine through, be conversational, be yourself. We can’t wait to meet you!

Videos should adhere to the following guidelines:, – no more than 1 minute (60 seconds) in length – single take (no editing) – speaking directly to the camera – do not include background music or subtitles, note: while we ask you to introduce yourself to your future classmates in this video, the video will not be shared and is for use in the application process only..

Sixty seconds! One take! This is another daunting prompt that requires a step back. MIT Sloan will not be viewing your video for Academy Award consideration; the admissions committee just wants to get to know you better as a person and gain some insight into what makes you tick. The prompt specifically requests that you “let your personality shine through,” so before you start worrying about the medium, ask yourself what you would tell others about yourself if you were asked to introduce yourself. This is not a place to reiterate your resume or highlight your work accomplishments. Think about experiences and examples that represent who you are today. What are some bits of information that will help you express who you are and where your values lie? 

The admissions committee does not want any background music or subtitles, so be thoughtful about your backdrop and scenery; a setting that is too busy and crammed with props could distract from you and your story. However, a clear and subtle background could be additive. For example, if your future lies in sustainable agriculture, consider shooting your video from a quiet farm or the produce section of a local (not noisy!) market. Remember that you are applying to business school, not film school. Context might help convey your story, but the story itself is what counts! Be yourself.

Optional Short Answer Question: Applicants are invited to expand on their background by responding to the following optional 250 word short answer question: How has the world you come from shaped who you are today? For example, your family, culture, community, all help to shape aspects of your identity. Please use this opportunity if you would like to share more about your background.

This question is truly optional; applicants will not be evaluated more positively or negatively should they choose to respond. this is an opportunity for you to share more about yourself with the admissions committee, should you choose to do so..

Sloan has an optional short-answer question with a limit of 250 words. The committee indicates that this is truly optional; there is no need to feel obligated to answer this prompt. However, if there is some aspect of your family, culture, and/or community that has had a meaningful impact on you, this is your opportunity to delve into it to give the committee more insight into who you are as a person. There is no right or wrong answer or focus. Be honest. Do not feel pressured to write something here unless it will be additive.

Reapplicants: For applicants who applied for entry in a previous year, we require that you complete and submit a new and complete application. We strongly encourage you to submit new application materials and emphasize what has changed since you last applied. Reapplicants may submit their applications in any round, and will have an opportunity to highlight changes since their previous application in a short-answer question. 

In your new essays, be sure to clarify and highlight how you have grown and strengthened your candidacy since you last applied. Ideally, you have improved on some aspect(s) of your profile—whether that is a higher test score, more work experience, a promotion, or something similar. Be sure to note what it is about the school that has motivated you to apply again, and present the specific and sincere reasons you value an MBA from MIT Sloan.

While not an essay, the org chart is required and gives many applicants pause.

To help us better understand your current role and the impact that you have on your team and department, please submit an organizational chart. We should be able to clearly understand the internal structure of your organization, where you sit in your organization, and your line of reporting.

Organizational charts should not be more than two pages and keep the following in mind:

• Give us as much detail as possible (names, titles, etc.) but it’s ok to redact names if you need to.
• Please circle your role in red so that your position is easily identifiable
• Make sure we can easily identify where you are, to whom you report, and if applicable, who reports to you.
• If your recommender or references are on your organizational chart (they may not be, and that’s ok!), please highlight them for us.
• If you are a consultant, entrepreneur, or affiliated with the military review our  FAQs  for suggestions on how to approach the organizational chart.

Through your chart, MIT wants to see where you sit in your organization overall and in relation to your recommenders.  Additionally, they want to see whether you have any direct or indirect reports.  Don’t read too much into this.

In  Stratus Admissions’ Guide to Getting into MIT Sloan School of Management , you will find information on a variety of the MBA program’s offerings such as the Sloan Innovation Period, Action Learning Labs, the MIT 100K Competition, and the Sloan Sustainability Initiative. Download our brand-new guide to learn more about MIT Sloan!

MBA School Specific

2023-2024 essay Cover Letter Guides MBA Application Essays MIT Sloan Reapplicant video statement

Start Today with a FREE Consultation

Learn how Stratus’ team approach gets you into one of your top choice schools. Start with a FREE consultation with an Admissions Specialist.

Free Consultation

Previous Entry Tips for Your Cornell Johnson Application Essays

Next Entry Tips for Your UCLA Anderson Application Essays

Search Our Blog Articles

How To Write the MIT Sloan Pre-Interview Essays

Oct 25, 2022

After spending months fine-tuning your MBA application essays, you’ve finally received that long-awaited MIT interview invitation — only to discover that now you need to write more essays!

With more and more competitive candidates applying every year, elite MBA programs like MIT Sloan are always looking for new ways to distinguish the “admits” from the “dings.” 

Though they may seem small and relatively unimportant at first, MIT Sloan’s interview essays are an important element of your overall application and should be carefully crafted. That’s why we’re sharing our top tips on how to approach and write your own interview essays . By following these tips, you can ensure you stand out and land a spot at MIT Sloan. 

The MIT Sloan Pre-Interview Essay Questions 

MIT Sloan has also long required candidates who are called to interview to submit an additional essay. This year, MIT Sloan’s interview question is as follows:

Required Question #1 (Diversity)

The mission of the MIT Sloan School of Management is to develop principled, innovative leaders who improve the world and to generate ideas that advance management practice. We believe that a commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, and well-being is a key component of both principled leadership and sound management practice. 

. In 250 words or less, please describe a time when you contributed toward making a work environment or organization more welcoming, inclusive, and diverse.

How to approach your answer

At MIT, diversity is a core value . This means that at Sloan, you’ll constantly interact with people who think and act differently than you do. 

Succeeding in such an environment requires a great deal of adaptability and flexibility, as well as a willingness to learn from those who are different. This type of environment, however, is not for everyone, which is why MIT seeks to gauge how you respond to diversity in this essay. 

We suggest you start by considering the brand you are presenting to MIT and examine which examples about diversity you can share that will add value to the stories you told in your cover letter and video. Then, make sure you narrow this list down to your single best story . In a 250-word essay , you won’t have time to fully explore multiple examples, so limit yourself to one killer story. 

Required Question #2 (Data)

We are interested in learning more about how you make data-driven decisions and communicate results. Please select one of the following prompts to respond to. 

• Please select an existing data visualization and in 250 words or less explain why it matters to you. The data visualization should be uploaded as a PDF. Examples may come from current events, a business analysis, or personal research (e.g. climate change, COVID maps, etc).
• In 250 words to less, please describe a recent data-driven decision you had to make, and include one slide presenting your analysis. The slide may include a data visualization example and should present data used in a professional context. Your slide must be uploaded as a PDF.

Considering how short the MIT application is, you should also use this as another opportunity to add something new to your application. 

With this question, MIT seeks to understand how you are able to use data to make important decisions. MIT states that this example should come from data used in a professional context, so keep this in mind. When designing your slide, remember that you’re being judged on how you present the information visually, not on the data itself.

In your essay, make sure to explain how you analyzed the data and used it to make a decision . If you are not able to show how you applied the insights gained from the data you presented in a clear, concrete way, you may want to consider a different approach. 

If you don’t have a job that requires you to use data on a regular basis, question 1 would be a better fit for you. If you do use data frequently at work, question 1 may still be a good option, but showing a real and measurable way in which you used data to make a decision is an excellent way to show the adcom you possess a great fit with their program. 

TOP TIP: Make sure not to share confidential information. If you need to “sanitize” the data, this is acceptable. 

MIT Sloan Pre-Interview Essay Examples

The mission of the MIT Sloan School of Management is to develop principled, innovative leaders who improve the world and to generate ideas that advance management practice. We believe that a commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, and well-being is a key component of both principled leadership and sound management practice.

In 250 words or less, please describe a time when you contributed toward making a work environment or organization more welcoming, inclusive, and diverse.

As a volunteer at ORG, I helped educate 400 students from all over my city, some in very marginalized situations. Although we were providing a low-cost pre-college course, I began to notice how everyday norms we took for granted were inadvertently exacerbating difficulties faced by the underprivileged. 

For instance, I noticed that I never saw certain students at lunchtime. Lunch was in an open space where most students ate together and forged friendships. However, students with nothing to eat routinely stayed in other parts of the building and were not just isolated but, more importantly, hungry. To address this situation, I prospected potential donors, developed a proposal, and presented it in an internal all-hands meeting, gaining approval. After coordinating with the university community, I helped build a fundraising department. Our first donor, NGO, provided a sandwich and juice to every student, so those in need would not feel ashamed to be singled out. The fundraising department has since continued to build partnerships to benefit students.

This experience taught me that there are norms in place that prevent us from seeing persistent inequalities. It would have been easy to dismiss the absence of certain students as a result of shyness or simply not notice at all. Commitment to creating inclusive environments means noticing systemic problems in everyday contexts and working collaboratively toward solutions. 

Looking for MIT Sloan pre-interview essay examples? Our MBA Resource Center includes multiple examples of both the diversity and data prompts, as well as countless other resources, including interview mock sequences, sample interview responses, and so much more. Sign up here !

We are interested in learning more about how you make data-driven decisions and communicate results. Please select one of the following prompts to respond to:

• Please select an existing data visualization and in 250 words or less explain why it matters to you. The data visualization should be uploaded as a PDF. Examples may come from current events, a business analysis, or personal research (e.g. climate change, COVID maps, etc). 
• In 250 words or less, please describe a recent data-driven decision you had to make, and include one slide presenting your analysis. The slide may include a data visualization example and should present data used in a professional context. Your slide must be uploaded as a PDF. 

A few years ago, I helped lead the sale of a payment company to a strategic investor. Negotiations included a price adjustment based on the company’s future performance. When the adjustment time came, the company was performing well below the business plan, despite not having reported abrupt operational changes. After thoroughly analyzing its financial data, I realized that its credit fund, responsible for providing credit to thousands of merchants, was underperforming. While it could be easily explained by external market issues, I decided to investigate other possible explanations, such as higher default levels. I asked the fund administrator to provide me with the credit database and developed an algorithm to parse data from hundreds of thousands of transactions, which allowed me to identify a spike in default levels. After filtering the data for individual client performance, an unusually high number of reliable clients seemed to have stopped paying.

To further investigate, I talked with several departments, discovering the fund administrator had changed right at the spike period and uncovering the underlying issue: an integration problem with the new administrator corrupted the database. I asked the fund administrator to refile the financials using a corrected database. Since this would incur a fine, however, they denied my request. So, I negotiated with senior leaders and convinced them to use a “simulation” with the corrected database to support negotiations with the investor. By doing so, we almost doubled the amount my client received.

Make Sure You Succeed in any MBA Interview

Though you might not be practicing for your interviews, your competitors are. When you’re competing at such an elite level (and top MBA programs are about as elite as it gets), practice is the only way to get the edge you need. 

Working with highly-trained professionals, like our team of interview experts, can also be an excellent step to include in your interview process. 

• Maybe you don’t know where to start preparing.  
• Maybe you ramble on and lose your focus while answering. 
• Maybe you’re concerned about making errors, discussing your strengths, or addressing weaknesses.
• Maybe you’ve downloaded interview guides or have spent hours reading interview report forums—but still have questions and doubts. 

Our interview prep and practice service focuses on helping you determine what to highlight in your interview depending on the program while using appropriate, impact-driven language without being artificial, or worse, robotic. We also help you choose (and perfect) culturally appropriate examples based on the schools you’re interviewing for. 

As our client João, who was admitted to MIT Sloan, said:

“I would like to thank Ellin and her team for the extremely careful service they provided. After talking to and working with a few consulting firms, her work was the most structured I found.

Ellin helped me with my interview preparation and provided specific feedback about my pre-interview essays, especially for the MIT Sloan application. During all sessions, Ellin and her team demonstrated a deep knowledge of every school and offered excellent suggestions on how to improve both the content and the structure of my answers. Their service was definitely critical for my acceptance.”

Don’t undersell your success. Set up your 1:1 interview prep and show that you belong at a top MBA program! 

Real MBA Essays That Got People In

School-specific sample essays that got our clients accepted

Get Access Now

98.9% Success Rate

With our expertise and 98.9% success rate in placing our consulting clients in at least one of their target schools, we can add more value to your application than you ever thought possible.

Recent Articles

The IE MBA Interview – What to Expect + Sample Questions

Nov 6, 2023

How the IE interview works  Who is IE looking for? How can you prepare for your IE interview? What to do if you get a question you haven’t prepared an answer for Get expert help...

The HEC Paris Interview – What to Expect + Sample Questions

How the HEC interview works  Who is HEC looking for? How can you prepare for your HEC Paris interview? What to do if you get a question you haven’t prepared an answer for Get expert help...

The Washington Foster MBA Interview – What to Expect + Sample Questions

Nov 3, 2023

How the Foster interview works  Who is Foster looking for? How can you prepare for your Foster interview? What to do if you get a question you haven’t prepared an answer for Get expert help...

Ready to start your MBA Success?

Homepage > MBA Admissions > Business Schools > MIT Sloan MBA Essays 2022-2023: Analysis and Tips from an MIT Fellow

MIT Sloan MBA Essays 2022-2023: Analysis and Tips from an MIT Fellow

Posted by Suheb Hussain | Jan 24, 2023 | Business Schools , Know the GMAT , MBA Admissions , MBA Application Process

The MBA application for MIT Sloan School of Management is quite different from other business schools. The application does not have an MBA essay per se, but has an extensive application with the following requirements:

• Cover Letter (300 words or fewer)
• Resume (one page)
• Video Statement (1 minute)
• Letter of Recommendation (one)
• Additional References (two)
• Organizational Chart
• Optional 250-word short answer question

In this article, Prashant Tibrewal from Admitsquare, who has mentored 1,000+ students get into their dream business schools and who is currently enrolled at MIT Sloan himself, shares his expert tips on the MIT Sloan MBA essay and other application components.

As you start working on your MIT Sloan MBA application, ask yourself if you are cut out for MIT . Securing an admit to one of the M7 business schools is not just about a high GMAT score or a unique profile or a strong application.

While all of these are just “prerequisites”, what remains the most important is a strong personality match – between the applicant and the school. You should, therefore, spend as much time understanding your dream schools, as you would, working on your application.

What makes MIT so unique and desirable to applicants?

Getting a seat at MIT Sloan does not just give you access to the business school, but also to the larger MIT university, which is among the most future-focused education ecosystems one can dream of as a student.

Not surprising, therefore, that an MIT team comprising of students from aeronautics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and business management beat out teams from 115 other universities and 20 countries to earn the Best Overall Design Award at the SpaceX Hyperloop competition.

MIT Sloan offers an exciting range of master’s programs, designed for a wide range of students and career outcomes. It may be wise, therefore, to research well and apply to the program that you would benefit the most from:

• Sloan Fellows MBA (1-year)
• Leaders in Global Operations (LGO)
• Master of Finance
• Master of Business Analytics

Do you aspire to get into the MIT Sloan MBA Program? A 740+ GMAT score can significantly improve your chances of admission. Kickstart your GMAT preparation by  Signing up for our Free Trial ! For any queries, write to us at  [email protected] . We are the  most reviewed GMAT prep company on gmatclub with more than 2500 reviews.

MIT Sloan MBA Application Deadlines

Take a look at this article to know the MBA application deadlines of other business schools.

MIT Sloan MBA Essays and Application Requirements

While getting an admit at MIT Sloan can be difficult, applying to the program doesn’t come easy either. The MIT Sloan MBA has an extensive application with the following requirements:

MIT Sloan Cover Letter Analysis and Sample Essay Structure

“MIT Sloan seeks students whose personal characteristics demonstrate that they will make the most of the incredible opportunities at MIT, both academic and non-academic. We are on a quest to find those whose presence will enhance the experience of other students. We seek thoughtful leaders with exceptional intellectual abilities and the drive and determination to put their stamp on the world. We welcome people who are independent, authentic, and fearlessly creative — true doers. We want people who can redefine solutions to conventional problems, and strive to preempt unconventional dilemmas with cutting-edge ideas. We demand integrity and respect passion.”

Taking the above into consideration, please submit a cover letter seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA Program. Your letter should conform to standard business correspondence, include one or more examples that illustrate why you meet the desired criteria above, and be addressed to the Assistant Deans of Admissions, Rod Garcia, and Dawna Levenson (300 words or fewer, excluding address and salutation).

The MIT admissions team, including Rod Garcia and Dawna Levenson, has been the most consistent admissions team among the top business schools, ensuring the highest quality of student recruitment over the years.

The team, having retained the Cover Letter requirement for the fifth year now, clearly loves the format and how it has helped assess applicants. An open-ended question such as this comes with a high risk of submitting an essay that may not be aligned with the expectations of the admissions team.

Why such a short (300 word) cover letter, in contrast to other schools that allow much more space and scope to present yourself?

Well, for an MIT applicant with rich professional experience, applying to a business school is pretty similar to applying for a job. This is your opportunity to convince the team why they should consider your application over thousands of other well-qualified applicants.

Candidates often end up presenting a verbose, high level, broad-based career summary, which is exactly what the adcom doesn’t want to read. With access to your resume, one can pretty much trace your career path and gain a broad level of understanding.

The MIT Cover Letter lays down focused guidelines and seeks to understand specific aspects of your personal and/or professional life. “We welcome people who are independent, authentic, and fearlessly creative — true doers.”

While the school encourages these qualities among its students, to be able to establish through your cover letter that you have already demonstrated these qualities, will be the key to a strong cover letter.

Further, understanding the MIT Style of Leadership or the Problem-led Leadership will be an interesting exercise to help you develop a stronger application. The question specifically asks to substantiate your claim with example(s).

As you recollect your best achievements and think of the examples to present in the cover letter, do not forget that it is a 300-word essay.

You do not want to touch upon too many things and spread yourself too thin. Ask yourself what key qualities you would want to establish through the cover letter and find the best example that demonstrates the quality.

If space permits, back it with another short example. While it goes without saying that you use the STAR format, but go deep with “how” you did what you did. Talk about the extrinsic as well as the intrinsic motivations behind your actions.

And while you do all this, do not lose track of the primary purpose behind writing this cover letter – “to seek a place in the MIT Sloan MBA Program”.

A good part of your essay should touch upon why you are seeking a place in the program (your short term and long term career plans) and how the MIT MBA will equip you to achieve your plans. How well you know yourself and how well you know the school is both critical to presenting a strong match.

MIT Sloan Resume Format

The resume you submit to a business school holds extremely high significance, given that it helps the adcom get a detailed perspective about your professional experience and is often the only document that the interviewer has access to (once you receive an interview invite).

Not all business schools prescribe a resume format, but MIT Sloan does. In addition to suggesting the order of the different components of the resume, you are specifically asked to redact your personal information. Further, the following are the instructions to be followed.

Please submit a one-page resume that includes the following information and formatting:

• One page limit
• Times New Roman font
• Size 10 font
• Word or PDF formats only
• Redact (remove or blackout) your name, address, and contact information

 For formatting purposes, please list the information in the following order in reverse chronological order:

• Education – please feel free to include relevant awards, scholarships, and professional societies.
• Company name
• Results-oriented bullets that demonstrate your skillset, and
• Additional information – languages, extracurricular activities/community service, technical skills/certifications, and special skills/interests (if appropriate).

MIT Sloan MBA application video statement

Applicants are required to upload a 1-minute video as part of their application. In your video, you should introduce yourself to your future classmates, tell us about your past experiences, and touch on why MIT Sloan is the best place for you to pursue your degree.

Videos should adhere to the following guidelines:

• No more than 1 minute in length
• Single take (no editing)
• You should be speaking directly to the camera
• Do not include background music or subtitles

When most other schools are using the Kira video format where you must answer the video questions live, MIT allows you enough time to plan and record your video.

Is this supposed to be your Elevator Pitch? Probably yes, albeit a more personal one. Having presented most of your information through your resume and the cover letter, this should be your space to “connect” with your future classmates as well as the admissions committee.

You may talk about your personal background, unique life experiences, interests, and passions, and how specific opportunities at MIT connect with your plans and interest areas.

Sloan doesn’t want you to hire a video expert – an unedited video makes it a level playing field for all applicants.

While the video will allow the admissions committee to see you and hear you, it is your passion and your story that will invite them to feel your presence and personality. Prepare a story that is authentic, exciting, and enchanting. Above all, sound fluent, but not rehearsed!

The following article discusses the analysis and tips related to MIT Sloan video statement in detail. Have a look! 4 tips to ace MIT Sloan video statement . You can also refer to the following article for insights on how to make an impressive MBA application video essay: Make an impactful MBA Application Video Essay .

MIT Sloan Letter of Recommendation and Additional References

Several schools are now moving to a single recommendation, thus making the application less demanding for the candidate.

While the MIT LOR format isn’t very different, what’s unique is the requirement for two Additional References. These references do not need to submit any document upfront, but they may be called if required.

Choose your references like you would choose your recommenders – people you have worked closely with, who may be in a good position to talk about your strengths with specific instances.

Most of our candidates did not report their references being called, but you may want to pick the best possible options, nevertheless.

MIT Sloan MBA application – Organizational Chart

Please upload an organizational chart that outlines the internal structure of your department and company. Limit to two pages.

Note: You may choose to create your own document or redact individuals’ names. However, please provide as much information as possible.

We should be able to see your line of reporting to the top of your organization, and to easily find you, your peers, your supervisor, their peers, and your direct reports (should you have any), as well as any recommender or references from your current organization. For those in consulting, please submit an organizational chart of a current or previous project you were staffed on. 

This is again a unique requirement for the MIT Sloan application. This isn’t really a new addition to the application, which means that MIT has found it useful to evaluate the applicant’s relative position in the organizational hierarchy.

The key is to make it informational, with good details about your own position as well as those who may be in levels higher and lower than you.

You may not need to invest a lot of time making the organizational chart super fancy, but a simple chart presenting the different levels should work pretty well. Refer to the sample organizational chart suggested by the school.

MIT Sloan MBA application- Optional 250-word short answer question

For the 2022-23 applications, the applicants are invited to expand on their background by responding to the following  optional  250-word short-answer question:

“How has the world you come from shaped who you are today? For example, your family, culture, and community, all help to shape aspects of your identity. Please use this opportunity if you would like to share more about your background.”

According to the MIT website , This question is truly optional; applicants will not be evaluated more positively or negatively should they choose to respond. This is an opportunity for you to share more about yourself with the Admissions Committee, should you choose to do so.

Suggested Reading: “Problem-led Leadership” – Are you cut out for the MIT Sloan MBA? Applying to Kellogg? Read our detailed Kellogg Essay Analysis

About the Author

Prashant Tibrewal is the founder of Admit Square Consulting and has mentored 1000+ MBA aspirants to get into top global universities such as Harvard, Stanford, INSEAD, Oxford, HEC, ISB, etc. Prashant has also served on the Board of the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants (AIGAC) and led the AIGAC Conference 2020, attended by admissions officers from 25+ top-ranked MBA programs.

Admit Square Consulting has mentored applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply to top MBA programs. With a proven track record of 10+ years, and admits to universities such as Stanford, MIT, Kellogg, Cambridge, INSEAD, etc., Admit Square was awarded the Most Successful International MBA Consulting Company in India at the India Education Awards, 2019. With a team of Consultants from top business schools such as MIT, Yale, LBS and Oxford, Admit Square offers 100% Money-back Assurance on its services. You may send your details to  [email protected]  for a free profile evaluation.

That was all about MIT Sloan MBA essays. Here are a few other that can help you with your MBA application essays:

• 5 Different Types of MBA Essays Explained
• MBA Application Process – Weightage of Different Components
• 2020-2021 MBA Application Deadlines

Do you aspire to get into the MIT Sloan MBA Program? A 740+ GMAT score can significantly improve your chances of admission. Kickstart your GMAT preparation by  Signing up for our Free Trial ! For any queries, write to us at  [email protected] . We are the  most reviewed GMAT prep company on gmatclub with more than 1940 reviews.

About The Author

Suheb Hussain

Don't miss these.

Helpful posts Curated just for you!

You might also like

Browse Related Topics

Take a free diagnostic SIGma-X mock test

Gauge your section-wise ability and get started with your gmat prep.

Adaptive mock test with ESR+ analysis

400+ practice questions with detailed solutions, 10+ hours of ai-driven video lessons.

Take the first step to score 740+

• MBA Admissions
• ISB Admissions
• MBA Application Tips
• MBA Essay Tips
• Business Schools

2023-2024 MIT Sloan MBA essay Analysis and Tips

Admit expert.

• July 9, 2023

MIT Sloan has a wide range of exciting master’s programs for a variety of students and career goals. So, it might be smart to do your research and apply to the program that would help you the most:

• Sloan Fellows MBA (1-year)
• Leaders in Global Operations (LGO)
• Master of Finance
• Master of Business Analytics

If your target MIT Sloan MBA program is a 2-year program then this article is for you.

MIT Sloan School of Management’s MBA application is very different from those of other business schools. 

There is no MBA essay as such in the application, but it asks for a cover letter, a video essay, a resume, and an organizational chart that essentially serves the purpose of an essay.

In some ways, this structure shows how MIT Sloan wants to admit people with practical (but still innovative) ideas and experience.

Also, the cover letter is a way to talk about your most important accomplishments and show that you meet the admissions requirements. These criteria are: being independent, being real, and being creative without fear—true doers.

MIT Sloan MBA Essays and Application Requirements

Mit sloan mba cover letter tips, video essay, important q&a related to the organizational chart, optional short answer question, let us help you get into mit sloan.

While getting an admit to MIT Sloan can be difficult, applying to the program doesn’t come easy either. The MIT Sloan MBA has an extensive application with the following requirements:

• Cover Letter (300 words or fewer)
• Resume (one page)
• Video Statement (1 minute)
• Letter of Recommendation (one)
• Additional References (two)

Organizational Chart

In this article, we’ll discuss how to create the MIT Sloan cover letter, resume, video essay, organizational chart, and the optional short answer question.

Cover Letter

This is what MIT Sloan says regarding the cover letter:

“MIT Sloan seeks students whose personal characteristics demonstrate that they will make the most of the incredible opportunities at MIT, both academic and non-academic. 

We are on a quest to find those whose presence will enhance the experience of other students. We seek thoughtful leaders with exceptional intellectual abilities and the drive and determination to put their stamp on the world. 

We welcome people who are independent, authentic, and fearlessly creative — true doers. We want people who can redefine solutions to conventional problems, and strive to preempt unconventional dilemmas with cutting-edge ideas. We demand integrity and respect passion.”

Taking the above into consideration, please submit a cover letter seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA program. Your letter should conform to a standard business correspondence, include one or more professional examples that illustrate why you meet the desired criteria above, and be addressed to the Admissions Committee (300 words or fewer, excluding address and salutation).

MIT tells you what it wants to see in a cover letter, which is helpful. This cover letter is a marketing document, just like any other cover letter. When you apply for a job, you look into the company to find out what it wants and what it values. Based on what you find out, you send your resume along with a cover letter that is meant to make you look as good as possible to the company and shows that you have what the company wants.

Given how well the process of crafting a cover letter coincides with Sloan’s objective of admitting practical individuals with a track record of achievement, this is not surprising. Thus, the cover letter enables you to demonstrate to Sloan’s admissions committee that you “fit” their program in a succinct and pragmatic manner by highlighting your main accomplishments and career goals.

As you work on this assignment, keep in mind the usual parts of a cover letter: your skills and qualities, why you want to do an MBA from MIT Sloan, and what you think you can bring to the table.

Use your accomplishments, especially the ones that show the above qualities, to show why you should be accepted. How do the skills shown in your examples fit with the MIT Sloan program, its close-knit community, and its culture of innovators who get things done? 

When you make your case and list your accomplishments, be sure to emphasize your role and the impact it had.

Please note that this is not an essay. Make sure your letter is formatted as a professional letter with a date, address, header, salutation, and close.

To learn more about what MIT Sloan is looking for and how to make your application stand out, get in touch with us at [email protected]

The resume you send to a business school is very important because it gives the admissions committee a detailed picture of your work history and is one important document the interviewer will look at (once you receive an interview invite).

Some business schools don’t tell you how to format your resume, but MIT Sloan does. In addition to telling you how to put the different parts of your resume in order, you are directed to remove your personal information.

Please submit a one-page resume. This will help MIT Sloan adcom easily track your academic and career path. Try to focus on your work results, not just your title or job description.

Here are some pointers on formatting: 

• One page limit
• Times New Roman font
• Size 10 font
• Word or PDF formats only

Provide the following information in reverse chronological order:

• Education: Please include relevant awards, scholarships, and professional societies
• Work Experience: Please include company name, title, results-oriented bullets that demonstrate your achievements, and dates
• Additional information: Please include extracurricular activities/community service, technical skills/certifications, special skills/interests, and languages spoken (if applicable)

Do you want to impress the MIT Sloan Adcom?

At Admit Expert, we have helped hundreds of students get into top MBA programs around the world. We would be happy to help you too. Schedule a free call with us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you achieve your goals.

Schedule a free call

Introduce yourself to your future classmates. Here’s your chance to put a face with a name, let your personality shine through, be conversational, be yourself. We can’t wait to meet you!

Videos should adhere to the following guidelines:

• No more than 1 minute (60 seconds) in length
• Single take (no editing) 
• Speaking directly to the camera
• Do not include background music or subtitles”

MIT gives you plenty of time to plan and record your video.

Given the limited time you have to make an impression at MIT, your goal with this essay is to introduce yourself to your classmates, and the best introductions typically include a selection of interesting stories.

To begin brainstorming potential stories, imagine you are on your first day of work and need to introduce yourself to your team. What would you like your new colleagues to know about you? Or, better yet, what would you want to know about a new colleague who came in and introduced himself?

Because your entire cover letter will be devoted to discussing your professional accomplishments, we recommend that you concentrate on your personal interests here rather than examples of big wins at work.

MIT Sloan does not want you to hire a video expert because an unedited video levels the playing field for all applicants.

While the video allows the admissions committee to see and hear you, your passion and story will invite them to feel your presence and personality. Prepare an authentic, exciting, and enchanting story. Above all, sound natural and unrehearsed!

Avoid being too casual with your classmates, as they will become your future career and social network, but do remember to smile. 

Put on your best professional or business-casual gear for the actual video statement. Dress more formally if you’re not sure of what you’re wearing is appropriate. Make sure the area where you’re talking from is noise-free and that your roommates, pets, and/or kids aren’t going to hear or bother you. Make sure your background is modest and neutral. An empty wall makes for a beautiful backdrop.

This is another thing that only the MIT Sloan application asks for. This isn’t a new part of the application, so it shows that MIT thinks it’s important to know where the applicant stands in the organization’s hierarchy.

The key is to make it informative, with good details about your own position and those who may be in levels higher or lower than you. Organizational charts should not be more than two pages.

You might not need to spend a lot of time making the organizational chart look fancy, but a simple chart showing the different levels should work pretty well. Check out the sample organizational chart that the school has given.

Source – https://mitsloan.mit.edu/sites/default/files/inline-files/Sample%20Org%20Chart.pdf

Here are a few important FAQs related to the organizational chart.

What’s the goal of submitting the organizational chart?

The goal is to find out more about you and your work history. The organizational chart for your company will help MIT Sloan adcom figure out what your job is, who you report to, who reports to you, and how you might affect your department or company.

What if no one reports to you. Will this part of the application put you at a disadvantage?

No. At this point in your career, you are not expected to be able to manage other people. The organizational chart isn’t meant to count how many people report to you directly. Instead, it’s meant to help the adcom understand your role in your organization and who you work with.

What if I’m a solo entrepreneur or external contractor? What is the best way to display my chart when I am an organization of one?

If you are a solo entrepreneur or contractor, try this: place yourself at the center of the chart, then make branches representing the various constituents and stakeholders you interact with (for example, clients, suppliers, investors, and board of directors). 

My organization’s structure is confidential. Do I still have to submit an organizational chart?

We recognize that some organizations’ internal structures are classified or confidential. In this scenario, do your best to help us visualize your place within the organization without giving away classified details. You can redact names or titles or display only a certain level of your organization. Whatever you can share will be helpful.

Applicants are invited to expand on their background by responding to the following optional 250-word short answer question:

How has the world you come from shaped who you are today? For example, your family, culture, community, all help to shape aspects of your identity. Please use this opportunity if you would like to share more about your background.

This question is truly optional; applicants will not be evaluated more positively or negatively should they choose to respond. This is an opportunity for you to share more about yourself with the Admissions Committee, should you choose to do so.

Overall, MIT Sloan is trying to learn more about where you have come from and how that has shaped who you are now.

You could talk about how the lessons you’ve learned from hard times and strange situations have changed the way you approach your career, but that shouldn’t be the main point of this essay. 

The adcom wants to know what motivates you, what your values are, or just other parts of who you are. Also, remember that this Sloan MBA essay is optional. 

Alexis Marcus from MIT Sloan’s admissions team conducted a live Q&A and you can get a few tips from this session. The video is embedded here.

We will help you write essays that portray your unique strengths and experiences in the most favorable light so that your application shines above the rest. We have helped hundreds of students get into top US business schools. Let us help you too.

Do you want to get into your dream business school?

Take the first step towards your MBA dream and schedule a free 1 on 1 application strategy call with us.

Related Posts

MBA Interview Questions at Leading Business Schools in 2023: A Comprehensive Guide

Admission to an MBA program at a renowned business school is a significant milestone in one’s academic and professional journey. In 2023, top business schools in the United States and Europe are maintaining their rigorous standards for selecting candidates who not only possess strong academic and professional backgrounds but also

How to Prepare for MBA Interview – Expert Tips & Mistakes to Avoid

Securing admission to a prestigious MBA program is a significant accomplishment, and MBA interviews play a pivotal role in this journey. These interviews offer admission committees a deeper look into the candidates, allowing them to assess not only qualifications but also the personal attributes that make a prospective student an

[2023 Updated] GMAT Scores and Percentiles Explained

The journey to pursuing a graduate management education often starts with a single test, the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). It’s a pivotal step in gaining admission to top business schools around the world. Your GMAT score holds the key to your academic future, but how is it calculated, and

MBA Waitlist: Why You’re on It and What to Do Next

Are you currently on an MBA waitlist, anxiously awaiting a decision from your dream business school? If so, you’re not alone. The MBA application process can be a rollercoaster of emotions, and finding yourself on a waitlist is a common part of this journey. In this article, we will guide

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content

fxMBAconsulting

MBA application writing with a story-based approach.

MIT Sloan. 2021-22 LGO & MBA Essay Analysis & Examples.

Gain insight into how to approach MIT Sloan's MBA & LGO essays and get inspired by reading Sloan essays written for former clients.

Overview. Analysis. MIT Sloan 2021-2022 MBA & LGO Cover Letter. Example 1. MIT Sloan MBA & LGO Cover Letter. Example 2. MIT Sloan MBA & LGO Cover Letter.

Below you’ll find two examples of MIT Sloan’s cover letter for the 2021-2022 full-time MBA admissions season. You’ll find additional essay examples and essay topic analyses for leading MBA programs at the preceding link.

MIT Sloan’s essay (a.k.a the cover letter) is an opportunity for candidates to give the admissions committee a sense of their experiences, personality, and understanding of the school’s core values.

We welcome people who are independent, authentic, and fearlessly creative — true doers. We are as interested in your path to accomplishment as we are in the results that you have attained. We want to know the effect you have on the people with who you engage, and, in turn, how you influence the world around you.

MIT’s motto is  mens et manus (mind and hand). There is a definite line of thinking at Sloan which goes, ‘who you are and how you think is best reflected through your actions’. In past application years, Sloan has shown a great interest in candidates’ past behavior as a means to understanding the way they frame the world around them. That makes sense because what makes or breaks a person’s potential as a leader or manager  begins with  the way they think about, and ultimately frame interpersonal relationships, social situations and group/organizational dynamics and culminates in  what they say and do.

Sloan’s admissions committee has always shown an interest in how candidates ‘overcome’ in their professional lives: defying norms, convincing others, making decisions with imperfect information, handling setbacks and moving outside one’s comfort zone. Leveraging a very short cover letter and the optional essay you’ll need to be creative about how you convey those aspects of yourself and your work to the admissions committee.

With such a tight word limit, I can’t stress enough how important it will be for you to carefully organizing your thoughts and determine what information is truly critical before writing your cover letter in the most succinct way possible. In that sense, the new cover letter’s restrictive format provides a means for the admissions committee to identify candidates with strong communication skills – which is a characteristic common to MBA graduates from top programs.

Here are some tips as you sit down to write your MIT Sloan cover letter:

• Write this essay last. I’ve often drawn on other school essays for inspiration writing the Sloan cover letter.
• If you’re over the word count, don’t waste precious word count with a sentence like ‘ It is my pleasure to write to you today to request that my candidacy be considered for a place in the MIT Sloan MBA class of 2021 ‘.
• Don’t just mention what you accomplished, give some additional insight like a) what inspired you to pursue that goal/accomplishment? b) how did other people react? etc.
• Don’t over-analyze the cover letter prompt. You don’t have to touch on every single point in the prompt. In other words, you needn’t touch on your exceptional intellectual abilities and drive and fearlessly creative attitude and your many cutting edge ideas etc. There’s just not enough room for that!

Analysis. 2021-22 MIT Sloan MBA & LGO Cover Letter.

MIT Sloan seeks students whose personal characteristics demonstrate that they will make the most of the incredible opportunities at MIT, both academic and non-academic. We are on a quest to find those whose presence will enhance the experience of other students. We seek thoughtful leaders with exceptional intellectual abilities and the drive and determination to put their stamp on the world. We welcome people who are independent, authentic, and fearlessly creative — true doers. We want people who can redefine solutions to conventional problems, and strive to preempt unconventional dilemmas with cutting-edge ideas. We demand integrity and respect passion.

Taking the above into consideration, please submit a cover letter seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA Program. Your letter should conform to a standard business correspondence, include one or more examples that illustrate why you meet the desired criteria above, and be addressed to the Assistant Deans of Admissions, Rod Garcia and Dawna Levenson  (300 words or fewer, excluding address and salutation).

Need a hand writing your mba essay, $ content review service $20 per 100 words reviewed. the same strategic advisory services offered by mba mission or stacy blackman. $$$ content creation service have an original essay written $300-700., example 1. mit sloan mba & lgo cover letter. , taking the above into consideration, please submit a cover letter seeking a place in the mit sloan mba program. .

Sam Eslien 277 E. 7th Street New York, NY 10009 September 25th, 2018 Ms. Dawna Levenson and Mr. Rod Garcia Assistant Deans of Admissions MIT Sloan School of Management 50 Memorial Drive Cambridge, MA 02142

Dear Mr. Garcia

When I joined my current employer, Zapier, commercialization efforts for our latest enterprise software had only just begun. The timing was fortuitous, and, with the benefit of supportive mentors and a flat organizational structure, I was able to gain cross-functional experience: raising capital, improving our marketing system and finally managing a sales team as the VP of Business Development.

While those achievements are mine, the credit belongs to Wade Foster, Zapier’s founder. At a time when I was still recovering from Retinopathy, an eye condition that can cause blindness, Wade believed in me and gave me a chance to prove myself. While Wade is adept at seeing potential in ideas and transforming them into successful companies, I admire him most for his wonderful ability to see and nurture potential in people .

While most people focus on extracting the best from others, Wade’s example taught me that true leaders focus on giving the best of themselves to others. I’ve applied that lesson through my leadership and community activities. In the last three years I’ve volunteered as Head of Marketing for the Retinopathy Foundation and Head of Sponsorship at ALCF. I’ve also provided pro bono marketing and business model advice to a number of startups.

I’d plan to continue giving the best of myself in my professional endeavors, as I and my colleagues devise practical solutions to the business world’s pressing issues. I would be delighted if you would consider me for a place in the MIT Sloan Class of 2021.

Sincerely, Sam Eslien

Example 2. MIT Sloan MBA & LGO Cover Letter. 

Kate Maes 4501 Woodward Avenue Detroit, MI 48201 January 3rd, 2021 Ms. Dawna Levenson and Mr. Rod Garcia Assistant Deans of Admissions MIT Sloan School of Management 50 Memorial Drive Cambridge, MA 02142

Dear Mr. Garcia,

At twenty-seven, I sometimes think that my long-term goal, to become the CEO of a global manufacturing organization like General Motors, seems like a lofty one, but in those moments I remind (and reassure) myself that good business leaders aren’t born, but rather developed. For me, that development process is a three-fold one and involves cultivating knowledge ,  experience and good judgment . 

I’ve grown in practical experience through steady career progression at COMPANY and progressive responsibility for larger projects, teams and deliverables. I’ve sought out and gleaned knowledge through the mentorship of seasoned professionals like Henry Brooks, a President at COMPANY,who has generously shared lessons and insights from his own career.

MIT’s Sloan’s mission to develop leaders who improve the world and advance the practice of management aligns with my own commitment to hone good judgment in my current and future endeavors. In addition, the possibility to grow personally and contribute to the growth of others at MIT Sloan is made possible by the nature of the school’s student body, with a wealth of different industry and functional perspectives and the welcoming and down-to-earth approach I’ve experienced through first-hand interactions.

Working closely with Jane Stilton, one of the Interiors Division’s co-Heads, I’ve been impressed by her ability to successfully lead over 800 people while consistently meeting the division’s performance expectations. The internal strategic issues we face at General Motors are both interesting and challenging and in the short-term I plan to take General Motors up on an offer to return post-MBA and take on a role as a Site Lead in our Interiors Division.

In closing I’d like to thank you for your time in reviewing my application for the MIT Sloan MBA Class of 2021.

Sincerely, Kate Maes

popular articles

The story-based resume. what is it.

Story-based resumes give clients an edge in securing admission to top business schools and landing offers at sought-after employers. How? By giving readers insight into how a candidate thinks, problem solves, persuades, prioritizes, innovates, communicates and most importantly, how they add value to an organization.

2021-22 Stanford MBA Interview Questions & Guide

Learn about Stanford’s MBA interview format. Use mock interview questions (from past interviewees) to prepare.

2021-22 MIT Sloan MBA. Interview Questions & Guide.

Learn about MIT Sloan’s MBA & LGO interview format. Use mock interview questions (from past interviewees) to prepare.

Stanford GSB. 2021-22 MBA & MSx Essay Analysis & REAL Examples.

Gain insight into how to approach Stanford’s MBA & MSx essays and get inspired by reading Stanford essays written for former clients.

Let's chat!

Request a free 30-minute consultation.

Your consultation will be automatically scheduled based on your availability.

Please share your LINKEDIN URL and/or upload your RESUME or supporting documents (supports multiple file upload).

Please email [email protected] for a same or next-day response.

Prefer to call 646.627.9840.

• Testimonials
• Case Studies

August 22, 2023

MBA Essay Guidance 2023-24: MIT Sloan School of Management

• Admission Strategy
• Admissions Consultant
• Business School
• Essay Guidance
• MBA Essay Tips

MIT Sloan School of Management has released its MBA application deadlines and essay questions for the 2023-24 application cycle.  Here are the important dates and Admitify’s guidance on the essays.

R1:  sep 27, 2023  /  r2:  jan 17, 2024  /  r3:  apr 8, 2024, cover letter, mit guidance.

MIT Sloan seeks students whose personal characteristics demonstrate that they will make the most of the incredible opportunities at MIT, both academic and non-academic. We are on a quest to find those whose presence will enhance the experience of other students. We seek thoughtful leaders with exceptional intellectual abilities and the drive and determination to put their stamp on the world. We welcome people who are independent, authentic, and fearlessly creative — true doers. We want people who can redefine solutions to conventional problems, and strive to preempt unconventional dilemmas with cutting-edge ideas. We demand integrity and respect passion.

Taking the above into consideration, please submit a cover letter seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA program. Your letter should conform to a standard business correspondence, include one or more professional examples that illustrate why you meet the desired criteria above, and can be addressed to the Admissions Committee. 

Your cover letter should be 300 words or fewer, excluding address and salutation.

Admitify Guidance

MIT wants the cover letter to consist of (a) “one or more examples that illustrate why you meet the desired criteria” (described in their instructions) and (b) “seeking a place in the … MBA program.” So for (a) 80+% of the letter can consist of very concise versions of 2-3 core stories, each of which illustrates one or more of their values (illustrating all of the values listed in their prompt is probably not realistic in 300 words), and each example ideally but not necessarily showing different sides of your profile/impact. The rest of the letter (15-20%) should show your knowledge of relevant Sloan resources (with perhaps a one-sentence statement of your post-MBA goals). Keep in mind that Sloan admissions is evidence-based: they want data and demonstrated past performance, not grandiose visionary goals. So if your goals are mentioned at all in the letter, keep it very brief. Close the letter by requesting an opportunity to interview.

VIDEO STATEMENT

Introduce yourself to your future classmates. Here’s your chance to put a face with a name, let your personality shine through, be conversational, be yourself. We can’t wait to meet you!

Videos should adhere to the following guidelines:

• No more than 1 minute (60 seconds) in length
• Single take (no editing) 
• Speaking directly to the camera
• Do not include background music or subtitles

Note: While we ask you to introduce yourself to your future classmates in this video, the video will not be shared beyond the admissions committee and is for use in the application process only. 

For the 1-minute video, this must be a single-take/unedited video directly addressing the camera but that doesn’t mean you must be dully sitting at a desk with a bare wall behind you (though that would be fine). You could set a monitor behind you that shows images from your life that are keyed to your words or you could have props (objects, photos, etc.) at hand that you could pick up and ‘show’ at appropriate points. You could also do a live-action selfie video of you standing in front of or perhaps walking through a location that is significant to your life or career, while you narrate its significance. Don’t worry if your cover letter and video involve the same general topic or experience. But keep the cover letter focused on the impact, leadership, and outcomes (treat it as an accomplishment), while the video can be more the ‘why’ than the ‘what’ – why the accomplishment is significant to you or is revealing of who you are. The video is not meant to be an accomplishment at all but rather a personal ‘back story’ (what matters to me) story or general self-introduction. Don’t worry if your video goes over by 10 seconds or so.

OPTIONAL SHORT ANSWER QUESTION

We’d like to give you the opportunity to expand on your background. This question is completely optional.

How has the world you come from shaped who you are today? For example, your family, culture, community, all help to shape aspects of your life experiences and perspective. Please use this opportunity if you would like to share more about your background.

Please do not include any links in your response. 250 words or less.

This is a ‘diversity’ essay but diversity very broadly defined. Think of the influences that have shaped your life and world-view. Sloan’s terms “family, culture, community” hint that you need not focus on a narrow ‘diverse’ sense of yourself: for example, that of a non-US or US underrepresented minority. A unique perspective or background can stem from any of the following (to paraphrase Stanford’s language for a similar essay): your work and life experiences, education, skills, interests, culture, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, where/how you grew up, and/or other factors.” Note that given the Supreme Court’s 2023 affirmative action decision, schools are deliberately not asking about racial or ethnic identity, and you would try to discuss these (if you do) in the context of “family, culture, community” rather than in narrow ‘identity’ or demographic terms. Though Sloan’s wording suggests they want some autobiographical retrospection, be sure to connect your identity or background with the present: don’t just say X, Y, and Z shaped me; show how they did and what behaviors, action or commitments in your current life reflect those influences.

Now is the perfect time to start on your MIT Sloan MBA applications!  Contact us today and we’ll guide you through the application process.

Related blog posts, mba waitlist success strategies.

October 24, 2023

Unlocking Your MBA Potential: How to Choose the Perfect Program

October 13, 2023

Ace Your MBA Interview: What You Need to Know

October 4, 2023

MIT Sloan MBA Essay Examples

We can improve your MBA profile and boost your candidacy. Gain insight into the review process and eliminate weaknesses from your MBA application.

Note: You must have javascript enabled to submit the form.

MIT Sloan MBA Cover Letter Samples

MIT Sloan currently requires all applicants to submit a cover letter, org chart, and video essay with their application. The MIT Sloan cover letter format has been used for many years to select candidates. In some ways, this structure reflects MIT Sloan’s goal to admit candidates with practical (though innovative) ideas and experience. Also, the cover letter is a way to describe your key accomplishments and use them to prove that you embody the outlined criteria for admission. Those criteria are: independent, authentic, and fearlessly creative — true doers.

Successful Examples of MIT MBA Cover Letters

SBC has a former MIT Sloan Admissions Officer and several additional MIT Sloan experts on our team. We know the nuances of applying to MIT Sloan successfully.

Here’s a snapshot of the caliber of expertise on our SBC team .

HBS Admissions Board at Harvard Business School HBS MBA

HBS Admissions Board at Harvard Business School Kellogg MBA

Director HBS Admissions at Harvard Business School MBA, the Wharton School

HBS Admissions Board at Harvard Business School

Director HBS Admissions at Harvard Business School HBS MBA

Admissions Officer at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB) MBA, Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB)

Asst Director MBA Admissions at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB) Director MBA Admissions at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business

MBA, Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB) Minority Admissions, the GSB Diversity Programs, the GSB

Associate Director MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania

Associate Director MBA Admissions and Marketing at the Wharton MBA’s Lauder Institute

Director, the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania Professional Writer

Assistant Director MBA Admissions at Columbia Business School (CBS) NYU Admissions

Assistant Director MBA Admissions at Columbia Business School (CBS) M.S.Ed, Higher Education, U of Pennsylvania

Associate Director MBA Admissions at Columbia Business School (CBS)

Ashley is a former MBA Admissions Board Member for Harvard Business School (HBS), where she interviewed and evaluated thousands of business school applicants for over a six year tenure.  Ashley  holds an MBA from HBS. During her HBS years,  Ashley  was the Sports Editor for the Harbus and a member of the B-School Blades Ice Hockey Team. After HBS, she worked in Marketing at the Gillette Company on Male and Female shaving ...

Kerry is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS). During her 5+ year tenure at HBS, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a wide range of backgrounds across the globe. She also led marketing and outreach efforts focused on increasing diversity and inclusion, ran the Summer Venture in Management Program (SVMP), and launched the 2+2 Program during her time in Admissions. Kerry holds a B.A. from Bates College and  ...

A former associate director of admissions at Harvard Business School, Pauline served on the HBS MBA Admissions Board full-time for four years. She evaluated and interviewed HBS applicants, both on-campus and globally.  Pauline's career has included sales and marketing management roles with Coca-Cola, Gillette, Procter & Gamble, and IBM.  For over 10 years, Pauline has expertly guided MBA applicants, and her clients h ...

Geri is a former member of the Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS).  In her 7 year tenure in HBS Admissions, she read and evaluated hundreds of applications and interviewed MBA candidates from a diverse set of academic, geographic, and employment backgrounds.  Geri also traveled globally representing the school at outreach events in order to raise awareness for women and international students.  In additio ...

Laura comes from the MBA Admissions Board at Harvard Business School (HBS) and is an HBS MBA alumnus. In her HBS Admissions role, she evaluated and interviewed hundreds of business school candidates, including internationals, women, military and other applicant pools, for five years.  Prior to her time as a student at HBS, Laura began her career in advertising and marketing in Chicago at Leo Burnett where she worked on th ...

Andrea served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at Harvard Business School (HBS) for over five years.  In this role, she provided strategic direction for student yield-management activities and also served as a full member of the admissions committee. In 2007, Andrea launched the new 2+2 Program at Harvard Business School – a program targeted at college junior applicants to Harvard Business School.  Andrea has also served as a Career Coach for Harvard Business School for both cu ...

Jennifer served as Admissions Officer at the Stanford (GSB) for five years. She holds an MBA from Stanford (GSB) and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Jennifer has over 15 years experience in guiding applicants through the increasingly competitive admissions process into top MBA programs. Having read thousands and thousands of essays and applications while at Stanford (GSB) Admiss ...

Erin served in key roles in MBA Admissions--as Director at Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and Assistant Director at Stanford's Graduate School of Business (GSB). Erin served on the admissions committee at each school and has read thousands of applications in her career. At Haas, she served for seven years in roles that encompassed evaluation, outreach, and diversity and inclusion. During her tenure in Admissions at GSB, she was responsible for candidate evaluation, applicant outreach, ...

Susie comes from the Admissions Office of the Stanford Graduate School of Business where she reviewed and evaluated hundreds of prospective students’ applications.  She holds an MBA from Stanford’s GSB and a BA from Stanford in Economics. Prior to advising MBA applicants, Susie held a variety of roles over a 15-year period in capital markets, finance, and real estate, including as partner in one of the nation’s most innovative finance and real estate investment organizations. In that r ...

Dione holds an MBA degree from Stanford Business School (GSB) and a BA degree from Stanford University, where she double majored in Economics and Communication with concentrations in journalism and sociology. Dione has served as an Admissions reader and member of the Minority Admissions Advisory Committee at Stanford.   Dione is an accomplished and respected advocate and thought leader on education and diversity. She is ...

Anthony served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he dedicated over 10 years of expertise. During his time as a Wharton Admissions Officer, he read and reviewed thousands of applications and helped bring in a class of 800+ students a year.   Anthony has traveled both domestically and internationally to recruit a ...

Meghan served as the Associate Director of Admissions and Marketing at the Wharton MBA’s Lauder Institute, a joint degree program combining the Wharton MBA with an MA in International Studies. In her role on the Wharton MBA admissions committee, Meghan advised domestic and international applicants; conducted interviews and information sessions domestically and overseas in Asia, Central and South America, and Europe; and evaluated applicants for admission to the program. Meghan also managed ...

Amy comes from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where she was Associate Director. Amy devoted 12 years at the Wharton School, working closely with MBA students and supporting the admissions team.  During her tenure at Wharton, Amy served as a trusted adviser to prospective applicants as well as admitted and matriculated students.  She conducted admissions chats with applicants early in the admissions ...

Ally brings six years of admissions experience to the SBC team, most recently as an Assistant Director of Admission for the full-time MBA program at Columbia Business School (CBS).  During her time at Columbia, Ally was responsible for reviewing applications, planning recruitment events, and interviewing candidates for both the full-time MBA program and the Executive MBA program. She traveled both internationally and dome ...

Erin has over seven years of experience working across major institutions, including University of Pennsylvania, Columbia Business School, and NYU's Stern School of Business. At Columbia Business School, Erin was an Assistant Director of Admissions where she evaluated applications for both the full time and executive MBA programs, sat on the admissions and merit scholarship committees and advised applicants on which program might be the best fit for them based on their work experience and pro ...

Emma comes from the MBA Admissions Office at Columbia Business School (CBS), where she was Associate Director.  Emma conducted dozens of interviews each cycle for the MBA and EMBA programs, as well as coordinating the alumni ambassador interview program. She read and evaluated hundreds of applications each cycle, delivered information sessions to audiences across the globe, and advised countless waitlisted applicants.

Mr. XXX & Ms. YYY

Assistant Deans of Admissions

MIT Sloan School of Management

50 Memorial Drive

Cambridge, MA 02142

Dear Mr. XXX and Ms. YYY:

It is with great enthusiasm that I submit my application for MIT Sloan’s MBA Class of XXXX. After working in education with XXX and spending three years in legal business development at an international law firm, I am excited to share my experiences and perspectives and contribute meaningfully to the Sloan community.

Studying biology taught me that the world is a laboratory and that I can apply the scientific method to unconventional challenges in business. My firm recently implemented new software to integrate several existing databases to improve our experience management and is currently beginning a multi-year integration. I made a case to my department’s director to be a pilot user and was invited to join a multi-department and cross-office team to develop an implementation plan. My analytical background helped me identify bugs and propose solutions, while my business development experience allowed me to connect technical features to practical implications. After negotiating with key stakeholders, I am now working to implement an automated pitch generation tool that has the potential to fundamentally change how our business development office functions and will help us adapt to the rapidly evolving legal market. This experience and other collaborative projects at my firm have helped develop my business and management skills, and I am eager to develop them further at Sloan and apply them to the education sector to help make quality education more accessible. At Sloan, I am interested in exploring the intersection of education, finance and policy through research in the Golub Center for Finance and Policy. Through classes such as the A-LAB or G-LAB action learning courses, I could apply that research to real-world problems while strengthening my analytical and entrepreneurial skillset.

I look forward to sharing my talents and experiences with the Sloan community, and thank you for your consideration.

[Address Line 1]

[Address Line 2]

Dr. XXX, Executive Director

MIT Leaders for Global Management

1 Amherst St., E40-315

Dear Dr. XXX,

At age eight, I tried building the fastest Pinewood Derby-Car by installing a model rocket engine on the car-body. After breaking our neighbor’s window during testing, I learned three lessons about problem solving and life—don’t think like others, it’s okay to fail and integrity matters (I owned up). In the two decades since, I’ve grown and leaned on these values to succeed in leadership roles across in the Army.

I recently applied this mentality leading an Army program innovating human performance training. With an ambiguous goal of improving performance under pressure, I focused my team of leaders on restructuring cognitive, physical and social development. First, I implemented new behavioral assessments to build leader self-awareness and a new goal setting model to focus soldiers. From there, I integrated a cognitive psychologist and bio-sensors into operations—physical training, weapons proficiency and maneuver under stress. Finally, I incorporated augmented reality and a sensor-enabled drone into operational planning. I initially struggled tracking and presenting data, but quickly adjusted to highlight the potential of bio-sensors and augmented-reality. After four months, our weapons sections—a critical Company asset—certified as #1 of 16 in combat certifications and the concept was selected by strategic leaders for assessment in the 2020 Army Warfare Experiment.

I’ve always been asked why I became an Infantry Officer after excelling in electrical engineering; the Cyber branch of the Army seems more natural. My desire to join the LGO community is rooted in this Infantry/EE dichotomy—I always appreciated both the people-centric challenge of leadership and the technical underpinnings that drive our digital world. At LGO, I will grow in both domains and focus on how bio-sensors and augmented reality shape the human-machine interaction. While I may never design another rocket car, I bring this curiosity to LGO and throughout life.

Dear Mr. XXX,

As the daughter of a boutique owner, I grew up in retail, which sparked my passion for the industry and inspired my career. While working at Boston-based [company] and in my current role as a management consultant, I have gained extensive knowledge of the retail industry while also bolstering my analytical, leadership and teamwork skills. At [firm], I led a team of executive clients and 5 peer level consultants to establish a cost management function within a fortune 500 retailer. We trained 30 clients in strategic negotiation and supplier management while implementing new processes. This effort resulted in a new department that drives 4-7% margin improvements quarterly. I have also sought opportunities beyond my everyday engagements. I am the most junior member of a team developing perspectives on “next generation retail”. We’ve published our initial findings and are working to commercialize creative approaches that enable customer experiences in stores. Additionally, I have led several community building initiatives including undergraduate recruiting, learning and development for summer interns, and our Women’s Network mentorship program.

Beyond my technical passion for leading teams and collaborating to find innovative solutions, I care deeply about connecting with people. I am the person who puts their phone down to chat with everyone from the Starbucks barista to my Uber driver because every interaction provides a learning that enhances my comprehension of people, the world and how I will change it for the better.

At Sloan, I want to continue my leadership development, invigorate my entrepreneurialism and connect with driven classmates. I am confident that the Sloan experience will allow me to achieve my long-term goal of launching a company at the intersection of retail and sustainability, and I would be honored to bring my passion and skills to the MIT community.

Thank you for your consideration.

I am extremely interested in applying for admission to MIT Sloan’s MBA Program, intending to start during Fall 2017. I believe that my solid professional experience, including a consistent track record of high performance, coupled with the desire to immerse myself in a community of learning, collaboration and professional development make me a great fit for the program.

As a Technology Consultant, I have been in a project in Central America for almost two years. The original proposal was to only be there for three months, in a mostly traditional Analyst role where I would be doing support work for the more experienced practitioners. However, I seized the unlikeliest of opportunities: I teamed up with two other Analysts who also had no experience with the Warehouse Management tool that was being implemented and together learned everything we could about it. After a few weeks, we developed a working model and presented it to both the local business and global headquarters. The prototype was so successful that we were tasked with configuring the full-scale solution that was eventually rolled out, to great success, in four Central American countries and will be used as a template for future global implementations.

I believe this experience highlights the key traits that MIT Sloan looks for in applicants, including innovativeness, drive, teamwork, and impact. I consider that not only will I greatly benefit from everything the program has to offer, but I can collaborate for the betterment of the Sloan community.

Sincerely, XXX

I’m an optimistic realist with a passion for fixing things. In my first year as an engineer in [XX] Leadership Development Rotational Program, I co-developed a method for eliminating material misprocessing within our factories. My colleague and I designed [XX]’s Linux-Operated Optical Character Recognition (OCR) Kit, which offers the accuracy of industry OCR systems at five percent of the cost.

I’m honored to be the first [XX] engineer to win two Engineering Innovation Convention awards within the same year. I’m currently in Germany, leading the development of a new barcode reader that will save TI $360,000. This fall, I’ll lead a company-wide initiative focused on improving efficiency across all of our manufacturing sites.

As an engineer, I’m naturally curious, and learning from others is one of my favorite parts of my job. For many of my coworkers, I’m the first out LGBTQ+ individual that they’ve known. Through openness and mutual respect, I’ve led teams – consisting of mostly middle-aged men from Texas – in several successful projects, resulting in an early promotion. When I return to Dallas, I’ll assume a supervisory role in which I’ll manage 35 engineering technicians.

I want to generate solutions to environmental problems. At Sloan, I’ll pursue the Sustainability Certificate to gain a deeper understanding of the environmental and social impacts of industry. Additionally, I look forward to developing further as an innovator through offerings such as the Sloan Innovation Period and hands-on Action Learning Labs. When I attended an AMA event during my visit, I was moved by the humility and curiosity of the student body. Sloan’s values, commitment to innovation, and focus on experiential learning make me confident that it’s the school for me. I appreciate your consideration, and look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely, YYY

SBC’s star-studded consultant team is unparalleled. Our clients benefit from current intelligence that we receive from the former MBA Admissions Officers from Wharton, Columbia CBS and every elite business program in the US and Europe.  These MBA Admissions Officers have chosen to work exclusively with SBC.

Just two of the many superstars on the SBC team: Meet Anthony , who served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he dedicated over 10 years of expertise.

Meet Erin , who has over seven years of experience working across major institutions, including University of Pennsylvania, Columbia Business School, and NYU’s Stern School of Business.

Tap into this inside knowledge for your MBA applications by requesting a consultation .

You May Also Like

Leverage your Banking Resume to get an MBA at Harvard, Wharton or Stanford

MIT Sloan Cover Letter, Application Requirements for 2023-2024

Get Into Business School: 7 Tips From MBA Admissions Officers

HBS and Stanford: Admitted to Both, Then & Now

Learn about our all-in service, meet the sbc consulting team.

(323) 934-3936 info@StacyBlackman.com

Latest Blog Post

Chandler’s mba reflections: a journey of inspiration.

Stacy Blackman’s B-Schooled podcast is chockful of tips and inspiration for every leg of your MBA application journey. Often, it’s the hosts’ personal experiences that make it such a unique resource in the MBA ... →

• E-mail & Password
• Notification Settings
• Global Settings
• Applicant profile
• Update status
• My GMAT info
• --> My Education -->