sample essay for mba scholarship

Which program are you applying to?

Accepted Admissions Blog

Everything you need to know to get Accepted

Sample Essays from Admitted HBS Students

• Sample HBS Essay [2020]: Vulnerable But Invincible
• Sample HBS Essay [2016]: The Mechanical Engineer
• Sample HBS Essay [2015]: The Author

I read the new 2020 Harbus MBA Essay Guide wondering what I was going to gain from it. I’ve been reading HBS MBA application essays for 26 years. I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t. I also had read the previous Harbus MBA Essay Guide , and the question Harvard is asking hasn’t changed since that one was published. However, while I started The Essay Guide a skeptic, I quickly saw its value, and can whole-heartedly recommend it to HBS applicants. 

Even after having read hundreds of HBS essays, I still found it worthwhile to read The Essay Guide . For applicants who have preconceived notions of what an admissible essay should be, The Essay Guide will open your eyes to 22 successful and different responses. For applicants who are wondering how on earth they should approach their essay, the guide will give them 22 different answers. 

For me it reinforced several valuable lessons:

• There really is no template for a successful HBS essay. The diversity of essays that are acceptable — no pun intended, well maybe a little intended — to Harvard Business School is striking.  
• The commitment of most of the authors to telling their story is also noteworthy. Several said they asked friends to confirm that the essay really mirrors them. Others wrote that they were determined that the essay present an authentic portrait of them.
• Most of the students wrote the essay over the course of months. Give yourself time to draft a persuasive, introspective, and authentic essay. 

Harvard’s question is a fantastic one. It is a probing one. And it requires you to probe yourself so that you can provide a profound reflection of you as you tell the HBS admissions committee what you really want them to know.

A successful Harvard Business School application essay [2020]

This sample essay is from The Harbus MBA Essay Guide and is reprinted with permission from Harbus .  

Essay: Vulnerable But Invincible 

Home country: USA

Previous industry: Consulting

Analysis: The author takes a rather bold approach here. She uses the essay to point to the times when she showed vulnerability in the workplace. This essay presents a strong example of how an essay can be used to complement different aspects of your personality – while resume and application can be used to highlight accomplishments, the essay has been intelligently used to show author’s capacity to be strong enough to talk about situations when she broke down in a professional capacity, but took lessons from each of these situations and employed them to her strength.

I have cried exactly four times at work.

The first time was early in my career. It was 2AM and I was lying in bed struggling with an Excel model. An overachiever my whole life, I was wholly unused to the feelings of inadequacy and incompetence bubbling up inside me. After clicking through dozens of Excel forums with still no right answer, I gave up and cried myself to sleep, vowing to never let myself feel so incapable again.

The second time was a year and a half later. I was unsatisfied with my project and role, and questioning my decision to be a consultant. That uncertainty must have been apparent to everyone, because my manager pulled me aside and bluntly told me that my attitude was affecting the entire team. I cried in front of him, devastated that I had let my doubts bleed into my work.

The third time was just a year ago. I was overseeing a process redesign and struggling to balance the many changes needed. The Partner called me into his office to say, “I’m worried our process is not as sound as it needs to be. I need to know that you care about this as much as I do.” I nodded, say that I do, then ran to the bathroom to cry, overwhelmed by how much change I knew was coming.

Each of the first three times was driven by frustration and anger. I had tamped down my emotions to the point where they overwhelmed me. Particularly as a young woman in business, I never wanted to be viewed as a stereotype or incapable. I was ashamed of my tears and terrified at how others would perceive me.

However, each of those experiences proved to be a turning point. My tears motivated me to ask for help when I needed it, pushed me to restructure my mindset and approach, and gave me a moment to breathe, rebalance, and reprioritize. In each case, my work was better for it. I have also used each experience as a learning moment. Each time I asked myself what decisions led me to the point of tears, and what I could have done differently. I could have raised my hand earlier for help, initiated a conversation with my manager about my uncertainty and dissatisfaction, or involved the Partner more actively in the planning and prioritization. While I can’t change the past, I can learn from it, and am more considerate of such outcomes when I make these decisions today.

Emotions are an inevitable part of the human experience, and as such, an inevitable part of the office. Rather than keeping them at bay, I have begun embracing my emotions to be a better manager and leader, and build more authentic connections. As a manager, I understand my team as people, not just colleagues. I have regular conversations with each of my team members to understand their individual goals and motivations, so I can take those into consideration when building the team structure and delegating responsibilities. As a leader, I invest in traditions and events that foster camaraderie and high morale. I am the proud founder of [NAME OF OFFICE PROGRAM] in the office, a beloved tradition that is now an integral part of the office and that I hope will continue even after I leave.

The fourth time I cried was at the rollout of a process redesign I oversaw. This was our first time demo-ing the new process end-to-end for the rest of the team. As the demo progressed, I felt the team’s energy turn from nervous anticipation to dawning excitement, and finally to sheer awe and amazement. As the demo ended, one of my teammates turned to me, and asked in a hushed voice, “Are you crying?” And I was. This time, I cried not with frustration or anger. This time, I cried with joy for our success and with pride for my team. Embracing my emotions allowed me to show that tears are not shameful and don’t need to be hidden in the workplace. I am no longer ashamed of my tears, and I am proud to demonstrate that a strong leader can be pragmatic and emotional all at once.

Word count: 705

Author’s comment: “I started early on my essay (~ 3 months before the submission deadline) because it was important to me to iterate and be thoughtful. I started by laying out potential themes and stories for my essay, and while there are a lot of similarities, the core message changed quite a bit. Don’t get too attached to any one story or theme and allow yourself to let go of a draft if it’s not the right one. What I found most helpful was having 2-3 close friends that I trust wholeheartedly review multiple drafts, because they were able to provide continuous feedback and help me combine pieces from multiple drafts. None of them had ever gone to or applied to business school, but were experienced in writing and communication (e.g. one is a screenwriter) which helped me focus on communicating MY story more so than what is the story that HBS Admissions would most like.”

A successful Harvard Business School application essay [2016]

This sample essay is from  The Harbus MBA Essay Guide  and is reprinted with permission from Harbus. 

Essay: The Mechanical Engineer

Author’s home country: United States of America Author’s previous industry/profession: Operations consulting, operations management  Author gender: Male

Analysis:   The author focuses his essay on two themes – his professional experience as an operations consultant and an experience which motivated him to go for an MBA. Through the essay, the author is able to highlight his professional skills, achievement as well as give a clear picture of his long-term career plans and his reasons for doing an MBA.

I’m [APPLICANT’S FIRST NAME] and I have journeyed here from the hallowed grounds of [APPLICANT’S U.S. NEW ENGLAND HOMETOWN], where I spent my formative years amid wild dreams of achieving greatness by setting world records and winning the Olympics. As I’ve hung up my [OLYMPIC SPORT’S TRADITIONAL SHOES] in favor of business shoes, those dreams have evolved into a desire to achieve greatness in a different arena. Today, my dream centers on helping companies leverage technology to propel their operations into the future, providing unparalleled customer service and delivery, with an operational efficiency to match.

I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering in [GRADUATION YEAR] and spent my first 3 years out of college working as an operations consultant. It was my job to walk into a manufacturing plant and drive significant operational change – for example, I once spent 3 months walking the sticky floors of a milk plant in [MID-SIZED U.S. SOUTHEASTERN CITY] helping plant management boost throughput by 30% in order to take on a new customer. We accomplished this goal with zero capital spend, a feat many had believed was impossible. In our projects, the biggest challenge was almost always convincing managers to reach for that extra tad of unseen opportunity hiding within the operation, because oftentimes it was very difficult to look beyond the daily struggles that plagued their operations. I worked directly with 5-8 person “rapid results teams,” coaching them on how to think about operational improvement, motivating them to sprint towards it, and leading them through the analysis required to capture it. I left those milk, water and oil sands plants with many enduring friendships and inspiring operational victories borne from our journey from ambitious goals to concrete results.

<< READ: What is HBS Looking For? >>

I’ve spent the past two years working in supply chain management at a private industrial goods supplier. I chose direct management because I wanted to drive these same inspirational improvements in an operation I owned. My role was to manage and improve the operation, and through my experience, I learned the nuts and bolts of the supply chain industry. However, my dream of innovating supply chain operations pushed me to consider transitioning to an organization with an ambitious, transformative purpose. In fact, last year I had a unique opportunity to reflect on what type of impact matters to me. This opportunity was my first ever trip to [NORTHWEST AFRICAN REGION], the place of my family’s origin.

On the second day of the trip, I journeyed to [LOCAL NORTHEASTERN AFRICAN TOWN], a small town nestled next an enormous active volcano that is surrounded by a wide expanse of rich volcanic soil, which is used to make wine. This wine is sipped by adventure-seeking tourists relaxing after a long day on the volcano, and thus the town’s two major industries, wine and tourism, are sustained. When we arrived at the town, I was shocked to see it buried by an avalanche of volcanic rock from an eruption [A FEW YEARS PRIOR]. As our guide lamented on the dreary prospects of the Page 2 of 2 town, I was amazed to see just how important these two industries had been to its development.

Through this real world example, I was able to clearly visualize the impact businesses can have on their broader environment, an understanding that had not been as evident to me while working in the larger, more complex American economy. For example, I had spent hours walking among the dilapidated buildings speckling the warehouse district in Cleveland, but only after my trip did I connect them to the decline of the Midwestern manufacturing industry. Upon my return, armed with this broader perspective, I decided my next step would be to attend business school. There I would gain the technical, operational and leadership skills to make my transition to an organization whose goal was to drive change in its broader industry and community, as those wine and tourism companies had done in [LOCAL NORTHEASTERN AFRICAN TOWN OF FAMILY’S ORIGIN].

So, that is how I arrived in front of you today. My goal is to humbly learn as much as I can from our section, our professors, and our experiences. I am excited to get to know you, and will always do my best to support our section intellectually and athletically (we will be the future section Olympics champions!).

How about yourself?

Word Count: 711

Author’s comment:   While the initial draft of my essay did not take more than an hour or two, it was the revision process that I spent a significant amount of time on. I think the most important part of the essay writing process is to ensure that your story and personality come through – and this is perhaps the most difficult part! To help with this, I had individuals who were not as familiar with my story and why I wanted to go to business school provide me with feedback in addition to those with whom I worked closely.

Linda’s comment:

I would hate for any of you to read this essay or any of the other essays in  The Harbus MBA Essay Guide , which I recommend, and think “This is a great template. I’m going to tell a story just like this one!” Bad idea. Wrong response.

The one take-away from this essay and the other successful essays in this book is that the reader feels a little like s/he is meeting the author – not someone else and not some masked being.  Individuality is the common thread in those essays; it isn’t brilliant prose or incredible writing. It’s authenticity and humanity. And yes, the author is accomplished too.

I chose this essay from the Harbus collection because I know there are many engineers applying. Some — both in and out of their field — think of the profession as boring or common. But this essay is neither boring nor common. I loved it because the writer comes to life, and  his passion  and personality shine through. He doesn’t get bogged down in technicalities, industrial jargon, or an alphabet soup of acronyms. He tells his story with energy and clarity, from his perspective, and with a focus on his impact.

Now that’s an example you can follow: Tell  your  story with energy and clarity, from  your  perspective, and with a focus on  your  impact.

Check out what recent applicants have to say about working with Accepted:

A successful harvard business school application essay [2015], the 2014-15 harvard business school essay question:.

You’re applying to Harvard Business School. We can see your resume, academic transcripts, extracurricular activities, awards, post-MBA career goals, test scores, and what your recommenders have to say about you. What else would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy?

This sample essay is from The Harbus MBA Essay Guide and is reprinted with permission from Harbus.  

Essay: The Author

Author’s Background: Finance & Media

The author sets the stage for the remainder of the essay by first presenting a notable accomplishment of hers and then explicitly illustrating the entrepreneurial drive and diligence she used to see it through. More importantly, the author’s opening introduces a theme – storytelling – that is consistently interwoven through different stages of her life. The reader is lead through the author’s childhood, professional and extracurricular experiences, along with accomplishments, all the while being reminded of the integral role storytelling has played. Beyond highlighting her gift, or passion for the art of storytelling, the author goes on to connect this theme with her future career ambitions, as well as describe how this could also serve the HBS community.

In 2012, I realized a life ambition – I completed my first novel, all while working full time at [Top U.S. Investment Bank]. I could not wait to share it with the world and eagerly went in search of a literary agent. But each agent I contacted declined to represent my novel.

Storytelling is my lifelong passion; it saw me through a difficult childhood. After my father left, my mother raised me as a single parent in [U.S. City/State], a rural Bible Belt town two hours south of [U.S. State]. We did not have much money and that coupled with my bookishness made me a target for bullies. Books and writing were an escape; they gave me an avenue to articulate the feelings of abandonment and powerlessness I otherwise did not want to express. Writing made me happy and the more I wrote, the more my talent blossomed. I began to win awards and my work was published in youth literary journals. These experiences made me more confident, a key part of my success later in life. It all started with a pen, a notebook, and my imagination. Nevertheless, I was passionate about my work and was determined to put it into readers’ hands. In true entrepreneurial fashion, I self-published my novel through the digital platforms Smashwords and Createspace. I worked with a promotional expert to organize a month-long book tour to promote the book to prominent book bloggers and their readers. The result? My novel has received multiple 5-star reader reviews, from Amazon to Goodreads, and was a semifinalist for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.

Stories are an integral part of the human experience. They uplift and inspire, give us permission to dream and to visualize what could be. Storytelling has been an integral part of my career, from building financial models at [Top U.S. Investment Bank] that illustrated my expectations for the companies that I covered to delivering a presentation to [International Daily Newspaper] ’s chief revenue officer explaining why reducing ad prices for tender house advertisers would not lead to an increase in revenue.

My passion has also informed my growth as a leader; I believe my most impactful expressions of leadership have been my efforts to help others write the narratives of their own lives and careers. At [Top U.S. Investment Bank], I created an informal mentorship program for female and minority interns and first-year analysts in the research division and led a “soft skills” class to help new analysts handle difficult interpersonal situations. For four years, I’ve mentored a young Hispanic woman through Student Sponsor Partners, a nonprofit that gives low-income students scholarships to private high schools. Being a mentor gave me the privilege of guiding another first generation college student along what I know can be a lonely, difficult path. This fall, she started college with a full scholarship.

Storytelling will be a part of my future career path; as an MBA graduate, my goal is to obtain a position in strategy and business development at an entertainment company that specializes in film or television. Long term, I want to start a multimedia and merchandising company with a publishing arm (books and magazines) as well as film, TV, and digital operations. Using strong, fictional heroines and informative lifestyle content, my company’s goal will be to educate and inspire women to become their best selves. My particular focus is creating compelling, multidimensional characters to inspire young women of color, who are constantly bombarded by negative images of women who look like them in media.

I’m pursuing a Harvard MBA because I want to become a better business strategist and strong general manager. Also, I want to further develop my leadership and presentation skills as I will manage professionals on the content and business side; it will be my task to unite them behind a shared strategic vision. Specifically, I want to learn how to motivate teams and individuals to perform at their highest level, and to become more adept at persuasion and generating “buy-in” from others. Harvard’s unique approach using the case method and emphasis on leadership development will challenge me to grow in both these areas. I also feel that I have much to contribute to Harvard’s community. My varied background in finance and media has given me a unique perspective that will be valuable in classroom discussions and team projects. I want to share my passion for the entertainment industry with my classmates by chairing the Entertainment & Media club and planning conferences, career treks, and other opportunities.

My background gives me the capacity for fearless thinking that is needed to meet the challenges of the entertainment industry’s shifting landscape. A Harvard MBA will strengthen that foundation and help me to become the kind of dynamic leader who can bring the vision for my own company to life and be at the forefront of entertainment’s structural shift.

Time & Effort: “It was about 6 or 7 drafts. Not sure on the hours.”

Word Count: 805

This sample essay is from The Harbus MBA Essay Guide and is reprinted with permission from Harbus . We highly recommend the book!

If you would like advice on responding to this year’s HBS essay question, (which is different from the 2014-15 prompt) please read our Harvard Business School essay tips .

Linda’s comments:

Bottom line: You want your readers to feel like that they are meeting you — not someone else, not a scripted piece of shallow PR devoid of personality and humanity, and not some phony combo of you and the author of an essay in a guidebook or on a website. They really and truly want to meet you!

So think about your story. 

Applying to HBS?

For expert guidance on your Harvard Business School application, check out Accepted’s MBA Application Packages , which include advising, editing, interview coaching, and a resume edit for the HBS application. We’ve helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to the Harvard MBA program and look forward to helping you too! And did you know that Accepted’s clients received over $1 million dollars in scholarship offers in the last application cycle? Yes – we can help you with that too!    

Related Resources:

• Get Accepted to Harvard Business School , a free webinar • Harvard Business School MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines • What is HBS Looking For:   Analytical Aptitude and Appetite , The Habit of Leadership , Engaged Community Citizenship • M7 MBA Programs: Everything You Need to Know in 2022 • More sample MBA application essays

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

• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar

Additional menu

MBA Admission Gurus

Millionaire MBA Makers

Sample MBA Application Essays Grouped By B-School

• View more than 50 successful  Essays (across 20+ worldwide B-Schools ) that have resulted in 90%+ success rates and funding awards in excess of US$ 3 Million.
• A new browser window will open up when you click on a given Business school link.
• Please note : Some content overlap is likely since essays developed for the same candidate may be published across different B-schools.  As a policy, we do not publish application essays via prior permission
• INSEAD MBA ESSAYS (3 SAMPLES)
• KELLOGG SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT ESSAY (1 SAMPLE)
• DARTMOUTH-TUCK SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ESSAYS (4 SAMPLES)
• STANFORD GSB MBA ESSAYS (3 SAMPLES)
• COLUMBIA BUSINESS SCHOOL ESSAYS (2 SAMPLES)
• DUKE-FUQUA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ESSAY (1 SAMPLE)
• NANYANG BUSINESS SCHOOL (NUS) -SINGAPORE, ESSAY (1 SAMPLE)
• IMD-SWITZERLAND MBA ESSAYS (2 SAMPLES)
• ESADE-SPAIN MBA ESSAY (1 SAMPLES)
• IE SPAIN MBA ESSAY (1 SAMPLE)
• ROTTERDAM SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT – ERASMUS UNIVERSITY, ESSAYS (2 SAMPLES)
• QUEENS BUSINESS SCHOOL – CANADA, ESSAY (1 SAMPLE)
• USC-MARSHALL SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ESSAYS (2 SAMPLES)
• EMORY-GOIZUETA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ESSAYS ( 2 SAMPLES)
• INDIANA-KELLEY SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ESSAY (1 SAMPLE)
• PURDUE-KRANNERT SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT ESSAYS (2 SAMPLES)
• OHIO STATE UNIV-FISHER COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ESSAYS (2 SAMPLES)
• INDIAN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS – ISB ESSAYS (4 SAMPLES)
• ROCHESTER-SIMON SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ESSAY (1 SAMPLE)
• GEORGIA TECH. COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT ESSAY (1 SAMPLES)
• MARYLAND-SMITH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ESSAYS (2 SAMPLES)
• SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY- LEAVEY B-SCHOOL ESSAY (1 SAMPLE)

Reader Interactions

Janice Stevenson says

October 10, 2017 at 3:18 AM

nice samples! Thanks

G. Krishna says

May 23, 2017 at 11:38 AM

Dear MBA Admission Gurus: I am looking for a guidance in my MBA application process. Please let me know how you can help me.Thanks.

MBA Admission Gurus says

May 23, 2017 at 11:41 AM

Hi there: Thanks for taking the time to post in. We have responded to you via email. For immediate assistance, do feel free to dial MBAadmissiongurus now Cheers! David

Tracey Scott says

August 9, 2014 at 8:07 AM

Hi Gurus, I currently work as an equity research analyst and am planning to go ahead with a US top 10 MBA program. My Gmat score is 690 and I have been at work (Full-time as an analyst over the past 3 years). I seek assistance in differentiating my case. Please advise. Thanks, Tracey

August 9, 2014 at 8:10 AM

Greetings Tracey, Thanks for the connect. We are getting in touch with you right away via email. Pl. also share your contact number for faster connect. Thanks, David, MBAadmissionGURUS

ESSAY HELP'S HERE

• Applying For Scholarships

Why I Deserve This Scholarship Essay Examples 2023

Jennifer Finetti Aug 3, 2022

Get our best scholarship practices, insights & tips delivered to your inbox

Thank you for subscribing!

One of the most popular scholarship essay questions is “Why do you deserve this scholarship?” Answering such a question can be difficult because you don’t want to sound too needy or greedy. Your essay must stand out from the competition while still being humble and appreciative. Check out these essay writing tips, along with a scholarship essay sample about why I deserve the scholarship.

Tips for writing a “Why do you deserve this scholarship?” essay

Your essay will be unique to your experiences, but there are some general guidelines you should follow. Here are tips for writing a “why I’m deserving scholarship” essay:

• Explain how the scholarship money would contribute to your long-term goals. You’re asking the scholarship committee to invest in your future. They want to ensure their investment goes to a worthy cause. Explain how your education will play a role in your career and overall goals after graduation.
• Focus on the purpose of the scholarship. While writing your essay, keep in mind what the scholarship is for and where it comes from. Tailor your response to the scholarship so it resonates with the review committee.
• Don’t be afraid to promote yourself. This may be your only chance to tell the committee about your achievements. Showing your past success will instill confidence about your future success.
• Use a thesis statement, just like you would with any other essay. You should refer back to the thesis throughout the essay and tie it into the conclusion. If you have trouble creating the thesis at the beginning, write the rest of the essay first. Read through, see what stands out the most, and then write an intro with a cohesive thesis.
• When explaining obstacles in your life, focus on how you overcame them. Show that you’re a problem solver, able to persevere through any situation. You can mention difficulties from your past, but turn the attention to what you did as a result of them.
• Avoid generalizations. Generic statements like “I deserve this because I am a hard worker” aren’t enough. Every applicant is a hard worker, has ‘good grades,’ etc. What makes you different, special and memorable? That should be the topic of your scholarship essay.
• Support your statements with examples. Instead of saying, “I’m a hard worker,” say, “I upheld two jobs while I was in high school to support my family, and I still maintained a 3.75 GPA.” This is no longer a generalization. It is an achievement specific to your life and upbringing.
• Use positive language. Phrases like ‘well-prepared,’ ‘qualified candidate’ and ‘specialized training’ showcase achievements in a positive light. Even in a negative situation, show the positive way you got through it.
• Avoid words like ‘very’ and ‘really.’ You can typically find a one-word substitute that sounds more professional. Very hard turns into difficult. Very good becomes exceptional. Here is an excellent guide for modifiers that replace very .
• Take a one-day break before you edit. Once you have a solid draft written, do not jump straight into editing. Wait a day before looking over your essay. This will let you read the essay with fresh eyes so you can catch inconsistencies, grammar mistakes, and more.

Example 1: Why I deserve this scholarship essay (100 words)

With a 100 word scholarship essay, you need to jump into the thesis as quickly as possible. There is not enough space for a lengthy introduction. Use concise language, and showcase your biggest achievements/goals. You should have enough sentences to break into two small paragraphs, though one may only be two to three sentences.

The fastest path to earning scholarships

Simplify and focus your application process with the one-stop platform for vetted scholarships.

I believe I deserve this scholarship because I am an innovative problem solver. As the student council president, I helped re-organize my school library to better accommodate students’ needs. I worked with staff to categorize books to better reflect current school subjects.  I will use the same leadership mindset to obtain my business degree with a focus on project management. My goal is to work in construction management to increase efficiency in low-income housing development. With this scholarship and the need-based grants I will receive, I can complete my education and continue to solve problems within my community.

Word Count: 98

Example 2: Why I deserve this scholarship essay (250 words)

A 250-word scholarship essay usually consists of 4-5 paragraphs. The introduction can have a short lead-in, but it should arrive at the thesis quickly. The body paragraphs should support the assertion made in the first paragraph (the reason you deserve the scholarship). The conclusion should summarize the essay collectively, and it may include a statement of appreciation.

One of the most debated topics in America is how to provide affordable healthcare to the masses. I believe the answer lies in accessible healthcare providers. Nurse practitioners often go unappreciated and unrecognized for their versatility and value in the medical profession. With this scholarship, I could continue my training to become a nurse practitioner and provide attainable medical services to underserved communities. Growing up in a small Montana farming town, the closest hospital was 45 minutes away. The only local family doctor charged whatever he wanted because he was the sole provider. My parents relied on home remedies to treat any ailment my brother and I developed. This is when my passion for medicine first took form. Minimal medical care was not a concern until my father went to the hospital for severe stomach problems. These were the result of Crohn’s disease, a condition that can be managed with treatment. Because my father had not been to the doctor in years, the flare up was highly aggressive. It took months to get it under control and get him on preventative medication. I decided to go to college to help people like my father. As a nurse practitioner I can practice medicine without charging a fortune for my services. I plan to serve in rural communities where hospitals and doctors are limited or non-existent. I am grateful to be considered for this scholarship opportunity, and should I be selected, I will use it to advance my medical education.

Word Count: 248

Example 3: Why I deserve this scholarship essay (500 words)

With a 500-word scholarship essay, you have room to tell your story and create an experience for the reader. Use several introductory sentences to lead into your thesis and set the tone for the essay. The body paragraph should flow in a logical manner, most often chronologically. Then the conclusion should re-emphasize the thesis and leave the scholarship committee with something to remember.

Winston Churchill once said, “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” And while I never define my obstacles as ‘failures,’ I mark my success by my repeated perseverance through adversity. I have faced several challenges over the years, from dyslexia to homelessness; yet I continued to earn exemplary grades and graduate at the top of my class. I deserve this scholarship because I have the strength and determination to achieve my goals, no matter what hurdles I have to overcome. I was not born a gifted student. Testing and assignments were always difficult for me, whether I studied or not. In second grade, my parents had me tested for learning disabilities. The psychologist said that I had a hyperactivity disorder and prescribed medication to suppress my energy. After two years abiding by that treatment, I was re-evaluated and diagnosed with dyslexia. This helped me get the treatment I needed, and I finally made progress in school. Shortly after I learned how to study with dyslexia, my father lost his job. He was the sole breadwinner for the household, and I was soon on the street with my mother and two younger siblings. I got a job in newspaper delivery, one of the few fields that will hire a 12-year-old. My father found odd jobs to bring money to the family, and together we were eventually able to pay for a two-bedroom apartment to live in. I was valedictorian that school year, and I maintained a perfect attendance record. Like my father, I knew I had to do whatever was necessary to succeed and thrive. In high school, I developed an interest for psychology. I noticed patterns in behaviors, both in myself and in the people around me. I asked my child therapist, the one who officially diagnosed me with dyslexia, if I could work at his clinic over the summers. He allowed me to intern at his counseling center my junior and senior year, and I gained valuable insight into the business side of psychology. I am now entering the second year of my psychology degree. I plan to complete my bachelor’s degree and earn a Doctorate of Neuropsychology in the years that follow. My focus is on psychological testing, specifically for children with autism or learning disabilities. I spent years struggling in school because of a preventable misdiagnosis.  I want to ensure that other children do not face the same struggles in their future. Why do I deserve this scholarship? Because I have the passion and determination to become a trusted member of the psychological community. With my education, I can help children get the treatment they need at an early age, giving the best chance at finding their own success. You’re not just helping me get through college. You’re improving the quality of life for countless families to come. I appreciate your consideration, and I look forward to building a lasting relationship with your organization.

Word Count: 492

You Should Also Read…

How to Write a Scholarship Motivation Letter

Why Are You Applying to This Scholarship Essay (with Example)

How to Write a Scholarship Essay Introduction (With Example)

How to End a Scholarship Essay

How to Write a Great 250-Word Essay

How to Write a Great 500 Word Essay

5 People Who Should Review Your Scholarship Essays

• Scholarship Essay

Jennifer Finetti

As a parent who recently helped her own kids embark on their college journeys, Jennifer approaches the transition from high school to college from a unique perspective. She truly enjoys engaging with students – helping them to build the confidence, knowledge, and insight needed to pursue their educational and career goals, while also empowering them with the strategies and skills needed to access scholarships and financial aid that can help limit college costs. She understands the importance of ensuring access to the edtech tools and resources that can make this process easier and more equitable - this drive to support underserved populations is what drew her to ScholarshipOwl. Jennifer has coached students from around the world, as well as in-person with local students in her own community. Her areas of focus include career exploration, major selection, college search and selection, college application assistance, financial aid and scholarship consultation, essay review and feedback, and more. She works with students who are at the top of their class, as well as those who are struggling. She firmly believes that all students, regardless of their circumstances, can succeed if they stay focused and work hard in school. Jennifer earned her MA in Counseling Psychology from National University, and her BA in Psychology from University of California, Santa Cruz.

Related Stories View All

When Is the Right Time to Think About Your Career?

Computer Science Scholarships

New Webinar – Top Ten Strategies for Writing Stand-Out Essays

Get started with scholarshipowl.

Simplify and focus your application process with the one-stop platform for vetted scholarships

Scholarship Essay

Scholarship essay generator.

Essays are compositions of widescale function. Essay writing is also often a part of academic examinations or a composition that helps someone express his/her ideas to the world. Commonly, essays are written to pass school; however, there is a form of document that can also take someone into school.

What is a Scholarship Essay?

A scholarship essay is a personal statement written as part of a scholarship application. It’s designed to demonstrate your values, qualities, and suitability for the scholarship on offer, responding to specific prompts or questions posed by the scholarship provider. The essay is a critical component of the application process, allowing the selection committee to understand more about you, your background, and your educational goals.

Format of Scholarship Essay

• Introduction : Introduces the main idea or response to the essay prompt, includes a hook to grab the reader’s attention.
• Body Paragraphs : Provide detailed examples and experiences that showcase your qualifications, achievements, and how you align with the scholarship’s values.
• Conclusion : Summarizes your essay, reinforces how the scholarship will help you achieve your educational goals, and includes a thank you to the scholarship committee.

How Do You Write a Scholarship Essay?

• Understand the Topic : Grasp what the scholarship committee seeks in responses.
• Plan Your Essay : Brainstorm ideas that showcase your strengths and alignment with the scholarship’s goals.
• Compelling Introduction : Draw readers in with an engaging start that introduces your main point.
• Develop the Body : Use specific examples and experiences to demonstrate your qualifications and how you meet the scholarship criteria.
• Conclude Effectively : Summarize key points and express how the scholarship will aid your educational or career ambitions.
• Proofread : Ensure your essay is clear, error-free, and impactful.

Types of Scholarships Essay

• Merit-Based Essays : Focus on academic achievements, leadership qualities, or artistic talents.
• Need-Based Essays : Highlight financial need and how the scholarship would support educational goals.
• Personal Statement Essays : Reflect on personal experiences, challenges overcome, and personal growth.
• Career Goal Essays : Discuss professional aspirations and how education will help achieve them.
• Community Service Essays : Describe involvement in community service or volunteer work and its impact.

10+Scholarship Essay Examples

Scholarship self introduction essay.

Sample Scholarship Essay in PDF

Scholarship Personal Essay Sample

Education Scholarship Essay Sample

Scholarship Personal Statement Essay Example

Student Scholarship Personal Statement Essay

Scholarship Essay Example

Field of Study Scholarship Essay

Sample Scholarship Essay Outline

Simple Scholarship Essay Sample

Sample Scholarship Essays

What do scholarship essays want to hear?

Scholarship essays seek to understand the applicant’s unique experiences, achievements, and aspirations. They want to hear a genuine, compelling story that showcases your character, resilience, and how you’ve overcome challenges. Essays should also reflect your academic and career goals, demonstrating how the scholarship will help achieve them.

What are the essay requirements for scholarships?

Essay requirements for scholarships vary but typically include a word limit, specific formatting guidelines (e.g., font type, size), and a prompt or theme to address. They may ask you to discuss personal achievements, challenges you’ve overcome, your career goals, or why you deserve the scholarship. Always follow the provided instructions carefully.

How do you start a strong scholarship essay?

To start a strong scholarship essay, open with an engaging hook that captures the reader’s attention. This could be an intriguing question, a surprising fact, or a brief anecdote related to the essay prompt. The goal is to make the scholarship committee want to read more about you and what you have to say.

What should be the first sentence of a scholarship essay?

The first sentence of a scholarship essay should be captivating and thought-provoking. It could introduce a pivotal moment, a personal insight, or a question that hints at the essay’s theme. This sentence sets the tone for your essay and encourages the reader to continue reading.

Do I put my name on a scholarship essay?

Whether you put your name on a scholarship essay depends on the specific instructions provided by the scholarship provider. Some may request that you include your name and other identifying details, while others may prefer anonymous submissions for unbiased evaluation. Always follow the application guidelines

What is the importance of a scholarship essay?

The reason why it is essential for you to make sure that you will create a comprehensive and detailed scholarship essay is due to the benefits that it can provide to your scholarship application. Some of the importance of a scholarship essay include the following: it can help the committee know more about you ,  it can showcase your writing skills and other abilities.

How to format your scholarship essay?

Aside from the content of your scholarship essay, its outline format and choosing what type of format essay you use like,  MLA format essay , APA essay , or even Chicago style  format are also of importance. Be aware of your word count. Do not use any fancy fonts as it can make the essay look informal. Make sure that your font size can make your discussion easy to read. Your margin should be an inch from the document’s top, bottom, and sides. The margin that you will use in the document can play a big part in the overall appearance of the letter.

How to write a 500 word essay?

Be thoroughly acquainted with the directions in your essay, completely comprehend the essay prompt, identify important points and keywords, compose a compelling introduction, craft an interesting body, remarkably close your scholarship essay, and proofread.

A scholarship essay is an important document that is used in the processes of a scholarship application. This letter may be simple but it can provide a lot of difference with regards the decision on whether an individual will be approved for a scholarship grant or not. A scholarship essay is a composition written by an applicant to avail the perks of a certain education-supporting program. Considering that this document will be one of the bases of one’s admission, facilitators of the scholarship program you are applying for may give you specific instructions regarding the format of your essay.

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

Crafting Your Winning Scholarship Essay: Essential Tips

How to Start Your Scholarship Essay: Engaging Introductions

Overcoming Obstacles: A Key Theme for Scholarship Essays

Personal Growth Stories: Perfect for Scholarship Essays

Why I Deserve This Scholarship: Essay Writing Strategies

Educational Goals and Your Scholarship Essay: A Guide

Leadership Experiences: Highlighting Them in Scholarship Essays

Community Service Impact on Scholarship Essay Success

Scholarship Essay on Career Aspirations: Mapping Your Future

Creative Scholarship Essay Ideas: Standing Out from the Crowd

• GMAT CLUB TESTS
• FORUM QUIZ - NEW!
• QUESTION BANKS
• DECISION TRACKER
• SCHOOL DISCUSSIONS
• MARKETPLACE
• T&C and Privacy Policy
• GMAT Club Rules
• Login Register Forgot password?
• ${glob_var/L_LOGIN_LOGOUT}
• Quick Search

How to Negotiate MBA Scholarships + Example Letter

You’ve won an MBA scholarship, but not from your dream school. Should you take it?

It’s a fortunate dilemma to have, but one that ties many of our clients in knots around this time year. The scenario typically goes like this: You’ve been offered a scholarship at one school – but not your dream school, where you have also been accepted. What do you do? Do you take the money, or can you use this offer to leverage other schools for financial assistance?

Business school is a huge investment, so when you receive a scholarship – even when it’s not from your first-choice school – it’s obviously something to take seriously.

In a related article on how to choose between MBA offers, my Fortuna colleague Judith Silverman Hodara recounted a conundrum in which her client received an acceptance from his dream program, London Business School, along with an offer from Columbia that included $120,000 in financial aid. With international career aspirations and a background in energy, LBS was initially his top choice. But the uncertainty around Brexit and concerns about securing a visa in Europe – plus the reality that the LBS offer came with no money – ended up tipping the balance for CBS.

At the same time, know that it’s perfectly acceptable to tell your top choice school you have money on the table somewhere else. While this doesn’t guarantee a counteroffer, there are several things you can do to optimize your chances.

5 tips to leveraging a scholarship offer at two or more business schools

1. Have a clear strategy and practice your approach; be clear about why you want to be at your top choice school and be clear you’re open to a conversation.

2. Be genuine and convey your commitment to the school, along with your excitement for the program personally and professionally.

3. Make sure you follow the school’s protocol and provide all the necessary information to the right people. In most cases, the Admissions Office approves merit-based scholarships and the Financial Aid Office controls need-based grants.

4. Put your case in writing. (Example letter below.) Provide supporting documentation to make it easy for them to justify an increased award. Then, call to follow up in a week or two to ask if they need any additional info.

5. Be humble; this is a human process and people advocate for individuals they believe are taking their needs into consideration; if you come across as arrogant or demanding, it’s likely your request gets denied.

Example Letter: Asking a Business School for More Money

So, what does an artful ask look like? Here’s an example from a recent MBA candidate negotiating between two top 10 business schools:

Dear Admissions Committee,

I wanted to express how thrilled I was to be admitted to the [business school] Class of 2022 and thank you all again for the generous scholarship and Forte Fellowship!

As I will be financing my MBA studies, I was wondering if there are any other merit-based scholarships for which I can be considered and/or for which I can submit additional applications? I was fortunate enough to receive a scholarship from [other b-school] for $60,000 with a Forte designation. I had begun to budget based on that amount, and was curious if there was any possibility of [business school] matching that offer. I would be happy to send along the documentation from [other b-school] if it would be useful.

Thank you so much again; I’m so excited about the prospect of coming to [business school]!

Finally, if your top choice school can’t provide additional funds, at this point, school culture should play a huge part in your decision. Whether you go with the scholarship opportunity or not, you want to be confident your chosen school is the right fit from an academic, career and cultural standpoint. The notion of fit really can’t be overstated – keep the long view in mind and remember the ROI of business school implies that you stand to increase your earning power substantially. As Judith says, “Your access to opportunity will never diminish, and stands to multiply exponentially, because of the degree.”

For more tips on negotiating financing from a business school, view this related article by Fortuna’s Matt Symonds in Forbes: Asking A Business School For More Money? Six Tips For Closing The Deal .

Fortuna Admissions expert coach Catherine Tuttle is former Associate Director at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. Her recent articles include Duke Fuqua Essays: Top Tips & ’25 Random Things About You’ Example . For a candid assessment of your chances of admission success at a top MBA program, sign up for  a free consultation .

The post How to Negotiate MBA Scholarships + Example Letter first appeared on Fortuna .

FortunaAdmissions

Published in MBA , Fortuna Admissions , Admission Consultants and Blog

Would you like a Free Profile Evaluation?

IVEY MBA Sample Essays

Free samples from past clients, ivey mba application essays 2023-2024.

• What are your short-term career plans immediately post-MBA, and why is an Ivey MBA essential to those plans? (250 words)
• Tell us about a challenge you have faced in your life, and what lessons you learned from it. (250 words)

Optional Essays:

• In your opinion, do your post-secondary grades accurately reflect your abilities? If no, please explain. (250 – 500 words)
• What, if anything, hasn’t this application given you the opportunity to say about yourself or circumstances you think would be important in the evaluation of your application? (250 – 500 words) 

IVEY MBA Winning Sample Essays – 1

IVEY MBA Essay 1: What are your short-term career plans immediately post-MBA, and why is an Ivey MBA essential to those plans? (250-word limit)

I have 3.5 years of professional experience in the tech-consulting domain. Post-MBA, I would like to remain in the consulting domain but would like to broaden my horizons from tech to strategy consulting and aspire to work for the big 3 MBB consulting firms.  

I started my professional career with my own startup ‘Fixea360’ where we merged Layout Design & Planning with Virtual Reality. We scaled ‘Fixea360’ to 70+ customers and became profitable within the first 6 months. Later in the year, we received a great offer of acquisition from ‘SpectraVR’ and my partners and I decided to make a successful exit. Post Fixea360, I joined Accenture, where, in the last 2 years, I’ve worked with international clients like Volkswagen and British Telecom which has helped me further enhance my technical and cross-functional business skills.

Now, in order to grow my career as a consultant, I believe, I should upskill myself via a formal business education. After discussions with current MBA students, I think Ivey’s MBA program would be one of the best-suited programs to fulfill my objectives.

At Ivey, I really liked the focus on the case study model, combined with hands-on learning programs like the Capstone module. I believe these can give me holistic exposure to problem-solving and pragmatic decision-making. Also as depicted in the employment report, 28% of the graduating class joined consulting industries, which is a testament in itself that IVEY’s MBA can provide me with the knowledge, network, and employment opportunities to fulfill my short-term goals.

IVEY MBA Essay 2: What is the most important issue that you’ve ever changed your mind about? (250-word limit)

I’ve always been a passionate musician, I was a part of the rock band ‘Incendium’ as the lead vocalist and the rhythm guitarist. 

In Feb’17, I was invited to be a part of a unique 100 member band ‘The live 100 experience’. The band had 100 musicians from all over the country performing together in synchrony. We performed in front of Mr Amit Trivedi, a renowned Indian Music director. Our performance gathered 1.4 Million views on youtube and we became a youtube sensation. 

Post that performance, the band wanted to take part in India’s Got Talent (IGT). IGT would have been a big commitment with lots of travelling and rehearsals. I had to choose music or a professional career. After long discussions with my family and friends, I decided to opt-out of the band. 

The unique idea of the band was very well accepted, the band made it to the Grand Finale of India’s Got Talent Season 8 and became a national sensation overnight. Given the popularity and the fame received by the band I initially started to rethink my decision.

Quitting music and missing out on a lifetime opportunity was one of the biggest & hardest decisions of my life. But now, I have moved on and won multiple recognition for my work at Accenture. These recognitions have more than compensated for the missed opportunities and today I am more resolute and dedicated to my career and dream of becoming a successful consultant.

IVEY MBA Essay 3: The scholarship essay should be no longer than 500 words and should specifically address the questions outlined below. Please feel free to copy and paste from other parts of your Ivey MBA application as this portion is seen by the Financial Aid Office only. Paragraph 1:  Outline your intended career goal after completing the Ivey MBA program.  Be as specific as possible indicating industry as well.  Paragraph 2:  Please provide examples of demonstrated leadership within the community, either now or during your undergrad.   Paragraph 3:  Please outline any additional community involvement you have had.  Paragraph 4:  Please indicate how you plan to finance the Ivey MBA program.

I started my professional career with my own startup ‘Fixea360’ where we merged Layout Design & Planning with Virtual Reality. We scaled ‘Fixea360’ to 70+ customers and became profitable within the first 6 months. Later in the year, we received a great offer of acquisition from ‘Spectra VR’ and my partners and I decided to make a successful exit. With my experience at a startup and the fervor for technology, I joined Accenture. For the past 2 years, I’ve been fortunate to serve 2 of the biggest names in the respective industries, Volkswagen, and British Telecom which has helped me reinforce my cross-functional business understanding. Working at my start-up and later at MNC such as Accenture, one thing that’s been common is my affinity towards problem-solving. Analyzing a complex situation to come up with tangible solutions for the same has been something that has always intrigued me. In light of the above reasons, in the short-term, I intend to work as a strategy consultant at a firm like Mckinsey.

Having grown up wanting to contribute to society in some way or the other, I joined the Rotaract-club in the Year 2015. I initially volunteered for various blood donation camps and fund-raising campaigns for the underprivileged. As a recognition of my efforts, I was appointed as the Professional-Director of the Club. I focus on the cause of helping underprivileged youths and I look for ways to positively impact their lives. During this attempt, I found that a huge part of the underprivileged youth in India was unaware of the job prospects out there for them. I personally assessed their profiles and conducted sessions to equip them with the necessary skills, making them job-ready. As a result, I was able to help 91+ young diploma holders acquire a job within the next 6 months

I am also closely related to the Royal-Rose Foundation which is a small child age home in Pune for children affected with HIV. The home hosts around 15 children. I frequent the place to spend time with the kids and to occasionally teach them subjects like mathematics & history. Last year, I organized a fundraising campaign in collaboration with the Rotaract-club and helped raise more than 50,000 INR which was helpful to the foundation in terms of arranging medication for the children.

In terms of funding my MBA, after a brief discussion with current students at Ivey and the figures posted on the Ivey-website, I believe the total cost of the program including tuition, living expenses, supplies, etc would approximately be  CAD 140000. My savings along with some financial support from my parents contribute up to CAD 60000. For the rest of the amount, I plan to apply for a loan from a nationalized bank in India or Prodigy-Finance. But the high loan amount along with the high-interest rates on loans in India put a lot of pressure on the student and so a scholarship would help me to a great extent to be focused on the course.

Quick Essay Review

Using Chat GPT to Write your Essay? Worried if your Essay is Good enough or Not? 

Need a last-minute review?

Submit your essays below & get in-depth feedback within 48 Hours.

IVEY MBA Winning Sample Essays – 2

I have 7+ years of experience, as an IT consultant, an entrepreneur and a business consultant in a management consulting firm. After an MBA, my short-term goal is to transition to a full-time strategy consulting role in firms like the MBB’s and the Big 4’s.

I started my career in the IT industry as a technical consultant and after 3 years decided to pursue my passion and took to entrepreneurship. After a 2 year stint of running my own cafe, I have now joined another startup in the management consulting domain where I lead the sales and marketing strategy teams.

My consulting and entrepreneurship experiences have transformed me from a team member to a leader and exposed me to the intricacies of working with cross-functional teams.  However, to build a successful career as a consultant, I think I need to fulfill knowledge gaps and upskill myself through an MBA. After extensive research & discussions with Ivey alums Matthew Simioni & Arun Bala Pazhayannur, I believe an MBA from Ivey would be a perfect fit for my desired needs and short-term goals.

IVEY’s case study-based methodology and the Field Project will give me the opportunity to hone independent thinking,  gain hands-on exposure to end-to-end consulting and learn from the feedback of a diverse peer group. Additionally, after 7 years of exp, I believe the crisp 1 year MBA would allow me to enter the workforce quickly, therefore I am convinced that Ivey’s MBA offers a perfect package to meet my needs and aspirations.

In 2016, I decided to quit my IT consulting job and pursue my dream to open my own cafe. I started a bistro in the heart of Mumbai serving Belgium waffles and crepes and my cafe was the first to introduce waffle sandwiches in Mumbai.

I bootstrapped the business and believed that a good product would speak for itself and make my business grow in leaps and bounds. With that belief, I focused on providing exceptional in-house customer service and menu but skipped on external marketing to keep my overheads low. We continued our focus on good service to generate repeat business but as more competition and waffle houses joined the fray repeat business dwindled.

That’s when I realized that, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Word of mouth works but at a snail’s pace, and a good product speaks for itself but only in a whisper. It is marketing that educates the customer about the “value” of the product and makes the “whisper” audible. 20 months into the business, we had grown nominally, the initial buzz created through publications had been forgotten, & money that remained was sufficient to either foot the bills or market the product.

A few months later, I shut the business – but opened my mind. Lesson learned, and the first thing I did when I joined the management consulting startup was to onboard a digital marketing agency, increase investments overtime in targeted digital campaigns, and launch a bi-annual, mega-networking event with media and sponsors to increase visibility exponentially.

IVEY MBA Essay 3: The scholarship essay should be no longer than 500 words and should specifically address the questions outlined below. Please feel free to copy and paste from other parts of your Ivey MBA application as this portion is seen by the Financial Aid Office only. Paragraph 1:  Outline your intended career goal after completing the Ivey MBA program.  Be as specific as possible indicating industry as well. Paragraph 2:  Please provide examples of demonstrated leadership within the community, either now or during your undergrad. Paragraph 3:  Please outline any additional community involvement you have had. Paragraph 4:  Please indicate how you plan to finance the Ivey MBA program. 

I have 7+ years of experience as a consultant and an entrepreneur acquiring skills across varied functions & industries. I started as a techno-functional consultant with an IT major working with a cross-functional team (Finance, Sales, IT) across UAE, USA, India on a financial project. As an entrepreneur and a consultant in the hospitality sector, I learned the intricacies of business management & top-line growth strategies. Today, I work as a Business Consultant with a management consulting startup, formulating its marketing & sales strategy. In this role so far, I have worked with seasoned consultants & companies ranging from $1M to $40B across FMCG, Retail, Healthcare, Manufacturing and Renewable Energy, and increased my company’s top-line growth by 40%. My goal after an Ivey MBA is to transition to full-time strategy consulting.

In terms of community engagement, Since October 2017, I have been engaged with a charity named XXX, helping as a pro bono hospitality and fund-raising consultant to build its dream project – a café cum training institute.

After I shut my entrepreneurial venture – a dessert bistro in the heart of Mumbai, I took a spiritual break in Dharamshala, India. Here, by a chance encounter, I met XXXXX co-founder of the American-Tibetan run NGO XXX. He educated me about his work and sought help to build a café cum training institute that can serve as a sustainable revenue source for the NGO’s community service & also as a platform to teach the refugees about barista & patisserie making skills which are highly employable skills in the tourist town of Dharamshala. I have since provided strategic & operational guidance to the NGO, collaborated with professors & students from Tulane University, New Orleans to crowdfund USD 5k, & brought the Macquarie Group onboard to donate USD 17k. The café-institute is under construction today & will be launched by Jul 2019.

Apart from that, I am also an active volunteer with an NGO for cancer treatment & research. The cause is very close to my heart since my mother has been working in this field & educating me about it for nearly 2 decades. Last year I raised USD 8.5K for the charity. The amount covered the chemotherapy, radiation & medical aid for 13 patients for a year. For the last 4 years, I have been helping the charity organize awareness marathons & entertainment programs for children suffering from cancer.

In regards to funding my MBA, with my research on the website & discussion with Ivey alum Bharath Jami, I believe the total expenses including tuition, PKP, international study exchange & living would approximately amount to CAD 150,000. My personal savings of about CAD 23,000 will help cover most of my living expenses and My family (parents, and brother located in the US) have promised to contribute CAD 64,000 towards my education. To cover the remaining cost of CAD 62000, I will avail of an education loan from a private financial institution but 62,000 is a big loan amount and a scholarship would go to a great extent to keep my burden low so that I can focus on my learning and continue my community work as well.

Client Testimonials

You may also like, application prep, $ 500 / ₹ 40k.

———————

Unlimited Calls

Unlimited Edits

Free Interview Prep

If not shortlisted for Interview*

100% Refund

Wondering if you can target this school?

Free Profile Evaluation Workshop

Join our live workshop and

Get all your profile related questions answered. 

Profile Evaluation Workshop  

Want to get your profile evaluated?

Customer-Centric as a Theme in MBA Essays

Harvard mba leadership essay example – small business values.

• Leadership-Focused Essay: What experiences have shaped who you are, how you invest in others, and what kind of leader you want to become? (up to 250 words)

Background Information: The applicant - a second-generation Asian American, is familiar with the values of fiscal conservatism, building relationships, and understanding the daily struggles of the community through his family’s department store.

Harvard MBA Leadership Essay – Breaking Away from Family Business

Background Information: A unique challenge that applicants whose parents are public figures or CXOs of businesses or entrepreneurs are the pressure to live up to the parent’s standards or milestones. For the leadership narrative, the burden of legacy is established before the narrative addresses his leadership principles.

You are now being redirected to bestq.info....

How To Win At Negotiating MBA Scholarships

Jan 3, 2022

UPDATE: This article was originally posted on May 14, 2018. It has been updated with new information and tips below. 

Despite the fact that an MBA at a top business school like Stanford Graduate School of Business costs as much as a house in many countries, many people pay full price without thinking twice.

Getting into a top program is a huge accomplishment, but many applicants are so excited about getting in and not having to think anymore about their applications that they fail to consider important financial matters, leaving thousands of dollars on the table. 

Not discussing or negotiating better scholarship offers is a huge mistake. However, successfully doing so is a delicate art that must be approached with a clear strategy and winning technique. 

Since this can be a difficult and uncomfortable process for many applicants, we’ve compiled a list of our best tips and tricks that our clients have used to double their scholarship offers from elite MBA programs. 

When will the school tell me if I got a scholarship?

First of all, it is important to understand at what point in the process you will receive notice of your scholarship. 

Most schools will give you information about any scholarships you received when they email you your official acceptance letter. If they don’t mention any scholarships in the letter, however, this does not mean that you were not awarded any scholarship money.

INSEAD , for example, offers two types of scholarships, one directly from the school (if you receive this one, you’ll be notified when you’re offered admission) and one you must apply separately for (the winners of these scholarships are notified several weeks later). 

As such, make sure you research the school’s scholarship process. If they simply haven’t released scholarship awards yet, the best policy is to sit tight and wait for an update. 

What can I do if I’m not happy with my scholarship?

Though receiving a scholarship is always an honor, if you’re relying on scholarships to help make your dream of attending a top business school a possibility, a minimal scholarship can come as a disappointment. If you were hoping for a scholarship and didn’t receive one, it can even put a damper on the great news that you’ve landed a spot at your target MBA program. 

The good news is that everything is negotiable and you have nothing to lose!

To start off the process, we suggest sending a polite email to the school. The letter should reinforce your interest in the program, thank them for any scholarship offer they did make you, and ask if you can be reconsidered for any scholarships, given the fact that you are very interested in their program.

While you wait for your answer, consider any elements of your profile you think are particularly relevant in convincing them to increase your offer. One of the biggest factors is scholarship offers from other programs, which we’ve covered in depth below. 

Other factors include a higher GMAT score , a promotion or other improvement to your professional profile, or even value you think you can contribute to the community that wasn’t fully covered in your application. 

If you have updated or extenuating financial circumstances, this can also be very important to mention. For example, last year our client Marcus was accepted into his dream school with a generous scholarship. He planned to fund the majority of his MBA using a loan, but given currency fluctuations, was still $15,000 short after exhausting all potential funding sources . At this point, we returned to the school and asked if it would be possible to increase his scholarship and make it possible for him to attend the program, a request they granted!

NOTE: With the economic effects of COVID-19 causing many more people to apply for scholarships, funding may be more limited this year than in previous years. We always suggest trying every avenue possible but keep in mind that with increased demand, scholarship increases may be harder to obtain this year. 

Build your best argument

As with all types of negotiations, your final result is likely to be more favorable if you have leverage you can employ during the negotiation process. 

Leverage, however, must be relevant to the negotiation. In the case of MBA scholarships, one of the greatest forms of leverage is offers from other schools. 

For example, if School A originally gave you $10K, you can then go to School B and ask if they can match or improve upon the offer you received. 

That’s because, in the world of elite MBAs, schools want to attract and retain top talents who share their values. As such, though many schools do offer comprehensive financial aid options – Stanford made big waves this year in rolling out an impressively generous financial aid policy – scholarships are ultimately a great tool for programs to lure the candidates they want most to their programs. 

After all, if you could choose between attending your top choice school full price or your second choice school for free, it would be challenging to leave so much free money on the table. 

Best practices

When thinking about how to use offers from other programs as part of your strategy, it’s important to keep a few best practices in mind. 

First, you will be much more successful if you negotiate using a scholarship offer from a peer school. For example, if you were admitted at Harvard Business School ( consistently ranked one of the best business schools in the world) without a scholarship and were admitted at a relatively low ranked school (perhaps ranked #20 or #30) with a full scholarship. In this case, Harvard is unlikely to match the offer, as the school you are leveraging is not a direct competitor. 

If the tables were turned, however, and Harvard offered you a scholarship while a lower-ranked school did not, you would likely have more success in increasing your scholarship amount at the lower-ranked institution.

For example, a few years ago, I worked with our client Rafael, whose main focus was to attend an MBA in the US for the best price possible. After being admitted to both USC Marshall and Vanderbilt Owen, he found he had received $80K from Marshall and just $65K from Vanderbilt. After several back-and-forth negotiations, we were able to increase his offer from Vanderbilt to nearly $100K, which sealed the deal for Rafael. 

TOP TIP : When negotiating with the schools, they may ask you to provide documentation that proves another program offered you a scholarship. Though you certainly don’t have to provide this documentation, showing that you did indeed receive an offer will greatly help your case!

Contact the school 

After you’ve developed your negotiation strategy, it’s time to get in touch with the school. By masterfully managing your communication (including deciding what to say, how to say it, and when to say it), you’ll greatly increase your chances of obtaining more scholarship money.

Make sure they understand why they should reconsider

When asking for something, a good place to start is to consider the question: “ Why should they give me what I want?” 

Though you may feel you deserve a scholarship (or larger scholarship), the school did not initially agree with you . Changing their mind requires showing them why they should reconsider their decision. By giving them a reason to rethink their offer , you’re much more likely to reach your goal of increasing your scholarship amount. 

For example, last year we worked with our client Alexander to secure admissions into two top European business schools. He accepted his top-choice school’s offer, but was disappointed to learn that he had not received a scholarship. At this point, we developed a strategy to ask the school to reconsider. Though it had only been a few weeks since receiving his offer letter, he had already actively participated in the community and had increased his GMAT score by 30 points. As such, by demonstrating to the school how he had worked hard to both build his network at the school and improve his profile allowed him to obtain a $30K scholarship at his target program. 

As such, try to devise better reasons for wanting a scholarship (or bigger scholarship) than “MBAs are expensive.” By showing how you have improved your profile, have added value to the community, or have new financial issues that increase your need, you’re well on your way to developing a convincing argument!

Best practices for contact

When interacting with the schools, it’s important to employ the optimal communication style to ensure you reach your goal of increasing your MBA scholarship. These best practices may seem simple, but following them diligently is the key to success. 

Though you may think a highly-convoluted argument will push you one step closer to getting what you want, in reality, sincerity is the best approach for all communication with the school. Instead of bragging about your achievements, respectfully demonstrating what you feel you can contribute and politely asking the school to reconsider (while highlighting what an honor a scholarship would be for you) is much more likely to succeed. 

• Don’t be rude or demanding

This should seem obvious, but remember, you are trying to get them to help you, so making threats or demands is not likely to work. At the end of the day, they do not have to offer you anything, so make sure you remain polite throughout the entire process. 

• Keep it short and sweet

If you do end up negotiating with the school, keep your communication focused and concise. A 10-page essay on why you think you should receive additional scholarship money will likely get thrown out before your counterpart even reads the first word. By constructing a simple yet powerful argument , you’re much more likely to cut through the noise and connect with your counterpart. 

Make sure you approach the right person

The admissions department at any business school is often responsible only for admissions. This means they are not always involved in the scholarship process. 

When you work to negotiate a scholarship, it’s important to negotiate with the right people. These people are most often in the financial aid department. If you are not sure who this is, call or email the school and ask if they can put you in touch with the financial aid officer in charge of your application.

No one likes being called 1,000 times, however, it’s important to follow up on your request to have your MBA scholarship reconsidered. 

Though you don’t want to call hundreds of times or send daily emails, checking in with the school periodically (especially if you have a new development to your profile that influences your scholarship decision) ensures you’re able to get what you want. 

For example, our client Luis was admitted to Chicago Booth’s MBA/MPA dual-degree program with a $25k scholarship. Though he was grateful to receive this amount, the fact that he and his wife would both be doing an MBA and considering the fact that he would be paying for two degrees of his own meant his budget was stretched. 

After receiving the offer, we immediately got in touch with the school, highlighting updates to his profile and financial constraints we felt were relevant. Luckily, they awarded Luis another $10k. At this time, however, currency fluctuations caused the MBA to become even more expensive, so we continued the conversation. Though we initially received a final determination that they weren’t able to grant any additional funding, a well-timed call to Luis’ contact allowed us to secure an additional $10k in funding!

Remember, you’ll never know what your options are unless you ask. As long as you are polite and professional, you have nothing to lose, so follow up! 

Leverage our expertise

Here at Ellin Lolis Consulting, we pride ourselves on supporting our clients throughout the entire MBA application process. 

We dedicate all of our energy and expertise to give you the confidence that you are taking the right steps toward your future with the information you need to make the best decisions, including securing the best possible scholarships for your business school journey. 

That’s the approach we took with our client Luiza . In her words: 

“ Ellin and her team made this MBA pursuing this journey something much smoother and light for me! They are very organized and give you this special personal service that makes all the difference. I felt they really understood who I am and were ready to make me confident every step of the way. 

They were available 24/7, which made me feel supported, secured and appreciated. All in all, it was an amazing self-knowledge and learning process, and I passed at my first choice school (INSEAD) with a €40,000 scholarship! ”

If you’re ready to put the Ellin Lolis advantage to work for you in negotiating your MBA scholarship, get in touch with us ! 

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

2024-2025 IMD MBA Essay Tips

Aug 9, 2024

UPDATE: This article was originally posted on June 8, 2020. It has been...

Vanderbilt Owen MBA Deadlines for 2024-2025

Aug 6, 2024

If you’re preparing for the Vanderbilt Owen MBA (check out our essay tips and sample essays here!), ensuring you finish everything on time is essential. Here are the deadlines for the Class of 2027.    Round 1 Application Deadline: October 8, 2024 Interview...

Oxford Saïd MBA Deadlines for 2024-2025

Aug 5, 2024

If you’re preparing for the Oxford Saïd MBA (check out our essay tips and sample essays here!), ensuring you finish everything on time is essential. Here are the deadlines for the Class of 2027.    Round 1 Application Deadline: September 2, 2024 Interview...

Ready to start your MBA Success?