As part of Oxford Said MBA application, you are asked to answer the following question.
Tell us something that is not covered in your application that you would like the admissions committee to know about you. (maximum 250 words).
This is an opened ended question with limited space and it is an opportunity to address some portion of your profile that might need further explanation. I recommend that your response to this essay fall into one of several broad categories: explaining a perceived weakness, sharing something related to your interests or background that make you unique, or expressing a strong interest in the MBA program.
Weakness
It is often natural to feel a sense of discomfort around discussing your weaknesses or areas in the past when you experienced difficulties. However, it is good practice to explain a perceived weakness on your application. If you do not explain the weakness, you are allowing the admissions officer to draw their own conclusions and this is something that should be avoided. While there is no need to make excuses for yourself or to lament about your past, you should provide factual background information or other insightful information to explain why the weakness will not negatively impact your time at business school.
Examples of weaknesses are:
low GPA
low GMAT/GRE scores
a low TOEFL or IELTS score that is not reflective of your English language ability
gaps in employment longer than two months
reason for making various career transitions if your previous jobs are not related
What makes you unique
Every person in business school will bring the culmination of their past experiences to the classroom. The various influences in your life are all factors that make you unique and interesting to a business school. A MBA cohort should be diverse in terms of professional knowledge and the type of experiences that students have had. This essay is an opportunity to share something with the admissions committee that will make them thing that you are an interesting candidate and that they should continue the conversation with you, in the form of an interview.
Examples of stories to share are:
difficult circumstances you have experienced
interesting facts about yourself and the things that you have accomplished
what has motivated you in the past
what is motivating you to excel in the future
Another option for this essay would be to describe your fit with Oxford SBS. You could share the impression that you got about the program following times when you connected with the school (for instance through virtual information sessions, in-person events attended, or conversations with SBS students or alumni). You could explain what you hope to gain by studying at Oxford and how Oxford’s MBA program will help you in your career. Or you could share what you hope to contribute to the MBA class. If you do write about this topic, remember to be very specific and to pick out clear examples about the school or curriculum to show that you have done your research and you have thought through how the program will benefit you.
Rona Aydin is a graduate of Oxford Said’s MBA program. She has in-depth knowledge of Oxford Said and she offers a highly personalized service to clients to help them to prepare their business school applications. If you would like to know more about my services and how I can help you with your application, please contact Rona at rona@orieladmissions.com.
