The goals essay is the most important component of your applications. It is the fundamental building block around which your other complementary essays will be built. You cannot afford to get this wrong. Business schools see whether you want an MBA just for the prestige of it or you genuinely have your head on your shoulders, are mature enough to make your career choices and how the school fits into them. This is not the place to try your creative ideas but rather one where you capture the admissions committees’ interest to retain it and enthuse them enough to call you for interview. Most schools will ask you to define your short term and long term goals.
There is no right or wrong approach to tackle this one, just a perfect personal statement totally relevant to you. Before you go ahead and answer this important question, consider these important phases of your life:
- How has your career so far prepared you for business school? How have they led you to conclude that an MBA is the stepping stone to your future career aspirations?
- Why is now the best time to get an MBA?
- What knowledge and skills do you hope to gain from the degree to help your career move in the direction you envision?
- What are your goals and how will an MBA help you achieve them?
Most goals essays have a common theme. They are about logically stringing together your career aspirations with how your career so far has prepared you for them. Also, are you qualified to achieve these goals, with the help of management education? What you need to do reflect, think and make a holistic argument justifying the need for an MBA and how you will achieve your goals through it.