7 Outstanding MBA Personal Statement Examples

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Featured Expert: Hassan Awan, MBA

MBA personal statement examples

Reviewing MBA personal statement examples can really inspire your own! Before applying to competitive professional programs, many students review medical school personal statement examples or law school personal statement examples , as these can be a great way to gauge what is expected of you. And if you are applying to an MBA – you should certainly review MBA personal statement examples! In this blog, we will teach you what an MBA personal statement is and why it’s needed, the types of essay questions commonly asked and how to answer them, and provide 7 MBA personal statement examples you can study to craft your own. This blog will also cover some of the key elements of a winning personal statement and some of the biggest mistakes to avoid when writing your personal statement.

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Article Contents 26 min read

What is an mba personal statement.

An MBA personal statement is an integral part of any MBA application. But what exactly is it? Simply put, an MBA personal statement, sometimes called a goal statement or statement of purpose, is a summary of your goals and experiences, why you are applying to your chosen MBA programs and what you hope to achieve in doing so. It’s a document, written in essay form, that tells admissions committees the skills, experiences and fresh perspective you can bring to the program.

A personal statement convinces admissions committees that you are the most suitable choice for a position in a department of Business Administration. MBA personal statements work a bit like a great cover letter for a job interview. A good cover letter tells a hiring committee a bit more about you and your suitability for a job position. A great one will get you an interview or even a job offer from the chosen company. Similarly, your MBA personal statement should cinch your acceptance to a chosen program in the field of business administration.

For almost every application process, you’ll be asked to write a personal statement, and an MBA program is no exception. Schools want to know more about you. They want to know your motivations, your purpose in applying to business school, and any significant part of why you chose to pursue this degree. They’re looking for more than high grades and impressive resumes.

Admissions committees know that the competition is fierce, so they want to make the best decision possible. A personal statement is the best way to show them why your candidacy should be considered above others.

Your personal statement is your chance to shine. It’s a chance to make an impression on your business school’s admissions committee. It also shows committees that you have top-notch writing and communication skills, two things that are big assets to any future business leader. So, admissions officers aren’t just using your personal statement to measure how you stand out from the crowd, they’re judging your professional skillset as well. If you struggle with writing college essays for your application, consider reading some sample college essays to find inspiration and expert tips. Or, if you’re looking for a more holistic guide to the graduate school application grind, think about seeking help from an MBA admissions consulting service.

Still working on your MBA Resume as well? Here are some tips:

Common MBA personal statement prompts

For personal statements, MBA programs will usually pose a question to applicants, which the admissions committee expects to be answered in essay format. While the questions will vary from program to program and likely change from year to year, there are some commonly asked questions you can prepare answers for ahead of time.

These questions often seem a lot like common job interview questions, but it’s important to remember that the answers should focus on your personal, professional, and academic achievements that can relate to your MBA success. Admissions committees provide these personal statement prompts to encourage students to self-reflect on their motivations, goals and perspectives, and then to share their insights and discoveries with the school. Graduate school programs may also ask for a statement of purpose to ask you further questions about yourself, so review some graduate school statement of purpose examples and tips for extra help. The key is delivering a personal answer while tying it back to the skills and qualities needed to succeed in business school. It’s also good preparation for the MBA interview questions !

There’s no magic formula when it comes to writing the perfect personal statement, but there are some key elements that should be included to pack more of a punch. Aside from being well-written, MBA personal statements need to contain the content admissions committees are looking for, be presented in the essay format they want, and they need to keep the readers’ attention.

Below we’ve highlighted a few things to keep in mind when creating your personal statement.

Use essay format

Your personal statement needs to be organized in an essay format. A sentence or a short paragraph won’t do. Admissions committees are looking for a little more content, and a bit more structure. The typical word count of an MBA personal statement is around 400-1,000 words, so think one to two pages long. Some programs may have very strict word count requirements, while others may not specify the word count but ask students to answer two essay questions.

Craft your personal statement just as you would an essay, with an introduction, body paragraphs and a conclusion. Start with a brief introduction that captures the reader. Use the introduction to engage the reader and keep them reading until the end of the statement.

Follow this with 3 to 5 body paragraphs that dig a bit deeper into your answer to the prompt in front of you. Each body paragraph should elaborate on how you came to apply to MBA and what makes you a great candidate. Remember to always use examples to support your claims- in other words, “show, don’t tell” them your story!

The conclusion

For the conclusion, wrap up your statement neatly, impressing upon the reader that you are the right fit for the program. Your reader should be left with the incitement to action, namely, they should want to extend you an interview invitation.

Being able to master the short essay format will also show admissions committees that you have the writing chops needed to excel in their business program!

Keep in mind that personal statements are usually between 750 and 1,000 words, so they don’t need to be long, meaty essays. Be concise in your statement and cut out any unnecessary information or fluff that isn’t needed.

Have a compelling story

When writing your personal statement, it’s important to leave an impression. Admissions committees will remember a great narrative over another student with high marks in all their classes. Crafting a compelling narrative is easier said than done, but it can be done.

Consider the question being asked. Are they asking for a moment of personal achievement? Your greatest failure? Do they want to know what motivated you to apply for business school? From there, choose a significant moment in your life that relates to the question.

Tell the story of this personal moment, using narrative story structure to deliver it with the greatest impact. Story structure means taking the reader—the admissions committee—on a journey.

For example, a story about the time you decided to run a marathon might start with a bit of background on the race and why you decided to run it. Then it would talk about any obstacles or setbacks you faced in preparing for this challenge, and how you overcame them. In your essay, you could write about the race itself, your mindset and any unexpected difficulties like a twisted ankle, finishing with the result of you completing the marathon anyway or beating your personal best time. Discuss why this moment of personal triumph was significant to you and how it relates to your decision to apply to business school.

Use your natural voice

When writing your personal statement, it’s key to maintain your authenticity. It is, after all, a personal statement, so use your natural voice and style in your writing. Admissions committees appreciate unique voices, and it will be noticeable in your writing if you’re trying to be overly formal or adopt the style of another writer.

Remember that committees are asking who you are as a person. Being honest and natural in your responses will shine through with way more impact than trying to sound like the smartest person in the room or the most business-savvy applicant.

Prove your leadership qualities, be introspective and honest

No matter the essay question, it’s best to showcase your leadership qualities. Show admissions committees that you can be introspective and honest with yourself. They want to see proof of self-growth and self-reflection in the experiences you share in your personal statement.

Demonstrate your leadership as part of a team environment by highlighting the ways in which you built up your team or encouraged them. Show the admissions team that you have leadership over yourself as well, in your commitment to your goals, writing about how you saw a difficult project through to the end, or a moment of personal self-development in which you learned from past mistakes.

Share how you will contribute, and how the program will help you achieve your career goals

Lastly, draw attention to what contributions you can make to the school or program of your choice. Pump up your strengths and the unique perspective or skills you bring to the table. Present compelling arguments for why you should be chosen over others.

Also mention how the program you’ve chosen will contribute to your business education or help you achieve your career goals. Mention specific elements in the school’s culture or curriculum that you feel will be an asset to your education in business administration or your future in business.

Worried about your MBA Interview? These are some of the question types you can start preparing for:

What should be left out of an MBA personal statement?

Just as there are elements that need to be included in your MBA personal statement, there are parts to avoid as well. Some common mistakes in poorly written personal statements are making it too long, not proofreading or checking your work, and not answering the essay question effectively.

Below we’ve listed some key mistakes to avoid when writing your personal statement.

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Below we’ve provided 7 examples of great introductions, body paragraphs and conclusions of MBA personal statements, each answering the common types of essay questions we talked about above.

1. What motivated you to apply for this MBA program?

My family owns one of the oldest small businesses in our tight-knit community. I have always been proud to be a part of this family tradition, and it is my dream to open a small business myself. During the pandemic, I witnessed my parents and their fellow small business owners struggle to keep the doors open and the lights on. Many businesses, some of which had been here for decades, were ultimately unable to and had to close their doors for good. This was difficult for me, as it is not just a failing business, but an individual’s dream being shuttered. There are many hard-working small business owners in my community who simply could not compete or adapt to the changes of the past year. And they had no system to guide them on how to get back on their feet.

My dream to become an entrepreneur has now evolved; in the future, I want to create a company which incubates local start-up businesses. In working with [Company], I have developed my leadership and organizational skills, but an MBA from [University] will allow me to grow into a community-minded leader. With [Company], I have been fortunate to be able to lead a team of like-minded individuals, and see how both my actions, and the actions of the team, can lift up us all. It would be my goal to view my community of small business owners in the same way: as one unit that can be raised out of the circumstances we are all mired in.

[University’s] MBA program was my first choice because its foundational values align with my goals. With the program’s focus on the operation and management of small business, I believe it will provide me with the proper toolset to serve local business owners and up and coming start-ups. [University] also focuses on entrepreneurial leadership and development, which will be a great class to augment my existing skillset. The curriculum of this program will provide me with the necessary professional skills I need to succeed as a small business owner myself, particularly with its foundation of management, finance and leadership. Since the program also holds a high standard for innovative, exemplary leadership, I feel it will augment my developing leadership style and skills and mold me into becoming the kind of leader my community and its business owners need right now.

The small business owners in my community are like members of a family, and when they were faced with difficult times, I was amazed to see how they supported one another, and reached out to one another. My goal as a business incubator would be to provide a space for these businesses who were struggling or had to shutdown to restart again and get back on their feet. To have a community support system to reinvigorate them. It would also be a resource for any budding entrepreneurs in the community, who were scared off by these challenging times or simply don’t have the resources they need to get off the ground.

After graduating, I will achieve my dream of running a business incubator with the full guidance of my experiences inside and outside the classroom. With the skills I will have learned, I will be able to give back to my community and make a true impact on the lives of its small business owners. I am passionate about my goals, and deeply committed to making a real, tangible difference in my community’s business sector. I will take the lessons I’ll learn at [University] with me throughout my life and career in business and pass along the tools and skills I will have learned to the small business owners, like my parents, for whom it makes such an incredible difference.

2. Who do you most admire?

The businessperson I most admire is not a well-known titan of industry. Her name is [Name]. She is the founder of a not-for-profit organization which provides stray animals in need with care and housing, as well as educates on proper animal care. She has been my mentor as I have volunteered for her organization for the last 3 years. My passion for animals led me to volunteer with [Organization], but it was the incredible example set by [Name] which inspired me to further my professional goals and pursue an MBA. With an MBA degree, I can pour my experiences, skills, and passion into helping other not-for-profits like [Organization] succeed and continue to help animals. The world, particularly the not-for-profit sector, needs more leaders like her. She continues to inspire me with the commitment and passion she has for her business.

The reason I admire [Name] is because of her dedication to her business, her sense of responsibility to her team and the animals, and her vision in creating a better solution to stray overpopulation and pet abandonment. Every day, she works to educate pet owners on the problems organizations like hers face, and the effect on the animals and communities involved. People often misunderstand the work done by animal shelters and organizations like [Name’s], and it’s important to not only raise awareness but educate others on the real problems we are seeing everyday, and the proven solutions that can be provided. Overpopulation of strays and inadequate pet care often mean our shelters are at capacity, stressing our already taxed resources. It sometimes means we’re not able to accept an animal in need off the street, because someone else has returned a pet they weren’t prepared to care for.

[Name] puts everything she has into her business to ensure it runs in a responsible, organized way, from caring for the animals, to managing staff and customers. She tackles problems head-on, and she is involved in every step of the process to see where we can make improvements. Every year, she organizes our Adoption Day event and fundraiser. She sets up pens for potential pet owners to interact with our animals safely, signs up new shelter volunteers and accepts donations. And then she is in charge of educational presentations and a thank you speech in front of the crowd of our supporters and donors. She truly makes being an organized professional an artform. As part of the team, she is our leader by example, showing our team how to organize and set up a safe, fun and successful event. She leads from the front and shows us how to properly care for animals and advocate on their behalf.

[Name] is not only dedicated to her position as the team leader and head of the organization, but personally takes the time to do the work around the shelter and can fill in for any position flawlessly. She proves the importance of being able to multi-task, and how crucial it is to know every part of the business, when she shows our shelter volunteers how to clean out cages, maintain our animals’ physical health with grooming or properly delivering necessary medications, and how to socialize our animals with structured play with other animals and humans. She uses her creative thinking and innovation to keep finding ways the team can work smarter, not harder, and brainstorm ways that we can improve the lives of our animals. When our resources aren’t enough, or a piece of equipment breaks down, there is always another solution. When we didn’t have enough proper feeding and water bowls for our pets, she took it upon herself to recycle pieces of PVC pipe and plastic storage bins from our storage room to create a feeding and watering system that saved us time in caring for our animals and provided space for everyone during busy feeding times.

My mentor will always be an inspiration to me in the world of business for her leadership qualities and the way she executes her vision. Not only is she a prime example of a not-for-profit business owner, but she also never lets herself forget why she’s there, and she always shows up for her business. Working in the not-for-profit sector requires a surplus of passion, patience, integrity and dedication. It also requires superb organization, knowing your business inside and out, creativity and innovation. She demonstrates these qualities every single day, and inspires others to develop these qualities within themselves, too. [Name] is the best example I can think of a leader, a not-for-profit business owner and someone who truly cares about their mission. I hope to emulate the qualities she has shown and instilled in me in my future professional life.

3. Describe a time you led a team and what challenges you faced, how you overcame them.

The bulk of my professional experience has been as a member of team. I have been fortunate to have experience both being a part of and leading a team of talented and dedicated individuals. Working at [Newspaper] as chief layout editor, I consistently lead a team of 5 layout editors in creating and publishing a weekly paper. Journalism is a fast-paced environment that requires focus and collaboration. My team edited, laid out and approved a large volume of pages each week, working under tight deadlines. Our work requires adaptation and perseverance, and a fair amount of commitment to see things through to their deadlines and complete a project to the best of one’s ability. In my role as chief layout editor, I had the invaluable opportunity to develop my leadership style, grow as a leader, and prove to myself and my team that I can lead.

Within a newsroom, there are multiple departments all operating with a degree of separation from one another, but all key parts of the overall team. Normally, the department heads are in contact with one another to fix problems quickly where they come up and stay in contact throughout the publication process. My team of layout editors would inevitably run into a roadblock or have a question they needed to pose to another department head about the copy. Communications between departments were usually streamlined by being communicated exclusively through department heads. If a team member had a request, it went through me and on to the appropriate department head. Since department heads were not always available at the time the issue arose, I took the initiative to make it easier for my team to get the answers they needed to work, even if myself or the other department heads were absent. Through a shared Slack message board, members of my layout team could post a request or question to the related department. All team members of that department would be able to see the request and respond. Or, messages could be sent directly to the individual to answer the request.

Another major hurdle was ensuring every page that came through our hands kept to our strict style and layout guidelines. As team leader, it was my responsibility to clearly communicate our style and layout guidelines to my team members, providing a comprehensive guide for them to follow. This guide became a staple in the office and part of the package prepared for new hires. The guide helped new hires onboard more quickly and increased the team’s self-sufficiency. All pages being worked on were also visible to the entire team, so everyone knew who was working on what and how projects were progressing in real time, without the need for constant meetings and updates.

Leading my team at [Company] was a challenging but rewarding experience. In my responsibilities as team leader, I learned valuable lessons about the importance of transparency, clarity and advocacy in the workplace. I learned the importance of fostering an environment where the entire team could excel and be self-sufficient. Being a leader is about much more than delegating, fixing problems and guiding team members. In an environment as dynamic and fast-paced as a newsroom, I learned how to use my creative skills to improve the work environment. By making these seemingly small changes to our communications and operations, the team was able to thrive. Through my time as leader, I believe my best accomplishments were removing the team’s hurdles to productivity and efficiency. Once I did, my team showed me how adept they were at leading themselves.

My greatest personal achievement was also the realization of a lifelong dream. This year myself and my water polo team won the gold medal for the Junior Olympics. It has been my dream to become an Olympian since I was young and being awarded a gold medal for competing in my sport has been by far my proudest moment. Not only was this a significant feat of athleticism, perseverance, and dedication, it was an affirming moment for me personally. It proved what I was capable of once I set my mind to something. It showed me what my passion and hard work could bring me.

My journey as an athlete has taught me many important skills applicable to every area of my life. Water polo is a team sport, and I could not have succeeded in this personal victory without the hard work, encouragement, and help of my teammates. The team’s strengths and weaknesses must complement each other to form the best unit it can. And thinking and functioning as a team helps keep us sharp and focused. Being a part of a team also inspired me to push myself and constantly improve upon my own performance. During training with my team, I often had doubts about myself and my performance. I never viewed myself as the strongest link, and saw only how I fell short compared to my teammates in speed, strength or maneuverability in the water. My teammate, [Name], noticed how hard I was pushing myself and encouraged me to share my self-doubt with her. I carried her following pep talk with me to the gold medal match. She told me that our teammates all relied upon one another, but that we were also there to support each other. To complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses. And she reminded me that my strengths were knowing who was the quickest, who was the strongest, and who was the best teammate for any given situation in a match. She pointed out that I had a knack for analyzing a situation quickly and immediately moving into position to support the teammate that needed it to maximize our chance of success in the round. Having the team’s expectations of me, knowing they were relying on me, but also supporting me, inspired me to be my best. To challenge myself and expand the limits of what I thought I was capable of.

Water polo is also a physically demanding sport, and my long hours of training and practice have taught me diligence, patience and perseverance, especially when there is a goal I am striving for. But frustration bubbles up in you when you don’t see results or even a shred of improvement. Self-doubt might creep in, because you know that even your best might just not be good enough. Not to mention, when you’re in the arena and all eyes are on you, it’s easy to get distracted. My self-doubt was keeping me from seeing my personal strengths, and the improvements I had made. The mix of frustration at lack of progress and determination to do better pushed me too hard. After my teammate’s inspiring talk, I started to focus on my strengths, playing out different match scenarios in my head and in the pool and practicing drills with my teammates to improve my reaction times.

I remember walking out and trying to tune out the noise and distractions. You run through the mental checklist, and you’re so focused you almost forget what’s coming next. It feels a bit like sleepwalking, because you’re not aware of what’s happening around you, but you don’t miss a thing. Everything you have practiced comes rushing back to you and you’re waiting for everything to start. When it does, there’s the snap to action. All your training is remembered in a single instant, and suddenly you’re ready for everything. Your team is with you, all of them connected to you, sharing the same thoughts. You don’t need to tune anyone out anymore, because the only thing that exists in your world is your team and the game. It’s almost hard to believe when the game is over and you come back to the real world. It’s a surreal feeling. And then you realize: we won.

Although I have achieved this personal goal through hard work and dedication to my sport, it has opened my eyes to the other possibilities still ahead of me. In achieving this milestone, it has made me strive to reach for the next rung on the ladder and keep improving myself in my sport and in my personal development. In achieving something I wasn’t always sure I could, I’ve shown myself what I’m capable of, and taught myself the value of challenging myself and growing myself.

5. How will you contribute to school’s diversity?

As a female entrepreneur, I know the unique perspectives and value I can bring to the table. Growing up with a grandmother who started her own business had a huge impact on me, as it taught me what women in business are capable of. Now, as a proud business owner myself, I can see how my personal journey affects my approach to business. My grandmother owned a small hardware store, and hers was the only store around for miles in a rural area. She knew each of her customers by name, and took the time to chat with each one, providing advice or recommendations on their home improvement projects. As a child, I was astounded by her depth of knowledge and how she always seemed to have an answer for everything. It inspired me to follow her and soak up the information she had. As we worked, she also provided me with gems like ‘if they come back with a smile on their face, you’ve done your job’.

When I built my business, I was focused on one mission: to help empower my fellow female entrepreneurs and business owners. Now that I have been in business for a few years, it still amazes me how often my clients share stories with me that echo my own. We share so much of our struggles, triumphs and experiences, and yet we each have our own story to tell. We all have different reasons for going into business for ourselves. Some of the best interactions I’ve had are when my clients share their stories with me. When I was still working with my grandmother in her shop, I was helping a young girl with a school project. She wanted to construct a birdhouse and needed some help finding the right materials. Unlike her classmates, she wanted to construct the most unique birdhouse possible. Something the most colourful birds would call home. Together, we went through the store picking out flashiest glitter, buttons and faux feathers we could find. The following week, she returned to proudly show off her birdhouse, the most colourful I have seen yet. Seeing the proud smile on her face and seeing the result of what I had helped to build, ignited the spark that has never left me. Knowing I was a part of her passion project, of helping it become a reality, fills me with the same pride I feel now helping other women to succeed in their business. Whenever a client tells me that I’ve given them the tools they never thought they’d have access to or given them the advice they never knew they needed to succeed, I know I’ve done my job.

As a female business owner, I bring my own special brand to my business. My business was built on my personal passions and values, and it shows in every interaction with my stakeholders, my employees and my clients. My motivation to pursue my MBA comes back to my grandmother’s words of wisdom in doing my job. Doing the best job I possibly can for my clients. And I know I can’t continue to grow, and provide my clients with my best work, without continuing to develop myself professionally. In pursuing my MBA, I am filling myself up with even more knowledge, even more skills, that I can pass onto those who need my help.

6. Talk about a personal failure and what you learned from it.

Even as a child, I was never good at accepting failure. Whatever I did, I wanted to excel. And I quickly grew disinterested in activities I didn’t have a natural talent for. While in life it is inevitable to experience failures, there is one incident in my personal life that stands out. A few years ago, I was training for a national track and field competition. Track and field was something I was effortlessly good at, and I knew I would have no trouble competing when I qualified for the race. I would be racing in the 100 m sprint, a category in which I excelled and was sure to win first place. Even though I was assured of my victory, I devoted myself to my training. It was important to me that I show my best efforts and impress.

Before my defining race, I was warming myself up, preparing myself for the feat of athleticism. I also sized up the competition, taking note of the strongest runners, as I usually did. It became a pre-race ritual for me, to mentally catalog my opponents and consider how their strengths and weaknesses matched up to mine. There was one runner I noticed and dismissed immediately for being the smallest and weakest-looking of the group. Unlike the rest of us, he wasn’t warming up for the upcoming race. He was sitting quietly on his own, concentrating only on himself and whatever mental pep talk he was running through his head. Thinking nothing of it, I approached the starting line and waited for the gun blast. As soon as it fired, I took off, digging my toes in and launching myself ahead of the pack. I was pushing my body to its limits to reach that finish line. I could see my opponents falling back, on my heels but unable to catch me as I sprinted with confident strides. But to my surprise, the small runner I had dismissed so easily was a pace ahead of me in my sightline. Determined to beat him, I poured everything I had into my sprint, feeling the effort burn through me. But it wasn’t enough. The runner effortlessly flew over the finish line before me, nabbing the first-place prize I had worked so hard for.

While my defeat in an arena I excelled in could have brought bitter disappointment, it was also a good reminder for me that we all fail. Competition is inevitable, and we should never grow complacent in the areas where we excel. If we stop growing, our competition will catch up to us quickly and unexpectedly. If we want to stay ahead of the game, it’s important to keep improving. Because even the best athletes continue to train to stay at the top. My fellow runner didn’t care about their competition, and they weren’t concerned about comparing themselves to others. They were solely focused on their goal, as any top athlete should and will be. This is a lesson I took to heart.

During this race, I did also beat my personal best time, so it showed me that even if I excel at something, there’s always room for improvement. It taught me that complacency is the enemy of my success. I was so satisfied with what I thought to be my peak performance. I had thought I was at the top of my game. But this experience showed me how wrong that was, and how important it is to keep growing and developing myself. I’ve learned that even with our best efforts, we can sometimes still fall behind. Sometimes, someone’s strategy will be better. Or they’ll be better prepared. But mostly, it showed me that instead of focusing on how I measure up to others, I need to shift my perspective and ask how I measure up to who I want to be. My goal now shouldn’t be to be the best, my aspiration should be to become the best version of myself I can possibly be.

7. What are your career aspirations?

Brewing has been my family’s calling for generations, from my father brewing backyard beer to my ancestors’ colourful history of distilling illegal spirits. Recipes have been passed down through the family, and we each have our own favourites and specialties. Some of us add unexpected flavours to our home brews. Others swear by old or superstitious techniques. Still other members of the family have kept their ‘secret ingredient’ close to the vest. Something I want to change is the fact that the family hobby has never quite grown out of the backyard. Because the other family tradition is in the sharing of a cup, and I think with the growing popularity of micro-breweries and micro-distilleries, other families might enjoy a taste of our traditions, too. In applying for this MBA program, I believe it will help me to achieve my dream of opening a micro-distillery. It has long been my goal to own my own business and incorporate my passion for brewing. Being a small business owner requires supreme organizational and management skills, which [School’s] program will provide me.

In opening my own micro-distillery, I will be able to share my passion with my customers. The area in which I grew up has a unique history of locally made spirits, and the ingredients that grow in the area cannot easily be found anywhere else. They provide an inimitable flavour profile and a taste of the local land that cannot be matched. It is my goal to carry on the proud traditions of my hometown region by opening my own micro-distillery, to share our unique regional flavours with the world. Although my dad has taught me his home-brewing techniques, I also have experience working for [Beer Brand] as a brewer. Learning the modern techniques of brewing has definitely expanded my skillset, although brewing the same brand of beer, using the standard recipe, doesn’t have the same passion in it. My work experience has rounded out my technical skill as a brewer, and it has also given me some insight into the operations of a business. I’ve seen firsthand what it takes to operate a small business, and I know I have more to learn in this area. I know if I want to succeed in turning my family tradition into a real business, I need to build up my business sense. 

To achieve my goal of owning my own micro-distillery, it is important to have a strong business sense behind the passion and big idea. I believe with this program I will add the leadership, management and operational skills I need to see my micro-distillery off the ground. My business will need a team, and I will need to develop myself as a leader to be able to choose and develop my employees. I know I will also need to learn the management skills that will allow me to help them be successful. It is my belief that this program will instill in me the soft skills I need to become the leader and teammate I need to become to see this venture succeed.

Writing an MBA personal statement is tricky, but it is a must for any business school application. By following the above tips or studying the examples we’ve provided in this guide, you’ll be well on your way to writing an awesome personal statement. Finally, if you are looking for more inspiration, check out our Harvard MBA personal statement examples . This renowned institution is well-known for its standards. If you can write a personal statement like this, you can get into any MBA program out there!

MBA personal statements are typically between 750 and 1,000 words.

An MBA personal statement is almost like a cover letter for a job application. It is written in essay form and should explain why you are the right choice for an MBA program. Your MBA personal statement should also highlight why you wish to attend the schools you're applying to and what you hope to do with your MBA.

Yes. Most MBA programs will ask for a personal statement as part of their application process.

A general rule of thumb is to include a strong personal narrative, compelling arguments for your candidacy and qualities or strengths you will bring to the program you’re applying for.

Yes. Usually, schools will change the essay question each application cycle. Though this may vary depending on the program.

Some of the most common personal statement essay questions relate to personal achievements, motivations for applying to business school or how you will contribute to the school’s MBA program.

Yes. Admissions committees will be expecting your personal statement to be in short essay format. If it’s not, it may lead your application to the rejection pile.

The simplest way is to study the short essay format, read the essay question, reflect on your personal experiences, and answer the question being asked!

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How to Write a Top MBA Personal Statement (With Examples)

how to write an mba personal statement with examples

Working on your MBA application? You aren’t alone. In 2021, over 200,000 students graduated with an MBA degree making it the number one choice for graduate students for the 10th year in a row. And there’s good reason for this. According to the National Center for Education Statistics , post-MBA, grads can earn significantly more at work—experts estimate an additional $20,000 each year depending on the industry. 

During the application process, you’ll want to stand out. A well-crafted personal statement will help distinguish you from other applicants. It serves as a powerful tool to showcase your unique experiences, skills, and aspirations to admissions committees. To make a lasting impression, tailor your personal statement to each MBA program you’re applying to, highlighting how your background aligns with their values and goals. For additional support, keep reading for some MBA personal statement examples and guidance. 

Understanding the Foundations – Word Count, Templates, and Pricing

When you start your personal statement, keep the word count in mind. Make sure to write your statement succinctly. Templates can give crucial structure to a first draft and make sure you hit necessary points. Finally: is it worth it to hire a professional proofreader? We break down the pros and cons. 

Word Count Considerations

A well-written personal statement is often the deciding factor in the business school admissions process. Conveying your thoughts concisely is a crucial skill in the business world, and future peers will be grateful for your brevity.

One strategy is to start with a longer draft and edit it down when revising. Remove unnecessary details and tighten wordy language. Focus on improving the quality of your content over meeting the maximum word count. 

Templates as a Starting Point

Templates can help to organize your thoughts. Use them to provide structure and give your writing direction. By planning ahead, you can decide how much space you want to dedicate to each element—this can also help you meet the word count.

Remember: popular templates are popular for a reason, and following them too strictly can make your statement feel rigid and unoriginal. To avoid that pitfall, personalization is key. Your individual experiences, goals, and perspectives are all unique. What would a Master’s in Business Administration mean to you? Don’t be afraid to customize any template to fit your voice. 

Professional Proofreading

Graduate schools know what a well-written personal statement looks like—and so do professional proofreaders. Experts can help catch small grammatical errors and improve clarity in your writing. It can be challenging to review personal writing from an objective standpoint. A good proofreader will streamline your writing and ensure overall coherence, improving your odds with your preferred school of business. 

Unfortunately, this can be expensive. Pricing for these services can easily cost hundreds of dollars. If hiring one isn’t in the budget, here are some alternatives: 

  • Find writing groups online or in person. Not only will you receive feedback, you’ll get a better idea of what other personal statements look like. Be prepared to help edit other statements.
  • Reach out to peers and mentors. Turn to people who know your voice and can tell when your writing is authentic. Make sure they aren’t afraid to give negative feedback.
  • Utilize free online resources. Writing tools like Grammarly or Hemingway help check grammar and sentence structure. They won’t help with essay format and aren’t infallible; double-check any changes they might suggest.
  • Read your statement out loud. This can help make sure your statement has a good rhythm and flows naturally.
  • Take breaks. Be your own set of fresh eyes. When you’re in the thick of writing, you might glaze over easy-to-spot details while you’re thinking of the big picture. Allow yourself to recharge and clear your head before you get back to it. 

proofreading mba personal statement

Tailoring Your Personal Statement to Top MBA Programs

Make sure to personalize your essays to specific MBA programs . Include details about specific classes and faculty, unique opportunities, and the strengths that make this program stand out. 

Then, tie yourself into the narrative. What role would you fill as a graduate student or an alumnus? Consider your own strengths and where they align with this specific program. What career goals could this opportunity help you achieve? 

Remember to mention your soft skills and other details that may not show up elsewhere on your application. Finally, shine a spotlight on your unique contributions in past roles. 

Write a Captivating Introduction

A beautiful personal statement will be overlooked unless the introduction captivates the audience. You can begin with compelling anecdotes, personal stories, or influential quotes. Tie this introduction into your reason for pursuing an MBA. Make the reader care before launching into your achievements. Then, clearly state why you’re pursuing an MBA. Example: “From the dynamic intersections of global markets to the intricate strategies driving corporate success, the realm of business has always beckoned to me as a realm of boundless opportunity and perpetual evolution..” 

Discuss Academic and Professional Background

Now it’s time to discuss what you’re bringing to the table. It’s okay to brag! Think about any key achievements or acquired skills that are transferable to an MBA program. What motivated you to apply? Example : “As a project manager at XYZ Corp, I navigated intricate challenges, demonstrating resilience and strategic thinking – skills I am eager to refine in a top-tier MBA program.” 

Answer the Questions: Why an MBA? Why Now? 

What does an MBA mean for your career goals ? Break down your short and long-term goals to answer this essay question. How do the skills you gain from earning an MBA connect to your plan? Research the program you’re applying for and use examples from the curriculum. Example : “My immediate goal is to transition from project management to strategic consulting, and Crummer’s MBA program’s focus on experiential learning and global business strategy perfectly complements my aspirations.” 

Emphasize Soft Skills

Think about moments you demonstrated personal growth or teamwork. Are there any moments you stepped up to lead a project or team? Your past experiences will influence your habits in a graduate school setting. Example :  “Leading a cross-functional team on a high-stakes project not only honed my leadership skills but also taught me the importance of collaborative problem-solving, a cornerstone of Crummer’s MBA program. “

Spotlight Unique Contributions

What sets you apart from other applicants? Moreover, what impact will your unique perspective bring to the MBA cohort? Explain how your background will enrich the learning environment. Detail personal qualities and experiences that showcase your value. 

how to make an mba personal statement engaging

Key Elements for a Powerful Personal Statement

Take a holistic approach to strike the right chord in your personal statement. Give admissions committees a more concrete impression of you. Weave in your qualifications, experiences, and aspirations. Don’t just mention your professional achievements—detail all of your positive qualities. 

Showcase Work Experience 

Be strategic when discussing your real-world work experience. If you can, including measurable results is a great way to show your professional impact. Earnings numbers, statistics, and other metrics will show off your professional experiences. 

Articulate Career Goals and Aspirations

When discussing career goals for an MBA application, detail your short and long-term objectives clearly. Ambiguity can weaken your statement’s impact. Whether you’re joining a family business, starting your own business, or looking to go abroad for international business you should discuss how you see yourself navigating the business world. Connect these career aspirations to the MBA program. 

Incorporate Extracurricular and Real-World Experiences

Touch on any extracurricular experiences like internships or entrepreneurship. Explain how these real-world experiences impacted your analytical skills, business acumen, and decision-making. If you’re an entrepreneur, touch on your journey or discuss the vision for your next startup. 

You can also talk about moments where you demonstrated leadership and communication skills. Teamwork is critical to business leaders. Reflect on your leadership experience—the successes you’ve won and the lessons you learned. 

writing an mba personal statement internships

Maintain Authenticity

Write authentically. Admissions officers want genuine stories. Give readers a reason to empathize with you. Overly formal and generic language can depersonalize your statement and keep readers at arm’s length. 

Also, use conversational language. If something sounds clunky or unnatural, it probably also reads that way. Plus, the way you speak naturally showcases your personality. While you should always use proper grammar, don’t suck the life out of your statement in the name of sounding more “academic.” Use this opportunity to demonstrate your communication skills. 

Navigating Common Challenges

Crafting your personal statements can be challenging! Let’s answer some FAQs. 

How Do I Balance the Personal and Professional Aspects?

Be intentional about what you choose to mention from your personal life. Use elements that either contrast or emphasize your professional experience. How does your background influence your business philosophy? Make sure to keep a professional tone and align your statement with the admissions committee’s expectations and be prepared for any questions the interviewer could ask.

How Do I Handle Sensitive Topics?

If you’re writing about a sensitive topic, do so thoughtfully. You don’t know what type of people will be reading your statement, so be considerate and intentional about any details you choose to share. 

However, your application essay should be a reflection of you. Sensitive subjects often play a major role in personal growth and development. Discuss what you learned from this challenging experience and how it influenced you. 

How Do I Make My Writing Stand Out? 

We’ve touched on all of the story elements you need—now trim the fat. Avoid common clichés and generic statements. Common phrases will dilute the unique perspectives in your personal statement. Make sure the language aligns with you. Avoid language that could apply to everyone when possible. 

Other MBA Application Process Essentials – GMAT Score, GPA, and Statement of Purpose

The MBA application process is multifaceted and holistic. Alongside your statement, admissions committees also consider your GMAT scores and GPA. GMAT scores are used to gauge applicants’ aptitude for business studies, while GPA showcases your readiness for MBA rigor. If you have a lower score in either category, address these challenges by highlighting your other strengths, relevant experience, and resiliency. Remember: committees consider the entire application, not just scores. 

The other factor in the application process is your Statement of Purpose or SOP. This will complement your personal statement. Make sure your SOP articulates your academic and career goals without echoing your other application essay. Avoid redundancy. Focus on the future: link the MBA program to your long-term plan. Take a forward-looking perspective and demonstrate how the MBA will work as a natural progression in your life. 

Your personal statement should be as unique as you are. Start with a compelling narrative and a plan. Proofread your essay, and don’t be afraid to seek help from peers or professionals. Explain how your personal and professional life gives you the necessary skills to thrive at your desired program and be specific about what you want to do there. This is your chance to differentiate yourself from other applicants—take advantage!

Crummer is the #1 ranked MBA program in Florida. You can learn more about what we offer and when you’re ready, start working on your application . 

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[2024] 8 MBA Personal Statement Examples from Top Programs

mba in healthcare personal statement

by Talha Omer, M.Eng., Cornell Grad

In mba | personal statement samples by field.

If you are applying to an MBA program, you must be searching for examples of successful MBA personal statements and essays. In this article, I will share some outstanding essay examples of applicants  admitted to some of the best business schoo ls  in the world . 

I recommend you thoroughly look at these samples because you will gain a lot from them.

I will delve further and explain what makes an excellent MBA essay. I will also give you some insights into what makes these sample personal statements so effective. 

What’s more? I will keep adding more real samples to this article so that you can look at the most recent trends in admissions preferences. 

In this Article

Example 1: The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

Example 2: w. p. carey school of business – arizona state university, example 3: duke’s fuqua school of business, example 4: harvard business school, example 5: schulich school of business, york university, example 6: mccombs school of business – the university of texas at austin, example 7: columbia business school, example 8: rotman school of management, university of toronto, why do mba programs require a personal statement, does every mba program require a personal statement, what if i have something more to share, a true narrative, be different, clear goals, know the boundaries of the topic, first make a brag sheet, key takeaways, personal statement examples.

Instructions: What do you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA? (500 words)

It’s often a scary proposition to garner the courage to stand up and ask ‘why’ when you’re not sure whether your voice will give away the inherent nervousness you’re feeling. However, I often found myself doing just that in almost every single class during my time at university. Somewhere along the way, I was the only one volunteering for an additional assignment or opportunity that allowed me to further develop and refine my skillset. Where others said no, it was easy for me to say yes since I knew that knowledge and learning were more important to me than the opinions of others. The criticism and judgement really didn’t matter because I had given myself the permission to fail, and more importantly, to accept failure as a necessary element for me to grow.

Perhaps it all began with a paradigm shift that suggested that rather than lounge around and do the bare minimum during those 4 years at university, I would take conscious responsibility for my development and consider my undergrad as a playground for what I would subsequently offer to the world. I knew I wasn’t going to be the smartest, the best looking, or the most talented person in the world, but I was willing to be the most hard-working. This relentlessness and discipline helped me move from a persistent back-bencher with a 2.3 CGPA to one of the top students in my university, and perhaps it was the same commitment that led me to turn down the opportunity to complete an MBA from the same institution at the time as I knew that I had outgrown the rides that were on offer. There was a bigger contribution that I could make, and I would have to find a bigger playground when the time was right.

Through applying to Wharton, I am building on the commitment I made years earlier. My fascination with Wharton began in 2015 when I first took Professor Fader’s online class called Customer Analytics. Since that first encounter, 10 out of the 30 courses that I’ve completed are affiliated with Wharton in one way or another. From Professor Richard Shell’s insights on success to Professor Karen Reivich’s lectures on resilience, there was always something for me to learn from and grow as an individual. Through becoming a part of Wharton, I want to complement these prior experiences with a more integrated and in-depth curriculum to better understand the intricacies of the business world. 

My application to Wharton is not driven by what propositions await me at the end of two years, but by what I can hope to accomplish during this time that would help make these years last a lifetime. My application is driven by the global impact I can make, and more importantly, the person that I can become in the process. To conclude, I aspire like to leave Wharton not with just a degree, but with the skillset, guidance, and attitude to face whatever life throws at me.

Back to Table of Contents

Instructions for Part 1:  Describe your career path both immediately upon graduation, and five years post MBA.   How will the W. P. Carey MBA help you accomplish these goals? (500 words)

In the short term, post-MBA, I would seek employment at a startup like XX, whereby I would assist the organization in effectively executing its business strategy and, in the process, understand the dynamics of such organizations. Then, five years down the lane, I aim to set up my strategic consulting firm to reform organizations ranging from Non-Governmental Organizations to Manufacturing concerns to Technology companies.

My educational background has equipped me with extensive quantitative knowledge and technical experience around different business themes. I’ve focused most of my studies on business analytics, strategic & financial planning, and organizational controls. This was further honed during my professional career of working in Business Advisory to Leading Sales Operations. While I developed a strong skillset in analytical, financial, negotiation & interpersonal skills, I plan on expanding my problem-solving skills and embedding these skills into business operations. I then plan on extending my expertise across the non-governmental sector and then into different countries. However, first I need to curate my leadership skills and polish my skillset of problem-solving and strategic decision-making through an MBA degree from W.P.Carey.

At W.P. Carey, I want to train myself in case-based approaches and to problem-solve to become adept at breaking down complex problems into smaller workable solutions. Taking courses such as “Decision-making with Data Analytics”, I would be able to hone my analytical skills further and develop the right-thinking process to efficiently and effectively decipher data and glean meaningful information. In addition, I will utilize my honed knowledge to benefit my clients and my business venture through performance management, proposal evaluations, cost-benefit analyses, etc. Further, by taking the “Marketing Management” course, I will equip myself with proper data-based arguments to refute the assertion of marketing not being a valuable activity and delve into the theoretical foundations of fundamental marketing concepts.

Outside the classroom, through W. P. Carey’s “Executive Connections”, I would be able to develop skills to deal with business issues in the real world and assist startups in setting a concrete strategic direction and experience first-hand how successful leaders function. Furthermore, I have worked with many organizations, developed and executed strategic plans, business processes, and policies, and managed on-ground activities. At W.P.Carey, I would like to continue myself at a much larger scale by playing an active role in academic and professional clubs like “BIMA (Business Information Management Association)”, “Consulting Club” and Net Impact. Lastly, I would like to leverage W.P.Carey’s well-knit alumni network and would love to collaborate closely with W.P.Carey’s Career Services to network with its notable alums and learn from their experiences. I also idealize using Career Services’ Resources and coaching further to facilitate my people skills via their Career Leadership courses.

Thus, to sum up, owing to my aspirations and professional expertise in global business, I am confident of making full use of vibrant opportunities at W.P Carey’s MBA degree and converting it into an ideal segue for my future career aspirations.

Instructions for Part 2: Based on your unique personal and professional experiences, what specific contributions do you plan to make both in and outside of the classroom while a member of the Arizona State University’s learning community? (500 words)

Our experiences are what shape us into who we are. Having limited opportunities, I was fortunate enough to obtain an excellent education and work at some of the top organizations in the country. An MBA at Arizona State University would help me grow personally and professionally and allow me to contribute to the growth of my peers through various student clubs and team engagements.

While researching Arizona State University, I realized that one of the program’s pillars is Leadership Development. I consider myself to be a passionate, fierce and innovative leader. In this respect, I can share my experience leading a department (at my current employer, a market-leading frozen food manufacturer) where I developed and executed a complete plan for implementing the sales management system (ERP). The project resulted in an increase in process efficiencies by 30%. Implementing the Freezer Management process with barcode tagging enabled us to recover two hundred and fifty freezers lost over the past two years, saving the company USD 12.5 million in CAPEX.

Having worked with multiple NGOs during my time in Business Advisory at PwC, I noticed that organizations run by individuals with a prime focus on a social cause lack business or strategic direction to be sustainable in the long term. Working closely with these organizations gave me great insight into the workings of an NGO and the mistakes such organizations usually make. Further, I developed the business plan for Pink Ribbon. The organization has raised USD 100 million by implementing a detailed fund-raising plan and is successfully funded through my designed activities. I believe engaging with the “Consulting Club” and the “Volunteer Society” would allow me to learn from their unique experiences. Sharing my findings with the team could benefit their projects and events.

Growing up, Mathematics was one of my favourite subjects and to add to that; I have always had strong quantitative skills. Later in my professional studies, I combined my love for quant with my analytical skills and received an award for being the highest scorer in the ACCA Professional Level Performance Management exam from my batch. After working in Business Analytics, I further honed my analytical skills, and I believe these would be valuable in-class projects and case studies allowing me to decipher situations and problems from a different lens.

Being an international student and living in a culturally-rich country, I would bring a little spice to the life of my fellow students at ASU by introducing them to flavour-rich foods such as “biryani” and “desi nachos” (my take on nachos with a host of local flavours involved). I consider myself a foodie, and it would be a pleasure to share my recipes with the ASU team and experience the distinct cultures of the community.

It would be an honour to be part of the Arizona State University team, and I am eager to contribute to the school’s culture, team spirit and academics.

Instructions:  Based on your understanding of the Fuqua culture, how do you see yourself engaging in and contributing to our community, outside of the classroom? ( Your response to this essay question should be no more than 2 pages in length, with a font size no less than 10-point and 1.5 line spacing. Do not copy the essay question in the document you upload with your application.)

Belonging to a culturally rich country, I feel confident about taking full advantage of the rich opportunities at Fuqua, where I will not only learn but can significantly contribute at a granular level to the Fuqua class. I believe that an MBA experience is not just limited to classroom discussions; it’s more than that; it’s a way of life. In a Team based culture, it is vital to loosen the stiffness to bring more to the table. I am thrilled to be a part of Fuqua, which provides a diverse platform for expressing my personality and learning from my peers.

During my interaction with one of the current students at Fuqua, John Ive, I realized there are many forays where I can actively contribute and add value. Passion, Initiative and Innovative are my leadership attributes, and I consider myself an avant-garde who loves to experiment. Therefore, I am excited about clubs such as the Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Club. In these clubs, I can share my experience of taking a bold step that revolutionized South Africa’s aluminium industry. I took the risk of introducing coloring machines, and in doing so, I challenged my CEO’s views of going by the book. The results were fruitful; we broke the monopoly of a local competitor and achieved a staggering growth of 7% per annum. 

I am not just a passionate leader but an avid food lover. I can add a unique flavour to Team Fuqua spirit by introducing cuisines I bet you have never tried. I can spice up the Fuqua food forum and culinary club by introducing dishes such as “XYZ” and “ABC”, which take their name from sounds created while cooking them!! Have you ever known such a dish? I do, and I would love to share my recipe book notes with other members of Team Fuqua.

I strongly believe in the notion that sharing is caring and giving back to society. I strongly resonate with leadership attributes of empathy. I introduced a university-level flood drive and laid the foundations of relief funds and organization during my undergraduate. Working in flood-stricken areas was an eye-opener, and I cannot forget the smile on the face of a cripple child who was rescued by our Team. But I committed to creating a much more profound impact. At Duke, I want to be a part of Durham Habitat for Humanity and would love to share my experiences. By building positive synergies with my other fellows at Team Fuqua, I want to create a legacy of designing effective service delivery systems to improve the lives of homeless and underprivileged members of our community. 

To do this, I want to learn from expert consultants, and I look forward to joining Consulting Club. I am interested in starting social entrepreneurship, and currently, my ideas are raw. Instead of this, I am optimistic that through being a part of Consulting Club, I can learn from expert consultants and bring my unique facets of life experiences to the table. I have diverse experience organizing national-level Science Olympiads, but I want to do more. I want to organize events like consulting symposiums and not only challenge my event management expertise; I would love to engage another enthusiast from Team Fuqua.  

Fuqua Class is incredible; where else would you find a professional figure skater, a Guinness World record participant, a patent owner and a TV reporter all in the same class? In such a diverse class, I am keen on contributing to the vibrant team spirit of Fuqua’s creative, intellectual, and fervent community of learners and doers.

Instructions:  As we review your application, what more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Harvard Business School MBA program?

Belonging to a family that has been running a successful business for the past 4 decades, the main issue has always been the investment of money. The last breakthrough, made by my uncle, whose decision to go for a product that was high in demand and generated good profit, jumped the entire family up one financial class. But, after eight years and counting, there has been no successful new venture that we have tried to explore. The current situation is that despite generating millions each month, there has been no groundbreaking rotation of money, except the occasional investment in real estate.

It became clear to me that things needed to change when the decision for expansion was made two years after the need for it arose, despite having the funds to do so earlier.

After completing my undergrad studies, I worked for a few months at ‘ABC’, only to move back to ‘XYZ’ to learn the family business systems. I accompanied my father for six months and found a system running perfectly except for the occasional bumps. I also realized that despite generating a lot of money, there was no new venture. There is a lazy trend in ‘XYZ’, where if you can’t invest your money anywhere else, you invest it in real estate. This financial parking has been working out for us for quite some time, but it has become a rather dull activity, and my father has shared his discontent with me for not using our resources on a new project. It is simply unacceptable to keep money in the banks, and other alternatives proved not as rewarding.

As an initiative, I started a small ‘ABC’ business in 2015. My main goal was to create another route for cash flow and possible something new where money could be invested. For starters, I imported a Toyota LC SUV model 2012 for my uncle, who wanted to import a car of his choice rather than buy one from the market. After selecting a vehicle and getting it to ‘ABC’ for over three months, I figured the process was pretty simple and decided to try importing cars as a regular business. My first shipment included 2 Toyota LC Parados, both in excellent condition. While I received a lot of praise from interested buyers, there was no actual customer for them because they claimed my price was too high. Upon checking the quality of imported cars in the local market, I realized that all commercial importers were buying damaged vehicles from Japan. After clearing customs for these cars, the first thing was a complete body repair job. Eventually, I managed to sell both vehicles at breakeven after having held them for three months, but that was a failure for me in finding a new venture. So I came back to my repetitive routine of observing smooth-running systems.

I tried again to revive our age-old glass imports business, but due to the strength of the local industries, it turned out to be a dead end as well. With the local industry making mirror, clear and coloured glass, there was room for figure and wire glass import into the local market. As we were about to order a large shipment of figure glass, a local factory, which had been shut down for years, announced its relaunch in February 2015. Unfortunately, the customs taxes on glass products are manipulated by the local industry in such a way that it becomes non-feasible to import glass in the presence of a working factory. So again, I was back to square one.

In June 2015, I decided to go for a global trade tour and look for a new investment opportunity. A global trade conference was taking place in Istanbul, which US-Turk Businessmen Association hosted. It lasted seven days and covered meetings with multiple businesspeople from Istanbul, Corlu and Denizli. I intended to find a company that made ‘XYZ’, but I gained other exciting information. Upon visiting Corlu, an industrial city in Turkey, I met with Mr Engin, a representative of Krauss Maffei, a german machine-making company that made extruders for plastics. Upon his suggestion, I took an interest in uPVC profiles that were the standard for construction in Turkey. He provided me data from Ozturk Holding’s recent projects, which provided evidence that aluminium as a product for window solutions was obsolete in Europe and was making its way to the US. He also told me about some businessmen from US importing uPVC from Turkey. This interested me because uPVC, if introduced to US, would prove to be a direct competitor to our aluminium profiles. So I inquired about basic information for a production plant from Mr Engin, including a layout, a list of required machinery, and a quote of three million euros. All that was left now was to determine whether it would be a successful product for our market or another dead end for my ambition. Upon my return, I prepared a presentation and presented the information I had to the board of directors, which included my father and two uncles. To my disappointment, my idea was rejected because a significant investment was required for the project, while the market demand was minimal in comparison. So it was determined that the industry, if set up, would not be able to generate enough funds to even run at breakeven. So my idea was sidelined for the time being. But it wasn’t a complete failure. My research regarding the plastic industry gave me a basic idea of the process involved, which allowed for procuring our in-house packaging machine, which we purchased from Ruihong-China.

I am an engineer, and while I understand the technical specifications of machines to some extent, the business development processes are still new to me. There are certainly a lot of ideas in my mind, but I cannot filter out the feasible ones. First, I wish to learn how to turn ideas into business plans. Evaluating these plans and proceeding further after a plan has been selected. Second, I want to know the blind spots involved in starting a business and which investment opportunities to avail and on which to pass. Third, I wish to learn how to make value-additions to existing products. Finally, I want to learn about the diversification process and determine the situation where expansion becomes necessary. For that, I have chosen Harvard’s MBA program, which is the best one in the world. Courses such as Business Analysis and Valuation Using Financial Statements, Corporate Strategy and Investment Strategies and Management will be instrumental in realizing my goals.

Instructions:  How will the Schulich MBA degree help you achieve your short and long-term career goals? (Please limit your answer to 350 words).

I aspire to make my mark in management consulting with a focus on small and medium enterprises in Canada and possibly beyond. Small and medium enterprises account for 54.2% of the Canadian economy’s economic output. I aim to contribute to this sector with skills I learn and refine with the Schulich MBA.

York University is the ideal institution to support my academic pursuits since Schulich’s teaching method, especially the Strategy Field Study, dovetails perfectly with my consulting career aspirations. I can engage in real-world problem-solving while at school by actively pursuing programs such as the two-term strategic consulting project. This academic opportunity will guide me better in accomplishing my long-term goal of becoming an expert in the field of management consulting. I can fine-tune my strategic assessment skills while evaluating an organization and recommending improvement. In addition, I can develop a problem-solving skill-set through intensive case competitions, which will help me understand issues at a fundamental level from various perspectives.

My employment at the second largest Canadian bank for the past three years has taught me that intelligent business solutions are rooted in sound financial techniques. I intend to enhance my understanding of finance by supplementing classroom learning with active participation in the Trading Club on campus. Such activities will also help me remain updated on micro and macroeconomic conditions, a sound knowledge required in every management position post-MBA.

I strongly believe in learning from my peers and seniors as there is so much more knowledge than what can be imparted from just curriculum and coursework. Therefore, I intend to make the most of the networking opportunities available through Schulich’s tightly knit alum base. Moreover, Schulich’s strong linkages in alums and recruiters in the industry where I want to make my career will provide me with the best opportunity to accomplish my short- and long-term career goals.  

Instructions for Part 1:  Based on your post-MBA goals and what drives you in your personal and professional life, why is the Texas MBA the ideal program for you and how do you plan to engage in our community? (500 words)

I am an avid gamer. Be it the latest gadgets or new versions of gaming consoles; you need to remain updated to stay ahead of the pack. I have developed a sense of constant improvement using the latest technology through gaming. In my current job, I brought my tech-savvy attributes. As a result, I broke the monopoly of local firms and introduced competition in the fertilizer market, achieving a staggering 29% per annum growth. I love bringing new ideas to the table that can revolutionize the industry’s supply chain and operations. I am a dedicated innovator, and after doing my MBA, I would seize the opportunity to work as a strategic consultant experiencing a diverse array of business challenges and solving the pressing issues of the industries. In the long run, I would love to set up my business which extensively uses technology for its operations.

For an MBA program, I am looking for a degree where I have exposure to major technology firms and where I can have a platform for testing my business acumen. I am particularly impressed by McComb’s dynamic case-based pedagogy and cutting-edge research opportunities. However, I am much more excited about hands-on experience outside the classroom. McComb’s MBA+ program is an ideal opportunity where I can learn and hone my leadership skills. I am thrilled by its micro consulting projects, where I dream of working with some of my dream companies, such as 3M, Cisco and BCG. Using MBA+ program experience, I am confident in improving my managerial skills, which can help me achieve my short-term goals.

Additionally, I would love to become an operations fellow and bring my experience working and revolutionizing fertilizer industry operations in China. As mentioned above, I want to start my own business in the long term, and Venture Labs is an ideal platform where I can learn and test my entrepreneurial skills. I can utilize Venture Labs’ resources and support to run pilot projects and chalk out a plan for my long-term career.

Besides this, I can bring my unique style and personality and contribute positively to different student organizations. I am very fond of Chinese cuisine and would love to cook traditional dishes for Graduate Epicurean Club. For the past two years, I have a hands-on experience working within a factory, and I look forward to sharing my skills with the Graduate Operations Group. On top of it, I want to start Chinese Graduate Business Association (CGBA). I strongly feel that China is highly underrepresented in business schools in the US. Using CGBA’s platform, I want to introduce Chinese business and industry to the international business community.

Therefore, I firmly believe that Texas MBA is ideally aligned with my personal and professional aspirations.

Instructions for Part 2:  The University of Texas at Austin values unique perspectives and cultivates a collaborative environment of distinct individual contributions. It is the first day of orientation. You are meeting your study group, comprised of five of your classmates from various backgrounds. Please introduce yourself to your new team, highlighting what drives you in your personal and professional life. (250 words)

I am an avant garde. I like to innovate and constantly search for new ideas which can satiate my desire of standing out in the crowd. I lead the team which revolutionized fertilizer industry of China. I am a participative leader. I like to create an environment where top management and subordinates learn from each other to create positive synergies. I stand up to my values of integrity. I started importing PlayStation consoles but soon I found substandard business practices and left the business. I remained jobless for two months, but I never gave up my values. I learn from my mistakes. From my PlayStation consoles import business loss, I learnt the hard lesson of not going by the face value of the business but research it thoroughly.

I have deep compassion for the underprivileged members of my society. I consider it as my moral duty to help the marginalized members of our community. During my free time, I teach and inculcate the importance of learning and education amongst underprivileged. I am an avid gaming fan. I have won and organized national level gaming tournaments throughout my undergraduate.

I am a challenge seeker and have a drive for excellence. By seeking an MBA degree, I want to challenge my own self. I want to start my career in strategic consulting post MBA. I am a dreamer and in the long run, I want to start my own world class strategic consulting firm.

Instructions for Part 1:  Columbia Business School’s students participate in industry focused New York immersion seminars; in project based Master Classes; and in school year internships. Most importantly, our students are taught by a combination of distinguished research faculty and accomplished practitioners. How will you take advantage of being “at the very center of business”? (100-500 words)

I intend to utilize the next five years to expand my horizons and fill a position that allows me to formulate and execute crucial strategic decisions for my company in Brazil. For this purpose, immersion seminars taking place at Columbia carry great importance. Decision and Operation, Management, and Competitive Strategy seminars are just a few that I already have my eyes on.

Being part of these immersion seminars offers a vital experience and an excellent opportunity to interact with industry practitioners and veterans. “It’s combining the best of academia and the business world in a place – New York City – where you can’t beat the opportunity to have students experience the real business world and meet C-suite leaders week after week,” reads a personal favorite quote of mine from Barry Salzberg regarding the Immersion Seminars. From a project management background, most of my initial learning was through my family elders. Accompanying them to work and observing their business ways proved an immense boost, showing me how direct interaction with practitioners can help to learn.

Working with core names in the management consulting sector, financial services and data analysis firms will only help my professional growth. Ehud Houminer is one name that needs to be mentioned; his experience in domestic and international business strategy and manufacturing industries aligns perfectly with what I seek.

I’m particularly interested in the consulting industry of the big apple. Working with firms like McKinsey, Brain, and BCG – involved directly with clients from day one – is a treasure trove of experience for me to discover. Additionally, BCG has a dedicated recruitment drive for Columbia’s students, which betters my odds of landing an internship (and possible a post-MBA job) at the consultancy giant.

Alternatively, Google offers a variety of managerial internships every year in the bustling city of New York. The Internet-related services giant has multiple departments for ambitious individuals, such as myself, to apply. These range from product Management and Finance to Business Strategy and Operations. The golden opportunity to get involved with Google in identifying acquisitions and investments, monetizing strategies for products, or developing partners in emerging markets would clarify the process of venture selection and risk assessment.

There’s tremendous exposure to be had while living in the bustling city of New York. An MBA from Columbia Business School will undoubtedly significantly and positively impact my growth. It’s the tipping point from where I’ll begin a new journey as a leader for change in the future, not for my business ventures but the employment industry of Brazil as a whole.

Instructions for Part 2:  CBS Matters, a key element of the School’s culture, allows the people in your Cluster to learn more about you on a personal level. What will your Clustermates be pleasantly surprised to learn about you? (100-250 words)

It wasn’t until I graduated from one of Brazil’s top-ranking universities that I realized how severely my nation suffers in providing opportunities for fresh graduates. It’s an unfavorable scenario to sustain bright minds. Smacked between the inability to choose between jobs and underwhelming compensation only push ambitious souls to travel abroad to taste luxury and success. 

As I like to term it, this brain drain from Brazil needs to be addressed. Instead of pointing fingers at an incompetent government and festering corruption, those with the means must take it upon themselves to convince our finest minds to stay and contribute toward a better future for us all.

It warms my heart to see various corporations directly involved in trying to improve on this significant social aspect. I intend to join their ranks one day and support my country in one way or another. I believe that the fastest way to address unemployment is through the industry. I plan to incorporate educational tools in my workplace to change people’s thinking patterns and accentuate their reasoning abilities. It may take half a century, but I am hopeful that if realized, my plan would make Brazil one of the world’s most competitive economies.

Instructions:  Please describe why you are pursuing an MBA? Why Rotman? Why now? (500 Words)

My academic background, industry experience and strong interest in new business developments equip me with excellent credentials to shine in the Desautels MBA program.

I graduated from the University of Toronto with an interdisciplinary degree. The broad spectrum of topics covered during my undergraduate program gave me a much more comprehensive understanding of how companies conduct their day-to-day operations and interact with society.

I have worked at multiple companies with a national presence in Canada, as my resume depicts. I have led numerous teams, negotiated with national brand business leaders, and always managed to deliver the highest quality service to our customers and business partners. During this journey, I have refined my interpersonal skills. I believe that without good communication skills, a person limits their potential to achieve the desired goals in professional life. In addition, I am a keen reader and am always working to improve myself further and adapt to a constantly changing globalized work environment.

In my previous endeavours, I have implemented strategies that have streamlined and modernized different processes, such as the customer service department and vendor management systems. During this time, my interest in corporate development increased significantly, and I decided to work in the sector in the future. Since then, I have tried to break into the corporate department of Big financial firms but have been unable to do so due to a lack of skill set and not having an MBA degree which is a requirement.

After my MBA, I intend to leverage my newly learned skills to change career paths and enter the financial services industry. I plan to join the corporate department of a top-tier bank where I can grow professionally while at the same time contributing positively to the growth of the organization.

My long-term career goal is to achieve a Director Level position in a major bank such as TD Canada Trust, Scotiabank or BMO. After acquiring the necessary tools and experience required to manage a large-scale global business, I plan to achieve that position by completing my MBA, starting in a product management position and working my way up.

An MBA from Rotman is a perfect fit for the roadmap I have set for myself to achieve my future career goals. It will complement my past work experience and fill the knowledge gaps I find lacking in my understanding of the business world. In addition, as a two-year program, it will provide me with the opportunity to undertake an internship in the financial sector, essentially retooling me to succeed in that sector.

Merely graduating from a good business school like Rotman does not guarantee success in today’s competitive work environment. The people at Rotman understand that, and that’s why they provide their students opportunities in co-curricular activities, such as the option to join different clubs and research centres. During my time at Rotman, I intend to join the Rotman Finance Association to develop new skills in the field and enhance my network of industry contacts. I would also look forward to taking part in case of competitions to hone my leadership skills. In addition, it would be an incredible opportunity to use the BMO Finance Research and Trading Lab to deepen my understanding of the financial markets by learning to use analytical tools.

Rotman admits that only the top talent from all over the world from an incredibly diverse range of academic and professional backgrounds will provide me with a truly global experience, hence preparing me for success in any environment. Lastly, its strong and diverse alumni network is what I am excited to be a part of.

Every MBA program requires applicants to write a personal statement, also known as a statement of purpose.

The school provides instructions on what to include in your piece, and most business schools have something unique to ask for. 

The MBA personal statement allows you to tell the admissions committee (adcom) about yourself.  

It also gives you a chance to tell the business school about your personality, liking, ambitions, and whether your goals and vision align with the program. The essay helps the panel learn about you as a person.

These essays are essential to your application, allowing you to market yourself and prove your mettle to the admissions panel.  It is not just a mere listing of your experiences or your resume  but a more coherent way of telling them who you are and why you will be a worthy addition to their program. 

It allows the program to understand what you value the most. Of course, a stellar personal statement will not guarantee admission, but it is crucial to your application. 

Yes, every MBA program requires a personal statement. 

However, most MBA programs will instruct what and what not to include in your essay. Therefore, you need to make sure that you follow  the instructions  provided to you. 

Sometimes these essays have word limits; for example, some business schools require a personal statement of no more than 500 words, whereas some have no word limit. So, before writing yours, ensure you have read and understood the instructions clearly.

Business schools are very welcoming when it comes to guiding applicants. So, if you have any specific concerns regarding the essays or feel confused about anything, it is always a good idea to  contact the schools admissions office . Remember that you will be investing time and money in applying to these B-schools, so seek clarification when necessary.

Sometimes you may want to talk about certain things that you cannot fit coherently into your statement. In that case, nearly all MBA programs allow you to write such information in an  ‘Optional Essay’  or  ‘Additional Information  section of the application. 

You can write about extenuating circumstances such as  Low GPA , mediocre   GRE/GMAT scores , or highlight any other significant achievements that you could not include in your essays or elsewhere in your application. Don’t try to squeeze everything into your statement of purpose – instead, use the additional essay to talk about the other things.

What Makes a Good MBA Personal Statement?

A perfect MBA essay shares some common elements.

All good MBA essays accurately depict who you are – not what you think the admissions committee will like.  So be genuine and communicate that clearly to the reader.  

Admissions panellists read hundreds of applications every year, and they can tell when you are lying. Talk about things that concern you – setbacks, weaknesses, health issues, depression, etc. 

Avoid making excuses and face your demons. For example, if spirituality, the purpose of life, etc., have recently played a lot on your mind and have shaped your personality lately, then talk about it with enthusiasm. 

If you are looking forward to an MBA because of some discomfiting experiences in your current field and, as a result, you want to switch, be straight about it. 

However,  don’t talk about ambitions not supported by your background . For example, if someone tells you that MBA programs admire applicants with a lot of volunteer work,but you don’t have any, so better not make it up.

Every applicant has a different story from the rest. 

Tell that. 

You will often stumble upon some successful applicants’ essays, and you will be inspired by them so much that you would want to imitate the story. 

That’s a bad idea. Do some introspection and reflect on that in your essay. 

For example, tech MBA programs like Stanford and GA tech get many similar technology-based startup failure stories from applicants with no background in startups. The internet is full of such stories, and you will likely encounter one. Don’t let such cliched stories influence your thoughts.

Schools want  diversity . 

If your research tells you that a specific MBA program is big on admitting applicants from a management consulting background and your goal is e-commerce, don’t hesitate to discuss it. Likely, such a business school don’t hear many e-commerce stories, so if you write one, it will catch their attention.

Your goals matter a lot. The more specific they are, the better it is. 

While telling about your career goals, don’t deploy generalized statements such as “I want to join consulting.” 

Instead, say, “ I want to be a part of management consulting such as McKinsey or AT Kearney focusing on the public sector in Malaysia. ” 

The first will make your goals unclear; the second statement will somewhat narrow down your goals. 

Show the reader that you are aware of the industry you want to be in and make your application a lot more credible.

Every business school is different from another. 

Do a lot of research about the program you are applying to. 

Don’t just go through the MBA school’s website. Get in touch with the alumni or on Linkedin. Talk to them. 

If you know someone in your network which has been a part of this school, talk to them. Try to get the inside details and specificities from them. They will tell you things you won’t find on the school’s website. 

Join   social media groups, follow Reddit, and try to find out what other applicants won’t know as much as possible.  

Then put this in your application – use this inside information to show why you are a good fit. 

Show the admissions committee that you have gone the extra mile to know everything possible about the program.

Many MBA schools conduct  live online Q&A sessions  and informative  webinars  these days. Be an active part of those and ask questions there. Then, put the answers in your application. 

This will show your passion for joining them and help you tell them that you align well with your vision. 

For example, everyone knows about the Harvard case study methods – it’s all over their website. However, at Harvard, very few know about experiential learning (solving real-world problems).

Since most business schools share personal statement instructions, it is important not to stray from them. Moreover , the essays have word limits  – so be wise with your writing. 

Keep the essays professional, and don’t be too humorous. You don’t need to be bland, but remember that the MBA is a serious degree, and the admissions committee expects  maturity  and professionalism from the applicants. So be  professional  but at the same time, be  conversational .

Most people don’t know about a brag sheet and its importance.

Writing a personal statement for the MBA program is time-consuming and requires 80-100 hours.

Moreover, you must write and rewrite 10-15 drafts before seeing a satisfactory final version.

But before you start writing a personal statement, you must do some introspection – soul-searching. First, you need to recall and list all your major or minor achievements over the years. Then, take a deep dive into your professional and academic history.

You can use a brag sheet to identify and list everything you can bring to an MBA program.

A brag sheet is a sketch of your essay. Then, expand on your brag sheet to make a final version of your personal statement.

Don’t be shy to brag about yourself. Just don’t sound patronizing – firmly show off your differentiating achievements.

Here is a template that you can use to make a brag sheet and then use it to start building your statement.

PROFESSIONAL & ACADEMIC

  • Describe an interesting work project.
  • Have you ever been promoted at work? If so, elaborate on it.
  • List all awards or honours you have received in college, at work, or otherwise.
  • Have you done any public speaking ever?
  • What are your computer skills?
  • Have you ever started up a business – large or tiny?
  • What are your short-term career goals (directly after graduating from business school)?
  • Where do you see yourself in 10-20 years?
  • Why do you want to earn an MBA?

EXTRA-CURRICULAR

  • List  all  languages you know and note the degree of proficiency.
  • Where have you travelled and lived? List continents, countries, and exciting cities.
  • List all the places where you have worked voluntarily.
  • List all of your interests and hobbies.
  • List all extra-curricular involvement (major and minor) during college.
  • Have you ever managed anyone at the office or in an extra-curricular setting?
  • Have you published anything? 
  • Do you have any patents?
  • Do you participate in any sports? Have you run a marathon? Are you part of a basketball league?
  • Describe a time you failed.
  • What are your three most significant weaknesses?
  • Describe all the defining moments in your personal life and at work. You can write about any experiences, books, meetings etc. that have changed the way you think or your path. 
  • Discuss any hardships, personal or professional.
  • Are you married? Do you have children?
  • What are your favourite books?                                        
  • What soft skills make you unique?
  • What does your immediate family do, and where are they from? What is your cultural heritage? Does your family have any unique traditions?

In general, business schools are looking for creative intelligence, leadership, teamwork skills, vision/innovation, and a demonstrated record of success in their candidates. So, make sure to add anything related to these traits in your brag sheet. 

Your MBA Essay must be:

  • A genuine narrative and your true reflection.
  • A unique and different story.
  • Try not to copy or be influenced by stories from other successful MBA essays.
  • Stay within the boundaries of the essay topic and do not stray from that.
  • Use compelling and robust language.
  • Review several drafts before submitting the best one.

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Master of Health Administration (MHA)

  • Admission Requirements
  • Career Outlook

How to Write an MHA Personal Statement

If you’re applying to a Master’s in Health Administration program, you must be passionate about helping medical facilities run smoothly and supporting life-saving care. You’ve also done a lot to prepare for this point in your career, having earned an undergraduate degree and likely held at least one position in this rapidly growing field. Now, you’re ready to advance your career with the right master’s degree. One thing stands in your way: crafting the perfect personal statement to include with your application.

Also called a statement of purpose, the MHA personal statement is your chance to make your application more than just a collection of data and facts. An effective statement of purpose will give the admissions office an idea of who you are, complete with a glimpse into your personal and professional goals and accomplishments. It should communicate why you’re a good fit for the university’s MHA program.

If you feel intimidated by writing your personal statement, you’re not alone. Many people find writing about themselves to be a difficult task. However, to gain admission to a top MHA program , you’ll need a compelling statement of purpose – and this guide will teach you how to achieve just that.

Step 1: Brainstorm

Your first step in crafting an effective MHA personal statement or statement of purpose is to brainstorm. Many people find brainstorming methods like freewriting, clustering, or listing useful. However, there’s only one hard-and-fast rule for this step in the process: Write down your thoughts. Brainstorming is most effective when you make notes or a visual representation of how you might answer the personal statement prompt. The questions below are a few examples that may be helpful to ask yourself during this step:

  • Why did I decide to pursue a career in health administration?
  • What do I want to accomplish in my career?
  • What are my goals in earning my MHA?
  • Why am I applying to this MHA program?
  • Why do I want to attend this university?
  • How do my accomplishments make me a good fit for this MHA program?

Step 2: Outline

Writing out an outline for your essay will save time later. Return to what you wrote during the brainstorming phase. Which parts of your notes are the most compelling? Which ones make you feel genuinely passionate about the MHA program you’re applying to? These are the pieces of information you should be sure to include in your statement of purpose.

If the application provides a prompt, use it when building your outline. For example, the MHA personal statement prompt at Methodist University is: “Complete a typed personal statement including your background, interest in attending Methodist University, interest in the program, and your career goals.”

Here is an example outline for an essay responding to this prompt:

  • Explain why you chose to pursue a career in health administration.
  • Describe your educational background.
  • Identify details about MU that made you interested in attending this school.
  • Point to specifics about this program that make it the right fit for you.
  • Explain what you want to accomplish in the next few years.
  • Describe how this MHA program will help you achieve your goals.
  • Summarize your main points.

Step 3: Draft

After taking the time to brainstorm and outline your statement of purpose, the process of writing your first draft should go smoothly. Return to your outline, and use your brainstorming notes to fill out each section. Think of this as the part of the process where you tell a story. Add relevant details to make your personal statement more compelling to the reader, and include examples from your lived experiences to demonstrate the message you’re trying to communicate.

Step 4: Revise

Revision is just as important as the drafting stage. Read through your statement of purpose and revise it to make the essay more clear and compelling to the reader. Here are a few examples of questions to ask yourself during the revision process:

  • Is anything I wrote unclear?
  • Can I be more specific about any of these details?
  • Does my personal statement directly respond to the prompt?
  • If I worked for the admissions office, what questions would I have?

Step 5: Proofread

Finally, proofread your personal statement for grammar, punctuation, or spelling mistakes. It’s essential for your final statement to be professional and free of errors, as mistakes could cloud your overall message. Once you’re happy with your statement of purpose, you’re ready to apply for your MHA program.

MHA Personal Statement Example

MHA personal statement examples are useful tools in planning your essay. Read the example below, and use it as a guide or inspiration for your statement.

“I’ve aspired to work in the health care field since I was a teenager. For much of my adolescence, my mother, who lives with rheumatoid arthritis, was also a caregiver to my maternal grandmother, who was battling Alzheimer’s. Due to the medical needs of the entire family, we all spent a great deal of time in medical facilities. I soon learned just how lucky my family was to have access to top-notch care and treatment. The more I learned about the medical system, though, the more I realized that not all families are so fortunate. Since then, my desire has been to help improve the level of care offered to all families and individuals.

I have always valued the hard work of nurses and doctors who take hands-on responsibility for care. However, the more I interacted with the health care industry, the more I developed a growing appreciation for those who often work behind the scenes – the health service managers, clinic supervisors, and consultants who keep day-to-day health care operations running smoothly. When I entered college, I felt that my place in the field was among their ranks, working to expand access to quality care throughout my community. That’s why I completed the Bachelor of Science in Community Health, and it’s why I’m now applying for admission to Methodist University’s Master in Health Administration program.

Through my research of MHA programs, Methodist University quickly became an obvious choice. As a health administration professional currently working in the field, entering an online program that will allow me to study at my own pace without sacrificing the quality of my education is a top priority. That’s why the excellent reputation of Methodist’s online program and outstanding faculty stood out to me. I’m excited to apply to a program with a low student-to-faculty ratio and built-in support services to support me along the way.

Specifically, the MHA program at MU is unmatched. Its focus on preparing students with the strategies, tools, and techniques to lead teams, make important decisions, understand organizational effectiveness, and change processes to improve performance tells me that this program will truly prepare me to advance as a leader in my field. After reviewing the course list, I’m most interested in expanding my learning with two courses: HCA 5680: Global Health and HCA 5600: Health Care Policy Issues. Both will prepare me to support efforts to increase access to quality health care in all communities.

After several years working as an administrator in medical facilities, I’ve learned a great deal about how my work can support health services for patients. Completing MU’s MHA program will help me pursue my future career goals, including management positions. My hope is to graduate from MU with a solid understanding of health care administration and the skills I need to advance. Additionally, I look forward to completing the required capstone experience to solidify and showcase my skills for future employers.

Health care in our society relies on talented health administration professionals who can ensure access to care for each and every patient. I want to dedicate myself to becoming one of those professionals, and I believe my next step is to complete Methodist University’s Master in Health Administration program.”

Final Tips for Writing an MHA Personal Statement

You may find these tips helpful in writing your MHA personal statement:

  • Ask a friend or family member to review your statement and provide feedback.
  • Read your personal statement out loud to look for errors.
  • Ask a colleague or close friend to list your top strengths and qualities from their perspective. Then, make sure your essay demonstrates these qualities.
  • Avoid repetition. If you find yourself using the same words or phrases repeatedly, search for synonyms and other ways to express your thoughts.

Taking the time to learn how to craft your MHA personal statement or statement of purpose shows that you’re serious about preparing for advancement in health administration. Graduating from a top online program can make all the difference when it’s time to apply for leadership positions. Learn more about Methodist University’s online MHA program , which offers working professionals the opportunity to study at their pace with flexible online coursework taught by field experts. Request more information about this program or apply today .”Interested in other health care degrees? Explore all the online health care programs we offer at Methodist University.

  • Ellis, M. (2022, June 2). How to Write a Powerful Personal Statement . Grammarly. Retrieved on October 21, 2022, from “ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/personal-statement/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw48OaBhDWARIsAMd966BK6sa3AFL2z6fBzcz2bOBtut8HUbTQD5_NRj1UJq6bAReWC057wBwaAtdlEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds .”
  • McCombes, S. (2019, Feb. 12). How to Write Your Personal Statement | Strategies & Examples . Scribbr. Retrieved on October 21, 2022, from “ https://www.scribbr.com/graduate-school/personal-statement/ .”

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Outstanding MBA Personal Statement Examples

Introduction.

Applying to an MBA program is a lengthy process that involves multiple steps and numerous requirements. Some parts of the process are relatively simple, such as academic transcripts or test score submissions. 

Other parts are more complex and require more from you, such as the MBA essay(s) that you’ll likely have to submit. Of course, every bit of information you include in your application is vitally important because your application will be considered in its entirety before any decisions regarding your candidacy are made. 

However, certain portions of your application may hold more weight than others. There is no doubt that grades are important, and having a high GPA or an exceptional GMAT score certainly helps improve your chances of acceptance. 

Yet, numbers don’t leave much room for standing out, which is necessary when considering the sheer amount of applications MBA admissions committees have to sort through. However, writing an outstanding MBA personal statement is your chance to do precisely that. 

An exceptionally well-written personal statement could be the gateway to your success and could land your name on a shortlist for an interview invitation to the business school of your choice, getting you that much closer to an acceptance to a future MBA program. 

On the other hand, “ An essay that reveals any weakness in your candidacy could quickly put you in the reject pile,” so the stakes are high when you get to this point in your application. To learn more about where you should start, how you can ensure that your MBA personal statement makes you stand out, and what kinds of things you should avoid writing about - read on.

What is an MBA Personal Statement?

An MBA personal statement introduces you to the school’s admissions committee that you’re applying to. It is also an opportunity for you to show them what you could potentially contribute to the community that exists at their school.

For most schools, your chance to write a personal statement comes with your responses to the MBA essay questions. Each school has its own requirements when it comes to the MBA essay. There is only one essay prompt for some schools, and for others, there are multiple questions that you must answer. 

Similarly, some schools have word requirements that limit either the minimum or maximum word count that you can use for your answers, whereas others provide the question and let you decide how much to contribute.

Although each school has topics they typically like to cover, many schools change their questions from year-to-year, but some general themes tend to reoccur quite often in these kinds of prompts. One theme that often comes up has to do with your interest in the school or how you envision yourself fitting into the school’s program. 

For example, the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania requests their applicants to answer “What do you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA?” They also ask “how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community?” 

Other schools are more interested in the theme of self-reflection. The University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business , for example, wants to learn “more about you outside of the office,” and they request that you take their essay as an “opportunity to tell us [them] something about who you are.” 

For many schools, the theme of goals and ambitions is a popular topic. At NYU Stern , they ask applicants, “What are your short and long-term career goals?” and  “how will the MBA help you achieve them?”Another major theme shared by many schools is that of leadership. 

Berkeley Haas requires that applicants consider how “the definition of successful leadership has evolved over the last decade and will continue to change,” and they’re interested in knowing “What do you need to develop to become a successful leader?” Although some schools branch away from these general subjects, these themes tend to be the most common, so the chances are good that you may have to write about one or more of these topics in your MBA personal statement.

Top Tips on Writing an Outstanding MBA Personal Statement

Focus on the question.

You’re going to want to keep in mind several things while you’re writing your MBA personal statement. One of the things is that you maintain a steady focus on the actual question(s) asked throughout your essay. Of course, the questions are often very open-ended and allow you to answer them in a variety of ways. 

Once you’ve chosen a path, try your best to stick with it and continuously remind yourself of the task at hand, so you can question whether you’re straying too far from what you’re trying to write about. Staying on topic and focusing on the question at hand will also help prevent you from wasting space and time on irrelevant information. 

Although the admissions committee probably doesn’t have a distinct black and white answer to the question that they’re asking, they are still looking for an answer, so make sure that you’re not just providing them with an autobiography. 

Writing about your strengths and experiences is still necessary, so make sure you cover any  relevant strengths and experiences in accordance with the theme and question. Although admissions committees are generally interested in applicants who write unique content, it is important to avoid getting too far off track with your MBA personal statement. There is still a question at hand to answer, with directions that must be followed, so don’t write about whatever you please.

Show Your Passion

A good, compelling MBA personal statement is chalked full of passion. If you let your passion shine through in every line, you’re bound to grab the attention of the admissions committee that reads your application. No business school is interested in an applicant that lacks passion and enthusiasm. 

The main goal of each school is to fill their cohort with future leaders, who are passionate and driven to succeed. Let them know what kind of  business goals you have in mind and give them an idea of your ultimate ambitions. Whether you want to create a startup, start a nonprofit, or even move up within the ranks of the company that you’re already working for, let the admissions committee in on how you view your future in the business world.

With that said, make sure it's overtly clear why that envisioned future has ignited a passion inside of you that has pushed you to apply for an MBA program. Ensure that you go back to the source of your ambitions and give them an idea of where your passion originally stemmed from. Doing this will help them understand your aspirations better, and it will also give them a better overall understanding of who you are at your core.

Get to Know the School

It should also be evident in your MBA personal statement that you’ve invested time into getting to know the school that you’re applying to. Schools differ from each other in varying ways, and each of their MBA programs have distinct features that set them apart from one another. 

If you can demonstrate an understanding of the school’s missions, values, and goals in your personal statement, it will let the admissions committee know that you’ve done your research. Knowing these things will also help you tailor your MBA personal statement to meet some of the school’s criteria. 

Once you know the goals of a school, you can detail various ways that you’re capable of contributing to them. Once you know their values, you can show them various traits, which you possess, that align with those values. Once you know what their mission is, you can highlight ways in which your mission is similar. 

Of course, it isn’t necessary to reflect every single virtue that the school values in your MBA personal statement, but if you’re able to make enough of these connections between yourself and the school, they’ll see that you’re a good fit for a future cohort, increasing your chances of acceptance into one of their programs. 

Let the admissions committee know why you feel their MBA program is the best fit for you. If you can think of some specific things that their program provides, such as experiential learning or internships, mention why these opportunities excite you. Additionally, if a particular member of their faculty or a specific course interests you, explain where your appeal is coming from. 

There are many ways for you to gain more information about a school that will be useful during this portion of your personal statement. You can check out the school’s website, reach out to department heads, look into previous or current students’ profiles, look at the school’s online forums and social media groups, and even attend their events scheduled for prospective students.

Highlight Your Leadership Qualities

Upon closer inspection of some business school websites, it will be apparent that most of them value leadership above all else. Essentially, all business schools are looking to fill their cohorts with students who will become global leaders in the future. 

If you can show a school’s admissions committee that you have leadership qualities and that you have the potential to be a great leader, it will undoubtedly pique their interest in you. The best way to do this is by providing an insight into your motivations, strengths, and capabilities by emphasizing experiences that you’ve had, which present you as a proactive person who takes charge of the situations. 

You don’t need to describe some grand situation where you made a global impact. However, if you’ve taken the initiative to lead a local fundraiser, or you’ve started a club and led them to a set goal, these are the kinds of experiences that are worth mentioning because they will portray you as a leader.

Back-Up Your Claims

It is of vital importance that you don’t merely tell admissions why you’re a good fit for their school, or that you’re a strong leader, or that you have what it takes to make it in the world of business. Instead, you must show them all of these things by backing up your claims with examples. 

Your claims will feel empty and baseless if you don’t have real-life examples to back them up. Rather than telling a school how resourceful or imaginative you are, tell them an anecdotal story that helps them independently draw this conclusion . 

You can describe a situation when you made use of connections you have within your community to get something done that would benefit everyone or a time when you had to come up with a creative solution to a setback that you were facing. 

Unlike general statements, stories are memorable and will be hard for admissions committees to forget about you if you tell them a story that shines a light on your best side. Keep your stories brief and to the point, but include the necessary details to illustrate the points you’re trying to make.

Mistakes to Avoid While Writing an MBA Personal Statement

Don’t be too eager to please.

Many people make a common mistake when writing their MBA personal statement by focusing too much on writing exactly what they believe the committee wants to hear. In other words, trying too hard to please the admissions committee can sometimes have the opposite effect. 

When taking on an MBA essay, if you write what you think the admissions committee is expecting, you’ll waste a perfect opportunity to show them your actual value to their program, and you’ll likely blend in with the rest of the applicants. 

Each admissions committee has boxes that they are looking to tick, and the overall goal is for you to tick as many or all of those boxes as possible in a natural manner. If your aim is fitting the bill, it will be obvious and will detract from your chance to come across as unique. 

It will also make for a dull and underwhelming MBA personal statement. Beyond fulfilling specific requirements, you should demonstrate that you have character. Don’t be afraid to break the mold, at times, if it will allow you to open up more and share something genuine about who you are. 

Diversity is essential at any business school because diverse perspectives are what make a cohort attractive and interesting. So, think of how you can contribute to this diversity and embrace your authentic self when you craft your MBA personal statement.

Avoid Summarizing Your Résumé

By the time that an admissions committee gets to your MBA personal statement, the chances are good that they’ve already read through your résumé . Thus, there is no need for you to restate information directly from your résumé during your MBA personal statement. 

The admissions committee has that information already, and you can trust that they will not forget it if it is worth remembering.  By the time they get to your personal statement, they are craving something original and fresh. 

The purpose of a résumé is to list your relevant experience, but the purpose of an MBA personal statement is to show why that experience matters and why it sets you apart from all the other applicants. 

If you want your essay to be captivating, you must draw the admissions committee in with your storytelling skills. Use vivid descriptions to bring the stories that you’re telling to life and take the admissions committee on a journey that demands their attention.

No Need to Apologize

A general rule to keep in mind when writing your MBA personal statements is to avoid making any apologies. If there is a portion of your application that you aren’t feeling overly confident about, don’t draw attention to it. 

It might feel like you must explain yourself, whether this means justifying a lower than average GPA or test score or why there is a gap in your employment. 

However, your MBA personal statement is a limited opportunity for you to convince an admissions committee of your candidacy for their program, so spending time on things that don’t accentuate your best side is a waste of valuable time and words. Rather than apologizing for your potential downfalls, draw the admissions committee’s attention away from those parts of your application. 

Give them a good reason to naturally forget those things by wowing them with an MBA personal statement that highlights all of the reasons you are the ideal choice for their next cohort. The only time it is acceptable to explain your shortcomings is if the essay question specifically asks about them.

Outstanding MBA Personal Statement Examples 

Goals essay example.

Essay 1: What do you hope to gain professionally from the Wharton MBA? (500 words)

Sample Introduction:

Prior to COVID, I dreamed of a future as an entrepreneur building on my mother’s example of using business to make a difference in local communities. 2020, however, afforded me the opportunity to simultaneously begin pursuing the impact I hoped to make, even without my own venture, by participating in [Name] and [Name] recruiting efforts, while pausing to reflect on those aspirations.

Though I would still like to build on my mother’s legacy of community-minded entrepreneurship, I believe I will be able to make the most direct impact by founding my own venture capital fund that incubates companies from seed to late stage. My three years at [Company] have helped me develop analytical and operational skills necessary to be a thoughtful founder, but a Wharton MBA will help me refine my leadership style, as well as help me adopt the mindset of a community-minded investor.

Sample Body Paragraph:

With a flexible core foundation, I will use my time at Wharton to focus on classes that will uniquely help me achieve my goal. As a double major in Business Economics and Public Policy and Entrepreneurship & Innovation, I will not only understand the best way to use business to improve a community with classes like “Urban Public Policy and Private Economic Development,” but I can also study different methods to bring solutions to life with classes like “Venture Capital and Entrepreneurial Management” and “Finance of Buyouts and Acquisitions.” Best of all, I can begin applying and practicing what I have learned in the classroom by working with the [Company] or spending a semester in [Place] with the robust [Community] in the [Area].

Sample Conclusion:

After graduating, I intend to be an active alumni, joining the Alumni Angel group, as well as serving as a mentor for Wharton students. Bolstered by my experiences inside and outside the classroom, I will be ready to make my mark on the Venture Capital world, bringing more equitable access to financial resources for entrepreneurs of color. When I do, I know that I will have the support of my Wharton community behind me.

Why it Works:

This is a fantastic sample of a MBA personal statement for many reasons. Firstly, the applicant doesn’t waste any time and gets right into an explanation of their personal goals and aspirations at the beginning of their essay, which then ties into a brief explanation of the source of their inspiration. 

They also highlight their opportunistic nature by showing how they took advantage of the situation when COVID began. They consistently reference specific parts of the Wharton MBA program they’re interested in, such as some specific classes they intend to take. They also mention how they plan to use their experience at Wharton to make their dream a reality.

Contributions Essay Example

Essay 2: Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

While I may have a few years before launching my own fund to transform local communities, during my time at Wharton, I intend to be an active participant in Wharton’s Anti-Racism goals, fighting to bring equity and inclusion with the same passion I have brought to my office and B/LX network. I want to help usher in a new era at Wharton focused on today’s business concerns where diversity and inclusion are top of mind.

I plan to be an active member of whatever initiatives are formed with student involvement seeking to effect that change, such as the Wharton Graduate Association (WGA). As a member of the [Organization], I can work with my peers to network in our hometowns to increase [Ethnicity] participation in MBA programs, which has been historically under-represented, as well as welcome prospective students as a host during [Initiative], to ensure that all who are interested feel welcome the moment they approach this school.

I have learned through my work at [Company] that one needs to bring in allies to improve diversity - cultivating a strong affinity group is a start, but not enough. As a member of the [Group], I will support Wharton founders, specifically ones with social ventures addressing poverty and inequality in the greater [City] community, thus growing student-funded entrepreneurship with a social benefit. As a fellow, I will also be able to further hone my own sense of leadership to understand the best way to motivate people to prioritize community benefit.

When not focused on ventures and leadership, I plan to school fellow students in the Tennis Club, share meals with the Wharton Food Club, and continue bragging about California’s Cabernet Sauvignons to the Wine Club. I envision my Wharton experience moving beyond the classroom to build an alumni cohort to last a lifetime, supporting each other to overcome the challenges we will inevitably face as we become next generation leaders.

This MBA personal statement is yet another strong sample. This applicant has clearly done their research and has discovered that they have a goal in common with the school they’re applying to. They focus on this shared goal and highlight how they intend to achieve progress towards it by working together with the school and its community. 

They make sure to back up their claims with examples of relevant work experience  that is in line with this vein of thought. Doing this demonstrates focus and shows that they are serious about their passions. 

Their conclusion further reinstates the fact that they are familiar with what the school has to offer, and it also flushes their personality out a little more. It also helps the admissions committee to envision the applicant fitting into the school’s community in various ways.

Self Reflection Essay Example

Essay 3: As we review your application, what more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Harvard Business School MBA program?

Disability has always been close to home; my family and community have a long and painful history of degenerative disease. I often think of my uncle, who steadfastly refused to let others help him eat meals following a string of kidney surgeries, and to my grandfather, suffering from neurodegenerative decline, who would rather exert excruciating effort to walk up a flight of stairs than ask me to get reading glasses from his bedroom.

It dawned on me that a reliance on others to move through daily life slowly chips away at one’s humanity; that lost independence is a common denominator of disability, and it impacts people almost as meaningfully as the underlying medical condition does. While various technologies and medical subspecialties exist to ease physical suffering, there is woefully little out there aimed to mitigate this deeper psychological problem. What’s more, the data and tools to solve this issue do exist, but millions continue to suffer.

I’m driven by finding answers to the most complex, most challenging problems faced by humanity; the ones that are too daunting, or those that go unrecognized. I felt a moral obligation to intervene. What followed would help me discover my life’s mission – building AI-driven tech to improve healthcare.

Sample Body Paragraphs

I rallied a friend, and together we built an AI-driven, low-cost speech-recognition platform that enabled voice-activated control over electronic systems in a household, thus empowering individuals suffering from ALS and multiple sclerosis. It was an exercise in creativity and persistence. It was quite daunting at the outset - I still have scars from initial circuit prototypes exploding in my hand. But, in the end, our solution worked, and cost a fraction of a now commercially available solution like Alexa.

As I think back to my core questions of independence, disability, and the juxtaposition of

medical and psychological suffering, I see increased life expectancy as a testament to modern advances in medicine. I now want to start the conversation around ensuring that people like my uncle or grandfather live not just longer, but happier, more dignified lives.

In the long run, by proving the benefits of AI-driven healthcare to the world, I want to build an enterprise that not only continues to develop sophisticated technologies, solve complex medical challenges, and change lives, but also improves the underlying fabric of healthcare policy. Like Uber and Airbnb, my dream is to eventually create an organization that fundamentally shifts the contemporary regulatory paradigm in healthcare to one that evolves and appropriately reflects both the medical and psychological needs of the modern patient.

The more I study disability, disease, impairment, and their implications on the human psyche, the more I appreciate the power of community - the feeling that there are people who fearlessly stand with you as you look to defy the odds. As I look to achieve my life’s mission and create a better healthcare system, I can’t think of a stronger, more supportive, and more inspiring community than Harvard.

The general management toolkit, network, and leadership skills that I develop will stay with me long past my time at HBS. I am confident in finding co-founders, collaborators, and investors who are as passionate as I am about solving entrenched challenges in healthcare. I plan to engage in cross-disciplinary inquiry through the [Initiative], and strive to develop a deft understanding of the interplay between the business, policy, and technological aspects of healthcare, something made uniquely possible through close collaboration with HMS and HKS.

I am more inspired than ever to realize my dream of restoring the lives of millions who suffer through no fault of their own, and the Harvard MBA will enable me to achieve exactly that.

This essay manages to take a very broad MBA essay question and turn it into a highly focused and genuine personal statement. The applicant doesn’t merely state their goals, but paints a delicate picture of their very personal inspirations that have become their driving force. 

This MBA personal statement includes numerous details, while refraining from including irrelevant ones. Each part of the narrative that they’ve told is necessary and is carefully woven together to provide an accurate background of where their motivation stems from and how it has led them to apply to this school. 

They also reference relevant achievements and experiences that they’ve had that indicate a strong sense of leadership within them, making them an attractive candidate for the school they’re applying to.

1. What is the purpose of an MBA personal statement?

The general purpose of an MBA personal statement is to show the admissions committee a little more about who you are and why they should consider your candidacy for their program. It is also a chance for you to show your goals and ambitions, while demonstrating how they pertain to the specific MBA program you’re applying to.

2. How long should an MBA personal statement be?

Some schools have specific minimum or maximum word counts for their essays, while others don’t. A school will typically list these kinds of requirements together with the essay questions.

3. What should I focus on with my MBA personal statement?

Your MBA personal statement should focus on answering the question(s) that the school has provided. These questions vary from school-to-school, but are usually found on the applications page of a school’s website, along with all of the other information relevant to your application. In conjunction with your answer to the prompt, you may focus on describing experiences, skills, and goals of yours that are relevant to the MBA program you’re applying to.

4. Should I write a different personal statement for each school that I apply to if I’m applying to multiple schools/programs?

Yes. Not only does each school have their own essay questions, but each school also has its own set of values, missions, and interests. Thus, your MBA personal statement isn’t easily transferable from one school’s application to another. 

If you want to maximize your chances of getting accepted into a school’s MBA program, you must carefully craft a unique MBA personal statement for each school that you apply to.

5. What should I research before writing my MBA personal statement?

Some research into a school is necessary before you can begin writing an MBA personal statement to submit to them. You may want to research a school’s mission statement, curriculum, faculty, extracurricular activities, or other pertinent information related to their MBA program. 

It will be necessary to reference these kinds of things throughout your MBA personal statement when you explain why this particular school is the best option for you and why you are the best fit for their next cohort.

6. Should I mention my GPA or GMAT/GRE scores in my MBA personal statement?

No. Your academic transcripts and test score submissions will be part of a different section of your application. The admissions committee does not need to see the same information in two places. 

Use the MBA personal statement as an opportunity to improve your candidacy for the school’s program in fresh, new ways by discussing things that would not be possible to include in your transcripts or on your résumé.

Your MBA personal statement is a vital part of your MBA application, and, as such, it requires that you approach your writing process with careful consideration. Your personal statement is a significant opportunity to make a good impression on the admissions committee by showing them who you are and why you deserve a coveted spot in their program. 

Plan out what you want to say, and take your time organizing exactly how you’d like to say it. Remember that every word counts, so make sure that you stay focused and don’t get off-topic. Once you’ve written an outstanding MBA personal statement that you feel packs a punch, proofread your essay, and, if possible, have others proofread it as well to ensure that there are no errors that will detract from the content.

You should also make sure that your writing conveys a sense of confidence, creativity, and passion. If you account for all of these things, and you let your true self shine through in your MBA personal statement, then there is no reason why an admissions committee wouldn’t be interested in having you join their next cohort of students.

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How to Write a Personal Statement for Graduate School

November 18, 2023

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Of all the application requirements writing a personal statement for graduate school is where you're able to express your intentions.

So make it count. It’s nothing to fear. Let's review important things to do and not do in writing your personal essay.

Applying to graduate school,  master's in healthcare  programs included, are fairly typical. A resume, letter(s) of recommendation, a statement of purpose, and official transcripts are the four documents students will need to apply.

After you write your resume, request your transcripts, and  request letters of recommendation , the essential ingredients, you're ready to put the icing on the cake.

How to Write a Statement of Intent

The goal of your statement is to inform the admissions committee why you’re the ideal person for their program.

How do I know if i'm the right person?

Every master's program has  specific requirements  such as grade point average, or years of professional experience, that schools use to qualify student's.

Whether the essay prompt is detailed or concise, we need to know what the program is looking for to demonstrate our aptitude and drive.  Before you apply , let's discuss a few common prompts and how to approach them strategically.

Why do you want to enroll?

Every master's program has specific outcomes. You've decided to  apply to graduate school  because the outcomes align with your professional goals.

In this section it is important to highlight the areas of greatest interest to you, what kinds of skills you’re looking to build, and how those skills will enable you to achieve strategic goals for your organization and career.

  • What you plan to do with the degree after earning it?
  • Why does this degree appeal to you?
  • Why does this program specifically, or this university appeal to you?

If you're applying to multiple programs, each statement should be presented in a tailored, non-generic manner personalized to the specific institution.

Share your experience

When you're communicating  why  you wish to complete an advanced degree, its important to use both experience and passion to convey your message.

Professional experience should be used to accent your plans after graduation, your decision to apply, and how it uniquely qualifies you for the program.

Professional experience includes but is not limited to: personal achievements, challenging situations, strategic decisions, and leadership roles you held or hold.

Writing Your Personal Essay

Aside from your goals and experience, a statement of purpose also demonstrates your writing skills, an indicator of ability to complete assignments.

1. Brainstorm

With the degree outcomes and application requirements in mind, start a brainstorming session. Think about how a master's will advance your career.

Then, collect highlights from your education, professional training and work experience to validate how the program will accelerate your career.

If you're applying to an  executive-level master's program , limit your experiences to your professional roles. Professional context is more relevant to executive degrees.

Note, projects you've lead, honors you received, current events or trends that you want to discuss, and faculty you're interested in working with.

When discussing weaknesses, frame them positively. Here's an example: a physician looking to start a group medical practice might say, "healthcare accounting will allow me to take an active leadership role in risk management."

2. Organize your Content

You don't need to be a natural storyteller to demonstrate your ability to write a logical and compelling statement of intent.

Take your ideas and prepare an outline. If the program has a detailed statement of intent, proceed according to their directions. If the  personal statement  is open-ended, lead with your reason(s) for applying to this specific program.

Use the remaining one or two pages to support your statement with professional experience that align with the application requirements.

3. Write your First Draft

This version does not need to be perfect.

Its important that you get the main sections of your essay down. Then connect the ideas as you've outlined them. Lastly, ensure the structure follows logically.

Once you have a first draft that states and supports your reason for applying, you can begin the editing process (adding, deleting and refining).

4. Get Feedback

When you're happy with your first draft, show it to people you trust and whose opinion you respect: colleagues, friends, family, or mentors. Getting feedback from professionals inside your industry is preferable.

5. Polish and Submit

Once you've incorporated the feedback of professionals its time to make the adjustments and  prepare your application .

  • Does your statement deliver the message you want?
  • Does your paper read smoothly?
  • Does your essay conform to the school's guidelines?
  • Is your article free of grammatical errors?

If there isn’t a word or character limit,  err on the side of concision . Use as many words (500-1000) as you need to convey your message and demonstrate character.

Written by Frank Farrar

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Writing an MBA personal statement

MBA Personal Statement Examples and Strategy

A successful MBA personal statement is both engaging and persuasive. The essay carries the reader along effortlessly while convincing them that you are qualified and worthy.

Armed with a great personal statement, you have an improved chance of entering the MBA school of your choice. But what does it take to write a personal statement that could give you better prospects in the application process? Would you like some free samples?

Here has some ideas and a strategy for writing an excellent admissions essay, along with plenty of examples for you to use.

Build Your Personal Statement Around a Core Idea

Businessman holding up MBA graphics

The core idea — the essence, theme or central point — becomes the driver of content for your essay. Everything else in the document should support that concept.

  • When responding to a specific question, your core idea should directly and elegantly answer the question.
  • When writing a less-directed essay, you still need a driving concept; you just have more choice as to what the concept can be.

This core idea is your thesis. The thesis statement gives your admissions essay a clear direction.

The central theme is also what weaves your essay to make it a unified whole. It is the driving force that makes your essay strong and engaging. Here is a good example of thematic writing , with the topic in this case being how MBA studies help cultivate leadership qualities.

Without a core idea, readers may become lost as to what you’re meaning to say. There will be no binding theme and various details may seem irrelevant or out of place. The admissions panel should be able to quickly grasp what you’re attempting to convey.

Include Only Relevant Details in Your MBA Essay

Essays that are essentially resumes in prose — or which attempt to tell your entire life story — descend into the unwanted mishmash category. MBA essays that are replete with irrelevant details have strayed from their central mission. They are neither engaging nor persuasive and, indeed, bore readers.

Your MBA personal statement is a means to reveal who you are and what contributed to your character formation. But you want to avoid writing details about yourself that are not especially relevant to the application. These details can be tedious to read.

Remember that an essay has limits, including in terms of word count. Telling a story using key facts is better than making a bunch of loosely connected points that are full of details. Choose what you really want to write about. Here are some ideas you might find useful.

Common Writing Mistakes to Avoid

As a quality control device, you may want to be mindful about what to avoid in your essay. Here are some ideas on the common mistakes applicants make when writing an MBA personal statement.

1. Repeating or expanding on your resume

Perhaps the most common personal statement writing blunder is including an expository resume of your background and experience. This is not to say that business schools are not interested in your accomplishments.

However, other portions of your application will provide this information. Strive for depth, not breadth.

Aside from telling irrelevant details, listing down your accomplishments like you do in a resume is a no-no in writing your admission essay. You should not waste limited space by stating what can be easily found on your resume. You have to strive more for self-reflection because that is what the admissions panel wants to hear from you.

Focus on your purpose for writing the essay. This will help you put together ideas that can help back up your application and support your claim for a coveted spot.

2. Choosing a topic that could provoke negative reactions

Succeeding with your personal statement is not limited to the specifics of writing, such as grammar, style and details. Choosing a topic that won’t offend readers is equally as important.

Be sensitive to your readers and their potentially different and varying perspectives. The topic may have serious repercussions on how they perceive you as an individual or candidate for admission. Mistakes include looking unprofessional, revealing too much personal information or identifying yourself in terms of political or cultural leanings.

3. Including content that doesn’t help tell the story

An unfocused writer can rely too heavily on generalizations while also providing too many irrelevant details. The problem is that writers often don’t consider what is genuinely necessary to include or they repeat points.

Your MBA personal statement should be almost flawless. It should have a central idea to make it a unified whole. And the essay should only contain details that are important and relevant. After each draft is done, check that these goals are being achieved.

What Admissions Committees Look For

When evaluating MBA personal statements, admissions committees for MBA programs look for several key things, including:

  • Professional experience: They want to see that you have relevant work experience, as well as a clear understanding of the role that an MBA will play in your career.
  • Academic background: Admissions committees want to see that you have a strong academic foundation in business, as well as the quantitative and decision-making skills that are necessary for success in an MBA course.
  • Goals and motivations: Admissions committees want to understand your motivations for pursuing an MBA and your long-term career goals. They want to see that you have a clear vision for how an MBA will help you achieve your goals and make a positive impact.
  • Fit with the program: Committees want to see that you are a good fit for their particular program. They will look for evidence that you have done your research on the program and understand how it will help you achieve your goals.
  • Writing ability: The panel will also evaluate your writing ability and communication skills. Your personal statement should be well-written, well-organized, and free of errors. It should also clearly articulate your ideas and convey your passion for business management.

Example 1: Family Business Part Owner

As the third generation to join the family business, I have always had a passion for continuing the legacy of success that my grandparents and parents have built. However, I have always felt that there was more I could learn to take our business to the next level and make a greater impact in the industry.

That is why I am pursuing an MBA at a top business school. I am eager to delve deeper into topics such as finance, strategy, and leadership, and to learn from experienced professionals in the field. I believe that this education will not only help me to advance on my current career trajectory, but also to drive growth and success for our organization and for the industry as a whole.

In addition to my experience in private business, I have a strong academic background. I received my undergraduate degree in Business Administration from XYZ University, where I learned business principles and developed analytical and problem-solving skills.

I am confident that my on-the-job experience, academic background, and passion for business make me an ideal candidate for a top business school’s MBA program. I am excited to take the next step in my career and to contribute to the growth and success of our family business and the industry through my knowledge and expertise.

Example 2: Financial Analyst

As a financial analyst at a leading consulting firm, I have gained valuable insights into the inner workings of the corporate world. However, I have always felt that there was more I could learn to help me better understand the big picture and make more informed decisions.

That is why I am pursuing an MBA. I am excited to delve deeper into topics such as finance, strategy, and leadership, and to learn from experienced professionals in the field. I believe that this education will not only help me to advance my career, but also to make a positive impact on the organizations I work with.

In addition to experience in finance, I have a strong academic background in business. I received my undergraduate degree in Economics from XYZ University, where I developed quantitative and other technical skills and learned management principles.

I am confident that my professional experience, academic background, and passion for business make me an ideal candidate for an MBA program. I am excited to take the next step in my career and to contribute to the growth and success of businesses through my knowledge and expertise.

Example 3: Healthcare Administrator

As a registered nurse and healthcare administrator, I have dedicated my career to improving patient outcomes and advancing the field of healthcare. However, I have always felt that there was more I could learn to better understand the business side of healthcare and make a greater impact in the industry.

That is why I am pursuing an MBA. I am excited to delve deeper into topics such as healthcare strategy, finance, and leadership, and to learn from experienced professionals in the field. I believe that this education will not only help me to advance my career, but also to drive positive change for the organizations I work with.

In addition to administration experience, I have a strong academic background in healthcare and business. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from XYZ University and my Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from ABC University, where I learned the fundamental principles of both fields and developed my analytical and strategic skills.

I am confident that my professional and academic backgrounds, and passion for healthcare make me an ideal candidate for an MBA. I am excited to take the next step in my career and to contribute to the growth and success of healthcare organizations through my knowledge and expertise.

Example 4: Marketing and Sales Manager

As a business development manager at XYZ Company, I have gained valuable experience in the field of marketing and sales. However, I have always felt that there was more I could learn to further advance my career and make a greater impact in the industry.

That is why I am pursuing an MBA degree. I am eager to delve deeper into the complexities of business strategy and management, and to learn from experienced professionals in the field. I believe that this education will not only help me to become a more effective leader, but also to make a positive contribution to my organization.

In addition to significant real-world experience, I have a strong academic background. I received my undergraduate degree in Marketing from ABC University, where I learned the fundamental principles of business and developed technical and organizational skills.

I am confident that my experience, academic achievements, and passion for business make me an ideal candidate for an MBA. I am excited to take the next step in my career and to contribute to the growth and success of a business through my knowledge and expertise.

Example 5: Project Manager

As a project manager at a global technology company, I have gained a wealth of experience in driving cross-functional teams to achieve success. However, I have always felt that there was more I could learn to take my skills to the next level and make a greater impact in the industry.

That is why I am pursuing an MBA. I am eager to delve deeper into topics such as strategy, leadership, and innovation, and to learn from experienced professionals in the field. I believe that this education will not only help me to become a more effective leader, but also to drive growth and success for the organizations I work with.

In addition to management experience, I have a strong educational background. I received my undergraduate degree in Business Administration from ABC University, where I learned the fundamental principles of business and developed my analytical and problem-solving skills.

I am confident that my professional knowledge, academic background, and passion for business make me a strong candidate for an MBA. I am excited to take the next step in my career and to contribute to the growth and success of businesses.

Example 6: Startup Founder

As the founder and CEO of a successful start-up, I have gained valuable experience in the world of entrepreneurship and business. However, I have always felt that there was more I could learn to take my skills to the next level and make a greater impact in the industry.

That is why I am pursuing an MBA at a top business school. I am eager to delve deeper into topics such as finance, strategy, and leadership, and to learn from experienced professionals in the field. I believe that this education will not only help me to advance my career, but also to drive growth and success for my own business and for the organizations I work with.

In addition to my valuable business experiences, I have a strong education foundation. I received a Bachelor of Business degree from the University of Michigan, where I learned the fundamental principles of business and developed analytical and communication skills.

My business experience, academic background, and passion for business development make me a strong candidate for a top business school’s MBA program. I’m excited to take the next step in my career and to contribute to commercial growth and success through my knowledge and expertise.

Is Getting an MBA Difficult? How Hard?

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Allan Duncan

A business school will typically give some weight to the MBA personal statement when assessing applications, but it is generally not the most important factor. Admissions committees also consider professional experience, academic background, GMAT or GRE scores, and letters of recommendation.

That being said, the personal statement is an important opportunity for applicants to showcase their strengths and explain why they are a good fit. A well-written MBA personal statement can help to differentiate an applicant from other candidates and provide insights into motivations, goals, and personality.

Overall, MBA personal statements represent just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to business school admissions. It is important to put effort into crafting a strong essay, but it is also important to focus on other aspects of the application.

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MBA Personal Statement Sample Essays & Tips

Your academic record, GMAT scores, and GPA are important factors in the MBA application process. But, more than that, business schools ultimately care about who you are and whether you would be a good fit for their program. This is where your application essays come in. The goal here is to complete the picture that your scores and stats began sketching. Take your time when writing these essays. They will form the image the admissions committee will see before they meet you at your interview. Write, edit, and edit again. Be sure there are no spelling or grammatical errors in your essay. You want your portrait to be clean and clear. Once you are satisfied with your essay, ask a trusted friend, mentor, or admissions pro to read it. A fresh pair of eyes can often see things that you can’t.

7 tips for creating the best MBA essays

Here are some important things to remember when writing your MBA essays.

  • Show who you are in a background essay Use this opportunity to reveal your values and personality, the obstacles you’ve overcome, and the seminal experiences that have shaped you into the person you are today. No two people have the same history. Use stories and examples to make your background bright and stand out to demonstrate what makes you special. Discuss how your history has brought you to this point. What is there in your background that compels you to pursue an MBA at this time?
  • Show your direction in the goals essay Use this opportunity to show that you have clear direction and purpose based on experience and planning. Business school is not another opportunity to “find yourself.” Even if you have had one career path and will use your MBA to launch another career, this essay must describe the reasons behind your career-change, your new goals, and how the program will help you achieve them.
  • Use your optional essay to explain negatives in your stats If your GPA was lower than you would have liked early in your undergraduate education, use your essay to show how you learned from this experience. Everyone makes mistakes. How you deal with your mistakes shows a lot to the admissions committee – determination, discipline, success, resilience, and breadth of experience are qualities that will serve you well in your MBA studies and later in life. Be sure that you explain your negatives and don’t try to justify them. Show that you understand the mistake you made, learned from it and changed as a result of processing the experience. That response shows maturity. Justifying – instead of learning or changing – is a sign of immaturity. MBA programs want mature adults. Almost all of them have made mistakes.
  • Say what you mean, and mean what you say Admissions committees read thousands of essays during each admissions round. A concise, well thought-out essay will have them reading yours to the end.  You need examples and stories to support your statements and make your essay interesting and readable. Each of these needs to be to the point. These professionals are trained to spot an essay that is full of fluff and without substance.Avoid rambling and the use of keywords that you think the reader wants to see. A non-substantive essay will lead the reader to conclude that you, too, are without substance.
  • Find your passion This relates to tip #4 above. You want to grab the reader right away and create an essay that will keep their attention to the very end – and leave them wanting to meet you and get to know you even better. In other words, offer you a coveted interview! Find a theme, and weave it throughout your essay. If you can identify a passion that you had from an early age and follow it through the different stages of your life, you will have an interesting, readable essay. Connect your passion to your childhood and you professional and extracurricular experiences and accomplishments. Demonstrate how your passion will influence your future career and serve the community at the school you want to attend.
  • Focus on your professional experience and achievements Not everyone has a passion that they have carried with them throughout their life. However, since you are planning on attending an MBA program, you must have had professional and personal achievements. Highlight your professional skills and successes, as well as personal accomplishments. Show how these experiences and achievements have brought you to this point, and how they have influenced your long-term plans and reasons for pursuing an MBA.
  • Highlight your experience in your EMBA essay An applicant to an Executive MBA program is an executive or manager currently in the workforce, usually with at least eight years of business experience. As an EMBA student you will be expected to excel in your coursework while continuing to hold down your full-time job. You must demonstrate significant leadership, impact, potential, and the legitimate need for the degree to be accepted. Highlight your current responsibilities and recent achievements, as well as your skill sets. Discuss your goals and how an EMBA will help you reach them. Include how you will positively impact the community at the program you are applying to.

Read MBA Personal Statement Examples

Now that you have the tools to write your compelling essay, check out our sample MBA application essays to see what you will be able to accomplish.

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How to Write a Personal Statement for a Masters in Healthcare Administration

M.T. Wroblewski

Ways to Practice for Graduate School Interviews

If you're interested in attaining a master's degree in healthcare administration, you've probably set your sights on an exciting career as a manager in a healthcare environment such as a hospital, surgical center, nursing home or outpatient care center. But first things first. The program you've identified has likely required that, along with your undergraduate grades, you submit a personal statement. This is your opportunity to sell yourself to the graduate admissions committee, both in terms of your past accomplishments and your future.

Read your graduate admissions packet carefully with regard to the personal statement. Some schools set specific length requirements, which you should follow, or pose certain questions that you must answer.

Develop a structure for your personal statement, starting with a basic introduction, body and conclusion. As you prepare this draft, remember that you are telling a story -- the story of a life you've already lived as well as a story of your future that you can only envision for now. Remember that there is no one “right way” to craft a personal statement, but it should sound like you, and it should be professional and sincere. Every sentence should be relevant to your quest to gain admission.

Set yourself apart from other applicants right from the start by opening your statement with an anecdote that underscores your commitment to healthcare. This short story might come straight from an undergraduate classroom experience or even a paid, part-time job in a healthcare environment. Ideally, it should reveal, in poignant terms, why you chose healthcare administration as your profession. Close this compelling opening paragraph with your purpose for writing -- that you are seeking admission to the graduate healthcare administration program and believe you would make a valuable addition to the campus community in myriad ways.

Segue gracefully to your background, including your academic work, special projects, articles that have appeared in publications, presentations at healthcare conferences or anything of which you are particularly proud. This is the portion of your personal statement in which you should frame your past in a memorable perspective. Remember that the graduate committee already has your college transcript; now it wants to learn what healthcare has meant to you personally.

Reach into the future and share your personal goals, tying them to how a master's degree in healthcare administration will help you attain them. This is where you must be specific and offer examples. Some graduate programs emphasize individual research, whereas others focus on internships and clinical experiences. Prove that you've done your homework and demonstrate that the graduate school is an ideal fit for you, both personally and professionally.

Conclude on a strong note, but avoid cliches and hollow phrases. In other words, don't present yourself as a “hard worker” and “good student” who “embraces challenge” and wants to “help people.” Better to present such notions by way of examples, or point to other traits and characteristics that you believe make you a distinguished candidate for admission.

Ask several people who know you well to read your personal statement and provide a critique. You may integrate some ideas and disregard others, but the idea is to return to your personal statement after a few days and then revise and strengthen it accordingly.

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  • MySciNet: Sell Yourself: Guidance for Developing Your Personal Statement for Graduate School Applications
  • Purdue University: Online Writing Lab: Examples of Successful Statements

With education, health care and small business marketing as her core interests, M.T. Wroblewski has penned pieces for Woman's Day, Family Circle, Ladies Home Journal and many newspapers and magazines. She holds a master's degree in journalism from Northern Illinois University.

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Healthcare Management Personal Statement Samples & Tips

Table of Contents

A one- to two-page personal statement describes what you intend to do in your profession, why, and how. We have provided effective healthcare management personal statement samples to help you write your own.

Be sure to follow the guidelines given in the guide to help you craft an insightful and engaging personal statement for the application process.

What Is a Healthcare Personal Statement?

A Healthcare Management Personal Statement is an individualized, written summary that outlines the qualifications, experiences, and goals of a professional in the healthcare field.

This statement provides insight into how the writer approaches their work, communicates with patients and colleagues, and manages health systems efficiently and ethically. It should include facts about the writer’s accomplishments and demonstrate an understanding of the critical issues within healthcare management.

Additionally, it should convey a passion for serving others and show how they utilize technological advances to create better patient solutions.

A successful personal statement will reflect the author’s unique personality while employing creative language and thought-provoking examples to stand out from similar applicants.

How to Write a Compelling Healthcare Management Personal Statement

The personal statement can tell medical schools why you want to study there and how your background and experiences will benefit their faculty.

Remember that you want your statement to sound like you rather than like a list of clichés. Since the personal statement is generic and will be used for other school and course applications, don’t mention schools or departments.

Include the following in your statement of purpose:

  • Explain your interest in the position and your qualifications to the reader. Mention why you want to become a healthcare manager and what aspects of healthcare particularly intrigue you.
  • Include any relevant experience, talents, or accomplishments you’ve picked up in your time at school, on the job, or elsewhere. Use it to explain how you make a good candidate for a future in healthcare.
  • Think back on your time in the workforce and the lessons you learned about yourself or the field.
  • Discuss any recent events you have heard about in the medical or healthcare fields, and elaborate on why you found them so fascinating.
  • Provide details about any further higher education outreach events you may have attended and why you found them engaging.
  • Remember to mention your hobbies and how they’ve helped you grow professionally.

Include in your statement any extenuating circumstances that have influenced your academic performance or your choice of specialization. Things like caring for a sick family member, experiencing a medical emergency, etc.

Great Healthcare Management Personal Statement Samples

These INK samples show the different perspectives of a personal statement. Use these samples to inspire your writing to prepare a hugely successful personal statement!

person sitting while using laptop computer and green stethoscope near

I’ve driven good change in healthcare administration for over two decades thanks to my extensive knowledge and insight.

I provide compassionate, efficient, and cost-effective patient care solutions by combining empathy, innovation, and thoughtfulness.

I can manage persons, resources, and processes to implement successful plans with tangible outcomes by identifying and assessing possibilities and foreseeing potential hazards.

I’ve utilized my skill set to create and maintain effective relationships with patients, families, and medical staff. Additionally, by leveraging technology and data analytics, I can ensure that sound decisions are made in accordance with established protocols and standards.

I can manage competing priorities within tight deadlines and deliver high-quality results due to my experience managing complex projects. With each accomplishment, I endeavor to push myself further to see what else I can achieve.

I look forward to applying my talents and understanding towards new challenges within healthcare management.

I’ve worked in healthcare management for over 20 years and am driven to make a difference.

I can quickly learn, analyze complex systems, and create unique ideas that work, thanks to my experience.

Throughout my career, I’ve worked on numerous projects that have helped streamline processes and reduce costs significantly. I also have excellent interpersonal skills, which helps me cooperate with stakeholders to design health equity and accessibility strategies.

This holistic approach to healthcare management drives me to push beyond limits and drive good change through resilient, forward-thinking strategies.

I’ve always loved healthcare management because I want to help people. I’m a highly experienced professional with a background that includes managing complex systems in hospitals and clinics throughout my career. With an innate sense of empathy and enthusiasm for practical problem-solving, I believe I can bring both knowledge and innovation to any healthcare organization.

I used inventive methods in a critical care unit to cut wait times and enhance efficiency without compromising patient outcomes. This experience inspired me to pursue additional health service administration certifications, allowing me to gain further insight into how this dynamic sector operates.

Familiarizing myself with cutting-edge trends such as data analytics has enabled me to develop farsighted approaches to improving service delivery. My ability to build trust, understanding, and support among varied coworkers has also improved. My dedication to bettering our healthcare system is evidenced by my record of initiating quality control initiatives that prioritize ethical integrity above all else.

As someone always looking for ways to make a difference, I plan to use my skills and interest in healthcare management. In addition to bringing fresh perspectives to projects, I am confident that I can leverage my insights and enthusiasm to generate tangible results.

Final Words

Healthcare management personal statement samples allow you to get a sense of how personal statements look and function in myriad fields. Start with the offered samples and compose your statement to ensure that your topic is conveyed as desired .

Healthcare Management Personal Statement Samples & Tips

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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Writing the Personal Statement for Health Professions Applications

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The personal statement gives you the opportunity to present a compelling snapshot of who you are and perhaps why you want to be a doctor. Use your personal statement to say what others can’t. The personal statement can be a tricky genre to master. On the one hand, you want to give the admissions committee a sense of your personality and who you are. On the other hand, you must sound focused and professional, which sounds like it might impede your ability to capture your personality.

But this does not have to be the case. What you need to do is figure out how to say what drives you to want to become a healthcare professional in as specific a way as possible. The more specific you can be, the more the admissions committee will feel as if they have a sense of who you are.

You don’t need gimmicks, jokes, artificial drama, or hyperbole to express who you are or why you would make a good medical student or doctor. All you need are carefully selected details that you can craft into a unique and compelling story that conveys a sense of purpose and motivation.

What Makes a Good Personal Statement?

  • There is no exact template for an effective personal statement. Often, however, strong personal statements combine a concise description of a personal experience with reflection on how this experience either led the writer to pursue medicine or indicates the writer’s character or commitment.
  • Good personal statements often have a strong sense of narrative. This does not mean that they read like short stories, though they can relate a few scenes or anecdotes from your life. They have a strong sense of narrative, rather, in how they convey the writer’s sense of dedication to medicine. Strong personal statements often give readers an idea of how applicants see their experiences as leading to the decision to pursue medicine.

How to Get Started

The personal statement is an exercise in self-reflection. Questions to consider:

  • Who are you?  I am driven to… I have learned to… I believe…
  • What are your most passionate interests or concerns?  What problem(s) most occupy your thinking and your efforts?
  • How did you develop those interests?  (Not just the story, but what drives you.)
  • What errors or regrets have taught you something important about yourself?
  • When does time disappear for you?  What does this tell you about your passions, your values?
  • What ideas, books, courses, events have had a profound impact on you?  How so?
  • To what extent do your current commitments reflect your most strongly held values?
  • When have you changed?  Consider yourself before and after; what does this change mean?
  • How do your interests and who you are relate to your goals in medical school and as a doctor?

Start a “shoebox”; a place to keep random notes for your personal statement; be ready to write at any time. Review these items occasionally; let them tell you more about what you want your personal statement to say. Start writing drafts, experiments; you will know when a paragraph begins to gel.

A Suggested Writing Process

Everyone writes differently, so these are potential strategies rather than rules.

  • Make a list of some of your most defining experiences – extracurricular activities, specific classes, volunteer work, research, hobbies, etc. Try not to include overly personal experiences (breakups, trouble with parents, illnesses in the family, and so on). It’s difficult to write about such things without being sentimental or cliché. You want experiences in which you did something and had to make a choice.
  • From this list, try to select an experience that particularly demonstrates your intellectual curiosity, your dedication to service, your composure under pressure, your leadership ability, or any other personal trait that you think is particularly relevant to your case that you would make a good doctor or medical student.
  • Start writing a draft based on this experience. You want to be specific, but don’t get bogged down with an abundance of anecdotes or minutiae. Try to use your draft to craft a succinct story that demonstrates your character and your motivations.
  • Set the draft aside for some time (a number of days or weeks), and then revisit it with fresh eyes. Be as honest with yourself as you can be: What works in this draft? What doesn’t work? What sounds cliché or unspecific? Would a reader who doesn’t know me at all get a sense of my personal character and dedication?
  • Revise, revise, revise: tighten the structure, add new things to make your point clearer, take away sentences or sections that now seem unnecessary, use the active voice as much as possible, and anything else that needs to be done. If what you have just doesn’t seem to be coming together, do not be afraid to start over.
  • Solicit feedback from a couple of trusted readers and revise again based on the suggestions that you find most useful. Don’t solicit feedback from too many people though – too many responses can be overwhelming.
  • Edit your work for grammatical mistakes, typos, clumsy repetitions, and so on. Make your prose impeccable before you submit your statement. Asking help from other readers can be especially helpful with editing, as sometimes it gets difficult to read your work with fresh eyes.

Things to Do

  • Use the experience that you describe to tell a story of personal progress, particularly progress towards your commitment to medicine.
  • Write with active verbs as much as possible.
  • Strive for concision.
  • Sound humble but also confident.

Things Not to Do – Common Pitfalls

  • Don’t talk in hyperbolic terms about how passionate you are. Everyone applying to medical school can say they are passionate. Instead, show your readers something you have done that indicates your passion.
  • Don’t adopt an overly confessional or sentimental tone. You need to sound professional.
  • Don’t treat the personal statement like a piece of creative writing.
  • Don’t put your resume in narrative form.
  • Don’t use jargon, abbreviations, slang, etc.
  • Don’t use too many qualifiers: very, quite, rather, really, interesting…
  • Don’t write in overly flowery language that you would normally never use.
  • Don’t include famous quotations. If you must quote, use something that shows significant knowledge.
  • Don’t write about yourself in an overly glorifying or overly self-effacing manner.

What to Remember

  • They are read by non-specialists, so write for an intelligent non-medical audience.
  • Actions sometimes speaks louder than words so give examples of experiences rather than describing them.
  • All information must be accurate – don’t pad, but don’t be falsely modest either.
  • The personal statement, in part, serves as a test of your communication skills.  How well you write it is as important as the content.

Writing Resources

  • AAMC: 7 Tips for Writing your AMCAS Personal Statement
  • Graduate Admission Essays: What Works, What Doesn’t and Why , Donald Asher, Ten Speed Press
  • On Writing Well , William Zinsser
  • Elements of Style , Strunk and White, Macmillan
  • Article :  2 Med School Essays that Admissions Officers Loved
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How to write a successful mba personal statement.

A great MBA personal statement will help make your MBA application stand out ©Miljan Živković/iStock

A great MBA personal statement will help make your MBA application stand out ©Miljan Živković/iStock

Admissions expert Stacy Blackman outlines the best tips to write a successful MBA personal statement, and the biggest mistakes to avoid

Tue Sep 28 2021

Every top MBA program can fill up a class based on stronger test score applicants. But they don’t focus on accepting exclusively the highest-scoring candidates because the program’s quality is driven by the diversity of the student class, with respect to industry, experience, ethnicity, global exposure, personality and more. 

Stanford’s ‘What Matters Most’ or Harvard's ‘Tell Us Anything’ prompts resemble personal statements. 

For these and other program essay prompts, authenticity is essential. Tell your story. Harvard Business School (HBS) gets over 9,000 applications a year, and Stanford gets over 6,000; there is no way you'll come up with a theme they haven't seen before. But nobody else can tell your story.

“The personal narrative really is a make or break for MBA admit success. So many applications have acceptable credentials up to that point of the application, and it is the essay execution that sets the overall application apart and earns it the interview,” explains a former HBS Admissions Officer who works on the Stacy Blackman Consulting team . 

“One of the most memorable personal statements was a woman who said that what matters most was to make her mother proud. It seemed so banal, until she told her story, one of those single mothers fleeing tyranny barefoot on a raft, working two jobs to raise her child kind of stories,” recalls another one of our consultants on the Stacy Blackman Consulting team.

“By the end of it, you knew why this mattered, and the simplicity of it seemed like a perfect fit. What made it a winning personal statement was not the theme as such, which was quite naive-sounding, but how the story made this naive theme seem totally natural. HBS thought so, too. This client was admitted to both Harvard HBS and Stanford GSB.”

Personal statement tips

We surveyed the Stacy Blackman consulting (SBC) team to ask for best practices when crafting a personal statement. The two winning tips are:

1. For a personal statement, the key priority is to explain why you are pursuing an MBA. If you have a specific long- and short-term career objective in mind, that is one way to structure the essay. If not, you will want to explain why an MBA is the right next step for you in your life. Either way, you will want to explain what skills and characteristics you have developed in your career so far.

2. As you formulate your personal statement, keep in mind the specific needs that the MBA program defines on their website. For example, Cambridge Judge states that it is seeking candidates who “are highly motivated and ambitious, thrive under pressure, and have already exhibited clear progression within their career".

Our team also identified the three key mistakes they often see in MBA essays. The errors we encourage our clients to be mindful of are:

1. A statement that is a chronological recap of the resume with filler text to try to distract the reader from the resume-repetitive language.

2. Lack of emotion, personality or self-disclosure. Be sure to include reasons for your choices and plans and describe values that drive you. “Get personal. Make sure the reader feels genuineness and authenticity,” said a former HBS Admissions Officer who works on the Stacy Blackman Consulting team.

3. Lack of in-depth and authentic school research. Don’t forget to include classes, professors and projects you’ll pursue to prepare yourself for your next career step.

MBA personal statement examples

Curious to see examples? My team has recently added sample essays to our site. We run through some excerpts below:

Generic personal statement example

Essay #1: See highlighted areas on the draft essay below:

Our recommendations on how to optimize this essay:

'Why Stanford?' example

Essay#2: See highlighted areas on the draft essay below:

Short & long-term goals example

Essay #3:  See highlighted areas on the draft essay below:

Other best practices can be found on our dual admit study , which is a collection of lessons learned from our clients who got admitted to both HBS and GSB this past season. 

For feedback on your MBA candidacy and recommendations around target schools, please request a free 15 minute consultation .

Enjoy the journey ahead!

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Webinar | Workshop: Business Is Personal, Your Application Should Be Too!

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Part-Time MBA for Leaders in Healthcare

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With the University of Kentucky’s MBA in Healthcare, you’ll have the support necessary to further your skills and develop as a leader in the healthcare industry. Designed with you in mind, our program is built for flexibility, helping you navigate healthcare management's unique trials and challenges. As such, the MBA in Healthcare works to ensure you have all the tools you need to succeed.

Join a community of peers from every corner of the academic and professional landscape, and cultivate meaningful relationships to guide and uplift you along your MBA journey.

 Request More Info

 Apply Now

 Meet Us

 Attend an Info Session

At the University of Kentucky, students in the MBA in Healthcare program make positive contributions to the healthcare industry and fellow members of their cohort. Our program builds a tight-knit group of individuals who accompany each other on this journey. The ideal candidate is thoughtful and driven with the desire to develop further their leadership skills and the initiative to expand their tool belt on a timeline that best suits them.

For a more detailed understanding of our specific admissions requirements, schedule a 1:1 session with our team. We look forward to answering any questions and guiding you through this process.

Application Requirements

  • Graduate School Application and application fee
  • GMAT or GRE: The Institution Code for the UK Graduate School is 1837
  • Resume or CV
  • Undergraduate transcripts : Minimum undergraduate GPA requirement is 2.75
  • One Letter of Recommendation
  • Personal Statement: Write a personal statement (500 words or less) about your career goals. Include how you anticipate you will grow and change as a person, a professional, and a leader in your time as an MBA student in order to help you achieve your career goals. Consider: What mindset will you need to succeed during your MBA experience? How will you contribute to the Gatton College as a student and alumni? How will you contribute to your future employer, community, and society?

International Requirements

International students are required to submit all application requirements above and a demonstration of English proficiency.

  • TOEFL / IELTS / DUOLINGO accepted. Minimum TOEFL score is 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based), or 79 (internet-based). The minimum IELTS score is 6.5. The minimum DUOLING is 115, (add comma) plus an online interview. The TOEFL Institution Code for the UK Graduate School is 1837.
  • TOEFL/IELTS waiver can be offered to students who earned their bachelors' degrees from other U.S. universities.
  • An interview with the admissions committee is required.

International students in the program must take at least nine credit hours per semester in order to maintain the full-time student status. Students may apply for a reduced course load the last semester.

For more information, consult our International FAQ

Application Process

  • Once the application fee and all supporting materials are submitted for consideration, application files are reviewed by the MBA Admissions Committee.
  • Candidates may be requested to sit for an interview prior to a decision being finalized.
  • Applications are processed on a rolling basis and recommendations are typically made to the Graduate School within one month from submission.
  • To confirm spot in the UK MBA accepted candidates must return both their statement of acceptance and seat deposit.

Preparatory Requirements

All incoming MBA candidates are required to successfully complete MBA Math and an Economics primer in order to prepare for our program. Once accepted applicants confirm their acceptance into our program, additional information will be shared for MBA Math and the Economics primer. The cost for MBA Math is $100 per candidate, and takes approximately thirty hours to complete. The primer on Economics is free, and takes approximately fifteen hours to complete.

GRE and GMAT Information

GRE Exam GMAT Exam GMAT/GRE Waiver Policy

Connect with Us

   schedule a 1:1,    attend an info session, learning that works for you..

At UK, our student’s sense of community is paramount, and we believe convenience and connection should coexist. As a member of the MBA in Healthcare program, you can attend classes online, in-person, or a combination, allowing you to tailor your learning experience to your needs.

While courses are taught in a traditional classroom setting, they are simultaneously streamed live. As such, all benefits of the UK’s Part-Time MBA program can be accessed and utilized online as they occur in person. This allows you to fully participate in classroom discussions and activities, ensuring you develop connections with faculty and fellow students.

State Authorization and Licensure

If you plan to complete a University of Kentucky online program while living outside of Kentucky, you should check the Out-of-State Students page to determine if the University of Kentucky is authorized to provide this program in your state of residence.

Students in the UK MBA in Healthcare may complete the program over two or three years to better accommodate their individual lives and schedules. With the help of dedicated, empathetic faculty, candidates move through courses designed with them in mind, ensuring they reach their individual goals.

Participants complete five specialized courses in Accounting, Economics, Finance, Marketing, and Health Service and Systems Organization, qualifying them for the UK Graduate Certificate in Improving Healthcare Value , further differentiating them within their field.

Because we understand the unique demands of our candidates’ lives and careers, our courses meet just once a week. Students are also given the option of attending courses in-person, online, or through a combination of both, adapting their learning journey to their distinct needs.

Two Year Plan of Study

During the Fall semester you will take a total of 9 credit hours.

ACC 628: Financial / Managerial Accounting

A study of the application of accounting information and services in the recognition or solution of management problems in business.

ECO 610: Managerial Economics

Analysis of applications of economic theory to management decision making. Such problems as demand and cost determination, pricing, and capital budgeting are treated.

MKT 600: Marketing Management

This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of: the role of marketing function in an organization; the types of marketing decisions and analytical procedures involved in making each decision; the overall marketing planning process; and, the impact of the social, economic, and legal environment on marketing decisions.

During the Fall semester you will take a total of 9 credit hours including 6 credit hours of approved MBA electives.

FIN 600: Corporate Financial Policy

A study of financial management from the viewpoint of the corporate financial officer. Areas studied include capital budgeting, capital structure, financing decisions, working capital management, dividend policy, and mergers and acquisitions.

DIS 651: Quantitative Analysis in Business Decision Making

A study of key problem formulation and solution procedures in business decision making. The topics studied include statistical techniques integrated in decision making under uncertainty, decision trees, queuing problems, and value of information. A major segment of the course is devoted to the study of linear programming problems, sensitivity analysis, assignment problems, and transportation problems.

MGT 611: Managing Effective Organizations

A critical examination of behavior and performance within organizations and between organizations. Special attention is paid to the problem of performance at the individual, group, and formal organizational level.

During the Fall semester you will take a total of 9 credit hours including 3 credit hours of approved MBA electives.

MBA 615: Supply Chain Strategy

An immersive study of the supply chain management involving the management of key business processes, the flow of goods and information, and relationships with fellow members of the supply chain. Open only to One Year MBA students.

CPH 600: Health Services and Systems Organization

An introduction to the health care delivery system in the United States, including its composition, functioning, the interrelationships of organizations and professional groups within the system in various settings, health care terminology, and major problems and issues in the delivery of health services.

During the Spring semester you will take a total of 9 credit hours including 6 credit hours of approved MBA electives.

MGT 699: Business Policy & Strategy II

Strategic issues associated with multi-industry, multi-national, multi-business and start-up management; strategy implementation and institutionalization; planning systems.

Three Year Plan of Study

During the Fall semester you will take a total of 6 credit hours.

During the Spring semester you will take a total of 6 credit hours.

During the Spring semester you will take a total of 6 credit hours including 3 credit hours of approved MBA electives.

During the Fall semester you will take a total of 6 credit hours including 3 credit hours of approved MBA electives.

Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation Concentration

The Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation Concentration equips our candidates with the tools they need to develop, finance, and launch their entrepreneurial endeavors.

MBA 645 Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation I MBA 646 Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation II MBA 647 Early Stage Venture Finance MBA 648 Intellectual Property (IP) & Commercialization

Additional MBA Electives

Students in the UK MBA in Healthcare can curate their experience by choosing from a wide range of available elective course options.

FIN 645: Corporate Investment & Financing FIN 695: Data Management & Modeling MBA 616: Supply Chain Operations MBA 660: Data Visualization MGT 612: Negotiation & Conflict Resolution MGT 620: Personnel & Industrial Relations MGT 690: Strategic Thinking & Analysis MGT 695: Where is Design Thinking MKT 601: Marketing Research

The UK MBA in Healthcare will also consider up to 9 credit hours of transfer credit with prior approval from the Director of Graduate Studies.

The UK MBA in Healthcare prides itself on being a nationally ranked program and offering unmatched value for our candidates. We also understand that every student has a unique set of needs and is on their own timeline. As such, the MBA in Healthcare can be completed over a two or three-year period to fit each student’s individual requirements better.

Two Year Plan of Study (9 credit hours per semester) Kentucky Resident Distance Learning Non-Resident
UK Professional MBA for Leaders in Healthcare Tuition (Entire Program) $36,368 $36,368 $43,626
Full-Time Mandatory Fees (Entire Program) $2,726 $542 $2,726
Approximate Total Program Cost $39,094 $36,910 $46,352
Three Year Plan of Study (6 credit hours per semester) Kentucky Resident Distance Learning Non-Resident
UK Professional MBA for Leaders in Healthcare Tuition (Entire Program) $36,390 $36,390 $43,645
Full-Time Mandatory Fees (Entire Program) $2,232 $558 $2,232
Approximate Total Program Cost $38,622 $36,948 $45,877
  • See University of Kentucky Tuition and Fees Page UK Tuition and Fees Page .

Financial Assistance

  • Many UK MBA students utilize the comprehensive resources available from the UK Office of Student Financial Aid , including federal student loan programs.
  • Individual appointments are available for assistance with our team of financial aid counselors .

Refunds Students can find tuition refund policies, deadlines, amounts, and other important information on the Student Account Services website .

Items to Note

  • To reserve your spot in the program a non-refundable $500 deposit is required and will be applied to the first semester’s tuition.
  • Your tuition will not increase while continuously enrolled, however mandatory fees are subject to change. Please refer to the  UK Registrar  for the most up to date information on tuition and fees.
  • If electing our online option, a distance learning fee of $10/credit hour will be applied.
  • Course materials will cost approximately $2,500 over the course of the program.
  • Specifics regarding determination of residency status are available from the UK Registrar’s Office Residency Policy .
  • Any fully online courses will be charged the applicable resident tuition rate regardless of residency status.

The Professional Resource Center (PRC) offers comprehensive career support services to all Gatton College of Business and Economics MBA and MS students. Students receive assistance in everything needed to launch a successful career during and after graduation, from resume development and job searches to LinkedIn profile buildout and interview preparation.

As you make your way through the UK MBA in Healthcare, our team of faculty and staff will also be available for guidance, advice, and networking assistance, allowing you to make use of their valuable experience in and out of the classroom.

Professional Development

With the support and guidance of our career advisors, you will be provided numerous professional development opportunities to help develop your skills outside the classroom. Employer showcases alumni career panels, and talks from inspiring leaders are some of the invaluable events propelling you along your learning journey.

Each year, candidates are given the opportunity to participate in certification programs, allowing them to further differentiate themselves in the workplace. These include:

  • Cultural Awareness for Global Business Workshop - This workshop program is designed to provide participants with the knowledge and skills needed to understand, work and flourish in and with cultures other than their own. Whether it be collaborating with peers, managing others, or leading groups, cultural awareness is becoming an increasingly important trait in the workforce.
  • Project Management Workshop – This workshop program provides participants with working knowledge of Project Management and Agile Management practices. Participants will gain an understanding of what project management is in general, waterfall concepts, agile concepts, terms, tools, and techniques to manage projects effectively.

With the expertise and experience gained through the program, our alumni enjoy successful careers across the globe.

Alumni Career Success

mba in healthcare personal statement

Dr. Phillip Chang SVP and Chief Medical and Quality Officer Memorial Hermann Health System

Alumni of the UK MBA go on to wide variety of successful career endeavors around the world.

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How to Write a Strong Personal Statement

  • Ruth Gotian
  • Ushma S. Neill

mba in healthcare personal statement

A few adjustments can get your application noticed.

Whether applying for a summer internship, a professional development opportunity, such as a Fulbright, an executive MBA program, or a senior leadership development course, a personal statement threads the ideas of your CV, and is longer and has a different tone and purpose than a traditional cover letter. A few adjustments to your personal statement can get your application noticed by the reviewer.

  • Make sure you’re writing what they want to hear. Most organizations that offer a fellowship or internship are using the experience as a pipeline: It’s smart to spend 10 weeks and $15,000 on someone before committing five years and $300,000. Rarely are the organizations being charitable or altruistic, so align your stated goals with theirs
  • Know when to bury the lead, and when to get to the point. It’s hard to paint a picture and explain your motivations in 200 words, but if you have two pages, give the reader a story arc or ease into your point by setting the scene.
  • Recognize that the reviewer will be reading your statement subjectively, meaning you’re being assessed on unknowable criteria. Most people on evaluation committees are reading for whether or not you’re interesting. Stated differently, do they want to go out to dinner with you to hear more? Write it so that the person reading it wants to hear more.
  • Address the elephant in the room (if there is one). Maybe your grades weren’t great in core courses, or perhaps you’ve never worked in the field you’re applying to. Make sure to address the deficiency rather than hoping the reader ignores it because they won’t. A few sentences suffice. Deficiencies do not need to be the cornerstone of the application.

At multiple points in your life, you will need to take action to transition from where you are to where you want to be. This process is layered and time-consuming, and getting yourself to stand out among the masses is an arduous but not impossible task. Having a polished resume that explains what you’ve done is the common first step. But, when an application asks for it, a personal statement can add color and depth to your list of accomplishments. It moves you from a one-dimensional indistinguishable candidate to someone with drive, interest, and nuance.

mba in healthcare personal statement

  • Ruth Gotian is the chief learning officer and associate professor of education in anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, and the author of The Success Factor and Financial Times Guide to Mentoring . She was named the #1 emerging management thinker by Thinkers50. You can access her free list of conversation starters and test your mentoring impact . RuthGotian
  • Ushma S. Neill is the Vice President, Scientific Education & Training at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. She runs several summer internships and is involved with the NYC Marshall Scholar Selection Committee. ushmaneill

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  • July 15, 2024
  • Personal Statement

Statement of Purpose Sample

Personal Statement is written to communicate your background and why you want to join a particular program. When applying for xxx, applicants are faced with the task of connecting their current occupation and their chosen course which most times don’t come off as an easy task. So, we are presenting a sample personal statement for Personal Statement for Healthcare Management & Leadership which was submitted by another applicant to guide you when writing yours.

P.S: This sample provided here is solely for education purposes, do not copy it. If you need assistance writing yours, click here to hire our experts today .

mba in healthcare personal statement

Table of Contents

Areas to Cover When Writing Your Personal Statement Includes:

  • Personal motivation to study the course
  • Academic and professional background
  • Relevance of the program to your career
  • Why did you pick the school and country?
  • Qualities that would make you a good addition to the program

Personal Statement Writing Service

Personal Statement for Healthcare Management & Leadership

I am using this opportunity to indicate my interest in the Postgraduate Diploma in Health Science with a focus on Health Leadership and Management at the prestigious University of Canterbury. Firstly, I would like to introduce myself as a hardworking and compassionate healthcare facilitator with over 5 years of experience in the Indian healthcare system. My interest in healthcare stems from my early exposure to the health implications faced by the Indian populace; and ever since I have found every working opportunity to improve the quality of healthcare available to the vulnerable population around me rewarding and liberating.

With my undergraduate degree which majored in Psychology, Criminology, and Sociology, I was able to inform my decision regarding my interest in healthcare. Hence, I decided to improve on the foundation I have already gained through an advanced MBA in Hospital Administration. My MBA study in Hospital Administration helped me expand my scope in hospital planning and designing, hospital support and utility services, hospital operations management, medical ethics, and law, and medical safety and risk management. Ever since then, I have utilized that qualification to work in different health management roles which have given me a thorough understanding of the issues faced in India’s healthcare system.

In the last two and half years, I have been committed to studying the range of problems that health professionals are facing to identify innovative ways to solve them. My study has shown how a lot of these challenges are tied to leadership and policy management within the health system. Since then, my interest in healthcare policies, leadership, and management has been piqued. I aspire to this degree as a way to understand how to tackle the challenges that health organizations face that are related to leadership and management. As a healthcare facilitator, I understand how the actions of policymakers impact the systems that we work in. Obtaining this degree will firstly put me in a good place to handle leadership positions within healthcare organizations, it will also prepare me to take a higher leadership responsibility that involves policy-making and management and promote a system that promotes health equity, efficiency, and quality.

My decision to study in New Zealand is because it has a lot of promises for international students. With an excellent education system that supports international students. Secondly, the qualifications from New Zealand are internationally recognized and add credibility to its holders, and when added to the research opportunities, I believe studying in New Zealand is the best match for my academic pursuit. I am confident that I will excel in this program because of my academic and work experiences. I also have research experiences that will be instrumental to my success during my thesis.

Upon completion of this program, I foresee a promotion in my current organization, also more opportunities are coming up for healthcare managers in Middle Eastern countries, and with this qualification, I will stand a better chance to compete for those lucrative opportunities. In the future, I look forward to pursuing a career as a researcher in healthcare policy and healthcare service management.

Relationship Between Leadership and Management in Healthcare

Leaders and managers have complementary roles , both of which are invaluable to healthcare organizations. For example, imagine a healthcare facility as a ship. Managers oversee the crew, evaluate cargo, and steer the ship, while leaders evaluate all the conditions influencing the voyage and chart the course.

Leadership in Healthcare

Leadership is often defined as  the ability to manage a team effectively . This definition, however, is only a part of what makes an effective leader. Healthcare leadership isn’t about maintaining the status quo, but identifying challenges in the system and finding solutions to those problems.

Free Personal Statement for Healthcare Management & Leadership PDF Download

Download a free copy of the Personal Statement for Healthcare Management & Leadership PDF version

Note: This file is solely for educational purposes, and should not be copied.

See other Samples:

  • University of Plymouth, UK
  • University of Algarve, Portugal
  • University of Jyvaskyla, Finland
  • University of Canterbury, New Zealand
  • Lund University, Sweden
  • University of California, USA
  • Brock University Ontario, Canada
  • Ulster University, UK
  • Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada
  • New Brunswick, UK
  • Uppsala University, UK
  • University of Birmingham, UK
  • University of Warwick, UK
  • University of Toronto, Canada
  • University of Hertfordshire, UK
  • McMaster University, UK
  • University of Bradford, UK
  • University of Waterloo, Canada
  • Birmingham City University, UK
  • James Cook University, Australia
  • University of Sunderland, UK
  • University of Hull, UK
  • University of Westminster, UK
  • University of Derby, UK
  • Coventry University, UK
  • University of Oxford, UK
  • University Canada West, Canada

Need Assistance Writing Personal Statement for Healthcare Management & Leadership?

If so, contact Fasthire today . We’ll look into your application and compose a good personal statement for your application. We have professionals who are skilled in helping students compose their personal statement and study and visa statement of purpose/explanation and we’ll be ready to assist you right away. You can either use our regular, or express service depending on the urgency of your need

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Executive MBA (EMBA) Application Requirements

Take note that you must choose your program of interest and apply to either the Executive MBA Americas program, the Executive MBA Metro NY program, or the Executive MBA/MS in Healthcare Leadership program. Each program is distinct and offers its own unique student experience and academic environment.

Executive MBA admission requirements and prerequisites

Demonstrated progressive work experience.

On average, our enrolled students have 12 years of full-time, progressive work experience. We typically require a minimum of seven years of experience. The admissions committees may consider candidates with fewer years of work experience; however, you should be prepared to demonstrate career progression. We take many factors into account to evaluate your work experience, such as post-residency experience for physicians.

An accredited undergraduate degree

An undergraduate degree from an accredited institution is required for admission to all three executive MBA programs. While you are not required to hold a graduate degree for admission, many of our EMBA students have master’s degrees in varying fields. Take time to research each program thoroughly and review the selection criteria for Cornell’s EMBA programs.

EMBA application checklist

Refer to this list as you prepare to apply to one of Cornell’s executive MBA programs. Detailed information and additional work experience and academic requirements are listed below.

  • Executive MBA Americas application
  • Executive MBA Metro NY application
  • Executive MBA/MS in Healthcare Leadership application
  • Organizational chart (optional for EMBA/ MS in Healthcare Leadership application)
  • Admission essays
  • Two letters of recommendation , one of which should typically be written by your immediate supervisor
  • Academic transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate study
  • GMAT, GRE, or EA scores (not required)
  • $200 application fee

Additional information about EMBA application requirements

Below are detailed explanations related to portions of your executive MBA application. Please refer to the application checklist above for a complete list.

Organizational chart

Very few organizations are structured alike, and an organizational chart provides helpful context about your work environment, managerial experience, and professional attributes.

Am I required to submit an organizational chart?

Applicants to the Executive MBA Americas program and the Executive MBA Metro NY program are required to submit an organizational chart. The chart is an optional component for EMBA/MS in Healthcare Leadership program applicants.

What information should be included in my organizational chart?

Your organizational chart should provide an overview of how your organization is structured and where your position fits within the organization. Please include your position as well as your direct reporting structure. If you work in a large organization, a chart that represents your division or department is sufficient.

Executive MBA admission essays

Depending on the program you apply to, you will be required to write three or four essays that detail your candidacy and help the admissions committees understand why you’re a good fit for your program of interest.

Executive MBA Americas essays

Personal statement (400 words): In a concise statement, tell us why you are seeking an MBA. Specifically, what are your short- and long-term career goals? And, how will an MBA earned through an executive MBA program at Cornell University help you achieve your goals?

Leadership (400 words): Leadership is an important theme of the EMBA experience. Describe your current leadership style and how it has evolved during your career. Consider using specific examples to demonstrate your growth as a leader.

Open-ended (250 words): What else would you like us to know? Please use this statement to address potential concerns such as gaps in employment or prior academic difficulties. You can also use this statement to highlight any achievements or significant life events that are not included elsewhere in the application.

Executive MBA Metro NY essays

Personal statement: In a concise statement, tell us why you are seeking an MBA. Specifically, what are your short- and long-term career goals? And, how will an MBA earned through an executive MBA program at Cornell University help you achieve your goals?

Leadership: Describe your first experience as a leader in a professional setting and your current leadership role. Explain how your first experience in a leadership position influenced your style and how you act as a leader today.

Open-ended: What else would you like us to know? Please use this statement to address potential concerns such as gaps in employment or prior academic difficulties. You can also use this statement to highlight any achievements or significant life events that are not included elsewhere in the application.

Executive MBA/MS in Healthcare Leadership essays

Personal statement: In a concise statement, tell us why you are seeking an MBA/MS in Healthcare Leadership. Specifically, what are your short- and long-term career goals? And, how will an MBA/MS in Healthcare Leadership earned through an executive program at Cornell University help you achieve your goals?

Letters of recommendation

Applicants to all programs are required to submit two letters of recommendation.

Who should I ask to submit a letter of reference?

One of your letters should be submitted by your immediate supervisor. Your second letter of recommendation should be written by someone who can best attest to your professional skill set. This might include a colleague, client, or former supervisor. We suggest that you choose recommenders who know you well and can provide detailed insights.

What topics should my recommenders highlight in their letters?

The best letters of recommendation will assess your intellectual strength and creativity, ability to work well in teams, potential for assuming greater management responsibility, and outstanding characteristics.

Can I submit my application before my letters of reference reach your office?

Yes, you may submit your application before we receive your letters. We will add your reference letters to your application when they arrive. However, you will not be contacted for an interview until we receive your letters.

Official academic transcripts

Applicants to all programs are required to submit their academic transcripts.

For the Executive MBA Americas program:

Executive MBA Americas Admissions Office Breazzano Family Center for Business Education 209 Dryden Rd. 4th Floor Ithaca, NY 14850

For the EMBA Metro NY and EMBA/MS in Healthcare Leadership program:

Executive MBA Admissions Office Tata Innovation Center 2 West Loop Road New York, NY 10044

Do I need to provide official documentation?

Yes, we must have official documentation on record for all credits earned, including those transferred from institutions from which you did not graduate. You may submit unofficial documentation at the time of your application, but we must receive your official documentation in order to completely review your application and extend an offer of admission.

Can I move forward in the admissions process before you receive my official transcripts?

If you are a candidate applying to the EMBA Metro NY or EMBA/MS in Healthcare Leadership program, you may move forward conditionally and complete your interview before official transcripts reach the admissions office.

Candidates for the Americas program will not be contacted for an interview until official transcripts have been received.

I've attended an institution outside the United States. Do my transcripts need to be evaluated or translated?

Yes. Transcripts from institutions outside of the U.S. must be translated, if not in English, and evaluated by a credentialing evaluation service. If you have specific questions about requirements for the country where you earned your degrees, please contact the admissions office for the program to which you are applying. We accept international credential evaluations from agencies listed on the NACES website. Please note that the process may require a significant amount of time. To ensure a timely evaluation, applicants are encouraged to submit their credentials to one of these recognized agencies well in advance of the term for which they are applying. We encourage applicants to request electronic evaluations when possible.

Is there a possibility of transferring credits or courses from other programs?

No, we do not accept transfer credits or courses. Students enrolled in Cornell’s executive MBA programs must complete all coursework required as part of their degree program. Credits that have been earned to fulfill an academic requirement for a graduate degree, bachelor’s degree, advanced degree, or certificate of advanced studies at another institution are not transferable.

Submitting GMAT, GRE or EA scores for EMBA program applications:

Applicants to Johnson’s executive MBA programs are not required to submit GMAT, GRE, or EA scores, though you may submit your results if you have taken either exam.

Will I be asked to supply a GMAT score?

The GMAT is not a required component of the application. In some cases, though, the admissions committee will ask a candidate to take the GMAT or complete prerequisite coursework to provide additional evidence of academic readiness.

If I took the GMAT, should I submit my score?

If you have taken the GMAT or another assessment, we can consider your results as part of your application. We encourage you to send your score(s), along with your application, if you believe the information will help the admissions committee better understand your academic readiness for the program.

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mba in healthcare personal statement

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Master of Business Administration

This Online Healthcare MBA is Designed to Help You Impact Patient Outcomes

A master's in healthcare management is key in preparing you for executive leadership roles in your career. As the healthcare industry is rapidly changing with new regulatory requirements, standards, and expectations, credentialed leaders who are ready to help lead the charge are needed. This online healthcare MBA will prepare you for a lucrative, exciting, and rewarding career influencing decisions in healthcare, and changing the future of the industry. Take your career to the next level with a master's degree in healthcare management. You can increase your salary potential, be eligible for promotions, or move into a position or industry that you're passionate about. Become a leader who influences decisions and directs the healthcare industry. 

Compare degrees:  The MBA in Healthcare Management is not WGU's only accredited degree designed to create leaders in the field of healthcare. You may also be interested in our MHA  or one of our   M.S. Nursing – Leadership & Management programs   (with options for nurses with or without a current BSN).  Compare our health leadership degrees .

mba in healthcare personal statement

Graduates can finish within 

WGU lets you set a schedule so you can finish your MBA in just one year. You are in control of the schedule and timing for your MBA program.

*WGU Internal Data

Tuition per six-month term is

Tuition charged per term—rather than per credit—helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees. Finish faster, pay less!

Average salary increase

MBA graduates report an impressive average salary increase of $14,025 after completing their WGU degree. Are you ready for a raise?

Ready to Start Your WGU Journey?

Next Start Date: {{startdate}}

Start Dates the 1st of Every Month

Healthcare MBA Courses

Program consists of 11 courses

At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to help you show that you know your stuff.

This program is composed of the following courses. You will typically complete them one at a time as you make your way through your program, working with your Program Mentor each term to build your personalized Degree Plan. You’ll work through each course as quickly as you can study and master the material. As soon as you’re ready, you’ll pass the assessment, complete the course, and move on. This means you can finish as many courses as you're able in a term at no additional cost.  One year MBA students can complete all of their coursework in just two WGU terms. You will set a schedule with your Program Mentor to enable you to finish your program quickly.  Learn more about the one year MBA program at WGU. 

To ensure WGU graduates acquire the knowledge and skills sought by employers, our MBA in Healthcare Management was developed with significant input from health experts and business leaders who serve on our Business Program Council. The master's in healthcare management curriculum is designed to prepare you to lead, influence, and shape the future of healthcare.

Accreditation Audit covers regulatory audits, resource assessment, quality improvement, patient care improvement, organization plans, risk management, effective interaction, and compliance as evidenced during an accreditation audit.

Service Line Development will address how to critically assess the competitive marketplace as well as the internal environment to establish a new line of business. Topics include needs assessment, international healthcare trends, service line management, revenue analysis, costs and productivity, communication, negotiation, health policy, health legislation, and facilities management, which are variables in the evaluation process.

This course covers principles of effective management and leadership that maximize organizational performance. The following topics are included: the role and functions of a manager, analysis of personal leadership styles, approaches to self-awareness and self-assessment, and application of foundational leadership and management skills.

This course focuses on the strategic importance of operations management to overall performance. This course also emphasizes principles of supply chain management relevant to a variety of business operations ranging from manufacturing goods to retail services. You will examine the various planning, control, and decision-making tools and techniques of the operations function.

Marketing Fundamentals introduces students to principles of the marketing environment, social media, consumer behavior, marketing research, and market segmentation. Students will also explore marketing strategies that are related to products and services, distribution channels, promotions, sales, and pricing.

This course provides you with the accounting knowledge and skills to assess and manage a business. Topics include the accounting cycle, financial statements, taxes, and budgeting. This course will improve students’ ability to understand reports and use accounting information to plan and make sound business decisions.

This course examines the ethical issues and dilemmas managers face. This course provides a framework for analysis of management-related ethical issues and decision-making action required for satisfactory resolution of these issues.

This course covers practical approaches to analysis and decision-making in the administration of corporate funds, including capital budgeting, working capital management, and cost of capital. Topics include financial planning, management of working capital, analysis of investment opportunities, sources of long-term financing, government regulations, and global influences. This course will improve students’ ability to interpret financial statements and manage corporate finances.

This course presents critical problem-solving methodologies, including field research and data collection methods that enhance organizational performance. Topics include quantitative analysis, statistical and quality tools. You will improve your ability to use data to make informed decisions.

This course examines how economic tools, techniques, and indicators can be used for solving organizational problems related to competitiveness, productivity, and growth. You will explore the management implications of a variety of economic concepts and effective strategies to make decisions within a global context.

MBA Healthcare Management Capstone is the culminating course in the MBA HCM program that provides an integrative experience with all competencies and assessment topics throughout the program. Students synthesize concepts from previously completed coursework and demonstrate an understanding of responsible practices for growing and running a business. This course promotes a meaningful connection between the academic work and career experience.

Program consists of 11 courses

Capstone Project

Special requirements for this program

At the end of your program, you’ll complete a final capstone project that allows you to show off everything you’ve learned by working through a simulated business problem. You’ll integrate and synthesize competencies learned throughout the program, putting your knowledge and skills to the test and preparing you to quickly apply your expertise to your current role or enhance your marketability for advanced roles in your field.

Skills For Your Résumé

As part of this program, you will develop a range of valuable skills that employers are looking for. 

  • Leadership: Developed and implemented group norms of performance and mutual accountability within a provided strategy, fostering a culture of excellence and collaboration
  • Management: Applied effective supervision strategies and consultation practices in various situations, ensuring support and guidance.
  • Interpersonal Communications: Interacted constructively with providers, pharmacy team, and hospital staff to facilitate a seamless transition of care, promoting patient safety and continuity through effective communication and coordination.
  • Project Management:  Successfully managed the resources allocated to a project.
  • Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI):  Evaluated the effectiveness of medical processes by systematically collecting and analyzing data, identifying areas for improvement.
  • Data Analysis:  Applied analytical and logical reasoning techniques to explore and uncover valuable insights, facilitating informed decision-making processes.

“I really wanted to find a university that would give me the most return on the investment in my degree. Because of my experience in healthcare, competency-based education helped me complete my degree sooner.”

—Janelle Shepard MBA, Healthcare Management

WGU vs. Traditional Universities Compare the Difference

Traditional Universities

TUITION STRUCTURE

Per credit hour

Flat rate per 6-month term

Schedule and wait days or even weeks to meet with one of many counselors

Simply email or call to connect with your designated Program Mentor who supports you from day one

Scheduled time

Whenever you feel ready

Professor led lectures at a certain time and place

Courses available anytime, from anywhere

TIME TO FINISH

Approximately 2 years, minimal acceleration options

As quickly as you can master the material, can finish programs in 1 year

mba in healthcare personal statement

Earning Potential

After graduation, WGU MBA master's degree graduates report earning $16,200* more per year. Are you ready to make more money? *WGU Internal Data

mba in healthcare personal statement

On Your Schedule

Competency-based education means you can move as quickly through your degree as you can master the material. You don't have to log in to classes at a certain time—you are truly in the driver's seat of your education.  

mba in healthcare personal statement

Entirely Online

The Master of Business Administration degree at WGU is 100% online, which means it works wherever you are. You can do your coursework at night after working at your full-time job, on weekends, while you're traveling the world or on vacation—it's entirely up to you.

Accredited, Respected, Recognized™

One important measure of a degree’s value is the reputation of the university where it was earned. When employers, industry leaders, and academic experts hold your alma mater in high esteem, you reap the benefits of that respect. WGU is a pioneer in reinventing higher education for the 21st century, and our quality has been recognized.

Accreditation Council For Business Schools and Programs

COST & TIME

An MBA Program You Can Afford

By charging per term rather than per credit—and empowering students to accelerate through material they know well or learn quickly—WGU helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees. The faster you complete your program, the less you pay for your degree.

A College Degree Within Reach

There is help available to make paying for school possible for you:

mba in healthcare personal statement

The average student loan debt of WGU graduates in 2022 (among those who borrowed) was less than half* the national average.

mba in healthcare personal statement

Most WGU students qualify for financial aid, and WGU is approved for federal financial aid and U.S. veterans benefits. 

mba in healthcare personal statement

Many scholarship opportunities are available. Find out what you might be eligible for.

* WGU undergraduate students have approximately half the debt at graduation compared to the national average, according to the Institute for College Access and Success (2022).

FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE

A Different Way to Learn: Degree Programs Designed to Fit Your Life—and All the Demands on Your Time

Professional responsibilities. Family obligations. Personal commitments. At WGU, we understand schedules are tight and often unpredictable for adult students. That’s why we offer a flexible, personalized approach to how education should be. No rigid class schedules. Just a solid, career-focused teaching program that meshes with your current lifestyle. You'll be challenged. You'll work hard. But if you commit yourself and put in the hours needed, WGU makes it possible for you to earn a highly respected degree as a busy working adult.

"After I finished my degree, I was immediately employed in a better organization and doing a lot more with my interests and field of study.”

—Lauren Vagelakos MBA Healthcare Management

mba in healthcare personal statement

CAREER OUTLOOK

Healthcare Is a Booming Part of the U.S. Economy—Take the Lead and Build a Thriving Career

So many changes are taking place in the healthcare industry that forward-thinking organizations are looking for leaders who have updated their professional credentials with specialized knowledge and skills to successfully manage hospitals, medical offices, and government agencies. WGU’s online MBA Healthcare Management program is designed for students pursuing a leadership role in the healthcare industry.

Healthcare is big business in today's complex economy. It takes smart leadership and administration to run today’s hospitals, medical offices, and government agencies. WGU's MBA in healthcare management offers a focused curriculum that prepares you for executive-level positions by focusing on areas like decision-making, marketing, and financial resource management as they apply to the health and care industry. Prepare for an exciting and lucrative career with a healthcare MBA.

Return on Your Investment

On average, wgu graduates see an increase in income post-graduation.

Average income increase from all degrees in annual salary vs. pre-enrollment salary. Source:  2023 Harris Poll Survey  of 1,655 WGU graduates.

Survey was sent to a representative sample of WGU graduates from all colleges. Respondents received at least one WGU degree since 2017.

The fast pace and changing regulations in the healthcare field are driving demand for medical and health services managers, with the industry predicted to grow 28% by 2031.

—U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Healthcare Management Is a Field Rife with Career Opportunities for Outstanding Leaders

WGU's online MBA Healthcare Management program is designed to prepare motivated individuals for mid- to upper-level management and administration positions in hospitals, health system management, consulting, physician practices, and government and non-government agencies.  Our 2,700-plus MBA Healthcare Management alumni have great jobs and satisfying careers.

  • President and CEO
  • Vice president
  • Administrative director
  • Chief financial officer
  • Chief operating officer

Diverse Industries

  • Private companies
  • Healthcare organizations
  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Colleges and universities

Major Employers

  • Kaiser Permanente
  • ARUP Laboratories
  • Healthcare Corp. of America
  • U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs

WGU Grads Hold Positions With Top Employers

ADMISSIONS & TRANSFERS

Healthcare MBA Admissions Requirements

To be considered for this MBA program, students must:

  • Submit a transcript verifying receipt of your bachelor’s degree from a recognized, accredited institution.

NOTE: You do not need to take the GRE or GMAT to be admitted to this program. Learn why we don't require these tests.

Transfer Credits

mba in healthcare personal statement

Get Your Enrollment Checklist

Download your step-by-step guide to enrollment.

mba in healthcare personal statement

Get Your Questions Answered

Talk to an WGU Enrollment Counselor.

FINISH FASTER

The One-Year MBA

WGU's unique competency-based model allows you to move faster through your degree program. This online Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Management degree gives you the flexibility you need to earn your degree on your terms. You don't have to leave your job to pursue a master's in business administration—something you and your employer will both appreciate. No logging in, no set class times—you are in the driver's seat of your education.

WGU's one-year* MBA allows you to finish your MBA in healthcare management program in only 12 months for just $9,510.

* Program can be completed in as little as 12 months. Pricing is based on 12-month completion of the program. Students that do not complete in 12 months and need longer to complete the program will need to pay for additional terms.

mba in healthcare personal statement

Frequently Asked Questions About WGU's MBA in Healthcare Management

Is an mba in healthcare management worth it.

Absolutely! An MBA in healthcare management can help you enhance your credentials and boost your résumé, preparing you for exciting and lucrative opportunities. You may be able to earn more money, get a promotion, or move into a new field with the help of a healthcare MBA. 

What can I do with an MBA in healthcare management?

There are a variety of job opportunities for those with an MBA in healthcare management, including:

  • Hospital CEO
  • Hospital COO
  • Healthcare manager
  • Nursing home manager
  • Community health manager

How many healthcare management majors get jobs?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that medical and health management careers are expected to grow 32% by 2029. This is much faster than the national average and means that students graduating with healthcare management degrees will have many job opportunities open to them. Because the field is growing so quickly there will be numerous positions available to those who are qualified, making a degree in healthcare management a wise investment. 

How much money can I make with an MBA in healthcare management?

The average salary for medical and health managers is around $100,000 per year. And the more education and experience you have, the more money you can expect to earn. An MBA in healthcare management can help you be qualified for raises and promotions that will enhance your career opportunities.

What is an MBA degree in healthcare management?

An MBA degree in healthcare management is a degree that prepares you to be a healthcare leader. A master’s of business administration in healthcare management could get you ready to positively affect patient outcomes through your leadership and healthcare expertise. Those with an MBA in healthcare management may work in executive-level positions and be involved in decision-making, marketing, and financial resource management, all with a focus on improving patient outcomes. 

Which MBA is best for healthcare?

The best healthcare MBA program for you depends on your goals. If you’re looking for a degree that fits with your schedule and that gives you a great return, there are some great options. These universities offer flexible online healthcare MBA degree programs with a great return on investment:

  • Western Governors University
  • University of South Dakota
  • Mount Vernon Nazarene University
  • Ball State University

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Master’s Health Administration Personal Statement of Purpose

Updated: Jun 21

New England has always been my home, finishing Smith College in 1986, I earned my MBA at Georgetown in 1990 and went on to success in the business world. While I have enjoyed business, it has been my volunteer work which has most fulfilled me and given me my pride and joy: health administration. I like to think that I have outgrown the banking industry on a human level and want to now direct my career towards serving on teams in the business of healing, incorporating more humanity and nobility into my life’s work. As an equestrian, I serve as a volunteer board member of two therapeutic riding centers where we work with people struggling with autism, blindness, cerebral palsy, and many other maladies.

Master’s Health Administration Personal Statement

My growing interest in healing and healthcare has led me to this application to your distinguished master's degree in healthcare administration program. The skills that I have learned throughout the course of many years in the banking industry will enable me to hit the ground running and excel in your program, especially since they are coupled to my passion for healthcare: issues, concerns, new horizons, etc. XXXX University Executive Master of Health Administration is my first choice for further study for a variety of reasons, my attraction to the structure of your program, mostly online, location, curriculum; it all seems to have been tailored to meet my lifestyle, interests, and responsibilities.

In 2014, I was honored by XXXX Magazine in Greenwich, CT for my lifetime endeavors as an equestrian and polo player. I could not be more keenly aware of how privileged I am, have always been, and will quite likely always be. Thus, I now want desperately to make that privilege translate into helping to heal those who are less fortunate, those who are ill, and those members of my community who are suffering.

Master’s Health Administration Personal Statement

My experience of service as a volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House of NYC has also proved to be determinative in my desire to move from the world of banking to that of health administration. I have watched families struggle mightily to get what their child needs, while others navigate the system seamlessly. I have heard stories of bureaucratic nightmares that some parents faced that brought me to tears; thus, I want to devote the balance of my professional lifetime to fixing, streamlining, improving what I can for as many as I can in my community, especially the vulnerable with few resources.

I have years of management experience, team leadership, talent building, managing budgets, re-structuring management systems, enhancing focus on client/user experience, working in dynamic environments, empowering talent. I have built businesses from the ground up and I believe that much of my MBA skill set will help me to make important contributions to health care administration.

Master’s Health Administration Personal Statement

I want to become a mover and a shaker in health care administration.  I have always immensely enjoyed working with health care lenders in my group, helping hospitals to grow and doctors to expand or improve their practices. I thrive as part of a greater cause, helping to create healthier communities, making a difference, and effecting positive change is what fills me with energy and keeps me going. I feel very strongly, deep down inside, that it is simply wrong for some members of our community to have access to the finest medical care in the world and others none. I want to put my master's degree in health administration at XXXX to work, developing meaningful solutions to complex problems in healthcare, especially the challenges represented by the healthcare needs of the underserved.

As a result of my experience at XXXX, I hope to become an innovative health care leader, managing a variety of groups of talented professionals and their institutions, streamlining budgets, and addressing administrative needs in creative ways that increase efficiency, bringing out the best in institutions and people alike. I am highly confident in my ability to do this because, at XXXX, I will learn from the best to be the best and go on to represent XXXX University and its top-notch reputation with great honor and dedication.

Thank you for considering my application.

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Navigating Career Transitions in Your MBA Personal Statement

Gurufi

Though most applicants use an MBA to accelerate their climb within their current professional silo, many people use it to transition from one industry to another. For the past 15 years, Gurufi has helped thousands of applicants earn admission into top business schools, so we’re familiar with how to reposition yourself to use an MBA to alter your professional trajectory. Whether you have a non-traditional background or are making a significant career shift, your MBA personal statement is an opportunity to explain your journey, showcase your transferable skills, and demonstrate your readiness for this new path. Here’s how to navigate career transitions in your MBA personal statement effectively:

  • Acknowledge Your Background

If there’s something about your application that worries you, don’t ignore it, try to hide it, or hope the Admissions Committee doesn’t think about it. This is a bad idea for one simple reason: it won’t work. The best advice for how to handle unusual -or even problematic- aspects of your application that you know your reader will have concerns about is the same advice you’d give to a balding friend trying to fool everyone with a bad combover: what you can’t fix, feature. That is, if you know that the reader will have concerns, take them on head-on and even find a way to make it something that explains and contextualizes your mission and successes.

Start by acknowledging your non-traditional background or current career. Be proud of your journey and the unique perspectives it has given you. Highlight the skills, experiences, and insights you’ve gained from your previous roles. For example, if you’re transitioning from a career in the arts to business, discuss how your creativity, project management, and communication skills are valuable assets in the business world.

When you do this well, you’ll find that the reader appreciates your uniqueness. Remember, AdComs don’t want to fill classes with 150 photocopies of the same person, so your unusual path can really be a strength.

  • Explain Your Motivation for Change

Clearly articulate why you are choosing to transition careers and pursue an MBA. Admissions committees want to understand your motivations and how the MBA fits into your overall career plan. Explain the specific events or realizations that led you to this decision. Whether it’s a desire to acquire new skills, a passion for a different industry, or the need to advance to a leadership role, your reasons should be genuine and well thought out.

The main idea here is that your journey needs to feel coherent. The three points on the line -past, present, future- should feel like the same person, even if you’re making a pivot in your career.

  • Highlight Transferable Skills

One of the most critical aspects of transitioning careers is highlighting your transferable skills. These are abilities that are relevant and valuable across various fields. For example, skills such as leadership, problem-solving, communication, and analytical thinking are highly transferable. Provide examples from your previous experiences that demonstrate these skills. If you managed a team, resolved a significant challenge, or developed a strategic plan, describe these experiences and their outcomes.

  • Connect Past Experiences to Future Goals

Draw a clear connection between your past experiences and your future career goals. Explain how your background has prepared you for the MBA program and your desired career path. For instance, if you’ve worked in education and now aim to transition into educational technology, discuss how your teaching experience has given you insights into the industry that you plan to innovate. This connection shows that your career transition is a logical progression rather than a random leap.

  • Demonstrate Your Commitment

Transitioning careers often requires significant effort and dedication. Demonstrate your commitment to this new path by discussing any steps you’ve already taken to facilitate the transition. This could include additional coursework, certifications, networking, or relevant projects. Showing that you’ve actively prepared for this change reinforces your seriousness and readiness for the challenges ahead.

The idea here is that you need to show that this isn’t just a pipedream, it’s an aspiration connected to a plan that you’ve been working.

  • Address Potential Concerns

Admissions committees may have concerns about your ability to succeed in a new field, especially if your background is vastly different from the typical MBA applicant. Address these concerns proactively by discussing how you plan to overcome potential challenges. Highlight any relevant experience that may not be immediately apparent. For instance, if you lack a traditional business background, emphasize any quantitative or analytical skills you’ve developed in other contexts.

  • Showcase Adaptability and Resilience

Career transitions often require a high degree of adaptability and resilience. Share examples of times when you’ve successfully navigated change, adapted to new environments, or overcome significant obstacles. These stories demonstrate that you have the perseverance and flexibility needed to thrive in an MBA program and a new career.

  • Be Authentic

Authenticity is crucial in your personal statement. Be honest about your journey and your reasons for making a career change. Avoid embellishing your experiences or creating a narrative that doesn’t reflect your true motivations. Authenticity resonates with admissions committees and makes your personal statement more compelling and believable.

  • Tailor Your Statement to Each Program

Each MBA program has its unique strengths and culture. Tailor your personal statement to align with the specific values and offerings of each program. Research the school thoroughly and mention how its resources, faculty, and network will help you achieve your career transition goals. This shows that you’ve done your homework and are genuinely interested in what the program has to offer.

  • Seek Feedback and Revise

Finally, seek feedback from mentors, colleagues, or professional consultants like those at Gurufi . Constructive feedback can help you refine your personal statement and ensure it effectively communicates your career transition story. Revise your statement multiple times to polish your writing and strengthen your message.

For more help with your personal statement, check us out at Gurufi.com . Our personal statement editors and consultants have decades of experience helping clients get into top MBA programs. Our specialty is helping you craft compelling personal statements that move the needle in your admissions process! For questions, shoot us an email at [email protected] . Check us out on Facebook , Twitter , and LinkedIn .

Gurufi

Published in MBA , Bschool Life , Career , Gurufi , Admission Consultants , Applications and Blog

  • School of Nursing >
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  • Personal Statement - PhD

Personal Statement: PhD Program

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing program prepares nurse scientists who will contribute to scientific knowledge. Graduates will assume leadership positions in academic, clinical and research settings. The purpose of this statement is for you to provide information about yourself and to demonstrate your ability to express ideas clearly and logically. 

The personal statement should be no more than 1,000 words, double-spaced and typewritten and should be free of grammatic and mechanical errors. Citations are not required. Please include your name and the program you are applying for. 

Your personal statement should provide information regarding the following:

  • Describe your reasons for wanting to earn a PhD in Nursing. Provide any information about your background, training and experience that you believe is relevant to your qualifications for doctoral study.
  • Briefly describe a problem with a focus on nursing science on which you would like to focus your research.
  • Provide an example of how you have worked with diverse populations locally, nationally or globally. How do you believe your graduate education will help you to further your skills in working with people from diverse backgrounds?
  • Please include anything else that you believe is pertinent to your personal statement that was not included in the above.

Tanner Gelatt.

Tanner Gelatt Assistant Director of Graduate Recruitment 202 Beck Hall 716-829-3765 [email protected] Schedule a meeting with Tanner.

COMMENTS

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    I want to put my master's degree in health administration at XXXX to work, developing meaningful solutions to complex problems in healthcare, especially the challenges represented by the healthcare needs of the underserved. As a result of my experience at XXXX, I hope to become an innovative health care leader, managing a variety of groups of ...

  24. Navigating Career Transitions in Your MBA Personal Statement

    Here's how to navigate career transitions in your MBA personal statement effectively: Acknowledge Your Background; If there's something about your application that worries you, don't ignore it, try to hide it, or hope the Admissions Committee doesn't think about it. This is a bad idea for one simple reason: it won't work.

  25. Personal Statement

    The personal statement should be no more than 1,000 words, double-spaced and typewritten and should be free of grammatic and mechanical errors. Citations are not required. Please include your name and the program you are applying for. Your personal statement should provide information regarding the following: