When applying to the Notre Dame Mendoza MBA program, your essays are an opportunity to showcase not just your professional ambitions but also your personal qualities. The Mendoza College of Business places a strong emphasis on integrity, leadership, and a sense of purpose that aligns with their mission to create ethical leaders who “ask more of business and of themselves.” Below, we’ll break down what the admissions committee is looking for in each prompt and offer tips to help you craft a winning response.
1. Statement of Purpose (100 words)
What the Mendoza MBA Admissions Committee Seeks:
Notre Dame Mendoza seeks candidates with a clear, focused vision for their post-MBA careers. The statement of purpose should outline your short-term career goals, providing insight into the roles and industries you aim to target after completing your MBA. Mendoza values applicants who can demonstrate how the program’s unique strengths—whether its emphasis on ethical leadership, data-informed decision-making, or global business understanding—will help them achieve their professional objectives.
Notre Dame’s admissions committee wants to see a well-thought-out plan, not just vague aspirations. The key is to show that you’ve done your research on the program and understand how its offerings will support your specific goals.
Tips for Writing:
- Be concise and specific: You only have 100 words, so get straight to the point. Clearly state the roles and industries you are targeting. For example, if you aim to become a marketing manager in the tech industry, say so explicitly.
- Link Mendoza’s strengths to your goals: Mention specific aspects of the Mendoza MBA program that will equip you with the skills and knowledge to succeed in your chosen career path. Highlight things like leadership development, global business exposure, or ethical decision-making, which are core elements of the Mendoza MBA.
- Show self-awareness: The admissions committee appreciates candidates who understand how an MBA will elevate their current skill set. Demonstrate an understanding of where you are in your career and how Mendoza fits into your broader professional development.
2. Essay Prompt (500 words)
What the Mendoza MBA Admissions Committee Seeks:
The essay prompt, inspired by Notre Dame’s rich history and Father Sorin’s perseverance, is designed to assess your resilience, self-awareness, and ability to grow from adversity. Mendoza looks for candidates who embody perseverance, determination, and ethical leadership—traits that align with the university’s mission to “grow the good in business.”
This essay is your chance to demonstrate not just how you’ve faced challenges, but how those experiences have shaped your character and leadership style. Mendoza seeks candidates who can reflect deeply on personal or professional obstacles and communicate what they’ve learned. The committee also wants to know how these lessons have influenced the way you contribute to your community and the world.
Tips for Writing:
- Tell a compelling story of perseverance: Focus on a specific instance where you faced a significant challenge—this could be a personal or professional experience. Whether it was overcoming a major setback at work, rebuilding after a failure, or finding resilience in personal hardship, make sure your story reflects a genuine moment of perseverance.
- Highlight what you learned about yourself: Self-awareness is key here. After describing the challenge, reflect on what you discovered about your strengths, weaknesses, and values during the process. Did you find that you’re more adaptable than you thought? Did the experience help you become more empathetic or decisive? The admissions committee wants to see personal growth.
- Show how this has influenced your leadership and decision-making: The story you tell should connect to how you approach challenges today. Mendoza values leaders who are thoughtful and ethical, so discuss how this experience has shaped how you show up as a leader. For example, maybe your experience taught you the importance of resilience and you now lead with empathy when guiding teams through tough situations.
- Make it personal and authentic: Avoid generalities and focus on an experience that has had a deep impact on you. The admissions committee wants to know the real you, so be honest and vulnerable about your challenges and how you’ve grown.
- Tie it back to Notre Dame’s values: Mendoza prides itself on developing leaders who create positive change in the world. When reflecting on your lessons learned, connect it to Notre Dame’s mission of ethical leadership and making a broader impact. Show how your experience aligns with the values of integrity, community, and service.
Conclusion
The Notre Dame Mendoza MBA essays give you a unique opportunity to showcase both your professional vision and your personal resilience. In the 100-word statement of purpose, focus on your career goals and how the Mendoza MBA will help you achieve them. For the 500-word essay, reflect on a powerful moment of perseverance and demonstrate how it shaped your leadership style and values.
By combining a clear career vision with personal authenticity, you’ll be well-positioned to impress the admissions committee and show that you’re ready to contribute to the Notre Dame Mendoza community.
