Georgetown McDonough Essay Analysis for 2019-2020
Note on the essays from Georgetown McDonough: We want to hear your story. When responding to our required essays, be authentic and take time to reflect on your goals and past experiences. Craft a response that explains how these experiences led you to pursue an MBA.
Our goal at Georgetown McDonough is to craft a diverse class with people who have had varying personal and professional life experiences. As such, we want to give our applicants the opportunity to select one essay (from a list of three) that allows them the ability to best highlight their experiences, characteristics, and values that showcase the value proposition that they can bring to the McDonough community. Please select one of the following three essays to complete in 500 words or less and include the essay prompt and your first/last name at the top of your submission.
Q1. It can be said that life begins outside your comfort zone. Describe a situation when you were asked to lead outside of your comfort zone. What leadership characteristics did you exemplify in this situation that allowed you to succeed?
The question is very straightforward. When was a time you had to step outside your comfort zone to lead a team, a situation? Very clearly, the focus is on learning about a situation where you stepped out of your comfort zone, in the context of your leadership skills.
There are certain qualities inherent with “stepping out of comfort zone” – you are likely going to embark on a new challenge about which you don’t have any idea. The situation is new, you may not know what will happen next or how to react to it. You may have to take some risk in the process. Managing such situations requires a new way of doing things, new learnings which further leads to personal growth. Moreover, you expand your boundary and going forward, are capable of taking bigger challenges.
Leading other people outside your comfort zone will amp up the volume of challenges. You will manage a set of people through a situation that is new for you. You may be required to influence them, convince them to follow your vision, manage inter-personal conflicts, empower them and navigate any other people related challenges, in order to emerge successful.
Now, with this context, when was a time when you stepped outside of your comfort zone to lead a group of people? The questions asks of a time when you were asked to lead, you may not have taken up the role willingly, but it could be given to you. To structure the essay, use the STAR format – what was the situation? what was the need for you to think differently and do something that was outside of your comfort zone? What people-related challenges did you face? How did you resolve these? What were the leadership characteristics you used to gain success? What results did you achieve? Lastly, what was your analysis of the situation- why do you think you stepped out of your comfort zone and what did you do that made you achieve success?
The Georgetown Mcdonough adcom has not specified whether you should use a personal or professional situation, so feel free to use any so long as you are answering the questions competently.
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Q2. “Failure is not something to be ashamed of, it’s something to be POWERED by. Failure is the high-octane fuel your life can run on. You’ve got to learn to make failure your fuel.” -Abby Wambach.
Describe a situation when failure has been your fuel. What was your failure (or when did you not succeed to your full potential), and how did you use this as motivation to move forward and be successful in a future situation?
This is a very interesting question. Most b-schools stop at asking a failure situation. This one goes beyond to asking you how you used your learnings of a failed situation to achieve better outcomes the next time. In effect, you will present two stories. The wording of the essay question is strong. The McDonough adcom wants to see that failure doesn’t demotivate or deter you from achieving larger outcomes, but that it acts as a catalyst in your growth journey and make you aim for even higher results than you had originally planned for.
Start the essay describing the original failed situation and what you learned from it. How did this learning/ realization become fuel for the next situation? Why did you feel intrinsically motivated to improve upon your mistakes? Did you undergo some kind of training, knowledge or skill gain to prepare yourself for the future?
Next, dive into the next example. What was the situation? what were the challenges? How did you handle them differently this time? How did your past learning help you in navigating the situation better? What results did you achieve? Why was this example meaningful for you?
As with the first question, the focus with this one is on personal evolution and growth. By discussing your failures and how you worked upon them, you will also show self-awareness. Typically failure situations require an applicant to show a lot of maturity in analysing the failure, so, select your examples wisely.
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Q3. Think of the business leader or role model you admire or aspire to be. What are the defining characteristics of their personal brand that you see in yourself, why would you highlight those qualities, and how will those characteristics enrich the community at McDonough?
This essay has several parts to it and you must answer each one in order to give a complete answer. Also as all parts of the essay question are closely connected, make sure you weave a single thread throughout the entire essay. Therefore when you select your role model, take cognizance that you not only admire her/ him but also possess some of that person’s qualities and that they would be relevant for the Georgetown McDonough community.
With this in mind, who is your role model and why? What do you like about this person? How does she/he inspire you? While selecting your role model, we’d encourage you not to think of the most famous person or a family member that comes immediately to mind, but go a little deeper, and identify a person who you identify with for qualities that are prominent in your own personality. This will help you answer the next part of the question- what qualities of your role model do you believe reflect in your own personality? You can highlight these qualities of yours by giving a short example where they helped you make an impact. End this part with why these qualities are important for you? How have they played a role in your achieving success?
The last part of the questions requires you to contextualize your qualities for Georgetown McDonough Business School by explaining how you will use them to contribute to the community and enrich them? Needless to say, you can give a good answer here only if you understand the McDonough MBA program well enough. Do your research by talking to current students, alumni and admissions team members. Read through the program website and student blogs (which have a wealth of information), read through the b-school’s mission, vision and values statements and get a thorough sense of the program to understand how your qualities and strengths will enhance their community.
Video Essay: We ask that you introduce yourself to your cohort in one minute or less. The Admissions Committee would like for you to appear in person during part of your video, and we strongly encourage you to speak outside of the experiences we can read on your resume. Use this video as an opportunity to bring life to your application.
Optional Essay: Please provide any information you would like to add to your application that you have not otherwise included. (500 words or fewer)
Re-Applicant Essay: Required for re-applicants. How have you strengthened your candidacy since your last application? We are particularly interested in hearing about how you have grown professionally and personally. (500 words or fewer)
Recommendation Questions (One Recommendation is required):
1. Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, the applicant’s role in your organization.
2. How does the performance of the applicant compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? (E.g. what are the applicant’s principal strengths?)
3. Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response.
4. Is there anything else we should know? (Optional)