Free Kelley MBA Essay Samples
The Kelley School of Business at Indiana University offers a two-year MBA program.
The following MBA essays were written by ARINGO MBA candidates who got accepted to Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business MBA program over the past few years. Read these free Kelley MBA Essay Examples to get a sense of what they are looking for at the Kelley School of Business MBA Program. Contact ARINGO MBA Admissions for help with your Kelley MBA essays!
To read more about Kelley School of Business visit the Kelley MBA page.
See below some Kelley MBA essay samples from MBA applicants:
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Upon MBA graduation, I hope to work for a consultant company in the US, such as Deloitte or McKinsey, and be a consultant specializing in the financial service industry. In this role, I will guide the financial service firms to utilize technology to improve their operations and reduce the cost and will also design strategies to maintain profits and balance the risk when the firms enter the competitive global market.
In the long run, I wish to be a Senior Consulting Partner who leads the financial department in one of the firms above, and which mainly focuses on the area of organization management, and primarily be responsible for consulting and working with management of banks to sustain strong and long-term business performance with organizational design and risk management.
After researching the Kelley’s curriculum, I have found Consultant Academy, the Management major and the Finance minor in Kelley to be a great match to my previous professional experience for a couple of aspects:
Firstly, Immersing in the financial service industry for more than 6 years equipped me with a strong understanding of the operation of the financial organizations from back office to front line and I truly experienced how operational costs affect the profits of the business. This experience, along with the global learning related electives of BUS-J 522 Strategic Management of Technology and Innovation & BUS-A 576 Strategic Cost Management will educate me how to effectively transfer a challenge raised by the digital to an opportunity for the financial firms, such as reducing the operational cost and improve the backing office by the innovative technology.
I am also excited to meet Academy Director Chris Littel and Career Coach Suzanne Stuebe, two professionals who own more than 10-years experiences as consultants and from whom I believe I could learn the case study in the real consulting industry other than financial perspective.
In the past five years, while working for ______ as a lead banker, I was able to financially examine different corporate clients and assist companies to get credits in order to overcome the financial shortage, from which process I fostered the strong capability of financial analysis and risk evaluation. Combined with the course BUS-F 541 Spreadsheet Modeling for Finance and BUS-F 525 Corporate Financial Risk Management, I will gain skills to test and analyze the credit risk for those financial firms in order to balance the risk and the profits.
Moreover, the combination between my co-working experience with global corporation Cargill, Incorporated and the electives of BUS-D 595 International Management & BUS-D 594 International Competitive Strategy will serve as a fundamental for me to consult the companies on how to manage the business globally, aligning both sides to achieve agreement on local regulations, native tax policies and different business operations because of diverse culture.
The outside course GLOBAS also provides me a stage to further enhance my leadership, which was already firstly fostered by my entrepreneur business of establishing a wedding studio in my college. This venture experience also started to develop my tactful communication skill, which if combined with the elective of BUS-W 505 Power, Persuasion, Influence & Negotiation in Kelley will assist me to convince those executives my solutions are the right ones by how to logically structure and express my thought to reach resonance.
Combined with Kelley’s MBA degree and my professional experience, I do believe my post-MBA objectives will be realized. However, if unfortunately, they are not, I would strive to work as a Financial Advisor in first-tier Investment Banking organizations, such as Citibank. The minor academy of Finance as my academic and CFA Chartership in the Kelley will be as indispensable as my previous related experience to bring long-term sustainable financial status and thus enable me to work as a consultant in the financial area.
In summary, my professional skills and the Kelley MBA will help make me a better leader and elevate my skills to become a better professional in the future.
My greatest challenge was when I assisted a film production firm, to get a $1,510,000 loan, which enabled it to participate in the production of the film Iron Sky 2.
Because of the passion I possess for the movie industry, as my childhood dream was to be an actress, I regarded the project not just as a duty but also as personal motivation. The process was harsher than I expected. When ____ initially asked for the loan service from our bank, it had limited cash flow, which meant that it had slim chances of getting approved.
Although my supervisor gave it little chance because of poor financial ability, I kept collecting data and researched its history to persuade him to support its application, proving the capital ability for high return to offset the financial shortcoming.
Even though the loan was rejected at first by the risk management department because of it being high risk, I flew to Beijing and kept persuading its shareholders to be the guarantor for two months, displaying my analysis about a promising market for _____.
After a period of 5 months, where I have found that all the problems had been resolved and were really close for approval, the reality hit me again. The project was pending the final approval of our branch manager, given the reason for the high credit risk of the media industry. Fortunately, my persistence didn’t allow me to give up. I cheered up the owner of _____ to be enduring; I went to another filming site, talked to the director to learn the filming expense and revenue calculation, and designed a payment streamline to supervise the cash flow in order to secure the credit.
After 7 months, _____ received the loan and started to produce the part filmed in China. It was the longest and hardest credit business process in my current career life. As for me, I contributed to its production which closed a circle in my life.
My greatest challenge happened when I was deployed to Afghanistan in 2014. As mentioned in my resume and in my previous essay, one of my duties as a Human Resource officer is to manage the awards program for my unit. This includes valorous awards in combat during operational deployments. Surprisingly, it was during this time I would face a challenge greater than any I had faced in my 21 months of deployment.
Throughout an operation, the previous day, one of our units was ambushed by a large Taliban force inside a cave complex near a forward operating base called xxx. This attack was larger than any we had previously encountered and lasted nearly 24 hours before the unit could break contact with the enemy. During this time a few soldiers were injured but fortunately, through the bravery and tactical competence of several others, everyone made it out alive.
Following this event, the challenge was not over, and it was incumbent upon me to ensure these men were appropriately recognized for their bravery. My battalion commander came to me with his recommendations and said, “CPT Anderson, the General is visiting in 4 days and we owe it to these soldiers to have their awards completed so he can present them when he gets here.”
In order to complete this task, I would need to gather sworn statements, citations, and all necessary information-hundreds of documents that normally would take at least 4 months to process and approve.
From there I flew via helicopter to xxx and gathered all the appropriate paperwork. Working through 4 levels of command, multiple general officers, and very little sleep, I was able to complete the awards.
On 8 August 2015, one Bronze Star and five Army Commendation Medals for Valor were awarded to 6 extremely brave and worthy American soldiers. I can proudly say it was because of my efforts these soldiers got the recognition they deserved.
Upon graduation, I would like to work in acquisitions for a large Rea Estate investment firm like Allianz Real Estate or Boston Properties. In this role I would like to expand my understanding of successfully negotiating and valuating property purchases and how that contributes to profitability. The experience and knowledge I would gain from this position would allow me to eventually become an entrepreneur in Real Estate development.
My military experience was life changing and provided me great opportunities. Through these experiences I was able to gain exceptional skills in leadership, teambuilding, and project management. I have successfully managed teams of up to 12 soldiers, worked in austere environments, and have over two years of international exposure. This coupled with the Kelley MBA will allow me to solidify a foundation of exceptional finance and network skills.
The most unique aspect of the Kelley MBA is that it allows a student the opportunity to supplement their academic studies with real-world examples. This experiential learning model would be extremely beneficial for me as my career as a military officer has fostered my leadership and team-building skills, but has atrophied my finance and business skills. I am planning on focusing my first year on Capital Markets where I could learn from seasoned professionals like Rebecca Cook. Her experience as a Portfolio Manager and Equity Analyst would provide me the unique opportunity to gain finance tools from someone with exceptional real-world experience.
The flexibility to select courses at Kelley would allow me to emphasize quantitative aspects of my MBA both for the sake of my own self-growth and future employer. Perfectly nested in the finance curriculum are courses like BUS-R 510 Real Estate Investment which would provide me the additional Real Estate specific education and knowledge I would need to pursue my short-term goals. Speaking with Gale Nichols, Director of Graduate Student Services, she mentioned how Kelley is considering a new emphasis on Real Estate education..
If my aspirations in Real Estate did not materialize as I plan, as a Kelley MBA graduate, I would strive to work in Investment Banking or Investment Management, looking to work for companies like J.P. Morgan Chase or Goldman Sachs
Kelley’s partnership with the Chartered Financial Analyst Program offers another unique opportunity for an individual to leave business school a prestigious hirable credential. I would attain this certification prior to graduation and pursue a career in Finance at a large firm. Another aspect of working for a large firm like J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. is these firms have Real Estate Investment Trusts. Working in this capacity offers me the Real Estate experience I desire, just through a different aspect of the industry.
The Kelley MBA offers me a unique academic experience, providing me the basis of financial knowledge I need to be delivered by a world-class faculty. These factors give me supreme confidence that the Kelley MBA will posture me to be successful in my professional life, no matter what the future circumstances offer.
There is one aspect of my application packet I would be remiss if I did not address. My cumulative undergraduate GPA is 2.29. As a military officer and the son of an xxx rancher, I do not make excuses or divert blame for my shortcomings. The only explanation I can provide for these marks is a significant lack of maturity back when I was in college. In retrospect, my performance does not represent an accurate indication of my current work ethic, academic ability, or my level of intelligence.
Despite the lack of emphasis on my studies I was always actively involved in many campus activities. Prior to college, I had always been active outside the classroom: I was a three-sport athlete and a member of the symphonic, jazz, and pep bands. When I arrived to the University of Idaho, my extracurricular activities became the primary focus of my life. I also worked nearly full time to finance my education. Campus activities included membership in the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity (I held four different offices in my time including Vice President), representing my house at the University’s Greek leadership council, intramural sports participation, and membership in the financial management association. I also organized many campus events within the Greek community. These experiences played a pivotal role in my development as it provided the chance to be a leader amongst my peers; an experience I found both rewarding and humbling.
While I regret incorrectly prioritizing my academic studies, my campus involvement triggered a dramatic change in my self-confidence and my ability to build and influence relationships. Starting college as a shy freshman with very low confidence, I am proud to have grown into an effective leader in the US Army. This evolution can be directly attributed to my involvement in campus activities as a student. Over the last decade, I have matured into a well-rounded professional that understands how to balance my obligations.
Since joining the Army, I have demonstrated high-quality academic work through my performance in advanced military education. I attended the Human Resources Advanced Officer Course, a six-month intensive graduate-level course for Army Human Resource study, graduating #8 overall out of 65 students. Additionally, in Officer Candidate School I was #25 of over 140 students (maintaining a top 10 rank in academics alone).
The growth I have experienced as a person and a professional over the last decade has been tremendous. I hope the program that accepts me will be pleasantly surprised at the contributions I make as a student and a professional post-graduation. I know my future is bright and I would be honored to join the Kelley MBA program and share in future success together.
For the majority of my professional career, I have worked across profiles in corporate strategy, retail operations strategy, and program management. Through this experience, I have developed an understanding of the industry, execution of strategic projects, analytical thinking, and a managerial mindset.
Now, I want to make a career transition to management consulting. In the roles that I have assumed so far, I have primarily dealt with project execution and management. In future roles, I hope to engage more with the essence of problem-solving – diagnosis, solution, and implementation- and I believe that an MBA now, will help me make this transition in more than one way,
Following my MBA, my immediate short-term goal is to become an Associate at one of the leading management consulting firms such as McKinsey, BCG, or Bain. A career in consulting would sharpen my problem-solving and decision-making skills through real-world cases and innovative ways to solve unique business problems. This would also set me on a course toward my long-term goal of leading the strategy vertical for an international retail company such as Amazon or Walmart.
I believe that an MBA from Kelley will open a multitude of opportunities in line with my career goals, provide the right tools to sharpen my problem-solving and business management skills, and be a part of an international network of current and future business leaders. Specifically, the consulting academy will provide me with the opportunity to gain first-hand experience in real-world consulting projects, network with Kelley alumni at the top consulting firms, and learn about the various opportunities through industry interactions and events. Understanding and navigating the complexities of many cultures is an essential attribute of being a business leader and the Global Business and Social Enterprise (GLOBASE) program at Kelley will help me gain this global business experience.
At Kelley, I wish to pursue my major in Management and minor in Finance discipline. Electives such as BUS-J501 Developing Strategic Capabilities, BUS-D594 International Competitive Strategy, and BUS-W550 Management Consulting would help me develop a fundamental understanding of the inner workings of the consulting industry while learning frameworks to consult companies based on the competitive environment in which they operate. Also, electives in Finance such as BUS-F546 Corporate Financial Strategy and BUS-F541 Spreadsheet Models in Finance will equip me with skills to apply tools and techniques to corporate financial decisions and develop financial models to influence decision making. Apart from the coursework, the focused approach and the support provided by the Graduate Career Services in helping the students realize their career goals is another benefit of pursuing an MBA from Kelley.
If the goals that I have mentioned somehow don’t transpire, then I wish to pursue an opportunity in a Financial Analyst role at a tier 1 investment Bank such as Goldman Sachs. The experience that I will gain there coupled with a minor in the Finance discipline will enable me to pursue a consulting career in Finance domain.
The achievement that I am most proud of is having launched the start-up investment vertical that has supported start-ups solving fundamental issues such as feminine hygiene, processing of agricultural biomass, and providing 100% organic and biodegradable products.
I am especially proud of leading the investment process in three Startups because of the nature of the problem that they are trying to solve. ‘Sanfe’, a start-up based out of Delhi produces products dealing with feminine hygiene. We were the first investors in this Start-up, providing not only the much-needed capital but also reach by distributing cost-effective products at 14,000+ fuel stations. Sanfe is now one of the leading Startups in India working in this industry. Another Start-up, ‘Eco-Opus’ founded by ambitious entrepreneurs hailing from the humble town of Amravati, is a unique social enterprise providing comprehensive services to farmers to manage their produce and farm biomass. Evlogia Eco-Care based out of Bangalore is working towards providing the world with alternatives to plastic and other non-biodegradable articles used in homes, offices, hotels, and other places.
Working on the implementation of the ‘Start-Up India’ program was especially rewarding and fulfilling as during the course of it, I had the opportunity to work with so many entrepreneurs from across the country who are providing solutions to fundamental problems and truly making an impact on society.
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