What are your reasons, both professional and personal, for applying for an MBA program? What are some skills or key competencies you would like to develop when studying at WHU? (No word limit)

Why WHU? Applicants are asked to highlight what they hope to gain from their business school experience. Gain and giving must be balanced here. Applicants must be thoughtful and succinct. If you are interested in consumer goods, for example, think about how you can organise a conference or invite a speaker to school to share your knowledge with other students. So you to be seen as part of a community, you must specify what you need to learn and balance individual growth with knowledge sharing. Consider what groups and activities could help you develop professionally, such as planning a special event.

After all, to write a genuinely appealing essay, applicants must clearly comprehend how WHU's curriculum will help them achieve their goals. It pays to learn about the school's curriculum, special programs, and extracurricular activities, either by talking to graduates or current students, or by using the WHU website. 

What are your plans for the first 3-5 years after graduation? What are your long-term career aspirations? How do you think the WHU MBA will help you to achieve your goals? (No word limit)

This career goals essay is a fairly simple one in terms of structure and  format - applicants are asked to remark on why business school is a good fit for them at this stage in their careers, to clarify their post-MBA career ambitions, and to outline how earning an MBA from WHU would help them achieve professional success.

We propose that you answer each question in the order in which it is presented in order to customize this essay to WHU, if you are able to make that work with the flow of your response. In your cover letter, you may mention your previous work experience and a hint at the future direction you intend to go in (for example, specify the industry or functional shift you hope to achieve), as well as why you believe an MBA would help you grow along that road. If you want to fully address this first question, applicants should also explain the timing of their application; whether you've reached a learning plateau at your current job or have identified an exciting opportunity that you want to act on right away, explain why you believe now is the best time for you to enrol in business school. It is possible that during this first portion of your talk you will also express the skills and information you expect to obtain from an MBA program with an eye toward your future aspirations (to be expanded on later). 

Following that, applicants should highlight their post-MBA plans in detail, both short and long term. Applicants should define their short-term intentions in great detail, including both the position the candidate expects to have immediately after earning an MBA and the 1-2 businesses that they intend to target. Candidates should also include a description of their broader 5- to 10-year strategy, particularly as WHU asks about the objective that leads their career decision. It goes to reason that setting a long-term objective would motivate the first steps in devising a strategy to achieve it. Apart from the “what” and the “where,” the admissions committee will be interested in the “why,” which is the impact that the applicant wants to have on a particular organisation, sector of the economy, consumer base, or geographic region. Finally, it would be appropriate for this discussion to focus on the specific curricular and programmatic offerings that make the WHU MBA a good match for the applicant's professional aspirations as well as personal interests. 

The admissions committee requests that you "describe the distinctive opportunities you want to explore at WHU." That sentence's essential word is distinct. In this essay, you must convince the admissions committee that WHU offers unique benefits. Describe the coursework, programs, cross-campus collaboration, dual degree options, clubs, conferences, and other features that set Stanford distinct from other top business schools. Learning about the school's curriculum, special programs, and extracurricular activities will help you write an essay response that stands out. 

Why do you want to study at WHU? (No word limit)

Why WHU? Applicants are asked to highlight what they hope to gain from their business school experience. Gain and giving must be balanced here. Applicants must be thoughtful and succinct. If you are interested in consumer goods, for example, think about how you can organise a conference or invite a speaker to school to share your knowledge with other students. So you to be seen as part of a community, you must specify what you need to learn and balance individual growth with knowledge sharing. Consider what groups and activities could help you develop professionally, such as planning a special event.

What sets you apart from other applicants? Why are you a perfect fit for the WHU MBA? (No word limit)

Use this question to paint a picture of your leadership style for the adcom. Position yourself now. If you want to work in healthcare management, you might appreciate someone who changed the way hospitals care for patients. Regardless of the example, tie it to leadership style. Choose a leader who shares similarities with your candidacy, future, or aspirations.

To answer the “why” question, discuss the person's attributes and how you have embodied these principles. You must know the leader's personality, not just his or her reputation. Were they synergetic? A dreamer? Eloquent? What do you enjoy about them? This should all be relevant to your candidacy.

Then, using the previously described leadership attributes, you must conclude this essay by making connections to how you would contribute at WHU. Consider whether classes, activities, school collaborations, clubs, conferences, or other offerings your engagement would enhance. Learning about the school's curriculum, unique programs, and extracurricular activities will help you draught a response that stands out.