Carnegie Mellon University Tepper MBA Essay Tips 2024-2025

Goals Video Essay

CMU Tepper asks applicants to submit a video essay outlining their post-MBA career goals in 2 minutes. Here’s the exact question:

“Now, let’s hear directly from you! We know that your career goals are an important part of your decision to attend business school, and we are excited to hear them. Please describe your post-MBA career goals. You have up to 2 minutes to respond to this question.

Please consider the following information in your response:

Please be as specific as possible. If you have not yet identified specific companies, that is okay. Just tell us what interests you for your next role or company. What about the industry, company, or functional role is appealing to you?

If you have any criteria you are using to evaluate career opportunities, please share those as well. We may have great opportunities to add to your list.

How does this post-MBA career goal relate to your long-term career plan?”

Since the format is a video, treat this more like a live conversation rather than a scripted essay. Present your short-term post-MBA goals as clearly and specifically as possible, even if you haven’t settled on specific companies. Be sure to explain your interest in a particular industry or role and outline how your short-term goals connect to your long-term vision. Keep in mind that you’ll likely have around 200-250 words, so focus on the core elements of your plan.

Required Essay

For the required essay, Tepper asks the following:

“The Tepper School community is committed to helping students reach their full potential. Explain your philosophy on helping others achieve their full potential. How have you implemented this philosophy in your professional life, and what impact has it had on those around you? How will this philosophy influence your approach to leadership in the Tepper School of Business and beyond?” (Maximum 500 words, double spaced, 12 point font)

Start by sharing your approach to supporting others and why it’s important to you. Then, use a professional example to illustrate how you’ve put this philosophy into action. We recommend using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to provide structure. Outline the situation, explain your role, describe the actions you took to support others, and conclude with the outcome and impact you had.

Be sure to also connect this approach to your future leadership at Tepper. By linking your past experiences to how you plan to contribute to the Tepper community, you’ll show how your personal philosophy aligns with the school’s collaborative culture. Provide specific examples of how you can get involved on campus and contribute to the school’s mission, which will strengthen your overall application.

Optional Essay

Here’s Tepper’s optional essay prompt:

“Is there anything else that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee as we evaluate your application? If you believe your credentials and essays represent you fairly, you should not feel obligated to answer this question. This essay is intended to provide a place for you to add information that you think is important but is not covered elsewhere in the application. This could include clarification of your employment or academic record, choice of recommenders or helpful context for the admissions committee in reviewing your application.”

This essay is an opportunity to explain any potential concerns or gaps in your application. It could be used to clarify a period of unemployment, a lower GPA, or to explain any unique circumstances that aren’t covered in your main essays. However, if you feel your application is comprehensive, there’s no need to complete this essay.

If you do choose to write this optional essay, keep it brief and factual, ideally under 500 words. Focus on providing context or explanations, without making excuses. Being clear and concise will ensure the admissions committee gets the information they need without additional work.