Essays
You may submit the two required essays with your online application. In the first of the two essays you should explain your short-term (post-mba) and long-term career plans as specifically as possible. When combined with a Vanderbilt graduate degree, how will your previous experiences and personal attributes enable you to pursue these goals successfully? In your second essay for application please discuss in what ways would you impact Owen as a student and as an alumnus/alumna? How would you create change within the Owen community?
Each essay is limited to no more than 500 words.
If necessary, you may provide an additional statement to explain poor academic performance, weak test scores, significant gaps in full-time employment, lack of recommendation from your current or most recent supervisor, academic misconduct, violations of the law, or anything else that you think is important for the Admissions Committee to know about you that is not already addressed elsewhere in your application. Please use the Optional Essay space in the online application.
Recommendations
Your recommenders can submit your recommendations securely online to us along with your other application materials. Recommenders will also have an option to download a PDF recommender form if they choose to not complete an online recommendation. Instructions will be included in an email sent to each recommender after you enter their contact information in the Recommender section. All paper-based recommendations must be submitted in unopened envelopes, with the recommender’s signature across the sealed flap.
We require two recommendations from managers who can evaluate your personal qualities, ability to succeed in a top MBA program, and potential for success in management and leadership roles. One of the recommenders should be your current or most recent supervisor. If this is not possible, please provide a written explanation and ask a former supervisor to complete one of the evaluations.
Acceptable recommenders include current and former managers, clients, and individuals with whom you have worked regularly as long as they can provide a meaningful evaluation in a professional context. Recommendations from friends, family members, professors, acquaintances, peers, subordinates, or others who are unable to objectively evaluate you on an intellectual or professional basis are not appropriate and may detract from your overall application.
Additional evaluations or letters of support, while not encouraged or necessary, may be submitted if the recommender has special knowledge of your academic aptitude, work experience, career potential, or personal qualities. Such letters should also be submitted either online or in an unopened envelope with the recommender’s signature across the sealed flap. These should be additional letters, rather than replacing either of the two recommendations by the acceptable managers.
