UCLA Anderson Application Essay Tips, 2025–2026
UCLA Anderson stands out among MBA programs because of its location in a large city with many different industries, its collaborative culture, and the flexibility it offers to customize your business school experience. Anderson looks for applicants who embody the school’s three pillars: sharing success, thinking fearlessly, and driving change. As you think about the authentic story that you want to tell about yourself, weave in examples that show how you exemplify these pillars. As with any other school, to get a true picture of Anderson’s culture, it is important to talk with students — this is where the elements that make Anderson special can really shine through.
This year, Anderson has retained two of the short-essay prompts from last year and updated the third, keeping the word counts the same for all three. Take time to think through what is important to tell the admissions committee about your experiences as you dive in.
For the 2025–2026 application year, Anderson’s three short essays are required for both first-time applicants and reapplicants.
Short Essay Prompts
Essays are meant to complement the information provided throughout your application to highlight how an MBA fits into your career goals and journey. Strong essays are introspective, genuine, and succinct – while showcasing a clear vision for your future and the impact you plan to make on the Anderson community. Essentially, we want to learn more about who you are and why an MBA from UCLA Anderson is the right next step in your life.
1 – Why is the MBA the right degree for you to pursue both personally and professionally? (150 words)
Think about this first prompt as a way to explain both why you feel you need an MBA and why you have chosen the goals you will describe in your second essay. Think about a story you could use to start this essay that shows why you are inspired to pursue your stated goals. Depending on your level of professional experience, you might need to include more or less information. If you plan to stay in your current industry or enter a similar one, you might not need to offer as much explanation, but you anticipate changing careers, you’ll need to explain why your goals make sense for you.
2 – Describe your post-MBA short-term and long-term career goals. (150 words)
Start by describing the types of problems you want to be working on in the long term. This goal can be more broad — who knows what the landscape will look like long term? So think directionally. For example, you might write something like “I want to ensure that everyone has equal access to education and training that can help them succeed and grow in their careers.” For your short-term goal, identify the role, industry, function, and at least one example company. Although no one will hold you to this specific goal, offering this level of detail shows that you’ve done enough research to know where you want to be post MBA. A solid short-term goal might be something like “I want to be a product manager at an education-access-focused company such as Coursera.” You might then go on to discuss what you need from an MBA program that will help you achieve these goals. Identify three or four gaps in your knowledge or skills that business school can fill or provide. Did you study something other than business as an undergraduate? If so, you probably need insight into business overall. What functional knowledge do you lack? And in which area do you want to grow as a leader? If there is something unique about your profile (e.g., you’re applying earlier or later in your career than most candidates do), you could also include why now is the right time for you to get an MBA.
3 – What makes UCLA Anderson a top choice for you, and how will you engage with and contribute to the community? (250 words)
Starting with your list of what you need to learn at Anderson to be successful in your career, research the school thoroughly to learn how Anderson could help you fill those gaps. Be specific. Which classes will you take, and which clubs or experiences will you get involved in? And don’t stop there; think about how you will be an active contributor to the classroom and community. Do not stay too high-level. Every sentence should be one that only you could write, because no one else has your experiences and your specific goals. For example, “In Professor Anderson’s ‘Market Research’ class, I hope to build strategies to identify new markets in education and develop pathways for the growing number of non-college-bound secondary students.” And make sure you address the “engage with and contribute to” part of the question. If there isn’t a club related to your professional goals (such as an Education Club to go with our example), you could discuss potentially starting one! Don’t forget to talk with Anderson students as part of this process. Although there is a lot of information on Anderson’s website, the best way to show the admissions committee that you’ve done more research is to learn what is truly going on on campus and be thoughtful about how you could contribute. Would you take a leadership role? Is there a gap in content you think you could fill? All of this is best learned by connecting with students and/or recent alumni.
Optional Essay
Are there any extenuating circumstances in your profile about which the Admissions committee should be aware? (250 words maximum)
No preference is given in the evaluation process to those who choose to respond to this optional essay, so please use your best judgment.
Anderson’s optional essay is truly that — optional. This is a place where you can address any questions that the admissions team might have when looking over your application. Usually, these questions center on academic readiness, career potential, or choice of recommender. This essay is an opportunity to explain to admissions what was happening “behind the scenes” that they cannot glean from the other parts of your application. Were you working a full-time job to support your family when you were an undergraduate, which might have affected your grades? Have you chosen someone other than your direct supervisor as a recommender? Is there a gap on your resume? Use this essay to provide the bigger picture. If you don’t have any extenuating circumstances, though, best to leave this one unanswered.
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