UPDATE- THE TIPS FOR CMU TEPPER 2009 MBA APPLICATION ARE NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE. PLEASE POST QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS TO THE NEW BLOG POST.

CMU Tepper Submission Deadlines

Application Completed and Submitted Notification Date
October 29, 2007 December 21, 2007
January 7, 2008 March 17, 2008
March 10, 2008 April 30, 2008
April 28, 2008* June 2, 2008
*After April 28, 2008: Rolling

Tepper has shortened and simplified its application this year. Questions 2 & 3 are new. My comments and tips are in red.

CMU Tepper 2008 Essays

(Suggested length - 2 double-spaced pages per essay)

A. What are your short-term and long-term goals? How will a Tepper MBA help you to achieve these goals. (Please include any information regarding what steps you have taken to learn more about Tepper.)

Straight-forward goals question. What do you want to do immediately after earning your MBA? What do you want to do 5-10 years down the road? Yes your longer term goals can be fuzzier, but you should be able to show clear direction.Then discuss how Tepper's program (not ranking, reputation, or other generalities that apply to all top programs) will help you achieve your goals.

As you do your research, attend info sessions, and visit campuses, look for the distinctive pieces to any MBA program to help choose the schools you will apply to. Then use that data to demonstrate how well you know the program and what a great fit you are for the given school.

B. Describe an instance in which you made an impact as part of a team or as an individual. How did this experience help shape you as a team member or leader and how will it enable you to contribute to the diverse Tepper Community?

Note the emphasis on "impact" and "contribution" in this question. The question is not just asking you to describe your role, but the results of you being on the team. Did your suggestion enable the team to finish the project on time? Did you inspire and unite your teammates and lead them to unprecedented victory in college? Then, how will the qualities you developed or utilized during this teamwork experience enable you to contribute to Tepper?

C. Please answer two of the following three questions or statements. Please clearly specify which questions you are answering. Your two answers should equal a total of two pages or less.

1. Describe an obstacle you have faced in your professional or academic life. How did you overcome this obstacle and how did it foster your development?
2. Describe a time in which your ethics were challenged. How did you deal with the situation and what did you learn from it?
3. One thing people would be surprised to know about me is . . .

Choose the two questions that will best allow you to present yourself while complementing the required questions. You want each essay to present a different perspective on you and your talents.

D. Is there anything additional that you think we should know as we evaluate your application? Note: 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. You must complete this essay if you answered “yes” to the additional information questions on the previous page.

Use this optional essay,  or lose a great opportunity to provide even more reasons for Tepper to admit you.

If you would like help with your CMU Tepper MBA application, please consider Accepted.com's MBA essay editing and admissions consulting or a CMU Tepper Comprehensive Package.