UPDATE- THE TIPS FOR NOTRE DAME MENDOZA'S 2010 MBA APPLICATION ARE NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE. PLEASE POST QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS TO THE NEW POST.

Notre Dame Mendoza 2009 Deadlines

 *Applications completed or received after March 16 will be considered on a space-available basis.

**Applications completed or received after April 6 will be considered on a space available basis.

***The May 11 deadline is for two-year applicants only and applicants will be evaluated on a space available basis.

Notre Dame Mendoza 2009 MBA Essay Questions

My comments are below in red. Since this year's application is identical to last year's, my comments are virtually identical as well.

Your responses to the essay questions are extremely important in the selection process. Please use separate sheets of paper for each essay question and include your name on each sheet. Your essays should be typed and double-spaced.

Each essay should be no longer than 2 double-spaced pages each.

Please complete the following essay.

What are your career plans immediately after graduation? Explain how your past experiences prepare you for your desired position. What are your long-term career aspirations?

Translation: What are you short-term and long-term goals? How have your past experiences prepared you for your short-term goal?

Note: This question does not ask "Why Notre Dame?" You do not need to explicitly answer that question, but the excellent response to this question will reflect Notre Dame's four dimensions of leadership: An integrated mind, broad perspective, heart (a guiding set of core values), and tenacity (the role of communication, motivation and mobilization). In addition, the long-term objective will be much more plausible if it grows organically from the short-term one.

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Additionally, please complete any two of the following five essay questions.

Choose the two that will allow you to best present yourself as a multi-dimensional human being who shares Notre Dame's focus on ethical general management.

1. Each MBA student at the University of Notre Dame is given the opportunity to contribute to the MBA community. What will you bring to Notre Dame and the MBA family?

Do your homework on Notre Dame. Where will you participate? Where will you contribute? Will it be student government? Professional clubs? Extra-curricular activities? Family activities? Your intended areas of activity should relate both to what you have done in the past and what you intend to do in the future.

2. What inspires you outside of your work environment?

What do you like to do when you are not at work? Do you participate in your church? Do you run? Belong to a band? Are you active in politics?

3. How do you define leadership? Please give an example of someone you feel is a great leader and explain why.

"Leadership" claims many definitions and sub-categories. Connect your definition to a great leader either current or past. Again, keep in mind Notre Dame's focus on integrated leadership and broad perspective guided by a strong sense of right and wrong when you are choosing your example and explaining why you believe he or she is a great leader.

If you can also volunteer a brief example of when you have provided leadership as you define it and as your "great leader" practiced it -- perhaps in your case on a more modest scale -- you wil be using this essay fully to advance the idea that you are a thoughtful leader who belongs at Mendoza.

4. Of which accomplishments are you most proud and why?

If your accomplishment shows the kind of leadership that Notre Dame is interested in, so much the better. If you demonstrate measurable impact, again, your essay and application will be that much stronger.

5. Describe a failure or disappointing experience in your life. How did you react and what did you learn?

Don't fudge on this question. Write about a real failure or disappointment. You can use this essay to bring out another side of you, perhaps a teamwork experience or something that happened a few years ago. Frankly, your response to the situation is probably the most important part of the question. Please see:

• Flaws Make Your Real
  

• Admissions Tip from Dr. Pausch's Last Lecture (Part2)

If you would like help with your Notre Dame MBA application, please consider Accepted.com's MBA essay editing and admissions consulting or one of our Notre Dame Medoza Comprehensive Packages.

(Don't forget to vote!)