MBA Essay Tips: Discussing About Vision

Vision is our unique aspiration for our long-term and short-term goals. Top business schools look for visionary students for their class, who can contribute to the class discussions and case analyses and enhance classmates MBA expereince. Therfore, clear deliniation of your goals is essential for achieving success in MBA applications. Business schools look for individuals having great vision and the ability to combine realistic goals and objectives for their teams/employees. Often candidates assume that the admission committee understand their vision. But at times there is a big gap between the visions you have and the adcom`s perception of your vision. Unfortunately, many applicants do not take time to actually find out how well they have expressed their vision in their admission essays.  

You stand ahead of the competition if you are able to clearly communicate your vision to the admission comittee. You can test your vision using the SMART framework . 

Specific: Is your vision specific? In your MBA admission essay you need to be specific about your vision. Stating your vision precisely makes you win half the battle and make the reader believe you know what you want.

Example:

Do: My vision is to start a boutique consulting firm to provide low cost marketing services for FMCG clients in developing countries.

Don’t: My vision is to start a consulting firm.

Be as specific as possible. Do not worry. You can always change or fine-tune your vision during or after MBA. However, for the MBA application you have to be specific. Show the reader that you are focused.

Measureable:  Your stated vision should be measurable. In the above mentioned example, the "Do" one is not only specific but also measurable. It is easy to measure whether one has started a consulting firm focused on marketing services.

Attainable: Discuss your vision, which is achievable in the duration you are talking. For example, you do not have adequate experience do not say that your vision is to lead a multinational company as a CEO in next ten years. So be rational and discuss your vision, which is practically attainable in the term you are discussing.

Relevant: Your vision should be as relevant as possible to your previous work experience, extra-curricular activiteis and professional abilities. If you are a painter, you can say my vision is to start and own the biggest art gallery in London. This will sound relevant. However, if you say I want to be an investment banker; it will not help your candidature.  Another example: An Asset Manager`s vision to "Make 50 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches by 2:00pm." may be specific, measurable, attainable, and time-bound, however, lacks relevance. Therefore, while discussing your visions ensure relevance to you and your abiliteis and experiences.

Time bound: Do not forget to mention the time in which you plan to realise your vision. Suppose, you vision is to start your own enterprise. Only mentioning the same won’t suffice, you have to set a time frame, say 5yrs. Then you have to discuss how you are going to utilize this time to develop skills, abilities and arrange finance to start your enterprise.

Brew your words so as to reflect your vision to the admission committee.

REMEMBER: Your vision is the milestone to your committed goal.