Manchester / AMBS Essay Topic Analysis
The following essay topic analysis examines the University of Manchester / Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS) MBA admissions essay for the 2024-2025 admissions season. You can also review essay topic analyses for other leading MBA programs as well as general Essay Tips to further aid you in developing your admissions essays.
Manchester / AMBS Essay Topic Analysis 2024-2025
Let’s take a closer look at the prompt.
Essay 1
Professional Experience
1. Share with us the story of your career to date; how have you progressed, what achievements are you most proud of and how have they shaped you as a person?
2. Tell us about any leadership/management experience you have gained – this could also be in your personal life (e.g. managing people, leading teams or projects, managing important client relationships etc.).
3. Do you have any career gaps on your CV or very short-term positions that need explanation? If you do, please tell us about this.
1. Tell us about any personal and/or academic achievements that you would like to highlight.
2. What motivates and inspires you and what would you hope to contribute to your MBA class?
3. We understand that for various reasons not everyone is ready to ‘fly’ during their first degree and can be great achievers later or in other ways – you are welcome to tell us about that if relevant.
Manchester is looking to get to know you on a professional and personal level. While the minimum word count is 400, you should be sharing your greatest hits, not spelling out your resume in prose–so be wary of excessive length. Chris Healy, the Head of MBA Marketing & Recruitment at Manchester AMBS, shared in our Admissions Director Q&A, “The key thing for us is for applicants to ensure they find a way in their essays to demonstrate the ‘impact’ they have had in their roles and organisations. Not to merely list their responsibilities, etc., we want to see tangible ‘impact.’ Quality professional experience is integral for the Manchester MBA given how practical our programme is.”
Given this, drafting a compelling response for the Manchester MBA essay requires a thoughtful balance between sharing your professional story, highlighting leadership experiences, and showcasing your personal motivations and achievements. To start, provide a brief overview of your key roles, industries you’ve worked in, and how your responsibilities have evolved over time. Highlight specific achievements that show your ability to make an impact (e.g., improving operational efficiency, driving revenue growth, or leading successful projects). Focus on quantifiable results where possible, as they help the adcom compare you to your peers (and show how you excel, relatively). You should then reflect on how your professional journey has influenced your personal growth, e.g. your problem-solving skills, resilience, or adaptability. Ideally, examples of your leadership and management would feature in the aforementioned achievements; however, if you need to look outside of work, highlight examples where you’ve led teams or spearheaded initiatives. Demonstrate how these experiences have refined your leadership style and decision-making abilities. Finally for this section, if you have any gaps or short-term positions on your CV, explain them in a transparent and positive light. Perhaps you used the time for personal development, skill enhancement, or navigating a career transition. Be honest, but frame these experiences as opportunities for growth.
When you turn to the personal and academic section, mention any significant academic milestones (e.g., scholarships, awards) and personal achievements. These could include overcoming obstacles, completing challenging projects, or even accomplishments outside your career (such as community involvement, sports, or creative pursuits). Be sure to link these achievements to the qualities they reflect—dedication, perseverance, or leadership. Then, share what drives and inspires you, whether it’s the desire to make an impact in your industry, a commitment to lifelong learning, or a passion for leadership. Creating a link between your past and your potential future at the program will enable you to present a consistent and clear picture of your candidacy, as well as your professional and personal interests. The more information you can provide about how exactly you would contribute (playing a certain role in organizing a particular annual event, for example), the more reason you’ll give the adcom to admit you. Finally, if relevant, address why you may not have excelled in your first degree but have since become a stronger achiever. Focus on how you’ve developed professionally or personally since then, highlighting your growth and ability to succeed in demanding environments.
Wrap up by reiterating why you believe you’re a strong candidate for the Manchester MBA. Emphasize how your unique mix of professional experience, leadership skills, and personal drive aligns with the program’s values. Reaffirm how the MBA will help you achieve your long-term goals and how you plan to contribute to the Manchester MBA community.
Career Essay
Career Planning Questions (Mandatory, minimum 300 words)
1. Why is this the right time for your MBA?
2. Tell us about your short-term career goals immediately after graduating from the MBA.
3. It is important to be flexible and adaptable, so also tell us about your Plan B if you are unable to achieve your preferred goals immediately after graduating.
4. If you are looking for an international career – to change the country or region in which you are currently working – tell us more about this.
5. What is the connection between your current career background and your post-MBA goals and what gaps in your skill set do you need to develop through the MBA?
Manchester poses a fairly straightforward career goals essay, asking applicants to discuss both their short- and long-term career plans. The “plan B” is an interesting twist, and seems to hint that the school is looking for candidates who will be able to adapt. There is also an emphasis on timing, so applicants will want to ensure they hit this note in the course of the essay.
To start, candidates will want to identify the position that they hope to hold immediately after graduating from an MBA program, naming the industry, country/region and 1-2 organizations for which they would most like to work. You will then want to discuss your longer-range 5-10 year plan, explaining not just what role they hope to occupy, but also commenting on the broader impact they hope to have in this position. (Explaining your goals first sets the stage for why you need an MBA and how your experience to date supports these plans.)Then, establish a career summary to highlight your prior experience and skills you already possess. This will naturally lead to the gap in your skill set that an MBA would fill. Subsequently, touch on the ways an MBA would facilitate progress toward these goals, and explain why the timing is perfect. For example, perhaps you’ve reached a natural breaking point in your career or simply could not make any more progress towards your goals without an MBA. Then be sure to cover the factors that make Manchester / AMBS an especially good next step. To underscore this fit, it would make sense to name some curricular or programmatic offerings that are relevant to these objectives. Conducting thorough research on the program will help you achieve maximum impact with this brief response.Structurally, you may consider noting your “plan B” briefly at the end, or juxtaposing it with your “plan A” in the body of the essay.
Clear Admit Resources
Thanks for reading our analysis of this year’s AMBS MBA essay topics! As you work on your University of Manchester MBA essays and application, we encourage you to consider all of Clear Admit’s offerings:
- Manchester / AMBS School Profile on the Clear Admit website: up-to-date advice and admissions information
- Clear Admit LiveWire: admissions updates submitted in real time by applicants to AMBS
- Clear Admit DecisionWire: school selections in real-time by admits to AMBS