SAMPLE STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

MBA EXAMPLE ESSAY

Write a candid description of yourself, stressing those personal qualities, assets, and
liabilities that you feel will influence your graduate work. Describe what you consider
to be your most important professional and / or academic achievement to date.
If one were to ask my friends to describe me they would describe me as a very pleasant,
diverse, active and intelligent woman. I think one of my most distinguishing characteristics is
the diversity of experiences I possess. I am a science student with a flair for the arts. I am a
woman with technical aptitude and an interest in management. I also have a passion for
traveling and understanding different cultures of the world. All these elements have given me
a very broad outlook, with varying degrees of knowledge in a range of topics. I strongly
believe that although some are not related directly, all these qualities will influence my
graduate work.
My Engineering degree has given a strong foundation to my analytical skills since civil
designing involves a lot of long, complex and intricate calculations and the application of basic
math skills. Over the past four years, I have been working part-time with my family firm,
SnMTech Systems. I am also the co-founder and active member with FOE - Friends of the
Environment. I have assisted in the installation of Enterprise-wide Resource Planning (ERP)
System at Blotech, a major Engineering Company. More than what I have studied in school
and college, it has been these experiences that have shaped the person that I am today.
I believe that this unique blend of experiences has made me a woman with an original point of
view. This blend has given me a broader perspective to and a good understanding of life and
a goal to aim for. Among other things, I have this diversity of experience to offer Utah
University. My most substantial accomplishment has been the success of the software
upgradation project that I managed at SnMTech Systems Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, where I have
been working as a part time Associate Intern - Management Information Systems since 1994.
During the first two years of my work at SnMTech, I had an opportunity to observe and work
with the existing system being used. Some of the software packages being used were
outdated versions. I have always been in touch with the latest software packages thanks to
the powerful PC I have at home and am quite used to working with a Graphical User Interface
(GUI) environment. At the office, there was great deal of chaos while preparing reports that
involved use of more than one software since compatibility between packages usually posed
a problem. The difficulty we faced putting different files together led to the final report
appearing rather haphazard sometimes.
I believe in providing and maintaining non-negotiable high standards and service. I
recognized that shifting to a newer GUI based software would not only dramatically improve
our documentation quality, but also increase productivity at the workplace. Presenting the
pros and cons to the management of the upgradation was a very challenging task. I was
asked to prepare a proposal regarding the upgradation of the firm's software. Initially, I
imagined this project would be rather simple but it turned out to be among the most
challenging and rewarding experiences of my life.
Through a firm-wide survey of operators and several one-on-one discussions of their own
preferences and solutions, I found that while everybody wanted an upgradation, they had
doubts since they would have to learn a whole set of new skills. In order to prepare a budget,
I procured quotations from various vendors and analyzed possible combinations. I realized
the necessity of a training course for the operators because most of them were not familiar
with the GUI interface. I examined the various training classes that offered private in-house
training for the employees. After a detailed analysis, I presented my report to the
management in the next meeting. They were pleased with my efforts and pleasantly surprised

at the cost of the project since it seemed to be comparatively less than what they had
anticipated.
Once I was given the go-ahead, the next hurdle was to implement the proposal and
coordinate the upgrading. To avoid any disturbance to the company's work, training sessions
were planned after working hours. The upgrading took a week and the training of the
operators took another two weeks. The really tough period started once the training personnel
left. The management felt that it was my responsibility to see that the operators didn't face
any problems once they actually started using the new software packages. I put in 60 to 70hour weeks for the next three weeks before everyone was comfortable with the new system.
While the benefits of using these packages were not immediately tangible, a few months later
our clients acknowledged that the quality of the reports we sent them had improved
considerably. In fact, a year later our firm decided to upgrade all of its software packages. I
consider this to be a tacit compliment for my efforts.
This project required me to believe in myself and in what I thought was good for the company.
I had to take a pro-active approach, take the initiative and play a leadership role in motivating
people and executing the project to completion A good manager is one who can figure out
where the problem lies, deal with it effectively by involving all the members of the company
and improve the overall culture of the company. The problem I saw at SnMTech had to be
resolved to sustain the company's image. The fact that I was able to pull off this task alone
has boosted my confidence in my abilities.

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Paragraph 1
A good introductory paragraph. This summarizes the next couple of paragraphs and also has
a certain intriguing appeal - it arouses the reader's curiosity and impels him to read further.
The first sentence, however, could easily have been dropped - the second sentence would
make a more compelling introduction to the essay.
Paragraph 2
Here the writer develops on the thread of diversity. Note that there is an emphasis on aspects
that are important to an MBA course (strong analytical skills, math skills, work experience).
The writer shows effectively that she has not been 'wasting her time' - besides earning a
degree, she has earned valuable work experience and done something for the environment.
Volunteer work is a strong advantage while applying to an MBA course - universities love
people with a social conscience! (To a lesser degree, this is true if you're applying to other
graduate courses as well, as long as you show that your primary interest, now and in the
future, is in the field you are applying to). At the same time, it is important that this experience
appears genuine - so before making tall claims, make sure that you can substantiate them,
preferably by actually doing some volunteer / social work.
The last sentence ties the paragraph together. The argument 'my experiences have shaped
me' is invaluable IF you have strong or unusual life experiences and in some cases can also
partially compensate for an average or below-average academic record.
Paragraph 3
We come to a shift in focus with this paragraph. The writer wraps up the 'diversity' thread well.
Saying that she has a diversity of experience to offer, 'among other things', is a good idea - it
implies that there is much more to her, qualities and assets that could not be described here
because of space limitations
It might have been a better idea to begin the next topic - 'most important achievement' in a
new paragraph. The abrupt change of subject has a slightly disconcerting effect here.

Paragraph 4
While this paragraph is ostensibly an introduction to the problem handled by the writer, it also
makes two points, subtly 1) she had been working in the family firm on a continuous basis and kept her eyes open to

spot an area of improvement,

2) she is familiar with popular software packages and very comfortable with a PC.

Paragraph 5
The first sentence risks sounding slightly pompous, but the writer's earnestness comes
through after reading the paragraph as a whole.
Paragraph 6
Comes across as systematic, organized and thorough. Good qualities for any graduate
applicant.
Paragraph 7
This paragraph shows considerable maturity and learning from the event. A problem is not
solved when you have a solution for it - implementing the solution is usually the biggest
hurdle. Also, she realizes that company-wide changes rarely yield instant results, and must be
followed up over a period of time to evaluate their effects. The last two sentences show that
this project also had an effect on the company management's thinking.

Paragraph 8
Reflective paragraph on what she has gained from the project. She certainly seems to have
been the driving force behind the project and it's an impressive achievement. It might have
been a good idea, though, to put in a line or two about how she learned to co-ordinate
between various entities to get her job done. Good ending paragraph.

Summary
This is a mature, well-written application essay. Some of the ideas here are gold mines for
other essays - describing how she founded and helped run FOE could be a whole essay by
itself, and can be used to show how she used leadership and team skills (see Essay 5 coming soon). Her experience in assisting in the implementation of an ERP system can also
be used as an example of team skills and project management skills. MBA applicants have to
write a number of essays for each school. It helps to have a bank of experiences to draw on.
Writing a series of essays also means that you can afford to have a limited scope for each
essay, and go a little deeper.
We do feel, however, that this essay was a tad too limited on the 'candid description' of the
writer. Diversity of experiences is an excellent point to make, but one more paragraph on
other aspects of the writer's personality would have strengthened the essay.
Each application essay should answer the question asked in full. Note, however, that this
writer says nothing about any liabilities that might influence graduate work. We have a tricky
issue here - must you mention some liabilities just because the question asks for them? Here
the writer chooses to ignore them and concentrates on qualities that will be an asset for
graduate work. It might have paid off in this case because the essay basically asks, 'How well
are you suited for graduate work'. In an essay question of the type, 'Discuss your strengths
and weaknesses' such a strategy would not work. Nevertheless, it's a tough choice to make

1.
My goal is to see myself in a key decision making role in a reputed organisation .For
that I should have the knowledge about the structure and functions of an organization
and a keen insight about the businesses. A MBA will help me in getting theses
knowledge. It also requires a good managerial and interpersonal skills which can be
developed during the course by taking part in the student committees and organizing
the events in the institute. I believe that the institute will provide me the opportunities
for applying the knowledge gained through curriculum .Programs like MILS will give
us the opportunity to interact with business leaders and get the insights about the
business world . I also strongly believe that the faculty members are highly qualified
with a good amount of teaching as well as professional experience. The other
important aspect is peer group .In an institute like IIT Madras the students will be
diversified . I can learn a lot from them and we can share ideas,which will play a
major role in improving ourselves.
2.
Five years from now I see myself as successful project manager in operations
successfully guiding a team of professionals. After learning all aspects of running a
business, some years down the line, I would like to start my own IT venture in some
undeveloped part of India and 20 years down the line, I would like to see myself
helping our team achieving success together and on the way contributing towards
development of the country.
I always loved to take challenges and handle responsibilities. Being inquisitive and
exploratory, I had taken Technology as my stream in graduation. B.E. in CSE has
helped me in improving my technical and analytical skills and 2.5 years of work
experience in a software firm has given me a sneak preview of professional world
which require a distinct skill of working in a team, emotional sensibility /control and
tolerance. MBA would help me to build up on this with decision making, financial
analysis, people to people skills, leadership and other requisite management skills.
Most Important It will help me to improve my business skills and ability to master the
business environment. It will also help me to forge relationships with other students,
alumni and faculty members that can turn into useful networking contacts.
In this flat world era where people from diverse cultural, economic, social, political
and regulatory environments are working together it is very important to sharpen all
required business, management and leadership skills. An MBA course, I believe,
would be right step in this direction.
NMIMS with its rigorous MBA program, its high quality teaching, one of the best
alumni and faculty network that foster creativity and leadership, will enable me to
learn the nuances of management in a holistic way and equip me with the right skills
to help me in achieving my dream.
3.
Born in Baroda, I belong to a family which has inculcated in me values like
perseverance & honesty. I did my schooling from Rosary school, a missionary school
which has instilled in me, modern values and a practical approach to life.
This continued to my college days as well. Being a part of Paramarsh, a non-technical
State level event for 3 years gave me experience in terms of time-management,
dealing with different personalities, crisis management, being part of a team as well as

leading it, etc.

I am immensely interested in Sports, football in particular. It has taught me to have an
attitude to always keep pushing myself to the limit and that in the end, individual
glory aside, it is the team that matters the most.
I am currently employed with a multinational company- xxx. My experience in the
Quality Assurance department has given me an exposure to a core mechanical
industry. I was assigned to the Wheel bearings segment which also included the 3rd
generation wheel bearing plant which was just being set up when I joined. xxx is the
only manufacturing unit in India to make 3rd generation wheel bearings from local
raw material and overseeing the setting up of this plant has given me a pretty good
understanding of industrial requirements and standards. I have come to the realization
that while an engineer deals with the details about a particular problem, being a
manager enables one to see the broader picture and visualize how all the pieces fit
together to comprise the whole. This has led me to believe that adding commercial
skills to my technical knowledge would expand my scope immensely and provide me
with an opportunity to work in a more challenging environment and to deal with a
variety of people. This should also help to lay the foundation for me to build a career
as an entrepreneur in the service industry sector.
The MBA programme at NMIMS would go a long way in helping me achieve my
goals. A distinguished faculty, great geographical location, a group of the brightest
minds of the country are only a few of the advantages of the management program at
NMIMS.
4.
Coming from a middle class background, I believe in good education, discipline and
striving for excellence. Journey of my father from a Hindi Medium School in village
to where he is today has motivated me to succeed in life and become a better and
smarter individual. Life has taught me a lot, and the combination of my education and
experiences has led me to where I am today and what I aspire to be in the future.
There are some key points in recent past that have molded my career objectives.
I excelled in school by being in top 3 ranks till SSC and represented my school at
national level Hansraj Trophy in football. During graduation, as a Marketing Head
of my colleges first cultural fest Apratim, accomplishing responsibility in branding
and funding led me to learn and realize the importance of working in a team, taking
initiatives, organizing and managing events. A balanced approach towards academics
and extracurricular and a habit of daily introspection helped me to hone my skills of
prioritizing different objectives.
Working in retail domain in IT and consulting giant, Infosys Limited, I had the
opportunity to be a part of Independent Validation Solutions (IVS) project of a
Fortune 500 company, Nordstrom. This incredible experience taught me how to be an
effectively lead under pressure and work in a team. Entrusted to manage Infosys
Jaipur Employee Engagement Initiative and to handle around 150 participants from
various levels, I learnt how to manage people with different interests and abilities. I
also got a special mention on our Intranet Sparsh for being winner of If I were
CEO of Infosys competition, where I had the opportunity to learn about problems
faced by my organization and devise potential solutions. Apart from all these, I was
also a part of Jaipur DC football team.

I am a keen learner and want to understand how large businesses are created and
managed. I found that in any organization, regardless of the nature of its business, one
needs to have good managerial skills to excel in career. Throughout life I learnt stress
and time management and how to accomplish various assignments simultaneously
and meet stiff deadlines. Though managerial aptitude can be acquired over years
through experience, I feel that pursuing a formal education in management from a
reputed institute like NMIMS would expedite arming me with the requisite skills so
that I can channelize my analytical and conceptual skills in achieving my career goals.
NMIMS, with its diversified culture, strategic location, excellent alumni network and
rich industrial exposure, will give me the competence to reach the pinnacle of
professional excellence.
5.
Finance, as a field, had always fascinated me ever since I graduated from college. I
believe my desire for choosing this field stems from the fact that Finance runs as part
of my family. My father is a Banker and my mother is a housewife who looks after the
household finances. Graduation in Engineering has provided a strong foundation in
Mathematics and other core fields of engineering. Since my school days, mathematics
was one subject in which I had always excelled. Due to my liking towards
mathematics as a subject and also the guidance given by my father, I made up my
mind to pursue a career in Finance.
During the course of my Engineering education in Electronics and Instrumentation
engineering, I had worked on a project based on Automation of a Water treatment
plant using PLC (Programmable Logic Controller). During the course of our Project
work, we had to go to a water treatment plant for the real time hands-on experience
and work on design required for the working of the plant. With the help of
corresponding authorities, we have prepared logic diagrams, analyzed the paper
layouts & pre-programming, testing of the PLC with logic dumped into it. This course
of project work has taught me the skills to manage, lead and collaborate effectively
with people. It has also inculcated problem solving and analytical abilities in me.
After graduating, I had started working in an IT company for a couple of years where
I had developed good organizational and interpersonal skills. I had also received an
award appreciating me for work in the project assigned to me.
I strongly feel that MBA in IFMR would give me ample of opportunities to apply my
knowledge to real world problems and also allows me to grasp the fundamentals in
Finance and Engineering.
6.
It has always been my dream to start my own venture having cutting edge of
technology and which makes a difference to lives of people. I chose to pursue my
degree in Production and industrial engineering so that I can learn about
manufacturing, production and technology. But during my time in the engineering
college and also during my summer internships, I realized that just begin at the
forefront of technology was not enough for achieving my goal. As David M. Ogilvy
pointed out In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a creative original
thinker unless you can also sell what you create. For achieving my career goals, I
need to strengthen my graduate degree with formal management education. This will
allow me to enter the corporate world fully equipped with all theoretical and practical
skills, which will aid me in facing the complex business environment with confidence.

With its well structured management program, top notch faculty base, real life case
study based teaching pedagogy and inspiring alumni network, DMS IIT-D is my
natural choice. I am confident that MBA at DMS IIT-D will enhance my strategic and
analytical abilities that will help me immensely in realizing my dream.
7.
Right from my childhood I had penchant for mathematical and analytical abilities.
This inculcated me interest in joining B.Tech IT from BSA Crescent Engineering
College one of the premier Engineering Colleges in India. My self evaluation
developed me an inclination towards Management Studies. But I started realizing
importance of Business Knowledge and Decision making during my work at Verizon.
Being a debate member of College I have developed skill to speak imprudent in
presence of large number of people. This helped me interact with CIO of Verizon once
where few of suggestions made by me about Organizational structure and
decentralization were highly revered and changes being implemented across the
whole Organization. My work experience of 27 months with two of biggest and best
Organizations of the world also made me realize the importance of Team Work,
interaction of people from Diverse Backgrounds. However in order to achieve my
long term career goal of occupying Senior positions at Big Organization an MBA
from B-School would be of utmost importance.
DMS-IIT Delhi, being one of the most prominent B-Schools of the country,
guarantees an eminent alumni base, excellent faculty, the chance to network with the
brightest minds of the country, and a lot of student-driven activities around the
campus. Therefore, the management program-me at DMS-IIT Delhi would be an
excellent platform for me to achieve my career goals.
8.
I believe that hard work is the key to success .Having interest in computers I
choose to do Engineering in Computer Science and gained the fundamentals of
technology and enhanced my analytical skils. Developing interests in organizing
events and participating actively in various committees during my Graduation, I
started realizing my management abilities. Coming into TCS I confronted the
real taste of how organizations work. I learned how the technical and managerial
aspects both contribute to the success of the organization. It was here I realized
how the lack of management expertise was hindering my better understanding of
a business scenario and perceiving it from a management and a technical
perspective. An MBA would help me have a holistic view of the management
practices and learn the fundamentals and practical implications of management.
I wish to be a successful manager and be behind innovations, managing and
leading an organization to heights. IIT Delhi with world-class infrastructure,
superior industry interaction and highly experienced faculty would help me
realize my dream of creating an impact in the corporate world.
9.
I believe that Technical and Management aspects must work in synergy for business
success. Having done my B.Tech from Delhi College of Engineering I have strong
analytical skills and logical reasoning skills which will definitely help me in the long
term.

I have a dream to see myself in a managerial position where I play a key role in
steering the corporation towards market leadership.
To reach this altitude I require a thorough and expert knowledge of the finer aspects
of the corporate world which is exactly what FMS, through its renowned faculty,
infrastructure, excellent industry interface, eclectic peer group and flexible curriculum
offers in its MBA program.
An MBA will provide me with managerial skills that otherwise require a long career
to develop and hence will be crucial in realizing my goal at the earliest.
10.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
My entry into the Mechanical Engineering was guided by my father who has completed
his diploma in mechanical engineering during the year 1985 and is presently employed at the
prestigious organization of DRDO since 1989. My father wanted me to start own industry only
after acquiring engineering degree & global business knowledge& skills.
The very purpose of my under graduation in Mechanical Engineering is to become an
entrepreneurship and start with design & development, manufacturing, assembly & testing,
and marketing of DOMESTIC ROBOTS with futuristic technologies.
Presently, I believe that my engineering has given a strong foundation to my analytical
skills involving lot of long, complex and intricate calculations and application of basic
engineering science and mathematics. It was an amazing opportunity for me to put my best
efforts at every stage of my learning in my college to achieve true vertical upward knowledge
& skills.
There were greater supports from my college that during my every semester (from
4th to 6th) vacations I could join for internships at DRDO, Bharat Fritz Werner Ltd,
and Surya Aerotech Industries. These internships helped me in practical
understanding of various mechanical engineering aspects like Design & Development
of products & assembly, system integration & laboratory evaluation, project
management, material management, quality control (QC), Industrial management,
System Fault Analysis (SFA) and Qualification of Systems (QS) Etc.

My college has organized various INDUSTRIAL VISITS &

WORKSHOPS participations were

..

However, with all these above knowledge and experiences, I strongly believe
that I must undergo MBA Post graduation which will enhance my managerial skills to
meet the finer aspects of the ever grooming a very complex businesses in both
domestic and global markets with confidence. My goal is to see myself in final

decision making role in business particularly with insight knowledge about the
businesses.
An MBA will help me in getting expected skills & knowledge.
Therefore I request this institute to provide me the opportunity to gain the
knowledge through MBA curriculum which will aid me in future
requirements as an entrepreneur.

INDUSTRIAL VISITS & WORKSHOPS

TVS Motor Company Ltd, Hosur
Industrial Visit - Organization Behavior, R&D factors, Assembly and
Automation Techniques
SAE AUTO TECH JBIET, Hyderabad
Workshop - Latest Technologies in Automobiles, Hybrid
(Fuel+Electric) drive vehicle, Future Technologies
IEEE IHCI 2012 Certificate Course, Bangalore
Workshop - Design, Development and Simulation of FSAE vehicle