IMD Essay Topic Analysis

The following essay topic analysis examines IMD’s MBA admissions essays for 2025 entry. You can also review essay topic analyses for all other leading MBA programs as well as general Essay Tips to further aid you in developing your admissions essays.

IMD Essay Topic Analysis 2025 Entry

Let’s take a closer look at each prompt.

Which skills & experiences will aid your post-MBA career goals? What are the challenges and road blockers that you may experience and how will you overcome them? (Word limit 200 – 300)
After identifying your career goal industry, function, geography, and target firms, IMD asks this short answer. This is an opportunity to highlight your past experience, noting the skills you have honed in your career and how they will apply in the future. You may then address the skills/experiences you need that an MBA, particularly from IMD, would provide. Rather than writing in generalities about the program, diving right into specific courses and clubs of interest will enable you to get as much mileage as possible out of your comments in this tight space. Going beyond the program’s website and taking the time to learn about the program via information sessions or conversations with students and alumni will pay dividends here.

What is your plan B if you are not able to secure your ideal job post MBA? (Word limit 50)
This also appears in the career goals section of the application. The key will be to ensure consistency. There may be many stepping stones to your long-term plans–whether by skills, industry, or general experience. While you should identify the industry, function and geography in line with the data requested in the app, use the remaining space to explain how this alternate choice could still lead to your long-term goal.

Tell us your story. (Make sure you include specific examples that would be relevant to the application process). (Minimum length 300 words and maximum 400)
Given the narrow word limit, you will need to reflect carefully on the aspects of your background you most want to highlight–and what reflects the school’s admissions criteria. While a brief mention of your professional background may be appropriate, we encourage you to use this opportunity to showcase elements of your personality and candidacy that you will not have the chance to address in the application. Perhaps you have a particularly interesting work or extra-curricular experience to share, or a personal accomplishment or aspect of your heritage of which you’re especially proud. By covering a range of qualities and characteristics, this essay will allow you to demonstrate the well-rounded nature of your candidacy.

Is there any additional information that is critical for the Admissions Committee which has not been covered elsewhere in this application? (i.e. re-application, health, grades, etc.) (Word limit 100)
Given the short word limit here, applicants will not have room to dig deep into any outstanding issues. It will be best to be direct and concise, and avoid making excuses. Simply assert the issue and, if relevant, how you have addressed it or plan to address it.

Clear Admit Resources

Thanks for reading our analysis of this year’s IMD essay topics! As you work on your IMD MBA essays and application, we encourage you to consider all of Clear Admit’s offerings:

• IMD School of Business 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 IMD
• Clear Admit DecisionWire: school selections in real-time by admits to IMD