Rice Business Essay Topic Analysis 2023-2024

The following essay topic analysis examines Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business (Rice Business) MBA admissions essays for the 2023-2024 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.

Rice Business Essay Topic Analysis 2023-2024

Let’s take a closer look at each prompt.

Rice Business seeks to have a clear understanding of your career goals upon the completion of your MBA experience.

Short Answer 1

In 100 words or less, please share your short-term career goals.
Identify the position you hope to obtain immediately after school — down to the job title and 2-3 dream employers. You may address why this is your goal, whether for impact, skills, or as a stepping stone to your future.

Short Answer 2

In 100 words or less, please share your long-term career goals.
Identify the role you wish to occupy in the long term. You can also enhance the answer by accounting for the larger impact you hope to ultimately have in your career.

Required Essay 1

While we know a picture is worth 1,000 words, in 500 words or less tell us the story of a photo of your choosing that has significant value in your life experiences. Please feel free to share your photo!

You can complete this essay via a traditional written response (500-word limit) or via a video response (one to three-minute time limit).
The prompt is a chance to literally show the adcom who you are, where you come from, or what you care about. In deciding what content to develop, it’s  important to approach this essay from a strategic standpoint and write about something that is relevant to your business school candidacy. Remember that specific anecdotes will make a greater impression on your reader than a broad discussion. While your hobbies and activities are certainly of interest to the adcom, it’s important to avoid getting too personal. For instance, choosing a picture of and writing about one’s family can make an applicant sound immature (as though he or she hasn’t fully left the nest), and it’s difficult to predict how a reader will react to comments on potentially sensitive topics like politics or religion. Applicants will want to think reflectively about their values and personality, as well as strategically about what makes them unique with respect to other applicants. It is important to discuss your influences/experiences in a compelling and personal manner that conveys the depth of your enthusiasm for your topic.

When it comes to choosing a written or video format, you should consider your strengths and what format the content ultimately lends itself to. There are also several factors to consider when composing a video essay. No matter which topic you settle on, it would be wise to connect how your experience would translate to involvement at Jones, or how you could become a part of their community.

Optional Essay

If you have any additional information for the admissions committee or if you wish to clarify any aspect of your application (including breaks in employment, your choice of recommendation providers, your past academic performance, etc.), you may submit an additional, optional essay. (500 word limit)
This response will be an appropriate place to address any elements of one’s application that need further explanation (e.g. recommender choice, expected promotions, etc.). The wording of this essay is fairly open and inviting, and so it may be an appropriate place to share an additional anecdote or highlight an impressive accomplishment. Applicants should aim to demonstrate good judgment in deciding whether to respond to this prompt, and should take care not to introduce information that appears elsewhere in their materials or that could have been covered in response to the above essay.

Clear Admit Resources

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

• Rice / Jones 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 Rice / Jones
• Clear Admit DecisionWire: school selections in real-time by admits to Rice / Jones