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How did you realize you wanted a career in business?
People may be surprised to learn that my childhood dream was to become an artist. In elementary school, both my teachers and fellow students admired my artwork. Then, in high school, I took as many art classes as possible including an independent study, all of which advanced my cause. Thus armed with talent and training, I was poised, in a sense, to realize this goal. However, once enrolled in university, new interests peaked my curiosity. During my first year of college, I modified my dream of becoming the next Kandinsky and set my mind on becoming an art dealer upon graduation. Accordingly, I decided to double major in business and art history. After two years of pursuing these very different degrees, I was admitted into Business School. Suddenly, I was immersed in a world completely different from that of the humanities, and, to be frank, I enjoyed it. Global Marketing became more intriguing than 15th century painting. I came to realize the financial aspects of becoming an Art Dealer were more interesting to me than the art itself. I dropped my art history classes (but, importantly, not my interest in art and its history) and pursued a Marketing degree. Although my passion for the business world is stronger, my love of art has not decreased. When traveling, the local art galleries always yield many pleasurable hours. I still get my hair blown back when I see original works by Miro or Brancusi. I also astonish friends when I explain the philosophies underpinning movements like Dadaism or Rococo. In my heart, a business career comes first. However, I believe that the knowledge and creativity I gained from studying art will enable me to contribute unique ideas to the XXX School of Business and corporate world as a whole.
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MAJOR ESSAY Required: Describe an impact you've had on an individual, group or organization. How has this experience been valuable to you or others? (500 words)
I had read about it in the history books but, after moving to India, I was appalled to discover that the caste system, though seldom admitted, still prevailed in rural areas. Certain unfortunate members of society were being branded as 'untouchables', treated as outcasts, denied equal access to public schools and jobs, solely on the basis of their ancestry. More shocked was I to observe the public apathy. Something had obviously gone wrong in the years since India's independence in 1947. No stranger to discrimination myself, having suffered it in England, I resolved to one day ameliorate this tragic situation. The opportunity soon presented itself in the form of Revolutions, an organization dedicated to eradicating social injustice and started by prominent local intellectuals. Although I was young at the time of its conception, I played my part, distributing leaflets around the neighborhood for local events. As I grew with the organization, I started writing articles in local newspapers, raising awareness and urging citizens to reshape their negative attitude. Through our unrelenting efforts, we relieved many downtrodden people of their misery, empowered them to take control of their lives, and offered them hope for a better future. These experiences made me appreciate the impact a small group of determined individuals could make in society and, likewise, the impact one individual could have on a group. Initially, our activities centered on political discussions, but thanks to dynamic grassroots members like me, we converted those nascent thoughts into tangible actions - by organizing literacy classes to solve the unemployment crisis, for example. I played a major role in spreading the movement in local schools and involving more youth into the organization. This problem would not be solved overnight; it was important for future generations of leaders to be aware of it today. I discovered a lot about myself in the process, as I gradually became more aware of the world around me and my purpose in it. Initially, I was tentative, not knowing how I would be received. Having been shunned so cruelly before, the locals I worked with were naturally suspicious, more so when they heard traces of my foreign accent. But through patience and resolve, we found a way to break through the external appearances and see each other for who we really were. I saw the world through different eyes and realized what was truly important. It may take years to resolve this human rights issue, but I am proud to be part of this initial movement towards equality. The experience laid the foundation for a lifetime of community service and gave me the confidence to act for change. I learnt to stand up and fight for what I believed in. I consider myself fortunate to have had the ability to overcome some tough times in my life, times I was written off, when all I ever wanted was a fair chance to prove myself. My community efforts today focus on providing less capable or fortunate individuals a means to stand up for themselves and tackle the challenges in their own lives.
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MAJOR ESSAY - London Business School Please describe your experience of working in and leading teams, either in your professional or personal life. Given this experience, what role do you think you will play in your study group, and how do you intend to contribute to it? (500 words). Similar type of question asked at USC.
Just mention the word 'line-down' and my coworkers' faces will contort with fear. And for good reason. This dreaded term refers to an issue so serious, it virtually shuts the assembly line down. It's not a pleasant situation to be caught in and not something one should face alone. Which is why, when a teammate does encounter a line-down, we drop everything and rush to the aid of the beleaguered individual. No hesitation. No questions asked. The team comes first. Always. I've led numerous team efforts but it's the crisis situations that have had the biggest impact on my development as a leader. I was once assigned to resolve a line-down on our most popular product. The company was losing millions of dollars each day on cancelled orders. We toiled for two weeks without success. Pretty soon the executives were yelling on the phone, demanding answers. People started panicking, pointing fingers at each other and second-guessing my decisions. The situation was spiraling out of control. Meanwhile, the clock was ticking. It was time to take decisive action. I gathered everyone together and reminded them of the tough obstacles we had overcome in the past. We would overcome this one too; we just had to persist and believe in ourselves and in each other. I initiated a brainstorming session. We identified all remaining possibilities, and finalized a consistent plan of attack. It was hard asking them to spend yet another weekend at work, but I urged them to make one final assault. I remained with the team throughout the ordeal, listening to their concerns but allowing no room for accusations. Instead of making excuses to management or covering up our errors, I accepted full responsibility for any mistakes that the team made. After all, with power comes accountability. I was leading the effort; if anyone was to blame, it was I. It was important for me to lead with integrity. For with integrity comes trust - and one cannot lead without trust. We ultimately solved the problem but we would not have done it without the priceless contribution of every single member. We will not face any line-downs during the course of our MBA. But my experience in pressure situations will help me play a dynamic role in the group. When we face those inevitable last-minute obstacles on that term project, I will be a leader emphasizing a calm logical approach. I will advise the group on how to effectively organize and multitask, secrets learnt from a company where discipline, speed and efficiency mean everything. When tempers run high due to difference of opinions, I will act as negotiator and help resolve conflicts. When all seems lost, I will motivate, rejuvenate, and help drive the recovery. Finally, when someone needs guidance, whether on their assignments or on a personal problem, I will be there to help and provide honest advice. This will be my number one priority and most honored role. No one gets left behind on my watch. The team comes first. Always.
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MAJOR ESSAY - UCLA Please provide us with a summary of your personal and family background. Include information about your parents and siblings, where you grew up, and perhaps a highlight or special memory of your youth. (2 pages, ~1000 words) Similar question but with lower word count (~500 words) asked at London BS and USC.
I distinctly recall my first visit, at the age of fourteen, to my ancestral village in Goa. Far from the developed coast where I lived, this place appeared to be stuck in the last century. There was no television, and the inhabitants still traveled by bullock cart and relied on candles for light. It was a humbling, eye-opening experience, and I realized how my grandfather's courageous decision to transcend his outer limits in 1939 eventually influenced my own life. He had left his village for the big city, to join the struggle for independence against Portuguese colonization. He later laid the foundations for social reform in the state. He relentlessly strove for change in a place where the word is almost despised, and where 'Sussegado' (Portuguese, meaning 'without a care') is a popular local motto. My grandfather's pioneering spirit embedded itself in my parents. My father left a lucrative family business in India to follow his dream of becoming a doctor. Meanwhile, my mother pursued her law degree at a time when the public still frowned upon careers for women. They migrated to England to fulfill their ambitions. I was born soon after. I grew up with visions of becoming a soccer star - I never made the school team. My father's limited experience meant it was tough for him (and for me) to hold onto a stable position. We moved often, in search of that elusive perfect lifestyle. Today, I consider myself fortunate for that varied upbringing. But I didn't see it that way as a child. Every time I made some really good friends, or excelled at a sport, my life was tragically uprooted. When I was eleven, my parents decided that the time had come to return to India. They missed their families and wanted to serve their motherland. They were also concerned that their two children would grow up confused, without any knowledge of India's heritage. Talk about culture shock! I was abruptly confronted with a cataclysmic new way of life. Weird customs, strange foods, new languages, and an inhospitable climate all contributed to my bewilderment. Renowned for its beautiful beaches and laid-back lifestyle, Goa is a traveler's delight. However, I wasn't sure I could settle down here. No one seemed to care about the big issues affecting their lives, and no one seemed to take any action. Nothing seemed to ever happen; the locals were mostly content with the status quo. All my childhood dreams evaporated as I struggled to accept a new reality. I was placed in an ultra-competitive school. Having to master two new languages was no picnic either. And if I thought I would finally be free of the discrimination that had plagued me in England, I was sadly mistaken. My new classmates held a deep-rooted suspicion of outsiders, easy to understand after the history books so eloquently described the atrocities committed under foreign rule. I was an outcast. It was a low point in my life. My grades slipped and my teachers branded me a failure, beyond salvage. My sister had it easier - four years elder to me, she was exempt from the trilingual criteria. Besides, she was always highly motivated to do well in school. Me, I had so far survived with typically average grades, preferring instead to hang out with friends and explore new stunts on my BMX bike. Maybe I was tired of being labeled the underdog. Maybe I felt guilty at hearing my parents argue every night, wondering if they had made the right decision for their children. But after two miserable years of existence, I stopped complaining and accepted reality. I attacked those text books like never before. I lived, breathed and dreamed those languages as I gave up all other social activities for the next three years. I eventually ranked fourth out of twenty thousand students in the state exams. My willingness to learn the local language, and my dedication, earned me the respect of my peers and I made new friends. Things were looking up and my old life in England faded like a distant dream. I had woken up to appreciate the new adventure that India had to offer. I started volunteering extensively for social change, not because I felt obligated to carry on the family tradition, but because I recognized I had the power to change things on my own and set an example to the rest of society. My new-found self-confidence helped me when it came time to make a crucial career decision. While I had held little control over my future until then, I was now keen to forge my own destiny. I could join my father's medical practice, but with the job security would come a loss of choice. I had yearned for my freedom for years and wouldn't give it up so easily. I wanted to explore new worlds and uncover new opportunities. I wanted to make my own decisions and my own mistakes. I didn't want to ever regret what might have been. I took the path less traveled and joined engineering. My friends did not comprehend why I would give up the easy life. But my parents understood. Thus began the next phase of my journey into the unknown. A journey which continues to this day. Someone once said 'that which does not kill you makes you stronger.' True. The many changes which I resented as a child, have provided me with the confidence to survive in any environment, and instilled in me a love for traveling and a deep curiosity for the undiscovered. Life in England and Goa has taught me the values of humility, patience, and persistence, and the importance of family and community. Although I have since encountered many more unforeseen twists and turns, I now view these as learning opportunities, and mere setbacks rather than as permanent obstacles. It's during those times of difficulty that I have discovered I really am a survivor. I consider myself fortunate to have had the ability to overcome those tough times - times I was written off, when all I ever wanted was a chance to prove myself. Today, I spend time helping less fortunate or capable people tackle the challenges in their own lives. I now see the world through different eyes and realize what is truly important.
