darden mba essays

UVA Darden School of Business Essay Tips and Examples

June 16, 2023

Denise Potter

The University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business has long highlighted the strength of its community, the way students collaborate both inside and outside the classroom to learn and grow, and the value of bringing people from diverse backgrounds and with differing mind-sets together, and the school’s application essay prompts focus on all these ideas. Candidates must provide three short essays—which the school interestingly refers to as “short answer questions”—of 100 to 300 words. As a whole, the essays cover applicants’ personal, educational, and career objectives while touching on aspects of Darden’s particular character and ethos. Read on for our analysis of Darden’s 2023–2024 prompts.

UVA Darden 2023–2024 Essay Tips

Essay 1: Community of Belonging – What would you want your classmates to know about you that is not on your resumé? (100 words)

Before you start writing, do some foundational research into what the Darden community is like and how it functions. The school is known for having a very collaborative, close-knit student body, so the admissions committee understandably wants to know that you are not only aware of this fact but also ready to engage with and contribute to the community. So, in a mere 100 words (just a little longer than this paragraph), you must reveal that you have a perspective, attribute, background, and/or talent that will enrich and support the student body in some way. 

Although the prompt refers to your future classmates broadly, an important element of the Darden MBA experience that you must keep in mind as you craft your response is its learning teams. These are carefully selected groups of five to six students, assembled with the intent of creating an eclectic mix of personalities and backgrounds. This group meets in the evenings to tackle the next day’s case work together (and if you are not familiar with the case method, now is the time to do your homework on it as well!). Learning teams are a core element of the Darden program, in part because some cases are so voluminous that students must take a divide-and-conquer approach and teach one another the material. In the classroom, students discuss and debate the material at hand, exchanging ideas, knowledge, and proposals and actively working through the lessons together. In short, the learning experience at Darden is intense and complex, requiring strong teamwork skills and contributions but also providing support and camaraderie. Also, much of what occurs outside the classroom at the school is spearheaded and facilitated by the students, rather than the administration. 

So, perhaps you are a great debater and can clearly see and elucidate multiple sides to a story. Or maybe you have a talent for diffusing tense situations with humor and so can keep a tired and stressed group of ambitious students with strongly held but opposing views in a good headspace and cooperating civilly. Perhaps you are a certified Reiki practitioner and can help your classmates manage their stress and energy levels. Or you might have an interesting and/or novel extracurricular talent, interest, or background and could create or contribute to a club through which to share it with your fellow students (consider, for example, the school’s popular School of Brew ). Within reason, the skill or trait you choose to highlight here does not matter as much as establishing that it would make you a positive addition to Darden’s MBA experience. 

To learn more about Darden and the characteristic elements of its MBA program, download a free copy of the mbaMission Insider’s Guide to the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business Administration .

Essay 2: Inclusive Impact – Please describe a tangible example that illuminates your experience promoting an inclusive environment and what you would bring to creating an inclusive global community at Darden. (300 words)

In business school—as in life in general—you will encounter people who think differently from you, operate according to different values, and react differently to the same stimuli. And success in an endeavor often involves considering and incorporating others’ input and standpoints. Via this essay, Darden hopes to learn how you view, approach, and engage with such differences. Once enrolled in the school’s MBA program, you will be surrounded every day by people who are unlike you in a multitude of ways, and you will need to work in tandem with and alongside these individuals when analyzing case studies, completing group projects, and participating in other activities both inside and outside the classroom. The school is clearly seeking evidence that you are capable of listening, reflecting, learning, and growing and that you are interested in people and input that come from outside your usual frame of reference. And by asking you to share a time when you “promot[ed] an inclusive environment,” Darden is requesting actual evidence of this open-mindedness in action. 

At mbaMission, we love when admissions committees request examples, because they invite essays that use a narrative structure, and we believe such essays tend to be not only more revelatory but also more interesting to read (always good when trying to make an impression on someone who reads literally thousands of essays each year!). To illustrate, you might start by launching directly into your story and immediately highlighting the actions you took to enhance inclusivity in a given situation: “When I realized that some of our new hires were reluctant to take part in our company’s weekly ‘wine wind down,’ I committed myself to finding out why and what could be done to ….” 

Darden will understandably want to know the outcome of the incident you describe, so you need to relate the results of your actions, but the admissions committee is even more interested in knowing what your motivations were, what decisions you made, and what steps you took to effect change. In other words, you must illustrate the values and thought process behind your efforts, in addition to clearly conveying your actions and their outcome. 

Keep in mind, however, that the incident or situation you share should claim only one half of this essay. The admissions committee is also interested in learning about how you expect to apply your mind-set and dedication to inclusivity once you arrive on campus.  

Essay 3: Careers With Purpose – At this time how would you describe your short-term, post-MBA goal in terms of industry, function, geography, company size and/or mission and how does it align with the long-term vision you have for your career? (200 words)

At one of mbaMission’s annual conferences, Darden’s Executive Director of Admissions Dawna Clarke shared with us that one of her favorite expressions is “You don’t know what you don’t know” and that she keeps this maxim in mind when considering Darden applicants’ career goals. MBA students encounter an incredible (and often surprising) number and breadth of professional opportunities while in business school, and given Dawna’s extensive admissions background, she knows only too well that candidates can and do change their minds and trajectories along the way. This understanding is behind the intro to this prompt (“At this time,…”), but Darden nonetheless wants to know that you have given this aspect of your MBA experience very serious thought, have thoroughly researched your options, and are approaching business school with a strong sense of purpose—that you have a fitting and attainable goal in mind and can articulate it clearly. By providing the level of detail the essay question demands (“industry, function, geography, company size and/or mission”), you will be able to convince the school that you have done the necessary background work and are fully cognizant of where you want to go after graduating. 

Note that the admissions committee asks specifically about your short-term goal, which is often a pretty practical one, compared with applicants’ typically more idealistic long-term goals. So, first make sure that the path you have chosen is a sensible one for you. Ask yourself, “Will a Darden MBA help me get from where I am now to where I want to be?” If, for example, you are a journalist and have dreams of working at a hedge fund after you graduate, the admissions committee will probably not respond very positively to your plan, because hedge funds tend to be the domain of math PhDs and seasoned finance professionals. The school wants to feel that you will be able to achieve your aspirations after completing its program, so you want to avoid goals that could sound farfetched. Instead, as a journalist, you would need to identify a far more realistic path, but one that is true to who you are. Being ambitious is great, but the goal you present must be connected to reality, and to demonstrate that connection, you will have to spell out why your objective is a reasonable one for you. Establishing briefly that you have the skills and knowledge to enter your target field will make that logical connection for your admissions reader, reassuring them that you can be a happy and productive graduate. 

One’s career goals are often part of a traditional personal statement, so we encourage you to download your free copy of the  mbaMission Personal Statement Guide , which helps applicants write this style of essay for any school. This complimentary guide offers detailed advice on approaching and framing these subjects, along with multiple illustrative examples. Be sure to  claim your copy today .

The next few questions are not technically essay prompts, but they are part of the Darden application and should be treated/approached with the same level of thought and effort.

The Batten Foundation Worldwide Scholarship provides all Darden students in our full-time MBA program with an opportunity to participate in a Darden Worldwide Course . Darden has an incredible network of alumni and partners around the world, and, in a typical year, the School connects with over 80 countries. If you could choose any location in the world, where would you want to travel? (5 words) 

And why (50 words).

First, we want to make sure you fully understand what this essay prompt is revealing. At the aforementioned mbaMission annual conference, Dawna explained to us that because of this generous Batten scholarship, every single Darden student can now afford to participate in an international course at some point during their two years in the program. Business school is an experience rife with opportunities, and Darden wants to make sure no barriers stand in the way of its students taking advantage of this particular one: the chance to study abroad and explore new horizons. While this essay prompt might initially strike you as hypothetical, let us reassure you that it is very much grounded in reality. In addition, the admissions committee has noted on its blog, “Th[is] question is intentionally broad. While we encourage you to review our Darden Worldwide Course offerings, you are welcome to go beyond the locations where we deliver a course when crafting your response ” (emphasis added). So really plumb your interests and identify a location that truly excites you—then write about it!  

You can reveal yourself to be adventurous, curious, or intellectual by pinpointing which country most entices you. Then clearly and succinctly (your response must fit a delineated box, so no longwinded travelogues!) convey your enthusiasm for this choice and explain how the opportunity would enhance your Darden education and experience. 

( Note that the previous paragraph is exactly 50 words long! )

If there is further information you believe would be helpful to the Admission Committee, please provide it. (250 words)

We tend to believe that the best use of the optional essay is to explain confusing or problematic issues in your candidacy, and this prompt offers an opportunity to do just that. So , if you need to , this is your chance to address any questions an admissions officer might have about your profile—a poor grade or overall GPA, a low GMAT or GRE score, a gap in your work experience, etc. In our mbaMission Optional Essays Guide , we offer detailed advice on how best to take advantage of the optional essay, with multiple examples, to help you mitigate any problem areas in your application.

However, because Darden does not stipulate that you can only discuss a problem area in this essay, it does open the door for you to discuss something that is not addressed elsewhere in your application but that you feel is truly critical for the admissions committee to know to be able to evaluate you fully and effectively. We caution you about simply trying to fill this space because you fear that not doing so would somehow count against you. Remember, by submitting an additional essay, you are asking the admissions committee to do extra work on your behalf, so you need to make sure that time is warranted. If you are using the essay to emphasize something that if omitted would render your application incomplete, take this opportunity to write a very brief narrative that reveals this key new aspect of your candidacy.

The Next Step—Mastering Your UVA Darden Interview

Many MBA candidates find admissions interviews stressful and intimidating, but mastering this important element of the application process is definitely possible—the key is informed preparation. And, on your way to this high level of preparation, we offer our  free Interview Guides  to spur you along! Download your free copy of  The UVA Darden Interview Guide  today.

To learn more about the essays for other top business schools, visit our  MBA Essay Tips and Examples Resources Page .

2023-2024 Business School Essays MBA Essay Tips University of Virginia (Darden)

Tags: business school essay MBA application essays UVA Darden

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Darden MBA 2023-2024: A Detailed Guide with Essay Analysis and Program Insights

The University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business, much like Harvard Business School (HBS), employs a case method teaching approach and consistently receives top ratings for its professors and teaching quality in publications such as The Princeton Review and Bloomberg. Due to its rigorous academic curriculum, the MBA program is affectionately dubbed a “bootcamp” by both current and former students. This moniker is a testament to the program’s ability to effectively place graduates in demanding fields like management consulting and investment banking.

With a relatively small class size of slightly over 330 students and a picturesque campus located in Charlottesville, Virginia, Darden fosters a close-knit community. Traditions like “First Coffee,” where the entire school gathers each morning, create opportunities to get to know nearly every fellow classmate within the program.

Darden is also deeply committed to providing international educational opportunities for its entire student body. Thanks to a generous donation, the Darden Worldwide Scholarship Program offers funding to every full-time MBA student, enabling them to partake in international experiences as an integral component of their Darden business school journey.

MBA Curriculum

UVA Darden’s MBA curriculum focuses on equipping their students with practical problem-solving abilities throughout the two years of the program. Year one has a strong emphasis on the case method, and in year two, you will continue to gain a hands-on academic experience by taking a range of elective courses. Students complete 10 courses over the first three quarters of their MBA as part of the core curriculum. Some of the topics covered in these courses are Decision Analytics, Strategic Thinking and Action, and Leadership Communication. Students complete these courses together with the “learning team” they are assigned to in their first year. At Darden, you can choose from over a 100 electives in a wide range of subjects to shape their academic experience. These electives fall under areas of study such as Communication, Ethics, and Sustainability.

The Darden MBA class of 2023 reported an average salary of 192,800 USD. 

Darden MBA Details

MBA Curriculum:  At UVA Darden, our MBA curriculum is carefully designed to cultivate practical problem-solving skills over the course of two transformative years. Year one places a strong emphasis on the case method, and in year two, you’ll continue to gain hands-on academic experience through a diverse array of elective courses. As an integral part of the core curriculum, students complete 10 courses during the initial three quarters of their MBA journey. These courses encompass subjects like Decision Analytics, Strategic Thinking and Action, and Leadership Communication. Importantly, students navigate this academic voyage together with their dedicated “learning teams” formed in the first year. At Darden, you have the privilege of selecting from an extensive catalog of over 100 electives, spanning diverse fields such as Communication, Ethics, and Sustainability.

For a comprehensive list of our courses, please explore the [Darden MBA Course Catalog](insert link).

Majors:  While Darden does not formally offer majors within the MBA program, we do provide the opportunity to pursue career track concentrations and specializations. Among these, the Management Science Specialization is designated as a STEM specialization, sharpening analytical skills. Additionally, students have the freedom to choose from an array of concentrations, including:

• Asset Management / Sales and Trading
• Business Analytics
• Business Development and Growth
• Corporate Finance / Investment Banking
• Corporate Innovation
• Entrepreneurship
• Global Business
• Innovation for Sustainability
• Strategy Consulting
• Supply Chain Management

Experiential Learning Programs:  Experiential learning is seamlessly integrated into the fabric of our MBA curriculum at Darden. Beyond the case method, students engage in consulting projects and live action cases as an integral part of their coursework. The practical insights gained through these classes are further enriched by a wealth of global and domestic learning opportunities.

Research Centers:  UVA Darden boasts nine vibrant research centers and initiatives, offering students a thriving academic community to enhance their educational journey. These initiatives encompass diverse areas, including the Global Water Initiative and the Business Innovation and Climate Change Initiative.

Admission requirements

• Bachelors Degree
• GRE or GMAT

DARDEN MBA ESSAY ANALYSIS 

Lets dive into the essay analysis for Darden MBA 2023-2024

Essay 1: Community of Belonging

What would you want your classmates to know about you that is not on your resume? (100 words)

Essay Analysis:

The UVA Darden MBA program’s Essay 1 is straightforward and concise, with a word limit of 100 words. It’s designed to give the admissions committee a glimpse of your personality and character beyond what they can find in your resume. Here’s a breakdown of the question:

• Content : The question is about revealing personal qualities or experiences that cannot be found in your resume. You should aim to share something unique about yourself, something that can help create a more comprehensive understanding of who you are.
• Word Limit : The 100-word limit is restrictive, so you’ll need to be precise and thoughtful in your response. Every word counts, so avoid unnecessary details or generic statements.
• Purpose : The purpose of this essay is to show your fit within the Darden community and how you’ll contribute to it. Consider what you can bring to the class and the community.

Sample Cue:

“Beyond my professional achievements and experiences listed on my resume, I want my future Darden classmates to know that I have a deep passion for community engagement. Over the years, I’ve been actively involved in local volunteering initiatives, where I’ve not only contributed to various causes but also witnessed the transformative power of collaboration and empathy. I believe these experiences have honed my teamwork and leadership skills, which I’m eager to bring to the Darden community. My commitment to fostering a sense of belonging and giving back aligns perfectly with Darden’s values, and I’m excited to be a part of a class that shares this vision.” (Word count: 100)

This sample cue focuses on a specific passion and the skills gained from it, directly tying it to the idea of creating a “Community of Belonging” at UVA Darden. It shows the candidate’s alignment with the school’s values and their desire to contribute to the community. Remember to tailor your response to your unique experiences and values while adhering to the word limit.

Essay 2: Inclusive Impact

Please describe a tangible example that illuminates your experience promoting an inclusive environment and what you would bring to creating a welcoming, global community at Darden. (300 words)

The essay topic for UVA Darden’s MBA application is centered around your experience in promoting an inclusive environment and how you would contribute to building a welcoming, global community at Darden. The key components to address are:

• Tangible Example : The essay requires you to provide a specific and tangible example from your past experiences that demonstrates your ability to promote inclusivity.
• Relevance to Darden : You should connect your example to how it relates to the values and culture of Darden.
• Future Contribution : Explain how your experience and qualities make you an ideal candidate to contribute to a welcoming, global community at Darden.

Sample/Cue:

To address this essay prompt effectively, consider following this structure:

Introduction (Approx. 50 words):  Begin by introducing the example you’ll be discussing, briefly summarizing the context and its significance.

Body (Approx. 200 words):

• Tangible Example : Describe the specific experience where you promoted inclusivity. It could be a work project, a community initiative, or any relevant experience.
• Challenges and Actions : Discuss the challenges you encountered and the actions you took to promote inclusivity. Highlight your leadership and problem-solving abilities.
• Impact : Explain the positive impact your efforts had on the environment or community. Quantify results if possible.

Connection to Darden (Approx. 50 words):

• Discuss how this experience aligns with the values and culture of UVA Darden. How does it reflect your potential to contribute to their community?

Future Contribution (Approx. 50 words):

• Summarize the qualities and skills you developed from your experience and how these will enable you to create a welcoming, global community at Darden.

Conclusion (Approx. 50 words):  Wrap up your essay by reiterating the significance of your example and expressing your enthusiasm for being part of the Darden community.

Remember to keep the essay concise within the 300-word limit and ensure that your example vividly demonstrates your commitment to inclusivity and your potential to contribute to Darden’s community.

Essay 3: Careers With Purpose

At this time how would you describe your short-term, post-MBA goal in terms of industry, function, geography, company size and/or mission and how does it align with the long-term vision you have for your career? (200 words)

Essay Analysis: The essay prompt provided by UVA Darden for your MBA application is centered around your short-term and long-term career goals. It asks you to describe your short-term post-MBA goal and explain how it aligns with your long-term career vision. The key components to address in this essay are industry, function, geography, company size, and mission, both in the short term and long term.

Here’s a guideline on how to approach this essay:

• Introduction (Approx. 30 words):  Begin by briefly introducing your current career status and the overarching theme of your career aspirations.
• Clearly state your short-term post-MBA goal in terms of industry, function, geography, company size, and mission.
• Explain why this goal is important to you and how it aligns with your skills, experiences, and passions.
• Describe your long-term career vision. How do you see your career evolving over the years?
• Highlight the broader impact or purpose that drives your long-term goals.
• Emphasize how your short-term goal is a logical step towards your long-term vision.
• Show how your experiences, including the MBA, will facilitate this transition.
• Conclusion (Approx. 30 words):  Sum up your essay by reiterating the significance of your goals and expressing your enthusiasm for the MBA program at UVA Darden.

Sample cue-

My current career in [your current industry] has provided me with valuable insights into [mention relevant aspects]. My short-term post-MBA goal is to transition into [new industry/sector] where I can leverage my skills in [function] and contribute to [company mission or impact]. This move aligns with my long-term vision of [describe long-term vision] and my desire to make a lasting impact in [related industry/sector]. UVA Darden’s MBA program, with its strong focus on [mention relevant aspects of Darden’s program], will be pivotal in helping me achieve this transition.

Remember to tailor your response to your unique experiences and career goals, making it personal and convincing. Keep your writing concise and to the point within the 200-word limit.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, crafting a compelling MBA admissions essay for UVA Darden is pivotal in presenting your career goals effectively. Your ability to succinctly articulate your short-term and long-term objectives in terms of industry, function, geography, company size, and mission can greatly influence the admissions committee’s decision. Remember to align your goals with your unique experiences and aspirations, showcasing how an MBA from UVA Darden is the next logical step in your journey towards a purposeful and impactful career.

1. What is the word limit for the UVA Darden MBA admissions essay on career goals?  The word limit for this essay is 200 words. Adhering to this limit is crucial to ensure your response is concise and to the point.

2. How can I make my career goals stand out in the essay?  To make your career goals stand out, focus on specificity and clarity. Clearly state your short-term and long-term goals, making sure they are well-defined and feasible. Emphasize the alignment between these goals and your experiences and passions.

3. Should I address all aspects (industry, function, geography, company size, and mission) in my essay?  Yes, it’s important to address each of these aspects as they are part of the essay prompt. Be succinct in your descriptions while explaining how they fit into your career vision.

4. Can I mention any specific programs or features of UVA Darden that align with my goals?  Yes, you should mention specific programs or features of UVA Darden that attract you and align with your career goals. This demonstrates your research and genuine interest in the program.

5. Is it essential to connect short-term and long-term goals in the essay?  Yes, it’s crucial to demonstrate the logical progression from your short-term goal to your long-term vision. This helps the admissions committee understand your strategic thinking and commitment to your chosen path.

6. How should I proofread and edit my essay for clarity and conciseness?  After writing your essay, read it aloud to check for clarity and conciseness. Remove any unnecessary words or phrases. Ask a trusted friend or mentor to review and provide feedback before final submission.

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2023-2024 Darden MBA Essay Tips and Example Essays

Jun 15, 2022

• Who is Darden looking for?
• How should I answer Darden essay questions?
• We Make Your Story Shines

UPDATE : This article was originally posted on August 26, 2020. It has been updated with new information and tips below.

With its unique case study method and coursework that includes classes on cutting-edge topics such as analytics and machine learning, Darden is at the top of the list for candidates seeking to build successful careers in the modern economy.

However, after the school announced a STEM-eligible MBA specialization, competition to join Darden’s elite MBA is more difficult than ever.

That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to help you use your Darden admissions essays to stand out. We’ve rounded up our best tips and links to UVA Darden MBA sample essays to ensure you give your Haas application your best shot.

1. Who is Darden looking for?

(Photo courtesy of @dardenmba on Instagram)

“Darden’s rigorous, purpose-driven education simulates the performance pressures of modern business, developing innovative leaders who not only navigate change — they spark it.” Darden Admissions

Every year, Darden selects a group of outstanding professionals to join its annual class of around 350 students. With a strong emphasis on diversity, there is no “typical” Darden student, yet the average admitted student in the Class of 2024 had an average GMAT score of 720, a GRE of 319, and 29 years of age .

Beyond the impressive scores, though, Darden is looking for candidates who want to make a positive impact on the world through their careers. That’s why, in addition to strong academic performance (demonstrated through the GMAT/GRE and university grades), Darden seeks candidates who influence classmates to become better people, cheer on others to achieve success, and genuinely care about others. 

2. How should I answer Darden essay questions?

Darden stands out as one of the handful of MBA programs that only give applicants a short amount of space to discuss their profile in the application essays. At Darden, no essay you’ll write will be longer than 300 words. In the words of the Admissions Committee :

As such, your greatest challenges while applying for the Darden MBA will be choosing the right mix of stories and ensuring you can express yourself clearly and concisely . Our tips below are designed to help you accomplish this difficult task!

2.1. Essay 1 Tips

Community of Belonging: What would you want your classmates to know about you that is not on your resume? (100 words)

This prompt requires two elements: knowledge of the Darden community and the information you wish to share with your classmates.

If you don’t know much about the Darden community, it’s going to be hard to write a compelling essay that demonstrates how you will fit in. So first start out by doing your homework. What is unique about Darden’s community, and what opportunities can you take advantage of on campus? Which of Darden’s many student clubs are you excited to join, and which social events most appeal to you? Which parts of Darden’s culture do you identify with? Finally, how can you contribute to the program in a way no one else can?

After doing your homework, we suggest you start crafting your by selecting a few different aspects of your profile that you believe make you unique. As stated in the essay tips the school provides on its site , any type of example for a question like this is applicable. In their words: “This is a chance for you to let your true self shine. Hobbies, interests, passions, values — it’s all fair game here.”

Thus, we suggest that you first think about the other aspects of your profile and personal brand that you’ve already touched upon in other parts of your Darden application. Then, think about additional ways you can bring value to the Darden community. 

For example, our client Luigi focused on how his empathy for others has shaped his leadership style. He brought in examples of how he has used his empathy in his professional life to improve the lives of poor farmers in Brazil. He then talks about how he can share this perspective to help his classmates become more collaborative and conscious of the impacts their careers will have on society. 

Another client talked about how he was recruited to help his company solve a financial challenge at a branch in Angola and developed a solution, together with that country’s government, that not only solved your company’s financial issue but also provided a reliable food source for thousands of Angolans. He then wrote about his plan to share the challenges of performing business on an international scale with his learning team to help them become more high-potential global leaders. 

This prompt is broad, so you’re free to choose elements from your personal and professional life. Just make sure you choose your most high-impact story or personal characteristic and meaningfully connect it with what you believe your future classmates could gain from it. 

Finally, make sure you’ve got the tone right. Darden wants to hear something about your story , so imagine you’re sitting across the table from a classmate. This approach can make the essay feel more personal and genuine, helping you win over the Darden admissions committee.

TOP TIP : If you’re having trouble fitting all of this information into just 100 words, our team of editing experts can be your ace up the sleeve by helping you incorporate as much content as possible to show off your profile in this super short essay. 

Need more guidance? 

Our MBA Resource Center has dozens of Darden MBA essays that worked to get our clients admitted to help you plan out a winning UVA Darden essay. 

Our library also includes guides for all top global MBA programs, detailed essay brainstorms, interview tips and mocks, CV templates, and recommendation letter guides. Click to join ! 

2.2. Essay 2 Tips

Inclusive Impact: Please describe a tangible example that illuminates your experience promoting an inclusive environment and what you would bring to creating a welcoming, global community at Darden. (300 words)

This question also clearly touches on two aspects that Darden values highly: leadership and DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion). Because of this, you will want to focus on a time when you took the lead to step up for others who belong to marginalized groups.

This question seeks to understand how well you “fit” with Darden’s core values, including their commitment to diversity . As such, showing that you thrive in and help promote more diverse environments will be the key to demonstrating that you belong at Darden. 

Though you may be tempted to include a list of leadership experiences for this question, Darden clearly asks you for a single experience, though they do not dictate that you must draw this example from your professional experience. For many applicants, this will be a great opportunity to share something from your personal or volunteer experience.

As such, considering Darden’s focus on responsible leaders and on creating a “New Story of Business,” start by brainstorming a list of examples in which you created impact in the realm of DEI. Then, as you read through the list, try to determine which were most meaningful to you or most impactful in the community at large.

To get things started, keep in mind that you don’t have to think of a time you demonstrated earth-shattering impact that changed an entire industry (a lot of clients worry that if they didn’t change the world in a big way, their essays will lack impact). 

For example, a past client of ours was instrumental in founding an LGBTQ+  group at a top consulting firm in his home country. Under his leadership, the group grew from 3 to nearly 50 members, radically changing the way LGBTQ+ persons were treated in the office. Furthermore, he also gave lectures at various universities, showing that LGBTQ+ persons are just as welcoming in the consulting career as anyone else. This move greatly increased the number of LGBTQ+ new recruits in the following years. He then ended by showing how important it is to win over allies when working to change office culture. 

Though the possibilities are endless, essentially, Darden wants to see how you use your leadership skills to make your communities more inclusive. 

To do so, we truly feel you should stick to the STAR framework to ensure you deliver an answer that reveals why inclusion is a key value. Start with an introduction that sets the stage before introducing the challenge or challenges you were facing or helping others overcome to make a work or personal environment more inclusive. 

Continue by showing what you did (this is the part in which you’re actively demonstrating your capacity to lead). During this section, focus on showing how you accomplished what you did and why you felt the actions you took were appropriate for the challenge. End your essay by showing the result you were able to achieve (we suggest you focus on examples with positive outcomes), how your environment became more inclusive, and what you learned about leadership in the face of DEI in the process. 

TOP TIP : Illustrating impact in your essays can be difficult, so make sure to check out this post to ensure you are effectively demonstrating your impact in this essay.

2.3. Essay 3 Tips

Careers With Purpose: At this time how would you describe your short-term, post-MBA goal in terms of industry, function, geography, company size and/or mission and how does it align with the long-term vision you have for your career? (200 words)

Again this year, Darden essentially has asked you to write a very short version of a traditional MBA goals essay. Furthermore, they have deliberately been very clear about what they want here: short-term goals and how they relate to your long-term vision.

TOP TIP : If you’re not sure what your goals are, check out this post designed to help you think through this critical component of your application!

When discussing your goals , clarity is king, so make sure you include a job title and industry in your description of your post-MBA aspiration. 

However, goals without context can be a little confusing to decipher or understand (or they can just seem a bit lackluster). For example, a recent client initially started his essay by saying: 

“ I want to become a Business Development Director at a Brazilian company. ”

While interesting, it’s better to give a little bit of context to help these goals come to life. Check out the final version of the same essay’s introduction:

“In the 1970s, the phrase “think global, act local” came into use, suggesting that for the world to change, one must be active locally. With this mindset, I focused my career on Brazilian multinational companies to start creating global change at home. I now seek to take the next step to become a “glocal” leader by becoming Business Development Director at a Brazilian company.”

After clearly stating your short-term goal (and your motivations for having this goal) and moving on to your long-term goal, we suggest you briefly touch on how Darden can help you achieve these goals, if you have space. This should not be a “laundry list” of 10 classes you found on the Darden site, nor a section in which you repeat clichés about the school. 

Instead, you should thoughtfully consider how you must grow personally and professionally to reach your stated short-term goal and what elements of Darden  (classes, faculty, clubs, etc.) will help you reach them. 

Ending your essay with a killer conclusion sentence to leave your reader with a strong image of your profile is the perfect wrap-up.  

2.4. Essay 4 Tips

What have you done to improve your candidacy since you last applied? (100 words)

This is a MUCH shorter space than reapplicants normally receive in a reapplicant essay. As such, you need to focus on the 2-3 most important changes since last year, including new GMAT/GRE scores (or other weaknesses you’ve addressed), promotions, and additional community involvement. You have space in the online application form to discuss ways in which you’ve further engaged with the Darden community, so we encourage you add that information in this section, rather than in this essay. 

2.5. Essay 5 Tips

If there is further information you believe would be helpful to the Admissions Committee, please provide it. (250 words) 

Here you want to make sure to be short and sweet. This is not a place to reiterate why you want to attend Darden or add additional stories. We have written extensively on the topic of optional essays, including example essays, here . 

Looking for University of Virginia Darden MBA essay examples? Check out our real sample essays that got our clients admitted here .

3. We Make Your Story Shines

One of the most common mistakes we see in MBA essays is that candidates fail to tell compelling stories . This is important because if your stories are not compelling, they will not be persuasive. At the same time, they must be backed by strong examples that establish a track record of success and prove to the admissions committees why you belong at their school. 

Striking this balance between content and creativity can be tough, however, as succeeding means not only choosing the right stories but ensuring they are told in an optimal manner. 

  This is why our iterative developmental feedback process here at Ellin Lolis Consulting helps you mold your message through the application of our storytelling expertise until it reflects exactly what makes your profile stand out and show fit with your target program. 

That’s the approach we took with Andre, who was admitted to Darden. In his words, “Ellin and her team’s work was objective and effective. I think what helped me the most was her work in helping me find the school that “fit” my profile the best. Since the beginning, she helped me express myself in a clearer and more effective way was crucial to my success getting admitted to Darden. 

I had an excellent experience with Ellin, and her work is unique in the consulting market. The clients she accepts for consulting have a huge advantage.”

Not only can you take advantage of our editing expertise through multiple edits – you can also benefit from it after a single review! If your budget is tight, our editors will be happy to help polish your text as much as possible and leave “bonus comments” so you can keep working on it on your own!

No matter how long we work with you, we will always ensure your essays shine . Sign up to work with our team of storytelling experts and get accepted.

4. Darden MBA Deadlines

Here are the deadlines for the 2023-2024 season. You can access the Darden application by clicking here . 

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University of Virginia Darden MBA Application Essay Analysis 2023-2024

The UVA Darden MBA application essays are now live! Do you want to attend an MBA program that puts collaboration and teamwork at the forefront of your experience? If so, UVA Darden School of Business  may be a great choice for you.

UVA Darden is known for its case-based and customized learning experience. First-year students are assigned to learning teams that enable them to delve deep into case discussions, strengthen their communication skills, and form strong relationships with their classmates.

Second-year students at UVA Darden use the tools learned in their first year to personalize their academic experiences, targeting specific career goals and skill sets.

If you’re looking to apply to UVA Darden’s MBA program during the 2023-2024 application cycle, the school offers a standardized test waiver. These requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and the admissions committee takes several factors into account when reviewing waivers. Check out Personal MBA Coach’s quick tips video on whether or not you should waive the GMAT:

Upcoming UVA Darden MBA Deadlines Are:

Early Action:  September 7, 2023

Round 1:  October 4, 2023

Round 2:  January 4, 2024

Round 3: April 3, 2024

2023-2024 Darden MBA Application Essays Are Below:

Community of belonging:  what would you want your classmates to know about you that is not on your resume (100 words).

Personal MBA Coach advises most applicants to use this first UVA Darden essay to share a personal aspect of their candidacy as opposed to talking about their professional leadership or track record. Topics discussed here should enhance (not repeat or conflict with) your “Personal Story” and should allow admissions committee members to learn more about you.

This is not the time to present a laundry list of hobbies, passions or accomplishments. Instead, focus on what makes you unique. Think about how you might add to the diversity (think literal diversity and/or diversity of perspective) on your learning team.

Be specific and keep in mind that actions are the best predictors of future behavior and provide examples wherever possible. Go beyond just sharing details about you and include the “so what?”

For example, if you were raised in a unique environment, explain this to the reader but then push further. Consider how this shaped who you are today, what makes you unique and what you will bring to the table for your learning team.

Regardless of the topic selected, show the reader that you are someone your peers will be excited to learn with!

Inclusive Leadership: Please describe a tangible example that illuminates your experience promoting an inclusive environment and what you would bring to creating a welcoming, global community at Darden. (300 words)

This question covers a topic that continues to be important to leading MBA programs: inclusion. Earlier this month Personal MBA Coach attended the annual AIGAC conference (check out our What Is on Admissions Directors’ Minds in 2023 blog for the key insights) with leading admissions directions, and Diversity & Inclusion were top of mind for all schools! Therefore, Personal MBA Coach is not surprised to see Darden’s leadership essay focused on D&I.

A personal or professional example would work here. However, Personal MBA Coach encourages candidates to look at their applications holistically when selecting a story to discuss. You want to ensure this story fits with who you are and that your Darden application includes a nice balance of personal and professional stories.

Remember that inclusion is a broad term here. Do not limit yourself to current event topics unless they are relevant to your story!

Ensure that you limit the amount of time spent on setup and instead focus on your thoughts and actions. While remaining authentic is important, think about the qualities Darden is looking for in applicants and make sure the story selected clearly SHOWS how you demonstrated them.

While the bulk of this essay should be focused on the story itself, be sure to leave time to discuss the implications of this experience and how this experience changed your leadership style and has positioned you to contribute on campus.

Careers With Purpose: At this time how would you describe your short-term, post-MBA goal in terms of industry, function, geography, company size and/or mission and how does it align with the long-term vision you have for your career?   (200 words)  

This question is a straightforward career goals question. With this short essay, be specific and include both your ideal position and organization type. Articulate what you hope to accomplish in this desired role and why this objective is interesting and important to you.

Darden once again specifically asks candidates about their long-term vision. Given this, be sure to discuss what you hope to learn in the short term and how this experience will prepare you to achieve your long-term goals.

Struggling to articulate your goals? Watch this quick tips video with Scott Edinburgh, Personal MBA Coach’s founder, for advice:

Looking for one-on-one support developing a compelling Darden MBA Application? Contact us  today to learn more about how Personal MBA Coach’s services can help you get into UVA Darden.

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June 26, 2023

UVA Darden MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2023-2024], Class Profile

The University of Virginia’s Darden MBA program boasts the case-based method of learning to put students in the role of business leaders faced with challenging situations. Through this discussion-based approach, students are active participants as they learn to make decisions in real-world scenarios. Darden is one of the largest case publishers in North America, and because of the school’s commitment to the case study method, a Darden student will examine literally hundreds of business cases over the course of their two years of MBA studies.

Darden has tweaked its essay questions in a few minor ways since last year, focusing primarily on getting to know you and how you will affect the school’s overall community.

Ready to get to work on your Darden application? Read on.

Darden application essay tips

Darden application deadlines, darden class profile.

For the 2023–24 application cycle, we will again feature short essay questions, which provides a broader platform for applicants to highlight their experiences through multi-dimensional narratives. These questions are a great opportunity for you to help the Darden Admissions Committee understand who you are and who you will be at Darden.

Darden Essay #1

Community of Belonging: What would you want your classmates to know about you that is not on your resume? (100 words)

Darden is one of the smaller MBA programs, with just 348 students in its Class of 2024. As a result, every single student needs to be congenial and contribute a unique perspective. 

With the brevity of this essay, the hardest part might well be identifying the best topic(s) to cover. I suggest just one or two topics; the key will be to dig in and  to really make your submission come alive for the reader. A potential topic might be a relevant formative experience or relationship, or a nonwork activity or passion. Ground your essay in example and detail. To select the best subject matter, look at the application overall, including the other essays, and think about what would really add to and further animate this holistic picture.

Darden Essay #2

Inclusive Impact: Please describe a tangible example that illuminates your experience promoting an inclusive environment and what you would bring to creating a welcoming, global community at Darden. (300 words)

First, note that the requested example can come from work or outside work. While it’s great to show that you promote an inclusive work environment, if you have a dynamic, impactful example from outside of your job, feel free to use that.  (e.g., ethnicity, geographic background, sexual orientation) to encompass less-obvious elements, such as political perspective and socioeconomic background. Devote most of your essay to narrating your story, showing how it promotes inclusivity. At the end, add a reflection with some specific detail about how this will enable you to help create an inclusive global community at Darden.

Darden Essay #3

Careers With Purpose: At this time how would you describe your short-term, post-MBA goal in terms of industry, function, geography, company size and/or mission and how does it align with the long-term vision you have for your career? (200 words)

Darden’s prompt basically guides you through the requisite details the adcom wants you to provide. Even with the tight word limit, I suggest contextualizing the requested information in a couple of ways. First, start with just a phrase or sentence indicating how the goal arose. In other words, what is the “origin story”? Second, express what you hope to accomplish – what impact you’d like to have – by pursuing and achieving your stated goals. These two elements together constitute your motivation, and that is what will help the adcom feel engaged by (and ideally invested in) your goals.

Here’s a look at the UVA Darden MBA Class of 2024 (data taken from the UVA Darden website ):

Class size: 348

Countries represented: 48

International students: 43%

U.S. minority: 20%

Consortium members: 41

Military service members: 8%

Average age: 28

Average GMAT score:720

Average GPA: 3.51 

Average GRE (combined): 319

Average years work experience: 5.8

For expert guidance with your UVA Darden MBA application, check out Accepted’s MBA Application Packages , which include comprehensive guidance from an experienced admissions consultant. We’ve helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to top MBA programs and look forward to helping you, too!

As the former executive director of admissions at Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School and assistant dean of admissions at Georgetown’s McDonough School and the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz School, has 23 years’ experience overseeing admissions committees and has reviewed more than 38,000 applications for the MBA and master’s programs in management of information systems, computational finance, business analytics, and product management.   Want Kelly to help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• Academic Performance in Your MBA Admissions Profile
• Can Artificial Intelligence Help with Your MBA Applications?
• How Much Overlap Can There Be Between My Resume/CV and My SOP?

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Tips for Your UVA Darden Application Essay

July 18, 2023

Melisa Prevost

UVA Darden MBA Application Essay Tips, 2023-2024

Via its application essays, UVA Darden is looking to understand how you will collaborate with others to create impact as a Purpose Driven Leader. And your past actions are the best indicators of your potential to make an impact in the future. Before you sit down and look at the school’s questions individually, take a step back and identify the key strengths you want to be sure are clearly conveyed in your overall application. Then think strategically about which stories you can tell—and how you might tell them—to highlight those chosen strengths. Imagine the Darden application as a kind of rug with different pieces woven together to make a colorful pattern, or perhaps as a sports team, with your stories as players taking on different positions and coming together to form a winning team. Focus in these essays on the stories that do not already appear in other parts of your application. 

Free : Download Stratus Admissions’ Guide to Getting into UVA Darden School of Business

Essay 1: community of belonging: what would you want your classmates to know about you that is not on your resume (100 words).

Although this question appears first, we suggest approaching it last. What last bit of material for your rug do you need to weave in or key position on your sports team do you need to fill? This essay is a great opportunity to highlight your primary strengths or a notable story or achievement that is not covered in any of your other essays. If you are a career changer and have a personal reason for making this change, tell a story that helps explain why you want to take a different professional path. If your other essays have not effectively showcased your ability to collaborate on a team, share a story that demonstrates what collaboration means to you. Don’t take the prompt too literally and mistake it for an introduction to only your classmates; be thoughtful about what more you want the admissions committee to know about you and your candidacy after they have read the rest of your essays, and then leverage this essay to fill that gap.

Essay 2: Inclusive Impact: Please describe a tangible example that illuminates your experience promoting an inclusive environment and what you would bring to creating an inclusive global community at Darden. (300 words) 

In a case-based learning environment like the one at Darden, it is important to both advocate your opinion and actively listen to and learn from others, thereby participating in creating new and innovative solutions. Also remember Darden’s focus on finding and developing impact-driven leaders. 

The first part of the essay prompt asks you to reflect on an experience when you promoted an inclusive culture. Think of a specific example that highlights your support of inclusivity and use the SCAR (situation, challenge, action, result) approach for the first 150 words. 

Ideally, for the second part of the essay, leverage the other 150 words to show how you will enthusiastically welcome and embrace different perspectives at Darden, creating an inclusive environment. Build on the experience you talk about in the first part of the essay, and show how you will leverage those learnings at Darden. Think about what you can do specifically and in which environments (class, clubs, career management, etc.) you can help promote inclusivity. Think about where you want to be involved at Darden and how you can support inclusivity in those environments. Be authentic, and if possible, highlight through your experience or plans to make an impact that you will take an active role in ensuring that your Learning Team and class as a whole will embody an inclusive culture.

Essay 3: Careers With Purpose: At this time how would you describe your short-term, post-MBA goal in terms of industry, function, geography, company size and/or mission and how does it align with the long-term vision you have for your career. (200 words)

Here is where you get to share your plans for the future and showcase the self-reflection you’ve done to formulate this path. You can either start with your short-term goal and build up to your long-term vision or start with your long-term vision and work backward to reveal the skills, experiences, and relationships you need to possess to be able to achieve it. Either way, you will have to build a case that your post-MBA role will help you on your path to attaining your long-term aspiration. 

When describing your post-MBA goal, make sure to include the specifics for which Darden is asking. A sample goals statement might be something like this:  Product Manager at a large established tech company like Google OR work in marketing role at a mission-based consumer products company like Patagonia . You can highlight the skills or experiences you will gain in this role that will help you achieve your long-term vision. Although you don’t have to have all the pieces worked out, you need to be able to explain your post-MBA goal clearly enough that admissions can assess whether it is a feasible one. If you are too vague, they will have a hard time assessing whether you have set an ambitious yet attainable goal, and you would frankly not be answering the question.

If you are making a career change, admissions will want to understand why you want to switch and the background and abilities you possess coming into the MBA program that you can then leverage in your new career. Use a combination of this essay and the first essay to present and clarify that why.

If there is further information you think would be helpful to the Admissions Committee, please provide it.

If you feel your application conveys a complete, accurate picture of who you are as a deserving Darden candidate, then you’re likely best off not submitting any additional details here. There’s little to be gained from adding to the admissions committee’s workload by asking them to read another essay that doesn’t add much of use to your profile. But if you have something truly unique to share that you believe would make you stand out, or if you have an issue of some sort in your candidacy that could benefit from additional explanation (e.g., gap in work experience or education, low GPA or score, disciplinary problem), then this is the place to present and clarify it.

In  Stratus Admissions’ Guide to Getting into UVA Darden School of Business , you will find information on a variety of the MBA program’s offerings, such as First Coffee, the Batten Institute, the case method, and Darden Worldwide Courses.   Download our guide to learn more about UVA Darden!

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UVA Darden MBA essay analysis and tips for 2022 admissions

Posted by Suheb Hussain | Aug 22, 2021 | Business Schools , GMAT Focus Edition , MBA Admissions , MBA Application Process

The application for Darden’s full-time MBA Class of 2024 is  now live!  Like last year, Darden asks applicants to write multiple short essays covering a wide range of topics- leadership and impact, teamwork, diversity and inclusion, career goals, and worldwide course. The questions have been tweaked slightly from last year.  In addition to these 5 short essays totaling 755 words, the candidates also get an opportunity to share details about their interests, hobbies, community engagement, and love for Charlottesville to showcase various facets of their candidacy.

Darden continues to invites candidates to submit a test waiver request or submit a range of tests, including MCAT, LSAT, GRE, and GMAT.

In this article, Poonam Tandon from myEssayReview, who has been helping students with their MBA applications since 2011, shares her tips on the Darden MBA essay for 2022 intake.

UVA Darden MBA Application deadline

Below table provides information regarding Darden’s MBA Application deadline:

Learn more about Darden School of Business MBA Class Profile, Employment Reports, Notable Alumni.

Darden MBA Essay Questions 2022: Analysis and Tips

There are seven short essay prompts for Darden MBA application 2022.

Tell us your story

The Darden School of Business is a thriving community of MBA students, faculty, and alumni from a diverse array of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Because of the highly participatory nature of the MBA program — both inside and outside of the classroom — Darden actively recruits and fosters a vibrant MBA community. Below are a series of questions to allow you the opportunity to share the many dimensions of you.

Learning Team

Learning Teams are an invaluable peer resource for Darden students as they navigate the core curriculum. Every student is assigned to a Learning Team consisting of 5-6 students from an array of backgrounds and perspectives, and this built-in support system serves as an important connection to the broader Darden community. 

Essay #1: Tell us what you would want your Learning Team to know about you that is not on your resume. (150 words) 

This question about introducing yourself to the learning team has been tweaked a little bit and allows you to use 50 more words than last year’s question. At Darden, you will be solving cases within your learning teams of 4 to 5 members, so your learning team members need to know that you will be a great team player who will contribute significantly to the team. Through relevant examples, tell your team members about team working skills and attributes. Show them what you will bring to the table by sharing some stories/ anecdotes highlighting those skills in a personal or professional context. You have the flexibility to choose both personal and professional experiences, but make sure not to include elements that are already there on your resume.

Leadership and Impact

Essay #2: Darden strives to identify and cultivate responsible leaders who follow their purpose. Please respond to  one  of the following prompts (200 words)  

Select the prompt to which you will respond.

Q #1: Tell us about a time when you acted with a team to solve a problem or seize an opportunity. What role did you play? What did you learn from this experience?

Q #2: Tell us about a time you acted to solve a problem for the greater good. What drew you to this issue? What did you learn from this experience?

For the leadership and impact essay, this year’s applicants will get an option to choose one of the two prompts. The first question allows you to share an anecdote when you worked with a team to solve a problem. Your role may have been as a team lead or team player, but you made an impact and grew from that experience.

The second question is broader in scope in the sense that it may not be limited to a professional setting but for the ‘greater good. Therefore, it’s crucial to spell out why that issue is important to you. For example, you may have contributed to the community in any way by procuring medicines or oxygen for the needy during these unprecedented times.  Darden cares about cultivating high-impact leaders.

Therefore, when brainstorming ideas for your leadership story for this essay, choose an accomplishment when you made a meaningful impact on your organization or community. You have the option to choose a professional or non-work story (extracurricular or community work), but you should emphasize your ‘responsible leadership’ and ‘focus on purpose’ that generated meaningful results and created a significant impact on your organization or community. That is, you need to explain that the decisions you made and the results you achieved benefitted your organization or your team member in a meaningful manner.

For organizing your ideas for both questions, as always, we recommend following the STAR Method (Situation, Task, Action, and Result); however, keeping in mind the stringent word limit, you MUST highlight the ‘result/ outcome part’ of your story. Don’t forget to wrap up your narrative with a final comment on what you learned through this experience.

Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission, and they work best when they are an integral and celebrated part of our community.  Review the University of Virginia’s Commitment to Diversity . 

Diversity stands with ethics, integrity, and academic excellence, as a cornerstone of university culture. The University promotes an inclusive and welcoming environment that embraces the full spectrum of human attributes, perspectives, and disciplines. When people of different backgrounds come together, they exchange ideas, question assumptions (including their own), and broaden the horizons for us all. A University of Virginia community rich in diversity affords every member equal respect and provides a forum for understanding our differences as well as our commonalities.

The Darden School develops practices and cultivates a culture that reflects and incorporates the worldviews of its many community members. In this inclusive culture, the community learns important — and sometimes uncomfortable — lessons from one another, resulting in more conscientious global leaders and citizens.

Please respond to one of the following prompts (200 words)

Essay #3: Select the prompt to which you will respond. (200 words)

Q #1: Share a time when you learned something related to diversity, equity or inclusion that was previously unknown to you? How did this experience impact your perspective?

Q #2: Share a time when you advocated for a perspective, identity, or community different from your own. How did this experience impact your worldview?

In Darden’s case method of learning, students are presented with an actual business problem, along with all the relevant associated data, and tasked with identifying a solution to that problem. Every student analyzes the situation and information on his/ her own, then discusses it with the learning team members, and finally does so in the classroom. So having one’s ideas and opinions challenged is vital to the Darden’s experience. Therefore, the admissions committee wants to assess if an applicant can listen, reflect, learn, and grow in this environment.

Again, you may choose a personal or professional example/ story. Given the word limit of 200 words, you may not write more than 1-2 sentences on setting up the situation, but make sure to focus more on your thought process and the resulting change in your opinion/ perception. It is crucial to describe the ‘before’ and ‘after’ situations so you can share the inflection point that triggered the shift in your thinking.

When selecting examples for the above three essays, you want to make sure to maintain a balance between your personal and professional examples so that you can showcase your well-rounded personality to the admission committee.

Career Goal

Darden’s Career Center delivers personalized career searches, support, and resources to empower students in their goals to create value as purpose-driven leaders. The team of dedicated, expert career coaches spans every major industry, function, and geography and collectively represent over one hundred years of coaching experience. Coaches are prepared to support students wherever they are in their search, as career goals shift and evolve while pursuing an MBA.

Through a wide variety of career-related programming, students gain lifelong skills they will continue to leverage throughout their careers. And this support continues after graduation – All Darden graduates have access to complimentary career support for life through Darden’s Alumni Career Services.

Essay #4:   What is your short-term, post-MBA goal and how does it align with the long-term vision you have for your career? (150 words)

This is a fairly straightforward  goals essay . This question has been tweaked from last year. Last year, Darden only asked about your short-term goal and what led applicants to their goal. This year’s applicants will also explain how their short goal is aligned with their long-term vision. Begin with elaborating on your post-MBA objectives,  identify the position you hope to hold immediately after the MBA program and specify a job title/ role, industry, and 1-2 organizations/ companies that interest you. Next, articulate your goal and explain why this goal is exciting and vital to you. Please make sure that your goals are ambitious as well as realistic. The schools want to know that the path you have chosen is attainable, and the program has resources to aid you in reaching that goal. To provide an effective response, you can give a very brief career history and explain what skills and knowledge you possess to help you accomplish your goal in your chosen field.

Darden Worldwide

The Batten Foundation Worldwide Scholarship provides all Darden students in our full-time MBA program with an opportunity to participate in a  Darden Worldwide Course .

Short Answer Question # 5:   Darden has an incredible network of alumni and partners around the world, and, in a typical year, the School connects with over 80 countries. If you could choose any location in the world, where would you want to travel? (5 words).  And why?  (50 words)

Darden expects its students to participate in at least one global opportunity during their two years of MBA. In 55 words, identify the name of the country that you would choose for your global assignment, explain reasons for your choice, and how your choice will enhance your learning and the learning of your peers. This super short question not only reveals your knowledge of Darden but also speaks about your personality and interest. You may use this essay to show a different side of you that you have not presented elsewhere in the application.

You may click  here  for the Darden admission committee’s advice on short questions.

To adhere to the strict word count specifications, be as precise as possible in presenting your case. Click  here  for 11 helpful strategies (illustrated with examples) to achieve brevity.

What do you do for fun?

Organization/ Community Involvement

There are a variety of organizations and clubs at Darden that help shape our community and the Darden experience overall. In this section, we’d like to learn about your unique interests, talents and passions. Please list the professional associations and community activities (clubs, faith-based, civic, etc.) in which you have participated since graduation from university. If you graduated from university more than 10 years ago, please simply list your activities for the last 5 years, making sure to include:

• Activity type
• Organization name
• Dates of participation
• Description of your involvement

There are a variety of organizations and clubs at Darden that help shape our community and the Darden experience overall. In this section, we’d like to learn about your unique interests, talents and passions. Please list the professional associations, and extra-curricular and co-curricular activities in which you have participated during your time as an undergraduate student.

• Organization Name Role

Add Activity

List up to three hobbies you enjoy in your free time.

After answering the above questions about your community involvement, list three hobbies or interests you like to pursue in your free time. Remember your hobbies and interests make you unique, so feel free to share them to help the admission committee get to know you better. Since there is no prescribed word limit for this question this year, you may write one sentence about each of the three hobbies that you enjoy in your leisure.

Explore Charlottesville

Darden community members love our city. Watch the video to learn why  we love Charlottesville ! 

What are you excited to explore in Charlottesville? (25 words)

This is an interesting question that offers you a platform to share what excites you in the small city of Charlottesville. This super short question offers the admission committee a glimpse into your interest in the activities you want to explore while pursuing your MBA.

Dawna Clarke, Executive Director of Admissions, and Whitney Kestner Senior Director of Admissions recently conducted a webinar to provide insights into Darden’s admissions process, standardized test and waiver requests, short answer questions, early action opportunities, reapplicants, and much more. Click  here  for the webinar recording.

Free Resources

• 10 Key Essay Tips with Examples
• Essay Analysis of Other Top Programs-2020-21
•   MER Students Share their success Stories

Since 2011, MER ( myEssayReview ) has helped many applicants get accepted into the top 20 MBA programs. (Poonam is one of the  top 5 most reviewed consultants on the GMAT Club .)

Do you have questions about your application? E-mail Poonam at  [email protected]  or sign up  here  for a free consultation.

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Poonam, one of the  top 5 most reviewed consultants on the GMAT Club , is a master storyteller with more than three decades of experience in successfully helping students craft compelling stories for undergraduate and graduate school programs.

A Ph.D. in English, with three decades of teaching experience in India and the US, Poonam launched myEssayReview (MER) in 2011 to provide highly personalized and dedicated consulting services to Business School applicants. Since then, she has helped hundreds of students around the world get into top MBA, EMBA, part-time MBA, and specialized graduate programs. A full-time consultant, Poonam is passionate about her work and is highly committed to each of her student’s success.

Do you aspire to pursue an MBA at Darden School of Business?  A 740+ GMAT score can improve your chances of admission. Kickstart your GMAT preparation by Signing up for our Free Trial!

Here are a few more related articles:

• How to improve your MBA profile and boost your application
• Avoid these MBA application mistakes and make it to your dream business school
• Importance of MBA Essays in Business School applications
• MBA essay: 5 types of essays explained with examples

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Darden MBA Essays for the Class of 2026

Is the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business on your shortlist of target MBA programs? Then get ready to hit the ground running by previewing the Darden MBA essays and deadlines for the 2023-2024 admissions cycle. UVA Darden will release the complete application in the coming weeks.

Darden MBA Essays

For the 2023–24 application cycle, Darden will again feature short essay questions that provide a broader platform for applicants to highlight their experiences through multi-dimensional narratives. These questions are a great opportunity for you to help the Darden Admissions Committee understand who you are and who you will be at Darden.

Community of Belonging

What would you want your classmates to know about you that is not on your resume? (100 words)

Inclusive Impact

Please describe a tangible example that illuminates your experience promoting an inclusive environment and what you would bring to creating a welcoming, global community at Darden. (300 words)

Careers With Purpose

At this time how would you describe your short-term, post-MBA goal in terms of industry, function, geography, company size and/or mission and how does it align with the long-term vision you have for your career? (200 words)

Advice from Darden’s AdCom:

Remember: We are not reading your responses with a prescribed or “right” answer in mind. We want to get to know you, not us.   These questions are our opportunity to begin to get a sense of your voice, your perspective, your experiences and your writing ability.   In fact, how you choose to answer a particular question is often as insightful as what you choose to write about.   The best essay responses are those that are responsive to the question but also authentic and genuine. Whenever possible, show don’t tell.

One of our favorite application tips involves this feedback stage – when you share your responses with your friend, don’t tell them the prompts (at least initially). See if they can guess the questions based upon your responses. If they can, you are well on your way to finalizing your answers!

For more information on applying, please visit the Darden School  admissions site .  If you need guidance on your Darden MBA essays or wish to discuss your MBA plans, reach out for a complimentary analysis of your candidacy. We’re here to help! Meanwhile, here’s a snapshot of the AdCom expertise on our team :

The post Darden MBA Essays for the Class of 2026 appeared first on Stacy Blackman Consulting - MBA Admissions Consulting .

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Stacy Blackman Consulting is the only MBA admissions firm with a complete panel of former Admissions Officers from every M7 program and the elite European MBA programs. If you are looking for guidance on your MBA application, we can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more.

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Darden MBA Essays for the Class of 2026

Is the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business on your shortlist of target MBA programs? Then get ready to hit the ground running by previewing the Darden MBA essays and deadlines for the 2023-2024 admissions cycle. UVA Darden will release the complete application in the coming weeks.

Darden MBA Essays

For the 2023–24 application cycle, Darden will again feature short essay questions that provide a broader platform for applicants to highlight their experiences through multi-dimensional narratives. These questions are a great opportunity for you to help the Darden Admissions Committee understand who you are and who you will be at Darden.

Community of Belonging

What would you want your classmates to know about you that is not on your resume? (100 words)

Inclusive Impact

Please describe a tangible example that illuminates your experience promoting an inclusive environment and what you would bring to creating a welcoming, global community at Darden. (300 words)

Careers With Purpose

At this time how would you describe your short-term, post-MBA goal in terms of industry, function, geography, company size and/or mission and how does it align with the long-term vision you have for your career? (200 words)

Advice from Darden’s AdCom:

Remember: We are not reading your responses with a prescribed or “right” answer in mind. We want to get to know you, not us.   These questions are our opportunity to begin to get a sense of your voice, your perspective, your experiences and your writing ability.   In fact, how you choose to answer a particular question is often as insightful as what you choose to write about.   The best essay responses are those that are responsive to the question but also authentic and genuine. Whenever possible, show don’t tell.

One of our favorite application tips involves this feedback stage – when you share your responses with your friend, don’t tell them the prompts (at least initially). See if they can guess the questions based upon your responses. If they can, you are well on your way to finalizing your answers!

For more information on applying, please visit the Darden School  admissions site .  If you need guidance on your Darden MBA essays or wish to discuss your MBA plans, reach out for a complimentary analysis of your candidacy. We’re here to help! Meanwhile, here’s a snapshot of the AdCom expertise on our team :

With deadlines around the corner, you may be interested in the world-famous SBC Flight Test . Once a full set of application materials for your initial school have been drafted, but not finalized, the application will be sent to a former admissions committee member for a one-time review, adcomm style. You’ll have the benefit of a true admissions committee review while still having the ability to tinker and change.  You will receive written feedback within two business days after submitting.

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2024-2025 MBA Admissions Events By School

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Here you are. Summer has arrived. If you’re applying to business school in round one, you have 100 days to pull your application together. No pressure there! If you’re starting the process, you’re wondering where to begin and what to ask. Do you stand pat and choose the path of least resistance – or take the leap of faith and shoulder the extra work?

For the latter, candidates start with reading and reflecting. They parse rankings and profiles, harp on reviews and employment reports, and mull over brands and locations. Chances are, they complete a few practice GMATs too. Eventually, they start reaching out. Current students will lay out where schools shine and where they fell short. Alumni will point them where to go and what they should be doing. In the end, there is one group who make the choice: the admissions team. Let’s be frank: they don’t have time to lose or energy to spare. That means finding the right venue to make the right impression.

RELATIONSHIPS MATTER

Your GMAT score will reflect your readiness for Microeconomics or Corporate Finance, A meaty personal story and weighty recommendation might take you to the next step. At its core, admissions is sales. Many times, decisions come down to relationships. People buy from those they like, identify with, and trust. Amid hundreds (even thousands) of applications, it is hard for an adcom to forget a smile, a laugh, or a shared experience – a connection that can only be made face-to-face and one-on-one.

That’s where school-sponsored events come into play. From MBA fairs to online Q&As, these events are the platform to make an impression and build a relationship. Here, you can show much you know by the points you make and how much you care by the questions you ask. If anything, an event presents a reason to send a follow up note to continue the dialogue.

Live, virtual, on-site or road shows – MBA candidates can choose almost any format to start the conversation and stand out from the crowd. There are information sessions, coffee chats, happy hours, meet ups, summer socials, virtual tours – you name it. That said, each school adds a unique spin to their outreach.

EACH SCHOOL IS DIFFERENT

Many schools are happy to come to where you are. Take Columbia Business School, which is hosting breakfasts in Milan and Lisbon and holding small group discussions in Chicago and New Orleans next month. At the same time, Columbia will be huddling with 10 admissions heads from elite MBA programs ranging from Stanford to MIT as part of Top MBAs events in London, Munich, and Atlanta. The Yale School of Management is running “Master Classes” with faculty members in Manilla and Kuala Lumpur. Let’s not forget the legendary MBA Tour sponsored from GMAC. From June through August, the MBA Tour is booked for 39 dates, hitting locations as different as Denver, Ho Chi Minh City, Lima, and Riyadh. Attended by dozens of schools, the MBA Tour features resume clinics, networking fairs, admissions panels, and small group meet ups.

Virtually, each school tends to play to their academic strengths. The University of Michigan’s Ross School, for example, will be publicizing its wide-ranging expertise and experiential learning prowess with sessions on its Sanger Leadership Center and Erb Institute focused on sustainability. Similarly, the University of Virginia’s Darden School is producing an “Ideas in Action” series to spotlight its faculty’s thought leadership. In contrast, several schools are emphasizing personal support. Notably, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School maintains regular virtual office hours, while UC-Berkeley’s Haas School has developed an Application Launch Series to expose candidates to the best practices in presenting themselves on applications.

Yearning for Yale or hankering for Haas? Wondering when your target schools will be in your area or available to talk? Click on the “Upcoming Events” links below to find the schedule of admissions events for prospective MBAs for the coming year.

U.S. MBA Programs: Admissions Events

International mba programs: admissions events.

DON’T MISS: 2024-2025 MBA APPLICATION DEADLINES

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A Dean’s 2024 Commencement Address To MBAs

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Darden School of Business Dean Scott Beardsley poses with MBA and EMBA graduates after his commencement address

Ever since becoming dean of the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia in 2015, Scott Beardsley has delivered the commencement address at graduation. He typically locks himself away during the Christmas holidays for a period of reflection and writing to compose the words he will say five months later in May.

On Saturday (May 18), Beardsley did it again, delivering an exceptional thoughtful commencement address to the roughly 450 graduating MBA and Executive MBA students on the Darden campus. Referencing a wide variety of thinkers from Abraham Maslow to Charles Dickens , Beardsley encourages the Class of 2024 to recognize and harness their potential. He likens each graduate to a statue within a block of stone, waiting to be revealed. It highlights the common struggle among high achievers who often feel inadequate despite their accomplishments, emphasizing the harmful habit of focusing on gaps—where they are versus where they think they should be.

The dean offers solutions such as avoiding hasty judgments, leveraging personal strengths, practicing gratitude, prioritizing self-investment, setting meaningful goals, adopting a continuous learning mindset, and choosing optimism. The message centers on self-discovery, resilience, and the power of a positive outlook to overcome challenges and achieve self-actualization. The ultimate takeaway is to place ‘HOPE’—Happiness, Optimism, Purpose, Excellence—at the core of one’s life to navigate post-graduation challenges and contribute positively to society.

Dean Scott Beardsley’s address:

Michelangelo is often quoted as saying something like, “every block of stone has a statue inside and the task of the sculptor is to discover it”. Applied to life, it is a metaphor that challenges each of you to find your potential in life; what Maslow would call your self-actualization.

Class of 2024, you each have a beautiful, amazing statue inside. It is your unique excellence and effort that got you into and through Darden. Yet, can you see it? Do you see and feel your potential, your gifts?

Or is it sometimes like in Snow White: “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?” The mirror replies: “there is one who is fairer than thee”. Or on a bad day: “certainly not you, you are an imposter”.

At Darden, I get to work with many incredible people, including all of you. A mystery I have been puzzling over for many years is how talented and successful people can feel inadequate and stressed to the point of anxiety and/or depression. Covid took this to new levels. From the outside, everyone assumes high achievers are doing great. But, sometimes, inside they are not.

How can this be so?

Part of the answer I found on the London Underground. As I boarded the tube, a voice boomed, “Mind the Gap”. And I started thinking. The gap…the gap?

Talented people with high standards of excellence are very good at diagnosing the gap. How far you are away from a goal, how many problems you got wrong on a test, what your development needs are, what your inadequacies are, how much more money someone else has, what you could have done and should have done but didn’t. It’s common for high achievers to focus on the gap: where you think you are, versus where you think you ought to be and what that means.

Some people suffer from hubris and overestimate the starting point. Yet, the trouble for many is they measure the gap with others versus rising expectations. In a world of 8.5 billion people, social comparison is the norm. “I thought my vacation was great until I looked online and saw how much more epic someone else’s was.” “I thought I was a fast writer until I met Chat GPT”.

The comparison gap influences our perception of our own progress, even if objectively we have improved a lot. When expectations rise faster than our perceived progress, we risk feeling inadequate or unsatisfied, even though we are improving. As the points of comparison move, so do the goal posts.

On the flip side, we all experience moments of exhilaration like meeting someone special, learning to ride a bike or mastering a new skill. We feel progress and self-improvement, positive energy surges and possibilities seem endless.

An internal struggle can emerge. Positive versus negative. Self-worth versus self-doubt. Possibility versus despair. I have experienced this. How do we win the tug of war? I am going to provide several ways to think about it.

First, stop leaping to judgment. Philosopher David Hume famously wrote that we cannot draw moral prescriptive conclusions from normative factual descriptions; what “ought to be’ from what “is”. We draw conclusions about ourselves as a good or bad person based on a single fact or limited facts all the time. This is called Hume’s fork (Lennox). It goes like this: you secured the job (or didn’t); you performed at work (or didn’t); you gained financial assets (or didn’t);you are liked by someone (or not). “But you ought to have been better.” This is a category mistake (Lennox). What ‘ought to be’ focuses attention on the gap versus expectations, inadequacies, and injustices, negative self-talk, regret and even anxiety from never meeting your prescriptive standards.

Second, Focus Not on AI, but I. According to James Manyika of Google, Artificial Intelligence is “any system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its chance of achieving its goals” (Manyika p. 14). Self-Intelligence or what I call “I” (I squared if you will for ‘I’ Intelligence)-a version of the Greek’s Delphic Temple “know thyself”- is a system to learn how to learn, increase intelligence, and achieve individual goals. We must start by understanding ourselves and our strengths. Instead of focusing on what you don’t have, focus on and appreciate your unique strengths, values and virtues. Martin Seligman , father of positive psychology, calls these signature strengths. What makes you, you. In the world of AI, building intelligence about how you as a human learn and feel-and improve your well-being- matters.

Third, Practice Gratitude. Cicero called gratitude the mother of all virtues. I believe that gratitude is a partial antidote to envy and social comparison and increases well-being. Each one of you are special and able to make a difference in this world. Believe in yourself and build conviction for this belief by understanding your excellence and strengths and exercising gratitude for what is going right, and all those who help you along your journey. A bonus comes from bringing it out in others.

Fourth, remember your most important investment is in you and your well-being. Many of you came to B-school for a “return on investment”. This is understandable; an elite graduate business education is expensive. But how should you calculate ROI over your lifetime? I have come to believe that in an objective function for your life, the letter “I” in your personal ROI is a ‘return on I’ (meaning yourself); your self-conception created by your Intelligence. The return currency is well-being and fulfillment; and the system-your intelligence-is how to maximize it. Life’s conceptual equation is both objective and subjective, very personal, iterative, and recursive. In effect, it is the goal of the goals. Yet many have objective functions with a different currency, and singularly pursue a goal with no guard rails or boundary constraints.

In other words, be careful what you wish for.

Literature is replete with examples. One of my favorites is Charles Dickens’ novel “Great Expectations”. His character Pip seeks to overcome his very humble beginnings. He becomes a social climber but learns along the way that moral and personal growth, self-forgiveness and values matter as much as status and material wealth.

Fifth, have goals. Since first grade, I have been goal driven. My Dad tells me it all started when my first-grade teacher Mrs. Pigeon forced me to sit part of the year in the corner with my nose to the wall because I had too much energy, tried to answer too many questions, and had ADD. I concluded that to get out of the corner and stop the teasing I needed to prove I was a top student. Thus began a life full of goals. Looking back, I feel truly lucky because I was able to channel my substantial energy productively instead of getting into trouble. Goals saved me and I learned they need to be explicit not implicit.

Many things I have learned about goals over time are counterintuitive. Sometimes I would achieve something and feel no joy and wonder if it was worth it. Once I was asked to draw an intuitive chart with one y-axis being my well-being and another y-axis as my achievement and performance over time. They were not always well correlated. Goals that included root sources of well-being, like playing tennis/health, being with my family/relationships, and learning did work, and gave me the energy and drive to achieve other things. To win the internal struggle, thoughtfully develop the right goals for yourself.

Sixth, Adopt a Lifelong Learning Mindset. The Japanese call this mindset of continuous improvement Kaizen, and it is used often in production environments. To amplify well-being, I combine Kaizen with Bayes Theorem, which updates our thinking with new evidence from learning. Together they allow us to improve ourselves-our “I”- and seek continuous improvement. Trial and error. Autonomous, recursive self-learning-exactly what many are afraid of in AI- is good for you. Or as one of Darden’s most incredible alumni David Walentas puts it “no guts, no glory”. Sometimes it will work sometimes it won’t. When it doesn’t, forgive yourself versus judging yourself, learn what you can, and move on.

Observe what you have, what is improving, and the rate of improvement-your acceleration is your rate of improvement on ROI-more than what the normative “gap” is. When you see a gap, think of it as the amount of opportunity left to improve rather than a deficit.

Finally choose optimism and hope over pessimism. Stepping back, and looking at our world, I see the problems: wars, shootings, pandemics, inflation, individual struggles, inequality, global warming, social and political tensions, etc. Doom scrolling, feelings that life is not fair, despair. Each of you have your own story and challenges. They are real. I feel the uncertainty of AI and synthetic biology and hear the siren calls of a nihilistic, bleak future.

And yet, despite or perhaps because of the pessimism, I am paradoxically optimistic. I choose to be optimistic.

I am optimistic because…

I believe problems and crises create silver linings I believe that love and kindness triumph over hate I believe that excellence flows from effort and lifelong learning I believe in the certainty of uncertainty and the gift of life’s serendipity I believe in individual freedom and autonomy to determine mindset I believe in purpose and the power of serving something bigger than ourselves, with integrity I believe it’s ok to dream of a better tomorrow, without entitlement or expectation

I am optimistic because I have hope. And I have hope because I am optimistic.

I have hope because I believe in life’s possibilities. I have hope because humans need hope for well-being. I have hope because it is better than the alternative. I have hope because I believe in you. I see you on this wonderful day. I have hope that you will believe in yourself the way I believe in you. I have hope because you are the future responsible leaders Darden has prepared you to be.

Each of you is a special person with beautiful gifts to bring the world. You are each a magnum opus sculpture in process, and you are the sculptor.

Today, on this special beautiful day, celebrating you, I wish you HOPE; in capital letters. A special kind of hope.

H for a life pursued for happiness and well-being. O for an optimistic life, where you can see your strengths and potential and accept with gratitude where you are and forgiveness for what might have been. P for purposeful goals pursued with grit, determination, and meaning. And E for excellence, with high standards and integrity in all you do to self-actualize.

Happy. Optimistic. Purposeful. Excellence.

In short, I have hope that you will place HOPE in your life.

Darden has equipped you with the ability to ask and answer almost any question. The world needs your leadership. Go forward with confidence, and joy as you answer life’s questions and make our world a better place. Congratulations Class of 2024! You are ready!

Abraham Maslow, “A Theory of Human Motivation” Thomas Bayes, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London Nick Bostrom, Superintelligence The Coming Wave, Mustafa Suleyman AI & Society, Spring 2022 James Manyika David Poole, Alan Mackworth, and Randy Goebel, Computational Intelligence: A Logical Approach (New York: Oxford University Press, 1998). Martin Seligman, Authentic Happiness John Lennox Gunning for God Routledge Handbook of Philosophy of Well-being David Hume, A Treatise on Human Nature Charles Dickens, Great Expectations Brothers Grimm, Snow White

DON’T MISS: MEET UVA DARDEN’S MBA CLASS OF 2024 or MEET UVA DARDEN’S MBA CLASS OF 2025

The post A Dean’s 2024 Commencement Address To MBAs appeared first on Poets&Quants .

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Jelly Roll is doing cold plunges as part of his new wellness kick. Here's what experts say about the effects of an ice-cold bath.

The musician says he does 30 minutes in a sauna before submerging himself into cold water.

Save 48% on a Greenworks hedge trimmer today thanks to this Amazon deal

Looking for an all-electric hedge trimmer? This deal could save you a bundle on a popular option from Greenworks.

WNBA rescinds second technical foul that led to Angel Reese's controversial ejection

Reese was ejected in the final minutes of Tuesday's game between the Sky and New York Liberty following two quick technical fouls.

Types of U.S. savings bonds and how they work

Learn more about the types of savings bonds available and how they work, plus, how to cash them in.

Wix's new tool taps AI to generate smartphone apps

Wix, the platform known chiefly for its web design tools, is launching a generative AI feature that'll let customers create and edit iOS or Android apps by describing what they want to see in plain English. The capability, which is set to arrive in Wix's app builder tool this week, guides users through a chatbot-like interface to understand the goals, intent and aesthetic of their app. With this info, Wix's AI generates an app that can be customized from the app editor, and then optionally embellished with first- and third-party integrations, widgets and connectors.

2024 Heisman Trophy betting: Carson Beck and Quinn Ewers are bettors' early choices

Beck and Ewers will square off in Week 8 when Georgia visits Texas.

ClickUp wants to take on Notion and Confluence with its new AI-based Knowledge Base

Since its launch in 2017, ClickUp has become a popular and well-funded productivity tool. The company has now launched what it calls "ClickUp Knowledge Management," which combines a new wiki-like editor and with a new AI system that can also bring in data from Google Drive, Dropbox, Confluence, Figma and other sources. With that, the company aims to build a tool that can rival other popular services like Notion and Atlassian's Confluence.

Wage growth keeps slowing for job switchers as US labor market cools off

ADP data showed that the median year-over-year pay increase for job switchers fell to 7.8% in May, from a recent spike of 8.3% in March and 8% in April.

Boeing’s Starliner astronaut capsule is en route to the ISS 

Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is officially on its way to the International Space Station, marking a historic first for the long-delayed astronaut transportation program. Inside the spacecraft are two NASA astronauts — spaceflight veterans Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams — who are set to arrive to the station on Thursday. The spacecraft lifted off at 10:55 a.m. ET from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center aboard an Atlas V rocket from United Launch Alliance (a Boeing-Lockheed Martin joint venture).

2024 Mustang Mach-E Rally First Drive Review: Bringing us dreams of the WRC

We take the 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally for a spin on a dirt race course.