UPDATE: This article was originally posted on September 19, 2018. It has been updated with new information and tips below.
Located in sunny southern California, the UCLA Anderson of Management stands out not only for its flexible curriculum and wide array of specializations, but also for its relentless drive to prepare its students to think outside the box and harness the power of innovation in creating the future of business.
However, with more and more students wanting to pursue careers in technology and take advantage of the school’s location in Silicon Beach, getting admitted to Anderson is more challenging than ever.
That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to help you use your UCLA admissions essays to stand out.
1. Who is UCLA Anderson looking for?
(Photo courtesy of @uclaanderson on Instagram)
“When you collaborate to win, you share success. This ethic is at the very core of our character.” UCLA Anderson Admissions
Every year, Anderson’s admissions team sorts through thousands of applications to find the perfect admits for its class of 305 students. With a strong emphasis on innovation and collaboration, there is no “standard” student at Anderson, yet the average student admitted to the Class of 2026 had 5.4 years of work experience and a 714 GMAT score (up from 709 last year).
Nonetheless, Anderson looks beyond the numbers. Famous for its 3 pillars (share success, think fearlessly, and drive change), Anderson looks for applicants who will deliver value in the community as well as the classroom.
Furthermore, Anderson states that it looks for candidates who demonstrate academic horsepower (through strong GPAs and test scores), a track record of contributing to the community, employability, and focus.
If this sounds like a community in which you’d be right at home, you’ll first have to prove you’ve got what it takes by successfully answering Anderson’s open-ended admissions essay question.
2. How should I answer the UCLA essay questions?
2.1. Short Essay Prompts
- Why is the MBA the right degree for you to pursue both personally and professionally? (150 words)
This question is new this year, and we love it! Unlike previous years, UCLA now provides a space to give candidates the opportunity— if only briefly—to give a bit more context about their goals.
While you may be tempted to repeat arguments about what you plan to learn while at Anderson or your goals themselves, we do not suggest you use this space for that. Instead, we recommend you use this space to discuss one or two STAR-formatted stories that help the reader understand the motivation behind your goals and, thus, why you need an MBA.
This means avoiding general descriptions of the impact you’ve had at your company and focusing on one or two experiences that pack a serious punch when it comes to generating a clear impact (the R of your STAR story). Anderson’s application is short and sweet, which means that you won’t show off the best you have to offer unless you make sure every word counts.
So, when brainstorming your stories, first, make sure you choose a story that has a clear result that helps the reader understand why you care about your goals and the impact you want to make. We suggest prioritizing professional experiences that demonstrate your expertise in your industry or relevant personal experiences that underline your area of impact.
Of course, as your last step, consider what you think the adcom needs to learn about you and choose your winning story.
With this in mind, it’s time to start drafting. As mentioned above, following the STAR method is essential here. You want to make sure that when showing the Situation, you adequately express the conflict/challenge so your later actions sufficiently demonstrate how you overcame it.
If you have space, you might want to write a sentence or two about how the experience connects to UCLA Anderson’s culture.
Write Essays That Make Admissions Say Yes
Generic essays get generic results. Your story drowns in thousands of others the adcom is going through, and you get dinged. Ouch!
That’s why My Admit Coach helps you uncover the unique stories only you can tell, then guides you to turn them into compelling, high-impact essays.
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With hundreds of painstakingly developed prompts, you’ll dig deeper into your motivations, achievements, and impact, guided by AI that understands what makes great essays great.
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- Describe your short-term and long-term post-MBA career goals. (150 words)
Here you have such a short amount of space that it’s critical you present a clear, focused answer. Considering the short word count, your greatest challenge is going to be providing a complete picture of your future ambitions as concisely as possible.
For this answer, given the length, make sure to be direct. Include what you plan to do career-wise after your MBA, both short- and long-term, including both job title and industry.
Statements like: “I want to be an executive” will not be specific enough for this task.
You don’t need to mention specific companies you want to work for unless you’re going sponsored, and then it’s good information to include. If you have space, you can also include why you are interested in pursuing these goals (but be sure to not repeat content or stories from your short answer above).
- What makes UCLA Anderson a top choice for you, and how will you engage with and contribute to the community? (250 words)
On the surface, this may seem like a straightforward “why our school?” essay, but it’s doing much more. First, Anderson wants to understand what makes the program uniquely appealing to you (i.e., what drew you in beyond rankings or weather). At the same time, they’re evaluating your fit with their community and your willingness to be an active, contributing member. Put simply, they want to admit people who are intentional about being at Anderson and who will shape the experience for others, not just benefit from it.
Because space is limited, a strong response should be tightly structured and purposeful. A compelling opening might briefly show your personal connection to Anderson through a conversation with a student, a moment of realization during an info session, or an experience that aligns with the school’s culture of innovation and collaboration. This isn’t just storytelling for effect. Framing your essay with a personal insight can make your reasons for applying feel grounded and authentic.
From there, you’ll want to highlight specific reasons why Anderson is a great fit for your goals. It’s not enough to say the school has a great curriculum or strong network. You’ll need to name particular resources, like a course, club, or experiential program, and explain how they connect to what you hope to achieve. If you’re targeting entrepreneurship, for example, the Business Creation Capstone or UCLA Anderson Venture Accelerator might play a key role. If you’re focused on social impact, show how Anderson’s values or LA’s business ecosystem support that path.
The final part of the essay should focus on how you plan to engage with the Anderson community. This is where you shift from “what I want to get” to “what I’ll give.” Rather than using broad statements like “I want to give back,” think about the experiences, insights, or skills you’ll bring. Perhaps you’ve led cross-cultural teams and want to support global student initiatives. Maybe you’ve built DEI workshops at work and want to contribute to Women@Anderson or the Alliance for Latinx Management at Anderson (ALMA). Whatever you choose, make it specific and rooted in your actual background since your credibility and thoughtfulness matter here.
Finally, close with a values-driven sentence that reinforces your enthusiasm and long-term connection to Anderson. You don’t need a dramatic ending, just one that clearly affirms that Anderson is not only your top choice, but also a place where you’ll grow and help others do the same.
2.2. Optional Essay Tips
Optional Essay: No preference is given in the evaluation process to those who choose to respond to this optional essay, so please use your best judgment: Are there any extenuating circumstances in your profile about which the Admissions Committee should be aware? (250 words maximum)
This is not a place for you to retell your life story or sum up your interest in UCLA or need for an MBA. The Anderson Admissions Committee made that crystal clear by updating the wording of their optional essay question this year, stating that not writing the optional essay will in no way damage your application.
As such, it’s especially important to make sure you focus only on weak spots and also discuss what steps you have taken or took to rectify the weaknesses.
If you wish to provide additional information about academic or personal circumstances not included in your Optional Essay or elsewhere in this application, please do so here. (1000 characters)
If you have written an optional essay for other schools that includes information about your academic performance, remove it from the optional essay you plan to submit and include the information here.
Additionally, if you have any relevant information you’d like to share that doesn’t fit into the previous prompt, you may add it here.
Many of our applicants end up leaving this question blank. You should use this box only if it is truly necessary.
Find additional tips and tricks to help you master the optional essay here.
2.4. Reapplicant Essay Tips
Reapplicant Essay(s): Reapplicants are those who submitted a completed MBA application within the previous two years (that is, who applied for the MBA program starting in 2024 or 2025) and received a final decision. Reapplicants are required to answer the Short Essay Prompts. It is suggested, but not required, to also answer the Optional Essay.
We have written a separate post on the topic of reapplying to business school, including insider tips and tricks to help make sure your second shot at your dream school is successful!
3. Worried you won’t get into your dream school?
You’ve built an impressive career and worked hard to get to this point, but now you’re facing the daunting task of pulling together a compelling MBA application. The pressure to choose which stories best sell your profile, write essays that reflect your achievements, prepare for interviews, and manage multiple deadlines can feel overwhelming. Are you doing enough to be noticed by admissions committees at top business schools?
At Ellin Lolis Consulting, we understand the stakes. With a 98.9% success rate, we’ve helped countless applicants just like you secure spots at their dream schools. application—from essays to interviews—tells a cohesive, compelling story that gets you in.
That’s the approach we took with our client Alexandre, who was admitted to UCLA Anderson with a scholarship.
In his words, “ From day one, I could see that working with Ellin Lolis Consulting was the right choice for me. I come from a not so common background so having someone with who could give me detailed feedback on my essays was the key point that helped me differentiate myself from the rest. Getting accepted to UCLA Anderson School of Management with a $40,000 scholarship is a turning point in my career, and I am very happy to acknowledge Ellin’s huge part in that success.”
Don’t leave your future to chance. Learn more about working with us and take the first step toward a successful MBA application journey.
4. UCLA Deadlines
Here are the deadlines for the 2025-2026 season. You can access UCLA Anderson’s online application here.
UCLA Anderson Round 1 Deadlines
Application Deadline: October 1, 2025
Interview Notification: Ongoing
Decisions Released: December 12, 2025
UCLA Anderson Round 2 Deadlines
Application Deadline: January 6, 2026
Interview Notification: Ongoing
Decisions Released: March 27, 2026
UCLA Anderson Round 3 Deadlines
Application Deadline: April 7, 2026
Interview Notification: Ongoing
Decisions Released: May 15, 2026
