MBA Admissions Essays

Essay # 1
List one of your most significant professional or organizational accomplishments. Describe your precise role in this event and how it has helped to shape your management skills.
I started out initially as a technical support representative for a Stage Software Inc. in 2003 for a period of six months while presently I am associated with McKing Consulting Corporation. However for a period of two years I was associated with SunTrust Bank, where I started out as a Staff Accountant level one and in a year’s time was promoted to the next level this was based on outstanding job performance and proposal.

In addition during the initially stage I was one of the team members who was responsible for relocation and change of the accounting system of an acquired bank into SunTrust’s accounting system. (Listed as Significant Achievement in the Resume)
In the beginning of my last year with the bank, SunTrust finance organization experienced some specific changes in various departments. This was done to realign its objectives to achieve strategic vision of the Bank. Consequently, my department’s operations were altered the Controllers to Finance operations. Prior to the changes the monthly financial closing constituted s cross-functional departments, — my department was also a part of this financial closing. Following were some of the problems which existed in the past:

For each financial closing a significant challenge was that most of the time some of the more important processes which were crucial for month end close were missed or delayed.
Communication between team members was either limited or non-existent
There was no system in place for a smooth flow of process.

Understanding the need to restructure the month end process, I rose to the challenge by taking the idea of synchronizing the month end close. As I was not very familiar with the different processes, my inexperience was one of the major impediments. I succeeded in coming up with a task plan to achieve the goals.
Initially I set up a meeting with the related teams and managers who were involved to get familiar with the different month end actions that needed to be processed. From the information received at the meeting I was able to draft a month end schedule, which detailed a list of responsibilities and prioritized the orders. This was presented for productive criticisms and reaction. It was accepted by the teams and the managers and after its implementation there was a remarkable improvement in the month end process.
This experience taught me the importance of working as a team and the importance of communication and coordination—a skill which is essential for business leaders and managers.  In addition the significance of organization and time management through prioritization to achieve objectives became very clear. This was my first experience as a leader as I initiated the change to create a more efficient set-up.
The opportunity gave me an insight into the organizational processes. Although at a very basic level however this initiative showed me as a leader and strengthen my professional growth however it was not enough as there is a need to further strengthen and polish the skills I have and MBA degree would he helpful in these respects. I am confident that my MBA experience will provide me with ample opportunities to demonstrate my leadership skills and also learn from future leaders.
Essay # 2
Of Goizueta`s core values (courage, integrity, accountability, rigor, diversity, team, community), which value resonates most with you and why? 1 page
Courage is the something which I believe is a very important part of my personality and life.  Almost 8 years back when I left Nigeria leaving behind family and friends I was not sure what it would be like in the United States and the people and the environment was completely alien for me. However it was my determination and my courage which made me carry on in spite of all the adversities. I was determined to be successful in my life and through perseverance and concerted effort I was able to assimilate in the new society.
Initially it was very depressing as I was all alone and had no one to turn to and I realized that if I kept on pondering about it I would have to return. For this I formed a plan to succeed and I went started implementing it. I found a group of immigrants from Nigeria –this group provided a sense of support to carry on and eventually I was able to familiarize myself with the surroundings.
Another thing I realized was to be financially independent. In Nigeria it was the parent’s responsibility to put children through school however here I had to get and education and support myself at the same time. With careful research, I realized that I would be able to secure financial aid and apply for scholarship to pay for school.
The immigration experience has in reality strengthened my character different ways and this strength would be helpful both for my career and my personal life. Though it may sound clichéd, but courage in the face of adversity inadvertently leads to success. Through this experience I also learned to value and be sensitive to other cultures and to enrich others with mine. I also discovered myself, a thing that would not have happened if I had not been exposed to this kind of experience. I was brave and I had a vision of my future, my resilience and optimism have paved the way for success.
Essay # 3
Of Goizueta`s core values (courage, integrity, accountability, rigor, diversity, team, community), which value resonates most with you and why? 1 page
Courage is the something which I believe is a very important part of my personality and life.  Almost 8 years back when I left Nigeria leaving behind family and friends I was not sure what it would be like in the United States and the people and the environment was completely alien for me. However it was my determination and my courage which made me carry on in spite of all the adversities. I was determined to be successful in my life and through perseverance and concerted effort I was able to assimilate in the new society.
Initially it was very depressing as I was all alone and had no one to turn to and I realized that if I kept on pondering about it I would have to return. For this I formed a plan to succeed and I went started implementing it. I found a group of immigrants from Nigeria –this group provided a sense of support to carry on and eventually I was able to familiarize myself with the surroundings.
Another thing I realized was to be financially independent. In Nigeria it was the parent’s responsibility to put children through school however here I had to get and education and support myself at the same time. With careful research, I realized that I would be able to secure financial aid and apply for scholarship to pay for school.
The immigration experience has in reality strengthened my character different ways and this strength would be helpful both for my career and my personal life. Though it may sound clichéd, but courage in the face of adversity inadvertently leads to success. Through this experience I also learned to value and be sensitive to other cultures and to enrich others with mine. I also discovered myself, a thing that would not have happened if I had not been exposed to this kind of experience. I was brave and I had a vision of my future, my resilience and optimism have paved the way for success.
Essay # 4
What do you expect to accomplish in the Goizueta Business School MBA program? How will your participation in the MBA program fit in with your experiences and responsibilities as well as your short and long-term career goals?
My life and the experiences since 1998 have been anything but normal. Emigrating from Nigeria was the first important landmark in my life. However, when I graduated from Georgia State University with a major in Accounting and Computer Information Systems I realized that in fact my BBA Cum Laude was the first goal in procession goals I had lined up. After my graduation my past four years experience in different organizations mentioned in the resume have helped me gain the knowledge and experience I feel was necessary to start my MBA degree which I regard as the final step before seriously starting a career.
Even as my professional experiences have facilitated me to develop strong skills in Accounting with the application of technology, I believe that at this point my career objective is to evolve into corporate finance by channeling my experience and developing further my knowledge of finance. I am convinced that an MBA with concentration in finance coupled with my professional familiarity will be an important asset creating a path to achieve my career goals.
My short-term goal is to obtain a job related to Corporate Finance in a Fortune 500 company or to enter corporate finance practice of a consulting firm. This goal has been formed because of my experience working as a second level accountant in the Controllers’ division of SunTrust bank. My experience at SunTrust has given me the experience needed to understand the dynamics of finance and operational activities through the various accounting assignments I participated in.
My long term objectives are strategic objectives based on the short term ones, because my ultimate goal — after gaining extensive knowledge and experience—is to form a financial advisory services firm that will cater to the needs of small to mid-size companies by helping organizations with raising capital, and ground-breaking financial planning solutions that will improve financial performance and value of business.
An MBA from Emory University is necessary because will provide the additional knowledge base that are vital to fulfill the different short term and long term career goals.
What particularly interests me is Gozuieta’s commitment to leadership development through the plus programs and extracurricular activities which would give ample opportunity for me to further improve and enhance my leadership skills.  Also, Goizueta’s flexible program will not only help polish my skills in other fundamental functional business areas but will also allow me to modify my selection of courses according to detailed career interests.
Most importantly, my visit to Emory University was both informative and inspirational I was able to obtain more information about the structure of the program. In addition, it gave me the chance to interact with alumni, current MBA students and a faculty member. I it was very beneficial listening to their first hand experiences and also learn about the close-knit community at Goizueta. This I believe is very significant as it allows the fostering of meaningful relationships. Overall, I was really impressed with the talent and diversity of the students this has certainly strengthened my resolve to be a part of Goizueta business school. If given an opportunity I assure you that I would contribute through my hard work and experiences to the classroom and more importantly gain knowledge and an understanding of the corporate world.