（一）關(guān)于以往職業(yè)發(fā)展，今后的目標(biāo)。這幾乎是每個學(xué)校必問的問題。當(dāng)然，每個學(xué)校的措辭會有些不同。如下面的幾個例子：

Briefly describe your career progression to date. Elaborate on your future career plans and your motivation for pursuing a graduate degree at Kellogg. Why are you seeking an MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, how have your professional experiences influenced your desire to continue your education, and what are your plans and goals after you receive your degree?

Please discuss your long-term career goals and the role the MBA wil1 play in those plans. (Duke's Fuqua School of Business)

評審委員會提這個問題的目的是看你在生活中是否有一個明確的目標(biāo)以及你對實(shí)現(xiàn)目標(biāo)的堅(jiān)定程度。許多學(xué)校都讓你把今后的打算和上他們學(xué)校的MBA這一決定聯(lián)系在一起回答，其目的是考察你的決定是否成熟以及你對該MBA項(xiàng)目的態(tài)度和了解程度。

（二）介紹自己以往取得的成就。這類問題的形式有如下幾種：

Describe your three most substantial accomplishments and explain why you view them as such. (Harvard)

Tell us about one or two accomplishments in your life that are not presented elsewhere in this application. Why are you proud of them? (Stanford)

評審委員會的意圖是了解你在申請讀MBA之前在工作或生活上的成就。回答這類問題的關(guān)鍵是不要只談工作上的成就，給人印象是這個申請者的生活是one-dimensional，好像除了工作就沒有別的了。

（三）比較難處理的道德問題（ethical di1emmas）。

盡管我們認(rèn)為沒有哪所商學(xué)院聲稱教授“倫理學(xué)”，但許多學(xué)校開設(shè)有關(guān)課程，讓學(xué)生對工商管理中可能出現(xiàn)的難處理的道德問題有初步認(rèn)識，并促使他們思考以后工作中遇到類似情況時應(yīng)如何處理。如哈佛商學(xué)院開設(shè)諸如“管理中的道德難題”等選修課，在弗吉尼亞大學(xué)，職業(yè)道德被視為MBA教育的基礎(chǔ)，全體一年級學(xué)生都要學(xué)習(xí)有關(guān)的必修課程。

由于道德問題在當(dāng)今MBA教學(xué)中日益受到重視，在申請過程中遇到類似問題，就不足為奇了。其中，典型的問題包括：

Describe an ethical dilemma that you have personally encountered. What alternative actions did you consider and why? Do not tell us what you decided to do. (For purposes of this question， ethical is defined as "in accordance with accepted principles of conduct".) (Stanford)
 What is the most difficult ethical dilemma you have faced in your professional life? Articulate the nature of the difficulty. Upon present reflection， would you have resolved this dilemma in a different manner? (UVA)

對大多數(shù)申請者來說，寫關(guān)于“道德難題”的短文的第一步是先絞盡腦汁想想有什么題材可寫。在你幾年的工作經(jīng)歷中，可能根本沒遇到過讓你在道德方面進(jìn)退維谷的情況。這時你要仔細(xì)考慮過去工作中發(fā)生的事情，可能有些你曾經(jīng)不屑一顧的小事，就是你苦苦尋求的素材。記住要有創(chuàng)造性。

對另一些人來說，這樣的題目給他們一個機(jī)會講出已在心中藏了許久的故事。如果你屬于這種情況，就把它講出來。

但請讀者注意，這類題目的目的并不是讓你責(zé)備過去曾蔑視過你的人。你對以往道德問題的反思應(yīng)是不偏不倚，考慮周到，并且是有創(chuàng)見性的。讀者還要注意，有些學(xué)校要求作者說明自己是如何解決這些道德問題的，而還有些學(xué)校只要求講述問題的具體情況，不要求提供解決方法。

（四）有關(guān)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)能力的問題。

在MBA申請者應(yīng)具備的多種素質(zhì)中，實(shí)際的或潛在的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)才能占據(jù)著重要地位。許多學(xué)校會問申請人過去的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)經(jīng)歷方面的問題。例如：

How would you describe the strengths that you bring to situations requiring leadership? What areas of your leadership competence do you hope will undergo further development? (Harvard)
Describe a significant leadership experience, decision-making challenge, or managerial accomplishment. How did this experience affect your professional/personal development? (UVA)
在考慮如何回答這類問題時，思路要開闊，記住領(lǐng)導(dǎo)才能并不只是體現(xiàn)在工作中。

（五）有關(guān)社區(qū)或課外活動方面的問題。

這類問題給申請人一個很好的機(jī)會向招生委員會展示自己工作之外的其他生活側(cè)面，突出自己與眾不同之處。這類問題的形式是多種多樣的：

List your involvement in community, extracurricular, and professional activities. Please indicate the dates of your involvement, the scope of your responsibilities, whether you were elected or appointed to leadership positions, and the offices held. (University of Chicago)
What one nonprofessional activity do you find most inspirationa1, and why? (Wharton)
For fun, I ________. (Kellogg)

申請人應(yīng)該充分地利用這類問題，充分展示自己背景中工作經(jīng)歷之外的能吸引錄取委員會的地方。這里我們給讀者舉出幾個例子，希望讀者認(rèn)識到回答這類與工作經(jīng)歷無關(guān)的問題可涉及的題材是非常廣泛的。

（六）有關(guān)申請人的良師益友的題目。

錄取委員會可以通過你對自己良師益友的描述，了解你的事業(yè)發(fā)展情況。這類問題例如：

 Describe the characteristics of an exceptional manager using an example of someone whom you have observed or with whom you have worked. Illustrate how his or her management style has influenced you. (Tuck)

（七）有關(guān)個人優(yōu)缺點(diǎn)的問題。

例如：

What character traits do you consider your strengths? (HBS)
I disappoint myself when I am ________. ((Kellogg)

（八）選擇性的題目。

許多學(xué)校利用選擇性的題目給申請人一個機(jī)會，讓他們加入一些無法包括在申請材料基本格式中的材料。例如：

What would you like for the Admissions Committee to know about you, that might not be apparent through the materials in your fi1e, before we make a decision? (Duke University's Fuqua School of Business)
 What e1se would you like to share with the Admissions Committee that is not presented elsewhere in your application? If you feel that your credentials and application represent you fully，then do not feel obligated to write anything more. (Wharton)(Optional)

Is there any other information that you believe would be helpful to the Board in understanding you better and in considering your application? Please be concise. (Harvard)

申請者應(yīng)該抓住這樣的機(jī)會，拋開在申請過程中一直恪守的死板格式，充分展示自己，加深評審委員會對你的了解，擴(kuò)大自己的錄取機(jī)會。

需要提醒讀者注意的是，寫“任選”短文，不要局限在工作或?qū)W業(yè)領(lǐng)域內(nèi)。因?yàn)檫@兩方面的內(nèi)容通常已經(jīng)體現(xiàn)在申請材料的其他部分了。申請人應(yīng)運(yùn)用“任選”短文向評審委員會展示自己的另外一個側(cè)面，突出自己的與眾不同之處。