ESADE MBA Essay Prompts & Writing Guide 2025–2026

Focus your essay on genuine areas of development, not obstacles or excuses. ESADE's admissions committee is seeking evidence of self-awareness, humility, and your capacity for meaningful growth rather than a list of hurdles you have overcome. Consider selecting an area such as leadership, communication, technical expertise, or adaptability where you can demonstrate a clear evolution. The power of this essay lies in showing the admissions committee that you actively reflect on your development and take deliberate steps to improve. You should pick areas where you have moved from a state of weakness or limitation to demonstrated strength, and craft your response around this trajectory rather than simply naming skills you have acquired.

The structure that works best is a comparison method: identify where you fell short early in your career or studies, then explain how you recognized that gap, and finally demonstrate how you successfully applied new approaches or tools later. For example, you might describe a leadership challenge you faced when you first joined an organization due to limited experience building influence, then explain the specific framework, mentor relationship, or training program that helped you shift your approach, and conclude with a concrete example from later in your career when you applied those lessons successfully. This narrative arc proves you can learn from setbacks and evolve as a professional, which aligns perfectly with ESADE's emphasis on leadership development and continuous learning. Be specific about the tools you used: whether that was a book, a mentor relationship, a formal training program, or a shift in mindset, name and explain it so the admissions team understands the tangible method behind your growth.

The second part of the prompt asks you to identify the values that enabled your improvement, and this is where you connect your personal development directly to ESADE's institutional values. ESADE emphasizes innovation, collaboration, resilience, and social responsibility, so weave in language that reflects how values like these (or others that genuinely drove your growth) shaped your journey. Did you develop resilience when facing a difficult transition? Did you discover the power of collaboration when leading a cross-functional team? Did you pursue continuous learning because you value intellectual curiosity? Whatever values ring true for you, articulate them explicitly and show how they have guided your development. This demonstrates not just that you have grown, but that your growth mindset is grounded in principles that align with what ESADE is looking for in its community of leaders.

Remember that with 3,000 characters at your disposal (approximately 450-550 words), you have enough room to tell a compelling story if you keep unnecessary exposition to a minimum. Avoid generic statements about wanting to improve or vague statements about your dedication. Instead, use concrete examples, specific moments, and vivid language that brings your growth to life. The admissions team will read thousands of essays, so authenticity, precision, and a clear before-and-after progression will set you apart from applicants who simply summarize their achievements.

The admissions committee at ESADE is genuinely interested in learning who you are as a person, not just what you have accomplished professionally. This essay gives you permission to step away from your resume and share the passions, interests, and values that make you tick outside of work. Since ESADE explicitly describes itself as training "creative activists" who lead with integrity and flexibility within a team, they want to see how your background and non-work activities demonstrate those same qualities. Think about the moments, hobbies, languages, volunteer projects, cultural experiences, or creative pursuits that have shaped your worldview and made you who you are. Then, connect each one back to how it will enrich the cohort's collective experience. The stronger your essay, the clearer it becomes that you bring a unique lens to classroom discussions, group projects, and the broader community.

When brainstorming what to include, focus on depth over breadth. Rather than listing a dozen activities, choose two or three that genuinely reflect your values and that you have actually invested time in pursuing. For example, if you grew up in a multicultural household, explain how that shaped your ability to navigate different perspectives with empathy, and then show where you have actively lived out that value, whether through mentoring someone from a different background, learning a new language to communicate across cultures, or working with an NGO serving underrepresented communities. If you are passionate about the arts, sports, environmental causes, or social entrepreneurship, describe a specific moment that sparked that passion and detail how you have channeled it into tangible action. ESADE values candidates who take initiative, so avoid simply naming an interest; instead, demonstrate that you have pursued it seriously through concrete examples, projects, or leadership roles. The character of your involvement matters far more than the number of activities on your list.

Finally, show genuine knowledge of how your contributions will integrate into ESADE's existing ecosystem. Research the school's clubs, student initiatives, and values-driven programs that align with your passions, then briefly mention how you envision participating in or strengthening these groups. ESADE has a thriving culture where diversity is not a checkbox but a lived reality in working groups, classroom discussions, and after-class friendships. If your background brings a fresh perspective on sustainability, cross-cultural collaboration, innovation, or social responsibility, or if your non-work skills (photography, design, leadership in diverse settings, language abilities, or organizing community events) can enhance the vibrancy of student life, name that connection explicitly. The admissions team reads thousands of essays, so showing that you understand their mission and have thought seriously about where you fit into their community leaves a lasting impression. Use your 3,000 characters wisely to reveal who you are, what drives you, and how you will make ESADE a richer, more inclusive place for your classmates.

ESADE admissions readers are searching for a compelling narrative that proves three things: that you have crystal-clear, realistic career goals that make logical sense given your background; that you genuinely need an MBA at this specific moment in your professional journey; and crucially, that you understand what ESADE uniquely offers and how it will serve as the bridge between who you are now and who you aim to become. The 3,000-character limit requires ruthless strategic thinking. Many applicants waste precious space on generic praise for ESADE or vague statements about "wanting to lead." Instead, treat this essay as a tightly architected argument where every sentence advances your candidacy by showing deep self-awareness and targeted fit.

When defining your goals, begin by articulating why now is the right time for you. Perhaps you have reached a ceiling in your current role without an advanced business credential; you are transitioning into a new industry that requires MBA-level strategic thinking; or you have accumulated enough experience to know exactly where you need to go, but lack specific technical or leadership capabilities to get there. ESADE values applicants who recognize they are at a natural inflection point in their careers and are making a deliberate, informed decision rather than defaulting to an MBA as a generic career boost. Once you have established your timing rationale in two to three sentences, pivot to your mid-term and long-term goals. Be specific: name the role, the industry or sector, and ideally the type of company or organization. "Strategy consultant at a top-tier firm" is stronger than "work in consulting." "Business development director at a Brazilian multinational" is more compelling than "work internationally." Your long-term vision should feel like a natural evolution of your mid-term goal, not a sudden departure; it signals maturity and coherent ambition.

The final and most critical section is where you justify ESADE specifically. This is where most applications stumble. Admissions officers can tell when you have simply copied standard marketing copy from the website. Instead, you should reference concrete elements that connect directly to your development needs. If you lack cross-functional communication skills and you name ESADE's experiential learning methodology and specific courses like Negotiation Mastery or the Innovation Lab as places where you will close that gap, the committee recognizes your due diligence and alignment. If you are targeting emerging markets and the school"s 96 percent international cohort representing 50+ countries is essential to building your regional networks, state that. If you are entrepreneurially inclined and plan to launch a startup within five years, mention the Esade Creapolis innovation park or specific student clubs you will join. Better still, reference a conversation you had with a current student or alumnus who illuminated a particular aspect of the experience; this signals genuine interest and demonstrates you have done homework beyond the website. Do not list ten different resources; instead, identify two to three critical elements that will tangibly move you closer to your stated goals, and explain why each matters to your specific journey.

Remember that ESADE sees itself as training "creactivists" who blend creative thinking with social responsibility and sustainable impact. The school is deeply committed to developing not just competent business leaders, but professionals who make thoughtful, ethical decisions and contribute to fairer, more prosperous societies. Even if your goals are rooted in profit-driven industries like finance or technology, find an authentic way to signal that you understand business success and positive impact are intertwined. This does not require you to pursue a nonprofit career; it means showing you think beyond the quarterly earnings report. A clean, compelling essay that ties your motivation, your specific aspirations, and your deliberate choice of ESADE into one coherent narrative will stand out in a competitive applicant pool.

ESADE's fourth essay asks you to choose two of four reflective prompts, giving you 3,000 characters total to work with. This is where you show the admissions committee who you are as a person, not just what you've accomplished. The school emphasizes a concept of becoming a "creactivist" (creative activist), someone who uses business as a force for positive change, and your choices here should reveal how you embody resilience, self-awareness, and values that align with ESADE's culture of entrepreneurship, diversity, and social responsibility. With only 1,500 characters per response, each answer must be focused and deliberately chosen to complement your other application materials.

If you choose "I am most proud of," avoid simply listing a major career achievement; instead, select an accomplishment that demonstrates impact beyond yourself, whether through leadership, mentorship, social contribution, or innovation. Describe the specific challenge you faced, the approach you took, and the tangible result, then connect it to who you've become as a result. For example, if you launched a company, volunteered at an NGO, led a cross-functional team, or initiated a social initiative, focus on the human element and what that experience revealed about your values and character. ESADE looks for evidence that you can drive positive change and inspire others, so make sure your answer shows not just what you did, but why it mattered and what it taught you about leadership and impact.

If you select "What has your biggest challenge been and what did it help you learn about yourself," the key is demonstrating growth and resilience rather than dwelling on the difficulty itself. The challenge could stem from your professional journey (a role that pushed you outside your comfort zone, a failed project, difficult team dynamics), your personal life (adapting to a new country, overcoming a personal setback), or an unexpected obstacle. Set up the challenge clearly to create context, then explain concretely how you overcame it or what perspective shift you gained. ESADE particularly values applicants who show self-awareness; they want to see that you can acknowledge vulnerability, learn from setbacks, and emerge stronger. Make sure your final reflection ties the lesson directly to how you'll approach your MBA experience and future leadership role.

The other two options, "People may be surprised to learn that I" and "Which historical figure do you most identify with and why," offer more creative ways to reveal your personality and values. The surprise factor works best when it genuinely adds new dimension to your profile (perhaps revealing a creative passion, an unconventional background, or a skill unrelated to your main career narrative) and connects that aspect to a broader insight about how you approach problems or relationships. The historical figure option works well if you can meaningfully explain the parallels between their values or challenges and yours, avoiding clichéd choices and instead selecting someone whose journey or leadership philosophy genuinely resonates with your worldview. These options give you permission to be more personal and reveal the dimensions of yourself that make you a distinctive addition to ESADE's close-knit, international community of approximately 180 students. Remember that ESADE explicitly values candidates who will enhance classroom discussion and contribute to the diverse culture on campus, so whichever two prompts you choose, ensure they reveal authentic dimensions of who you are and what you'll bring to the cohort.

ESADE's optional essay is genuinely optional only if you have a flawless application with no gaps or inconsistencies. However, if you have anything that raises a question or could be interpreted negatively (low GPA, employment gap, below-average GMAT score, or an unconventional choice of recommender), you should use this space. The key is that ESADE's admissions committee looks for three core traits in successful candidates: leadership potential, the ability to thrive in an international environment, and genuine consistency in your application story. Any unexplained weakness will distract from your strengths, so address it head-on and let the admissions committee understand who you really are.

When writing this essay, adopt a straightforward, humble tone. State the facts of your situation factually without making excuses. For example, if you have a gap in employment, briefly explain what happened (job loss, health issues, family obligations, or deliberate time away for skills development), then pivot immediately to what you did during that time to grow. Did you volunteer, take online courses, freelance, or support a family member? If your undergraduate GPA is lower than ideal, acknowledge it, provide context if there is a legitimate reason (not a story about partying), then emphasize how your more recent academic work (coursework, GMAT score, professional success) demonstrates you are ready for ESADE's rigorous curriculum. The same applies to a lower-than-average GMAT score; highlight your quantitative or analytical strengths from your professional experience and resume that prove you can handle the program's demands.

ESADE values integrity and authenticity, so avoid overstating or embellishing your explanation. The admissions committee knows that life is complicated and that no candidate is perfect. What they want to see is self-awareness, resilience, and a clear trajectory of improvement or growth. Do not use this essay to repeat information you have already explained elsewhere in your application, and do not add new accomplishments or achievements here. This is not a dumping ground for achievements that didn't fit elsewhere; it is a focused, targeted response to a specific potential concern. Keep your response concise and direct; you have up to 3,000 characters, but you do not need to use all of them. Two paragraphs, or sometimes just one, is often enough to address a gap credibly and move on. Aim for clarity and honesty over elaboration.

Finally, understand that this optional essay is truly mandatory if you are reapplying to ESADE after a previous rejection. In that case, you must show measurable progress on the specific areas that weakened your previous candidacy. If you retook the GMAT and scored higher, say so. If you earned a promotion or took on a major leadership role, highlight it. If you clarified your career goals or gained international experience, demonstrate this. ESADE wants to see not just that you are a stronger candidate now, but that you have seriously reflected on your previous application and made concrete improvements. Without evidence of real change, reapplication signals a lack of seriousness to the admissions committee.