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Quick Answer:
MIT Sloan’s MBA application typically includes a cover letter, a 60-second video statement, and sometimes an optional short-answer question. These essays are designed to assess your professional achievements, values, and fit with Sloan’s mission. Your goal is to clearly communicate your goals, impact, and unique perspective while staying concise and authentic.
Keep reading to see essay tips, real examples, and a breakdown of what MIT Sloan is looking for.
Here are the topics we’ll cover:
- What Makes the MIT Sloan Essays Unique?
- MIT Sloan MBA Essay Prompts (2025–2026)
- What MIT Sloan Looks For in Your Essays
- Tips for Writing the MIT Sloan Cover Letter
- How to Nail the MIT Sloan Video Questions
- Successful MIT Sloan Essay Examples
- Common MIT Sloan Essay Mistakes to Avoid
- MIT Sloan Essay Final Checklist
- Key Takeaways
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Get Help with Your MIT Sloan Application Essays
What Makes the MIT Sloan Essays Unique?
MIT Sloan is known for its quant rigor, data-driven approach, and emphasis on impact. Consequently, its MBA essay questions reflect these values.
Unlike other MBA applications, Sloan’s application asks for:
- a cover letter, not a typical goals essay
- a video statement enabling you to share your personality
- an organizational chart to provide context to your professional story
- short answers and optional essays for clarification
Sloan’s application looks for authenticity, direct communication, and self-awareness. This means it’s best not to write long stories. Instead, you must share real results and your potential to make a difference.
KEY FACT:
Sloan’s MBA application does not include a traditional career goals essay.
MIT Sloan MBA Essay Prompts (2025–2026)
Here are the MIT Sloan essay questions for 2025–2026:
Cover Letter
MIT Sloan seeks students whose personal characteristics demonstrate that they will make the most of the incredible opportunities at MIT, both academic and non-academic. We are on a quest to find those whose presence will enhance the experience of other students. We seek thoughtful leaders with exceptional intellectual abilities and the drive and determination to put their stamp on the world. We welcome people who are independent, authentic, and fearlessly creative — true doers. We want people who can redefine solutions to conventional problems, and strive to preempt unconventional dilemmas with cutting-edge ideas. We demand integrity and respect passion.
Taking the above into consideration, please submit a cover letter seeking a place in the MIT Sloan MBA program. Your letter should conform to a standard business correspondence, include one or more professional examples that illustrate why you meet the desired criteria above, and be addressed to the Admissions Committee (300 words or fewer, excluding address and salutation).
KEY FACT:
MIT Sloan’s cover letter requires 1 or more professional examples to illustrate the criteria in the prompt.
Video Question 1
Introduce yourself to your future classmates. Here’s your chance to put a face with a name, let your personality shine through, be conversational, be yourself. We can’t wait to meet you!
Videos should adhere to the following guidelines:
- No more than 1 minute (60 seconds) in length
- Single take (no editing)
- Speaking directly to the camera
- Do not include background music or subtitles
Video Question 2
All MBA applicants will be prompted to respond to a randomly generated, open-ended question. The question is designed to help us get to know you better; to see how you express yourself and to assess fit with the MIT Sloan culture. It does not require prior preparation.
Video Question 2 is part of your required application materials and will appear as a page within the application, once the other parts of your application are completed. Applicants are given 10 seconds to prepare for a 60-second response.
The following are examples of questions that may be asked in the Video Question 2:
- What achievement are you most proud of and why?
- Tell us about a time a classmate or colleague wasn’t contributing to a group project. What did you do?
KEY FACT:
The prompt for Video Question 2 is a randomly generated, open-ended question.
Organizational Chart
To help us better understand your current role and the impact that you have on your team and department, please submit an organizational chart. We should be able to clearly understand the internal structure of your organization, where you sit in your organization, and your line of reporting.
Organizational charts should not be more than two pages and keep the following in mind:
- Give us as much detail as possible (names, titles, etc.) but it’s ok to redact names if you need to.
- Please circle your role in red so that your position is easily identifiable.
- Make sure we can easily identify where you are, to whom you report, and if applicable, who reports to you.
- If your recommender or references are on your organizational chart (they may not be, and that’s ok!), please highlight them for us.
- If you are a consultant, entrepreneur, or affiliated with the military review our FAQs for suggestions on how to approach the organizational chart.
TTP PRO TIP:
Your organizational chart should help the admissions committee understand your current role and impact within your organization.
The World That Shaped You
The Admissions Committee is excited to learn more about you and your background. In 250 words, please respond to the following short-answer question:
How has the world you come from shaped who you are today? For example, your family, culture, and community all help to shape aspects of your life experiences and perspective. Please use this opportunity to share more about your background.
What MIT Sloan Looks For in Your Essays
MIT Sloan’s MBA program seeks candidates who demonstrate:
- analytical and leadership potential
- a track record of impact
- alignment with Sloan’s mission
- strong self-awareness
- an ability to contribute
In other words, share how you’ve already achieved results rather than how you plan to in the future. Additionally, showing your strong interest in Sloan is essential!
KEY FACT:
Among other qualities, MIT Sloan seeks candidates with strong leadership potential and self-awareness.
Tips for Writing the MIT Sloan Cover Letter
Sloan’s cover letter is an opportunity for you to communicate why you’re a great fit for the program. Think about how your response can make a compelling case and help you stand out.
Here are our tips for creating a powerful cover letter:
- Use a formal business letter format — Begin with your contact information and address the letter to the Admissions Committee.
- Get to the point quickly — Start the letter with a strong sentence stating your purpose: seeking admission to Sloan’s MBA program.
- Share your impact with specific examples — Highlight examples that showcase your leadership, ability to innovate, and results. However, don’t rehash your resume. Instead, amplify it.
- Connect your goals to Sloan — Explain why MIT Sloan is the right place for you. Specifically, review the cover letter prompt and discuss why you belong.
- Keep it succinct — Make sure your response doesn’t go over 300 words, and don’t forget to proofread.
TTP PRO TIP:
While it needs to be formal, your cover letter doesn’t have to be boring.
How to Nail the MIT Sloan Video Questions
The MIT Sloan video essay is an opportunity to share your personality.
For the first Sloan MBA video essay, you must prepare a 1-minute video clip introducing yourself to future classmates. For the second question, you’ll respond to an impromptu question.
Here are our tips to nail the Sloan video questions:
- Be conversational — The best responses aren’t overly formal. Therefore, you must speak with clarity and confidence.
- Write a loose script, but not a monologue — This approach creates a structure. However, a full script can inhibit your natural delivery.
- Mind your setup — Make sure that you have good lighting, clear sound, and a pleasant background.
- Smile and be yourself — Remember, you’re not pitching a product. Instead, you’re building a connection.
- Practice, but don’t over-rehearse — Practice enough so that you feel confident and speak naturally, but don’t over-rehearse.
TTP PRO TIP:
The best video responses are conversational and not overly formal.
Successful MIT Sloan Essay Examples
Essay examples can be great guides; however, your story must be original. Here are some winning themes from past MIT Sloan essays:
- turning around a failing project by realigning a team
- driving sustainability efforts at a global firm
- launching a startup that solves an overlooked problem
- creating an inclusive culture in a homogenous industry
Each of these examples shares a specific, values-driven story that could only be told by the candidate.
TTP PRO TIP:
Think about an original, values-driven story that can only be told by you.
Successful MIT Sloan Cover Letter
Here is an excerpt from a successful Sloan cover letter:
Dear Admissions Committee,
I am writing to express my interest in joining the MIT Sloan MBA Class of 2027. As a product leader at a Series B fintech startup, I’ve led cross-functional teams to deliver high-impact features that have scaled our user base by 40% in under a year. These experiences, along with my foundation in computer science, have fueled my passion for data-driven innovation and inclusive leadership …
Successful MIT Sloan Video Essay
Next, review this excerpt from a Sloan video essay:
“Hi, I’m Alanna from Austin! I’m a software engineer turned social entrepreneur, currently leading a tech-for-good nonprofit that empowers young women to enter STEM careers …”
The best MIT Sloan video essays address the prompt and showcase your personality.
TTP PRO TIP:
The video essays are an opportunity to showcase your personality.
Common MIT Sloan Essay Mistakes to Avoid
Here are some common mistakes to avoid in your Sloan application essays:
- rewriting an essay from another program
- using vague language, such as “I’m passionate about leadership…”
- failing to show alignment with Sloan’s values
- submitting without proofreading
- rushing through the videos
Remember, each aspect of the MBA application is an opportunity to share something new. Therefore, you should be strategic and take advantage of every opportunity!
TTP PRO TIP:
Be sure to show alignment with Sloan’s values in your application essays.
MIT Sloan Essay Final Checklist
Before submitting your MIT Sloan application, run through this list:
- Make sure you used the correct formats and did not exceed the word count limits.
- Ensure that you’ve clearly stated your fit with Sloan.
- Confirm that your examples are specific and quantifiable, as applicable.
- Review your essays and videos for tone.
- Test your setup for lighting and audio clarity.
- Get another opinion on your materials.
Key Takeaways
If you follow the analysis in this article, you will be on track to submit a strong MIT Sloan application. Best of luck!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the format of the MIT Sloan cover letter?
Sloan’s cover letter should follow the standard business format. Specifically, include your contact info, a salutation, paragraphs, and a closing.
What should I include in my MIT Sloan cover letter?
Share 1 or 2 concrete examples of impact, goals, and why Sloan is the right fit for you. Be specific, not generic.
How do I approach the MIT Sloan video statement?
Review the MIT Sloan video essay tips in this article. Then, create a loose script, practice, and record your intro in 1 take. Be authentic and personable.
Can I reuse content from other MBA applications for Sloan?
Not exactly. Sloan’s application guidelines are pretty distinct, and you’ll have to make a number of changes.
How important are the Sloan essays in the admissions process?
They’re very important! Sloan’s MBA admissions committee uses them to assess your communication skills, leadership potential, and fit with the program.
Get Help with Your MIT Sloan Application Essays
Sloan’s MBA program is incredibly competitive. However, the right strategy and essay tips can make all the difference.
If you want personalized guidance from start to finish, we can help! Book a free consultation with one of our expert admissions consultants today.
