Teacher Materials

1. © 2015 SkimaTalk, Inc.
SkimaTalk Official Course
Preparing for the MBA Application Process
Lesson 1: Why an MBA?

2. Master the “Why an MBA” Question
2© 2015 SkimaTalk, Inc.
One of the most important MBA
application questions is:
“Why an MBA?”
In this lesson, you will practice
answering this critical question.

3. To Answer This Question, Think About Your Goals
3© 2015 SkimaTalk, Inc.
Change career / function
Earn a promotion / raise
Become a manager
Become an entrepreneur
Grow your professional network
What does success mean to you?

4. Good Answers are Specific, Address Your Current
Weaknesses, and Include an End Result
4© 2015 SkimaTalk, Inc.
“I am pursuing an MBA
because I want to become a
product manager in the
technology industry. An MBA
will give me the marketing,
strategy, and leadership
training necessary to make this
transition. Upon graduation, I
plan to work for Facebook or
Google.
Good Answer✓
Specific
Current Weaknesses
End Result

5. Lesson Structure
5© 2015 SkimaTalk, Inc.
Before the lesson you will prepare an answer to the question: “Why do
you want to pursue an MBA?”
During the lesson you will discuss and practice your answer with your
teacher:
(10 minutes) – Discuss your goals / reasons for pursuing an MBA.
(5 minutes) – Practice answering the question: “Why an MBA?”
(5 minutes) – Discuss and make improvements to your answer.
(5 minutes) – Practice answering the question again: “Why an MBA?”

6. Teacher Notes
6© 2015 SkimaTalk, Inc.
Teacher Version Only
Teacher Instructions:
1. (10 minutes) Spend the first 10 minutes of the session discussing WHY the student
wants to pursue an MBA. Be sure to ask the following questions:
• Why do you want to pursue an MBA?
• What gaps / weaknesses in your background will an MBA fill?
• Can you achieve your goals without pursuing an MBA?
2. (5 minutes) Ask your student to give a formal answer to the question, interview style:
“Why do you want to pursue an MBA?”
3. (5 minutes) Discuss the student’s answer.
• What worked well?
• What could be improved upon?
• Was the answer well thought out and convincing?
• *** MBA programs work very hard to understand if applicants REALLY know why
they want to pursue an MBA ***. Please stress the importance of this question to
the student.
4. (5 minutes) Ask the student to answer the question again: “Why do you want to pursue
an MBA?”

7. © 2015 SkimaTalk, Inc.
7
End of Lesson
We Hope You Enjoyed It!