The MIT Sloan MBA application requires a 300-word cover letter, a one-minute video introduction, a 250-word short essay about your background, and an organizational chart. 

Success in the MIT Sloan application isn’t about perfection. It’s about authenticity, intention, and alignment with Sloan’s mission and values. The admissions committee is looking for candidates who take initiative, collaborate generously, and bring a unique perspective to the classroom and community. They want to see who you are – not just what you’ve done.

At its heart, the MIT Sloan MBA program is about developing principled, innovative leaders who will have a positive impact on the world. As you prepare your application, reflect on how your experiences and mindset connect to that ethos.

How to Write the MIT Sloan Cover Letter

The cover letter prompt is as follows:

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).

The MIT Sloan cover letter is a concise format with a clear purpose: to spotlight the mindset and motivation behind your achievements. Sloan is looking for independent, authentic, and fearless problem-solvers – people who take initiative, innovate with integrity, and collaborate to make things better. They’re not interested in platitudes or recycled content. They want specifics.

The most effective cover letters do three things:

• Show, don’t tell. Use one or two focused examples – ideally from the last 2–3 years – that reflect your values in action. Think initiatives you led, challenges you navigated, or unconventional ideas you put into practice.
• Connect your story to Sloan’s mission. While this isn’t a traditional “Why MIT?” essay, it’s still important to convey how Sloan’s hands-on, community-driven environment aligns with your goals – and how you’ll add value to your classmates’ experience.
• Be crisp, confident, and purposeful. Avoid generic praise about the program or regurgitating content from the website. Instead, aim for a sharp, professional tone that mirrors what you’d write in a job application for a dream role.
• Write with clarity, energy, and intention. Focus on what makes you a standout fit. Think of it as applying for your dream opportunity – a rare chance to show what drives you, what you’ve done, and what kind of impact you’re ready to make next.

Think of the cover letter as your elevator pitch: grounded in experience, shaped by intention, and pointing clearly toward your future impact.

Key Takeaways for Your MIT Sloan Cover Letter

• Choose 1–2 recent examples that reflect Sloan values: action, integrity, innovation, collaboration.
• Keep your focus on what you’ll contribute to the Sloan community.
• Be authentic, concise, and specific – and let your drive shine through.

Tips for the MIT Sloan Video Essay

Prompt: 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

The MIT Sloan video introduction is a rare format among top MBA programs, and a powerful opportunity to bring your application to life.

Notice that the video is framed as an introduction to your classmates: the tone they’re looking for is warm, natural, and real – the kind of introduction you’d give during your first week on campus.

Sloan’s goal here isn’t polish – it’s presence. That’s why the video must be recorded in a single take, with no background music, no subtitles, and no edits. They want to get a sense of who you are in real life, beyond your resume: your energy, authenticity, and how you connect with others. 

This isn’t the place to recap your professional accomplishments or walk through your resume – don’t repeat information they have elsewhere. Instead, think about what only a live video can reveal: your voice, your personality, your story.

Here’s how to make the most of your minute:

• Be yourself, not a pitch. Speak in a conversational tone – clear, confident, and unrehearsed. Warmth and sincerity go further than memorized perfection.
• Take a risk and be vulnerable. The goal is to provide a genuine glimpse into who you are. You only have a minute to deliver a response that’s memorable, profound, and articulate. A compelling tactic is to elaborate on a single, specific experience that reveals an important dimension of who you are. Maybe you’re the only one in your family who can get a grandparent to open up about their health. Maybe your smile is so infectious that neighbors count on you to brighten their day. Don’t shy away from sharing something small but meaningful — these moments are often what leave a lasting impression.
• Choose your setting thoughtfully. You don’t need to be on a mountain summit or in front of a whiteboard – but if there’s a space that reflects something important about you, use it. Just make sure your sound and lighting are clear.
• Practice until it flows – but don’t over-rehearse. It should feel intentional, not robotic. Record yourself a few times, watch it back, refine, then go live when you’re ready.

You might briefly reference your career goals or interests at Sloan, but keep the focus on introducing yourself as a human being, not an applicant. This is your moment to show Sloan not just what you do, but who you are.

Key Takeaways for the MIT Sloan Video Essay

• Be genuine and conversational – not scripted.
• Choose one story or angle that helps define you.
• Dress professionally, speak clearly, and look into the camera.
• Let your personality shine – this is about connection, not perfection.

How to Answer MIT Sloan’s Short Essay – the World That Shaped You

Prompt: How has the world you come from shaped who you are today? For example, your family, culture, community, all help to shape aspects of your life experiences and perspective. Please use this opportunity to share more about your background. (250 words or less.)

This open-ended question is a golden opportunity to share the context behind your story – to give the admissions committee a deeper understanding of what shaped your values, worldview, and sense of self. Whether through your family, cultural identity, hometown, community, or a formative personal experience, this is your chance to show how your background informs who you are and how you engage with the world.

This question is about identity, perspective, and lived experience. Think about the beliefs you hold, the way you relate to others, or the lens through which you navigate challenges and opportunities. You don’t need to have overcome adversity for this essay to be powerful – even small, meaningful moments or traditions can leave a lasting imprint.

Sloan uses this question to help shape a class that is diverse in every sense – not just in demographics, but in thought, experience, and contribution. Be honest and reflective. Help the committee see what drives you, what matters to you, and how your background has prepared you to enrich the Sloan community.

Key Takeaways for the World That Shaped You Question

• Focus on identity, values, or perspective, not professional milestones.
• Be reflective and authentic — vulnerability can be powerful here.
• Show how your background has shaped your character and how it might inform your contribution to Sloan.
• Keep it focused and specific – this is not the place to cover everything in your life story.

More Key Tips for the MIT Sloan Application

In addition to the cover letter, video, and short answer response, Sloan’s application includes a few unique elements that deserve special attention:

• The Organizational Chart: This distinctive requirement allows you to visually convey where you sit within your organization, providing quick context around your title, responsibilities, and reporting relationships. For detailed guidance on how to approach this, check out our article: MIT Sloan Org Chart: How to Tackle It, featuring expert insights from Fortuna’s Heidi Hillis.
• The Pre-Interview Questions: If you’re invited to interview, you’ll be asked to complete a set of written responses in advance. These questions offer another opportunity to reflect on your impact, goals, and fit with Sloan. For advice on how to approach them, see our guide: How to Tackle the MIT Sloan Pre-Interview Questions.

Each piece of the application is intentional  –  use them to build a multidimensional picture of who you are and how you’ll contribute to Sloan’s dynamic community.

Final Thoughts

A central theme across the entire application is that MIT Sloan values individuality, so in your responses, don’t be afraid to be authentically you.  Your deployment of illustrative examples across the cover letter, video, short essay, and pre-interview reflection is vital.  Muster your authenticity and courage to show them you already have developed this capacity – and then make it clear where you hope to let it shine at MIT. 

Let’s Get You Into MIT Sloan

Fortuna Admissions is a dream team of former MBA admissions decision-makers from top schools. We know what it takes to stand out because we’ve made the admit decisions ourselves. Whether you need help refining your story, strengthening your essays, or navigating interviews, we’ve got you covered.

Our free consultations are consistently rated the best in the industry – and they’re a great way to get personalized advice and honest feedback on your profile. Book your free session with us today.