Essay 1
Explain why you chose your current job. How do you hope to see your career developing over the next five years? How will an MBA assist you in the development of these ambitions? Please limit your response to two, double-spaced, typed pages.

Instead of answering as three different questions, you can draw the picture of your vision for future with these different aspects filling in three different slots. There is no direct reference to long term goal. But your choice of your current job can not be an abstract, at random decision. It must be having some role in terms of experience you gain towards fulfillment of your future plans. Similarly, your next five years period is not an end in itself. It will act as a bridge to your ultimate long term goal. Your reason for aspiring for MBA in a particular field should also related to where you see yourself in long term. Therefore, you should mention your long term goals and build the whole story from there. You can elaborate your career path in a consistent way beginning from your current job- explaining how that experience will help in achieving your goal and your vision in next five years. The direction has to be clearly visible. Further, it is also advised that candidate pick up one or two unique experiences that reflect their leadership or teamwork etc. aspects and elaborate the same rather than writing a year by year progressive details of the job. Also, while mentioning that you want to be in middle management in some finance company in next five years, do not forget to mention that you want to gain knowledge about treasury operations, which will be a step in the direction of your long term goal of opening an Investment Company. You also need to explain why you feel the need for adding to your skills and how an MBA will fill the gap in knowledge that is required to be what you want to be. Although there is no direct reference to Oxford, you should still mention the reason for which you are choosing Oxford. Lastly, don't forget to bring in element to connect unique aspects of Oxford Program to your past and future.

Essay 2
Which recent development, world event or book has most influenced your thinking and why? Please limit your response to two, double-spaced, typed pages.

Apparently this is an unusual question with unusual word recommendations. The effect that some event, book, or development has on you depends on your predispositions, values, and sensitivity, and this is exactly what SBS is interested to know about you. Significant introspection and an articulate narration will be required to convey your messages through this usually long essay. Honestly think over the issue that really influenced you. Why did it influence you? Did it open a new vista for you? Or it confirmed your views, which you always held but were not getting the proof from real life? Why you thought what you thought? Was it due to your upbringing or you picked up this value in your college without being conscious about it. Even if you adopted some views consciously under a leader's influence and now, you find those irrational, you may still write about the same. It will reflect your honesty. Oxford puts a lot of value on ethical and philanthropic business leadership, so ensure that, unknowingly, you do not reflect anything against these traits. It is also suggested to not choose controversial topic like US attack on Afghanistan to have influenced you, given the sensitive nature of these subjects.

Note: Please ensure that your narration is interesting through out, and 2000 words are not filled with repetition of feelings, statements, or frivolous details. You can start with some unusual statement, or some questions which can bind the reader instantly. Also see that you are logically consistent through out and your answer is in line with your previous answer.