What are the best tips for MIT MFin essays?

Question

I’m currently preparing my MIT MFin application and struggling with the essays. I’ve done my BCom (Hons) in Finance from Delhi University, scored 8.3 CGPA, and completed the CFA Level 1 along with an online certification in Financial Modeling & Valuation. I’ve interned at a Big 4 in corporate finance and later at a mid-size investment advisory firm, where I worked on equity research reports.
The problem is, I’m not sure how to bring all of this together in the essays so it looks like a strong, coherent story. Should I focus more on my technical finance skills and certifications, or give more space to personal experiences that shaped my career goals? Also, how detailed should I be when describing my internships? If anyone here has successfully written MIT MFin essays and can share tips ,  especially on structure, tone, and how to stand out,  it would be really helpful.

Mansih K · Accepted Answer

To write strong MIT MFin essays, the key is connecting your academics, certifications, and internships into a single career-driven narrative. Start with a clear &ldquo;Why finance&rdquo; moment &mdash; it could be an academic project, market event, or early exposure during your BCom. Use this as the anchor, then show how each step &mdash; CFA Level 1, financial modeling certification, and your internships &mdash; built skills for your target role. Keep technical details selective: for example, instead of explaining every equity model you worked on, focus on one project that best demonstrates analytical skill and impact.
Balance technical credibility with personal drive. Admissions already see your grades and certifications; the essay&rsquo;s role is to explain the why behind your choices. End with clear career goals and name specific MIT resources &mdash; like the Finance Lab or faculty research &mdash; that bridge your current profile to where you want to be.

Supriya J · Answer

MIT MFin essays stand out when they feel personal but still prove you&rsquo;re ready for the program&rsquo;s rigor.
&bull; Open with a defining moment &mdash; e.g., a challenge during your Big 4 internship where you had to deliver a high-stakes analysis under pressure. &bull; From there, weave in your BCom, CFA Level 1, and certifications as proof of technical readiness, but keep the story moving instead of listing them. &bull; Describe internships with enough detail to show scale and impact &mdash; for example, &ldquo;an equity research report that influenced a client&rsquo;s investment decision&rdquo; &mdash; but skip overly technical jargon. &bull; Show a clear link between what you&rsquo;ve done and where you want to go &mdash; whether it&rsquo;s IB, asset management, or corporate finance. &bull; Mention specific MIT offerings that fit your goals, like Proseminars or the Sloan Finance Group, to show you&rsquo;ve done your homework.
The aim is to make your essay read like a journey with purpose, not just a resume in paragraph form.
For more details you can read this blog on "MIT MFin "

Jayant M · Answer

The best tips for MIT MFin essays are to keep them structured, personal, and clearly aligned with your career goals. MIT gets a ton of applicants with good grades, CFA, and internships, so the essay is where you need to connect the dots.
Start with your motivation for finance &mdash; what got you interested, and how your experiences at Delhi University and CFA Level 1 built the base. Then bring in internships at the Big 4 and the advisory firm, but don&rsquo;t just list tasks. Show impact: &ldquo;worked on an equity research report that influenced X decision&rdquo; reads stronger than &ldquo;did equity research.&rdquo;
Technical skills like financial modeling matter, but MIT wants to see career vision and fit with MFin. Tie your skills to your goal (IB, AM, PE, etc.) and show how MIT&rsquo;s curriculum, electives, or faculty will bridge the gap. Essays that combine personal drive with technical readiness stand out.

Divakshi Arora · Answer

Most people approach MIT MFin essays like a resume dump, and that&rsquo;s where they go wrong. The essay isn&rsquo;t just about proving you know finance &mdash; it&rsquo;s about showing a coherent story.
&bull; Start with why finance matters to you personally. Admissions reads hundreds of essays about CFA and modeling. What will make yours different is linking a personal experience (like a project, or an internship moment where you realized you wanted IB/AM) to your goals. &bull; For internships, don&rsquo;t describe every detail. Pick one or two projects where you made an impact &mdash; e.g., a report that got used by clients, or an analysis that saved time for the team. &bull; Certifications like CFA Level 1 and financial modeling courses should be mentioned briefly as evidence of preparation, not the centerpiece. &bull; End by connecting your journey to MIT MFin specifically &mdash; the program&rsquo;s quant-heavy curriculum, career connections in New York/Boston, or STEM OPT advantage for internationals.
That balance of personal story + technical proof usually makes a strong essay.