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the new Harvard essay 1 (almost an essay critique)

July 5, 2012 by EssaySnark - Discusses Harvard Leave a Comment

We got this submitted to us for review the day after HBS released its new essay questions — OK not really, maybe it was the week after. Regardless, we were a little shocked that BSers were already writing essays. The Round 1 deadline isn’t till end of September — even sitting here now, that’s still almost two full months away! This essay came in even before we published our new HBS essay guide, and that came out super fast after those questions were released. The weird part was that this wasn’t the first HBS essay we saw. The reason we weren’t thrilled to be seeing these essays is that people saying they were “done” with an essay when the question had only been available for a week or 10 days basically means that the essay is likely to suck (sorry!).

Essay-writing is a creative process. Creative processes take time — and many revisions. Typically, you’d start out by jotting down your ideas. Maybe you’d create an outline. You’d think about what you wanted to say and possibly you’d write out a draft — and then you’d let it simmer and stew for awhile. You’d put it away and let it ferment. Composting, we call this. Then you’d pull it back out and you’d look at it. You’d examine the other ideas you had. You’d see how these work against the other essays the school is asking for. Sometimes, you’d even decide to scratch the first attempt and start again.

Basically, you’d think about it.

To have gotten a draft on Day One gives us a stomach ache.

Wow, we just ranted on long enough to fill a whole post, without even showing you this draft that’s been burning a hole in our inbox. Apparently you’ll have to come back tomorrow for that.

If you just can’t wait till tomorrow, cruise over to the EssaySnark Bookstore and grab yourself a copy of the updated and expanded SnarkStrategies Guide to the 2012-’13 Harvard essay questions. It’s about a third longer than last year’s guide, yet there’s only two essay questions this year – which shows you how much more we’re offering to help you out with your monumental task of HBS.

 

Filed Under: general snark Tagged With: rant Bschools: Harvard

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2019 MBA APPLICATION STRATEGY GUIDES

    The 2019 Columbia MBA Application Guide - if you're applying to Columbia this season, GET YOUR APP IN NOW!
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    The 2019 Harvard MBA Application Guide
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    The 2019 Stanford MBA Application Guide - for "what matters most" in your MBA application!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Stanford GSB for the Class of 2022
   
    The 2019 MIT Essay Guide with brand-new material on the org chart, the contacts for two references, and additional tips for the cover letter and 'introduce yourself' video
SnarkStrategies Guide for MIT Sloan MBA - totally revised for 2019!
   
    The 2019 Chicago Booth MBA Application Guide - ready to go to support your Class of 2022 essay strategy!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Chicago Booth for 2019!
   
    The Yale SOM MBA Application Guide for 2019!
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    The 2019 Duke Essay Guide - covers the 25 Random Things essay and all the rest too!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Duke Fuqua - up to date for 2019!
   
    The 2019 Cornell Johnson MBA Application Guide - with help on career goals, and impact, and back-of-the-resume assignments, plus a new section on the Cornell Tech MBA Personal Statement!
SnarkStrategies MBA Guide for Cornell - covers the 2019 essays!
   
    The 2019 NYU Stern MBA Application Guide that covers the main essay, the EQ Endorsement and Pick Six!
SnarkStrategies Guide for NYU - discusses your requirements for the 2019 essays!
   
    The 2019 Wharton MBA Application Guide - even more advice on how to get to a win with those essays!
SnarkStrategies Guide for The Wharton School - with new tips for 2019!
   
    The 2019 Tuck Essay Guide has been refreshed with latest insights and advice for your "nice" and "aware" etc essays!
SnarkStrategies Guide for the Dartmouth Tuck MBA - completely overhauled for 2019 and the nice, aware, etc stuff!
   
    The 2019 UVA Darden MBA Application Guide gives insights on the purposeful leader with impact, and the diversity essay, plus the Batten scholarship essays, and Early Action, and everything else going on here! s
SnarkStrategies Guide for the Darden MBA - completely overhauled for the Class of 2022 requirements!
   
    The 2019 Michigan Ross Application Guide - covers the short-answer questions and your short-term goal essay too!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Ross - revised for 2019!
   
    The 2019 UCLA Anderson MBA Application Guide - updated for Class of 2022 essays!
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