EssaySnark

  • about
  • contact
  • help
  • sign up
  • login
CLICK FOR MORE!
  • Essay Questions
    • Harvard
    • Stanford
    • Wharton
    • Chicago Booth
    • Kellogg
    • MIT Sloan
    • Tuck
    • NYU Stern
    • Columbia
    • Yale SOM
    • Berkeley Haas
    • UVA Darden
    • Duke Fuqua
    • Michigan Ross
    • UCLA Anderson
    • Cornell
  • Strategy Guides
    • MBA Interviewing Guide
    • Getting Off the Waitlist
    • Applying in Round 3 mini-guide
    • Applying to European Business Schools
    • School-Specific MBA Application Guides
      • Columbia 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • Harvard 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • Kellogg 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • MIT Sloan 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • Chicago Booth 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • *MORE SCHOOL-SPECIFIC GUIDES HERE*
  • MBA Consulting
    • Free essay reviews
    • What stage are you in?
    • Military MBA
    • BIPOC Program
    • Testimonials & Reviews
    • Guest Posts
  • My SnarkCenter
    • My Strategy Guides
    • My Favorite Posts
    • Discounts & Offers

EssaySnark is not an editor

September 13, 2012 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

Well, not really.

If you were to send your essays over for a little reviewsio by the ‘Snark, you should not expect to get a grammarly-perfect and perfectly-proofread essay back.

We don’t edit essays. Shucks, we won’t even write ’em for ya. Apparently there are all sorts of services out there that will do this. We’ve even seen companies that will write someone’s dissertation for them. (Really?? sheesh. This world is muffed up.)

We don’t do that stuff.

Our job in reviewing your work is still very editorial — in that we’re looking at things from the perspective of the all-important person: your reader. Your job in writing your essay is to COMMUNICATE CLEARLY. Our job in evaluating your essay is not only to check that you’re communicating the RIGHT things (in order to have a real chance at getting into the school you’re targeting), but we also care about HOW you’re communicating it. We take this part very seriously.

Here’s what an editor at Salon once said about editing:

Good editors work with and not against a writer. They calibrate how aggressively they edit according to how good the writer is, how good the piece is, the type of piece it is, the kind of relationship they have with the writer, how tight the deadline is, and what mood they’re in. But an editor’s primary responsibility is not to the writer but to the reader. He or she must be ruthlessly dedicated to making the piece stronger. Since this is ultimately a subjective judgment, and quite a tricky one, a good editor needs to be as self-confident as a writer. (emphasis added)

That bold part pretty much sums up our MO in working with Brave Supplicants. If we like you (because you’ve been polite, and friendly, and most especially if we see that you already did your homework before sending us any drafts by reading the blahg and using the advice we’ve already offered — and even more so if there’s evidence that you actually tried to incorporate our suggestions into your work when you went through your revisions) and if you didn’t ask for the impossible by sending us your first cruddy drafts two days before the deadline, and if we haven’t morphed into Oscar the Grouch due to too many really bad essays in too short a time, then we’re likely to be more liberal with you in pointing out the issues and mistakes.

But please note that, unlike a regular editor, we do NOT correct your mistakes. In fact, sometimes this would be BAD for you – if your essays are too perfect, and your AWA score is not, then the adcoms will know you got lots of help on the essays. And if your AWA score is perfect then you don’t need our help. Either way, it’s not our job to fix your spelling erros. That’s not what you’re paying us for.

Most of the time, we will comment on the first instance of where you did something goofy or awkward or just plain wrong (subject/verb agreement, missing articles in front of nouns, items in a series that are not parallel are three very common problems in this category). We might comment on it if you do it again. Especially if it’s a writing mistake that seems especially amateur and thus is irritating. You’re a businessperson. You should know better.

But please do not expect EssaySnark to do all the work for you. It would actually be easier on us to do it; going in and fixing someone’s muffed-up writing is way easier and takes way less time than going through the whole process of identifying what the mistake is and writing up a note on it so she can fix it herself. We’d probably breeze through the essays in half the time if we just went ahead and corrected the errors in the drafts.

The point of this whole snarky endeavor is not to tell you what to write, or how to think. Our possibly unrealistic goal with this here project is to help you do learn to do all that for yourself.

That whole teach ’em to fish thing, right? A sisyphean task, perhaps…


PS: If you’re still thinking about getting some help from EssaySnark for Round 1, you’d better get a move on. Those deadlines are peering out at you like monsters on the horizon. They are only going to get bigger and scarier. We’ll be helping you do battle all the way to the last minute but it’s much less stressful  – and your results are likely to be much stronger – if you don’t wait that long.

 

Filed Under: EssaySnark products & services Tagged With: grammar

« Previous: That’s more like it.
Next: How to be a leader, and how to reset the ethical compass – all in one post »

So who the heck is EssaySnark, anyway?!

We're the snarky experts in MBA admissions!

Sometimes amused and often appalled by what candidates write in their MBA applications to top bschools, EssaySnark created this little blahg to share common mistakes. Learn from them and avoid making admissions directors laugh (or want to hurl) when they read your essays. If you are hoping to have your essay reviewed anonymously on the blahg for free, submit it for consideration.

Want EssaySnark's personal assistance with your MBA applications? Start with our menu of consulting services and please read the Help FAQ to learn how we operate. Still have questions after doing all that? Email Team EssaySnark at gethelpnow at essaysnark dot com.

Good luck on your apps, Brave Supplicant!

Tell us what you think. Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sign up for the 'Snark via email

Enter your address to get weekday blahg posts by email.

UPCOMING MBA APP DEADLINES

  • INSEAD Jan '22 Intake Rd 2
    in 1 month, 2 weeks, 0 days, 19 hours
  • (expected) HBS Class of 2024 app requirements released
    in 1 month, 4 weeks, 0 days, 20 hours
  • (expected) Columbia J-Term/ED app to open
    in 2 months, 3 weeks, 5 days, 20 hours
  • INSEAD Jan '22 Intake Rd 3
    in 3 months, 1 week, 2 days, 19 hours
   
From a BSer January 2020:
"love the guide books!"


CLASS OF 2023 MBA APPLICATION STRATEGY GUIDES

     
    The 2020 Berkeley-Haas MBA Application Guide - updated for the Class of 2023 application!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Berkeley Haas - refreshed and updated, with brainstorming exercises and structured maps to help you focus your stories!
   
    The 2020-2021 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 Class of 2023 essays!
   
    The 2020-2021 Columbia MBA Application Guide
SnarkStrategies Guide for Columbia Business School for 2020-2021 applications
   
    The 2020 Harvard MBA Application Guide - completely overhauled and updated for the coronavirus era!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Harvard Business School!
   
    The 2020-2021 Duke Essay Guide - covers the 25 Random Things essay and all the rest too!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Duke Fuqua - up to date for the current season!
   
    The 2020-2021 MIT Essay Guide covers the org chart, the contacts for two references, and additional tips for the cover letter and 'introduce yourself' video -- and everything else you need to know!
SnarkStrategies Guide for MIT Sloan MBA - totally revised for the Class of 2023!
   
    The 2020-2021 Tuck Essay Guide has been refreshed with latest insights and advice for your essays about "investing generously" and "why Tuck"!
SnarkStrategies Guide for the Dartmouth Tuck MBA - completely overhauled for 2020, to help you demonstrate how you are nice, aware, etc stuff!
   
    The Yale SOM MBA Application Guide for Class of 2023 candidates!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Yale SOM - updated for 2020-2021
   
    The 2020-2021 Chicago Booth MBA Application Guide - ready to go to support your Class of 2023 essay strategy!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Chicago Booth for this year's MBA app!
   
    The 2020 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 2020!
   
    The 2020 Kellogg Essay Guide - with a full methodology to identify your 'lasting impact' and your 'values' -- plus tips on 2020 world events and applicability to your essays!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Kellogg MBA - updated and revised for the new realities of 2020!    
      The 2020 Stanford MBA Application Guide - for "what matters most" in your MBA application!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Stanford GSB for the Class of 2023
   
    The 2020-2021 UCLA Anderson MBA Application Guide - updated for Class of 2023 on "impact"!
SnarkStrategies Guide for 
UCLA
   
   

Brave Supplicants' latest reviews on The 'Snark


Feb 11, 2021
by hopeful on MBA Interview Prep: Custom Practice Questions
Helpful

Just wanted to say thank you for these questions! A lot of them were really tailored to my profile, ... Read more

Apr 10, 2020
by George on EssaySnark
Great Starting Point

I thought getting over the GRE/GMAT hurdle was fairly straightforward--disciplined study then test execution... Read more

Apr 10, 2020
by George on Single Shot Express MBA Essay Review
Worth Every Penny

I used the Single Shot Express to decimate essay #1 at my first-choice school. Paired with the school... Read more






Not sure where to begin with EssaySnark?
Our Snark Selector
will tell you!



What were we snarking about at this time in past years?

  • 2020: "What should I do with my summer?"
  • 2019: ($) Got a glitch with your grades? TAKE ACTION NOW!
  • 2018: Should you care who the dean is?
  • 2018: Does it matter who the dean is? 2018 edition
  • 2017: If you really want to go to Harvard...
  • 2016: Another little quiz
  • 2016: ($) When your safety school is actually a stretch school.
  • 2015: ($) Deciding on a school: Does location matter?
  • 2013: Success Story! "It's complicated..."
  • 2012: "School X, or School Y with $$$?" (Part who knows)
My Tweets

See the Top U.S. Business Schools on a Map!


EssaySnark is currently available! We're accepting new clients! Standard turnarounds apply. If you're in a hurry, Speedy Review is available!

EssaySnark® is a registered trademark. All content copyright © 2010–2021 Snarkolicious Press · Privacy Policy

Where should you start with EssaySnark?

Which EssaySnark service is right for you? Answer a few questions to find out!

This field must be set to Everyone - then in the Settings -> HTML -> After Fields screen there's JavaScript to hide it.
Sending