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Explaining the Essay Ideas App Accelerator

August 27, 2018 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

Last year came across an interview on Knowledge @ Wharton with a speechwriter from the Obama White House who had this to say about her writing process:

“A colleague once said to me, ‘You know Sarah, you just kind of spill out a bunch of total nonsense on a page and then spend a week editing it,’ which was harsh but he was right to some extent. I’ll take the transcript that I’ve made of the meeting [with Mrs Obama about what she wanted to say in her speech] and add my own notes and ideas and things to it. That’s just really stream of consciousness notes. Then I’ll start arranging that into an outline, then into specific paragraphs. Then I’ll go through and edit each of those paragraphs. I sometimes get stuck, and when I get stuck I just move on. I don’t allow myself to get writer’s block because sometimes I won’t know what I’m trying to do in paragraph three, but I’ll know what paragraph four is going to say so I can go and write that. There are many times when I’ve written the end of the speech before the beginning. I’m not a super linear writer, but I do stick to an outline that’s very well-structured so I know exactly where I’m going.”

(emphasis added)

Today we’re going to talk to you about outlining, and how super valuable it can be as part of your process of developing strong essays.

The main benefits of outlines before drafts are:

  • It’s more efficient
  • You can test out your ideas before committing to them
  • You can see the structure that you’re trying to put shape to
  • You can more easily step back and evaluate your argument as a whole
  • It’s way less painful to throw away an outline and start over than it is a full draft

It’s much easier to redirect your essay strategy at the earliest stage, when you’re coming up with ideas — rather than discovering that you were off target later on, after you’ve sweated bullets (ha ha see what we did there?) writing out complete drafts that you have to throw away. EssaySnark’s Essay Ideas App Accelerator gives you critical input at the earliest stage of essay development, helping you define a strong scaffolding upon which you can best build out your messaging and theme. Starting with the Essay Ideas App Accelerator is the most efficient way to develop your strongest MBA essays.

The Essay Ideas App Accelerator does not tell you what your ideas should be. This isn’t about dictating your strategy. (Hint: Our school-specific essay guides can be invaluable in figuring out that part!) Instead, the Essay Ideas tutorial gives you insights on how to shape your topics into logical essays that flow. After studying the tutorial, you’ll submit your ideas (one school only, up to 500 words) for a personalized review from EssaySnark.

We always see great value in the Essay Decimator, since we get the (ahem) privilege of reading the first drafts, and then we see where the BSer gets to with revisions – and then we often later hear if they got in! The improvement from draft 1 to draft 2 and beyond is evident. Anecdotally, we’ll also share what one BSer said last season, after getting in to a Top Top School with a massive scholarship with essays that they’d gone through the Essay Decimator with us on, yet either getting an outright rejection or a waitlist from the other apps that they did on their own. So, yeah, the Essay Decimator can affect your outcomes, for sure.

However, just as much value if not more could be gained by a diligent BSer leveraging the Essay Ideas App Accelerator instead. It’s way cheaper, but the idea is the same:

What are you saying in this essay, and how are you saying it?

Today’s post is to introduce you to this App Accelerator — yet even more, it’s to suggest that you take time for outlines, before you start writing.

Outlines are your friend.

Outlines help you figure out what you’re trying to say, the cheap and easy* way.

 
 
 
 

*Well…… Technically there is no such thing as “easy” in this business of applying to bschool. But you already knew that. Hopefully this will make it easy-er!

Filed Under: EssaySnark products & services

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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.

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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
   
   

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