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($) If there is a secret to getting into a top MBA program, this is it.

July 12, 2019 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

We’ve kind of been hitting this theme a lot so far this season and partly that’s because you come to EssaySnark for the goodies you can’t get just anywhere. Nowadays, with the admissions offices being (slightly) more transparent with how they handle their admissions processes, and with more and more admissions consultants out there hawking the basic wares of this industry in terms of standards of putting together a decent application, it’s getting easier to find information that covers how to not royally choke with your apps.

We’ve always taken a more sophisticated approach with our clients, and these angles of authenticity and the seemingly more esoteric topics of personal insight and true impact are where the juiciest bits of app goodness are found.

Today is yet another example of that.

It’s kind of like what happened with GMAT testing: Used to be, if you studied and did well on the test, then you had a good score — good enough to get in with. Then along came the test prep companies who offered all these test-taking hacks, and suddenly, everyone was doing well on the test. Your “good enough” score was no longer that. (It also didn’t help that the GMAT people changed the game by allowing you to cancel your score, which meant that now, everybody cancels until they get the score that they want.) The GMAT averages at all the top schools skyrocketed as a result of this. Same thing with the overall app strategy: Now, everyone and her brother has set up shop as an MBA admissions consultant, and the low-hanging fruit of how to write a decent essay is being picked by all of the applicants. In order to stand out from the crowd of increasing quality in essays, you need to take it up a level (or two) in your execution. What’s considered “average” is now slightly better than it was before. That means, EssaySnark is going to the next level, too, in helping all of our clients maximize their opportunities and make the most of their limited time in front of their admissions readers, by constructing essays that go beyond the basics in multiple different directions.

So here’s a secret, which is totally not a secret, because if you just stop and think about it, you will see how obvious it is.

When reviewing your app, an admissions director at any top school is looking at you through the lens of: Will this person add value to my school?

Basically, will you end up being a student like this?

We’re putting today’s post behind our paywall mostly because we also want to do a little bragging: That Duke MBA who’s featured so prominently in that video is a former BSer! And yes, we were equally impressed with him when we worked with him on his app strategy. We don’t want to “out” a former BSer too publicly (even though he’s “outed” his past association with us a tiny bit on Twitter long ago. Enough time has passed that we feel it’s safe to include it, and it’s such a great example of our main point today.

Are you able to capture in your apps enough evidence of differentiation and go-getter-ness that the adcom sits up and takes notice? Are you able to give examples of where you’ve done things in the past that will make them feel confident you’re going to do things in the future, at their school and in your later career? Do you show them why you care about THEIR school specifically, and how that’s the place where you’ll be able to maximize the magic of your dreams?

Tangible evidence of these things is what’s required in the discussion you present in your essays.

Those are the keys to the kingdom, friend.

That’s how you make yourself unassailably admissible.

 
 
You may also be interested in:

  • The secret to how to get into HBS

 

Filed Under: leadership, school fit

« Previous: Taking the long view: Your life coming out of bschool
Next: ($) Tuck’s unfortunately too-short essay questions »

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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