We have the great privilege of working with some truly amazing clients. This email came in many moons ago and we thought today might be a nice time to post it (with permission!). You don’t even have to read that closely to see some real goodness in terms of application advice that is relevant to you, too, if you’re paying attention!!
Hi EssaySnark,
Hope you can see this message and that you remember me from the distant past – a year ago almost exactly [in early 2018] you did a Comprehensive Profile Review for me and I just wanted to update you about what’s happened since.
As planned I applied to INSEAD and no other schools. I mentioned originally that I had a lot of projects I was looking forward to and fortunately many of those projects proved fruitful in terms of material for the (extensive) application. I’ll cut to the chase – I’ve just been accepted with a scholarship, am absolutely thrilled and will be matriculating!
I know that people say the business school application process involves a lot of self-examination and reflection, and I definitely found that, but one thing I wasn’t expecting was how much I would connect with my [nationality] roots through this process. You made a comment in my original profile review about [personal comment redacted] and that really struck me and has stayed with me since then. I wrote an early draft of the “candid description” essay and without realising it found myself with 5 pages of memories and influences from [home country] and my family/childhood growing up there.
Obviously I never forgot that that’s where I grew up, and I often talk to my family about it, but in a way this has been the first time people outside of my immediate family have been genuinely interested in my background there and how it’s influenced me. One of my interviewers asked me “so tell me about yourself” and I started telling her my career history since graduation and she actually stopped me and said “why did you skip over your childhood overseas? I want to hear about it!” We ended up having a long and interesting discussion about our respective identities and experiences with immigration.
When I was in high school I had a friend who was ethnically [Asian country] but she and her parents had been born in [Western country] – she’d always get asked the classic “but where are you REALLY from?” And she’d be annoyed at that, and I’d be annoyed that no-one ever asked me! But in all my interactions with INSEAD staff, alumni, interviewers etc it’s almost been an assumption that of course I’m from A, living in B, and heading to C – what else?! I guess this is a huge part of why I feel so comfortable now accepting the offer from INSEAD. Obviously all my original reasons apply – INSEAD is a great school and a fantastic opportunity – but the fit is just absolutely there.
I know I said I’d think about Stanford. I did, for about two days… but when you know, you know 🙂
Anyway – I just wanted to thank you again for the profile review – I opened it several times over the last year for a confidence boost – and for the blahg. Again, as someone who didn’t have a lot of knowledge of the b-school world, I really found it helpful over the entire process to set my expectations and get a feel for the culture. Appreciate everything you do for us supplicants! If I can help in any way, please let me know, otherwise, enjoy the spring/summer and the next season of admissions 🙂
We already laid all the congrats on this BSer when we heard of the success originally, and it’s doubtful they’re hanging out these parts right now – but just in case they ever stumble here again: CONGRATULATIONS! Not just on this business school win, but the amazing background and way they’re living their life. No wonder INSEAD accepted and gave a scholarship too!!
Are you looking for help on your apps? We’ve got the Guide to Applying to European Schools, as well as lots more direct MBA consulting options to engage with EssaySnark and increase your odds of turning into a similar success story in a few months!
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