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 Career Goals in Entrepreneurship
    • School-Specific MBA Application Guides
      • Harvard 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • Stanford 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • Wharton 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • Kellogg 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • MIT Sloan 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • Columbia 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

($) Should you care about a bschool’s culture?

September 24, 2020 by EssaySnark - Discusses Berkeley Haas Leave a Comment

Culture and “school fit” are closely interrelated — and if you’re doing research to learn about the school only for the purpose of having some things to plug into your essay, you’re doing it wrong.

School fit is not just about you convincing them that you belong there.

It’s at least as much about you discovering what a school is about, in order to get excited by that school and figure out if it’s a place you will thrive.

Schools to some extent are interchangeable — they all offer the same degree — but the way they approach the process of education, and the type of person who is attracted by that offer enough to put in the work to apply there, and get accepted, and then decide to go there over other choices… That’s where the interesting parts come out.

Each school may offer the same degree, but you’ll learn through your research that the schools attract different types.

It’s an intangible thing, and tough to talk about, not because we’re trying to be mystical or whatever, but just that it comes through when you experience a place firsthand.

That’s probably the biggest disappointment with all this coronavirus stuff. It’s not that you can’t get a feel for a school through a Zoom, because you can. But it’s certainly not the same thing as visiting and talking to lots of students and going through that whole experience.

The schools are doing what they can to offer substitutions for that, to make themselves as accessible as possible to all of you — and the innovations are surprising, and we’re betting that a lot of them stick and end up becoming standard in the process even after coronavirus restrictions are gone.


Premium content starts here…
———–

 
How does culture really come into the picture in the admissions process?
 
 

 
———–
Premium content ends. Not yet a blahg member? Buy access to all the snark here!

 

Again, culture — and also values — can sometimes feel intangible, but when a school like Berkeley puts such an emphasis on their principles, then it helps you to know who they are.

And, as another aspect of all that self-reflection and introspection you’re doing as you seek to do a good job on the essays, then this gives you new insight into a school and how they might be a good choice for you as you seek to improve yourself through higher education.

 
 
You may also be interested in:

  • What is (world) culture?
  • More on the importance of “culture”
  • A BSer is sick of the “culture” shtick

 
 

Filed Under: school fit Tagged With: culture Bschools: Berkeley Haas

« Previous: ($) “This is overwritten.”
Next: ($) Which MBA programs care if you care about their culture? »

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

  • NYU Round 3
    in 1 hour
  • MIT Round 2
    in 0 weeks, 3 days, 16 hours
  • INSEAD Round 4
    in 1 month, 1 week, 3 days, 19 hours
  • INSEAD Jan '22 intake Rd 1
    in 1 month, 2 weeks, 6 days, 19 hours
  • INSEAD Jan '22 Intake Rd 2
    in 3 months, 1 week, 0 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


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

Feb 9, 2020
by KA on Waitlist Assist
Committed

You continue to blow me away with your commitment to us BSers! Thanks again for everything. It's been... 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: ($) Updating the adcom on a job change
  • 2020: ($) When to update the adcom after they have your app
  • 2019: ($) The BSer's Dilemma: Deciding between two top MBA programs -- what to do, what to do?
  • 2019: ($) EssaySnark's reaction to the BSer's NYU/Ross comparison
  • 2018: ($) Which top bschools interviewed lots of applicants in Round 1?
  • 2018: CLASS OF 2021 CANDIDATES: EVERYBODY GETS IN
  • 2017: The reason why MIT's adcom is rad and a big tip for everyone interested in going to bschool
  • 2017: EssaySnark's 2016 Radcom Award
  • 2016: From the Trenches: "Going to business school is kinda awesome"
  • 2015: Guest Post! Making the Most Out of Business School
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