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You are here: Home / Snarchives for essay types / optional essay

($) The submit-then-retest strategy for your GMAT or GRE

January 4, 2021 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

Well that went fast didn’t it! There’s something very odd that happens to time in that sequence of dates between like December 15th and the first Monday in January. Or maybe that phenomenon of weird-time-experience only happens to those trying to write essays for Round 2 applicants (and the snarks who try to support them). […]

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Filed Under: app dataset, GMAT/GRE, optional essay

($) “Should I write about my ADHD in my essays for business school?”

August 3, 2020 by EssaySnark - Discusses Stanford GSB, Harvard Leave a Comment

More and more, the schools are asking their applicants to get personal in the topics they choose for their MBA essays. We previously talked about aspects of your identity such as being Republican or Democrat, or religion, or being vegan, or a meat-eater so you can start with that post, especially if you’re trying to […]

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Filed Under: "personal interest/life experience" essays, optional essay Tagged With: TMI Bschools: Stanford GSB, Harvard

($) If it’s worth mentioning, it’s worth naming

July 29, 2020 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

gorgeous picture of Colorado montains covered in snow

Similar to yesterday’s post on timewarping, this is one of those bits o’ advice that you may not appreciate until you’re further along in your essay writing than most of you are (though it would behoove you tremendously to get your butt in gear with some essays, BSer!! The clock is ticking!!). Clicking that little […]

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Filed Under: optional essay, writing tips

($) Low GMAT Round 2 application tactics: Remediation

December 27, 2019 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

If you’re applying to business school with a subpar GMAT or GRE score, either a low total score or a significantly low subscore especially if it’s on the quant side, then in addition to the preamble talk we gave you yesterday about school strategy, there are in fact steps you can take to improve your […]

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Filed Under: low GMAT, optional essay

($) What do you tell the adcom if you’re not getting a recommendation from your boss?

July 31, 2019 by EssaySnark 2 Comments

All the schools prefer that you get a letter of recommendation from your current direct supervisor, yet they know that that’s not always possible. If you don’t plan to have your current manager write for you, that’s fine, but you need to explain to the adcom why not. In many cases, this needs to be […]

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Filed Under: optional essay, recommendations

($) Already have a Master’s degree? Why do you also need an MBA now?

June 27, 2019 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

Some schools don’t really focus on this issue but a few of them do – including Tuck in particular, who in the past wouldn’t even consider a candidate with a prior MBA or MBA-similar degree, like the PGP from India. They are (somewhat?) loosening those restrictions in the new admissions climate but even if you […]

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Filed Under: "why MBA" essays, GPA and grades, optional essay Tagged With: prior master's

($) “How long should the optional essay be?”

November 29, 2018 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

Most MBA programs have clear requirements about length for all their admissions essays, and the optional essay is no different — usually. But even when the school is explicit that the optional essay must be XXX words maximum, there are still practical considerations, and strategic ones, that should be taken into account. The first is […]

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Filed Under: optional essay

($) Explaining a low GMAT or GRE score in your MBA apps

August 2, 2018 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

Tuck adcom answer about optional essay on low GRE

You know your GMAT (or GRE) score is low. You’ve debated whether to take the test again, but it’s August. You’re getting stressed about deadlines coming. What if you just write the optional essay about your low score? Shouldn’t that be sufficient? You can tell the adcom that you’ll take the test again if they […]

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Filed Under: GRE specific info, low GMAT, optional essay

($) Special Case Situations for MBA Apps: What if you dropped out of grad school?

May 29, 2018 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

As promised in our previous post on What transcripts do you need for your MBA apps, we’ll go into detail on a situation that can cause much consternation for certain BSers: What if you enrolled but you did not graduate? What if you (eek!) dropped out of a program? What if you started at law […]

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Filed Under: app dataset, GPA and grades, optional essay

($) So-called “alternative transcripts”: MOOCs, continuing education, and additional ed experiences in your MBA apps

April 30, 2018 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

GMAC finds that employers appreciate an employee's motivation to take a MOOC but it's not seen as valid prep for an MBA

In our impromptu series on gathering your docs for your MBA app, focusing on what transcripts do you need to submit, we’ll continue today with a question of strategy combined with tactics. The strategy is that, for some of you, your grades do not reflect your abilities (ugh please do not say that in your […]

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Filed Under: app dataset, GPA and grades, optional essay, resumes

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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
   
   

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






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  • 2020: Now that most apps are in: What to do with your life
  • 2020: ($) Updating the adcom on a job change
  • 2019: ($) "What if School D gave me money but I really want to go to School A?"
  • 2019: ($) The BSer's Dilemma: Deciding between two top MBA programs -- what to do, what to do?
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