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

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

June 30, 2022 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

($) “My test score is not reflective of my abilities.”

May 17, 2022 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

To this statement, we say “Uh-oh.” We see nearly this exact statement in lots and lots of optional essays submitted with MBA applications. Brave Supplicants know that their test performance wasn’t in range of what the “best” candidates are presenting, based on the averages published at their target school, and they want to say something […]

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Filed Under: low GMAT, optional essay

($) When informing the adcom about a new GMAT score (waitlist, optional essay)

May 2, 2022 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

If you’re just starting the process of applying to bschool for the first time, this post is not for you. Today we’re mostly talking to those who are either still on the waitlist, or who will be reapplicants, and who will be informing the adcom about an updated GMAT score either in a waitlist update […]

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Filed Under: GMAT/GRE, optional essay, reapplying, waitlist/deferred decision

($) More tactics on the optional essay: What to say and how to say it (and how much to say) for issues like low GPA

December 21, 2021 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

We went into some considerations on use of the optional essay in your MBA applications recently and there is much more to be said on this important topic! Premium content starts here… ———–   ———– Premium content ends.   Still scrambling with essays? There’s actually still time to enlist our help in your MBA apps! […]

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Filed Under: GPA and grades, optional essay

($) “It is perfectly acceptable to leave this section blank.”

November 30, 2021 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

In the Yale SOM Admissions FAQ , they talk about how their optional essay can be used, and the phrase that we’ve pulled out into the title is the best advice ever. “It is perfectly acceptable to leave this section blank.” You may not believe them though! Today EssaySnark will walk through the scenarios where […]

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Filed Under: optional essay

($) “Will they call my old boss to ask why I was fired?”

August 13, 2021 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

A lot of people have, shall we say, issues in their background that make them nervous when putting together their MBA applications. Maybe you left a job under unfortunate circumstances. Maybe you were put on academic probation for a semester. Maybe there’s a drunk driving incident on your record. Maybe your political beliefs are opposite […]

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Filed Under: app dataset, optional essay, work history Tagged With: getting fired

($) 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

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CLASS OF 2025 MBA APPLICATION STRATEGY GUIDES

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    The 2022 Harvard MBA Application Guide - updated for the Class of 2025!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Harvard Business School!
   
  The 2022 Wharton MBA Application Guide - even more advice on how to get to a win with those essays!
SnarkStrategies Guide for The Wharton School - with clear guidance for the 2022 essays!
   
  The 2022-2023 Columbia MBA Application Guide
SnarkStrategies Guide for Columbia Business School for 2022-2023 applications
   
    The 2022 Kellogg Essay Guide - with a full methodology to identify your 'lasting impact' and your 'values'
SnarkStrategies Guide for Kellogg MBA - revised for 2022!
   
    The 2022 UVA Darden MBA Application Guide gives insights on the essays, Early Action, the possibility of a test waiver, and everything else going on here!
SnarkStrategies Guide for the Darden MBA - updated for the Class of 2025 requirements!
   
   
The Yale SOM MBA Application Guide for Class of 2025 candidates!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Yale SOM - updated for 2022
   
    The 2022-2023 NYU Stern MBA Application Guide that covers the essays, the EQ Endorsement and test strategies!
SnarkStrategies Guide for NYU - discusses your requirements for the Class of 2025 essays!
       
   

Brave Supplicants' latest reviews on The 'Snark


2020-21 r1 candidate
Apr 19, 2021
 by 2020-21 r1 candidate on Waitlist Assist
Please get this if you have the resources!

I would recommend EssaySnark to every waitlisted candidate! I was waitlisted by one of HSW in R1 this... Read more

hopeful
Feb 11, 2021
 by hopeful on MBA Interview Prep: Custom Practice Questions
Helpful

Just wanted to say thank you for these questions! A lot of them were really tailored to my profile, ... Read more

George
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






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