We worked with a Brave Supplicant recently who was having a tough time implementing some of the feedback we were offering on their Harvard essay. They were trying to write about their professional experiences but things weren’t coming together cohesively. In case you need a reminder, the prompt for Harvard Business School is: “As we […]
Continue reading...The proof versus the promise.
We’re reblahgging this gem from the snarchives that we just rediscovered at random – from way back in 2011! Dang we’ve been doing this a long time. Some posts are timeless. Amazing video from Pixar University: Very inspiring, touching on themes of innovation, collaboration, and even improv — though frankly, we weren’t sure if […]
Continue reading...($) What are “Awards and Honors” in an MBA app?
We covered the question of extracurriculars earlier, so let’s also tackle the category that strikes fear into the hearts of Brave Supplicants everywhere: the Honors and Awards category on the MBA app. Premium content starts here… ———– ———– Premium content ends. Want more help on this part? EssaySnark’s Accomplishments & Achievements App Accelerator […]
Continue reading...($) What your HBS essay should not be.
This came up when we were helping a very motivated Brave Supplicant with understanding feedback on our Essay Decimator essay review at the end of last season. This applicant had fallen into the trap that many, many applicants fall into: Their HBS essay was boring. And there was a very specific reason why it was […]
Continue reading...($) Writing essays for complex environments: When is a deep dive beneficial?
Since we’re in WRITING TIPS! mode again, with the ramp-up to Round 2, let’s continue the topics we started last week with identifying stellar stories to write about in your MBA essays. We’ve been coaching you on strategies for what to include and how much detail to go into, and how to write about the […]
Continue reading...($) Stanford GSB: Optional (not optional!) stories of impact
Once again this year, the Stanford GSB has an “optional” assignment as part of their MBA application: Write up to three statements of how you’ve made an impact in some area of your life. There are many questions of strategy that must go into your decisions of what to write about. The first one which […]
Continue reading...($) Kellogg essay 1: Leadership and creating value
Lots and lots of you are working through your Kellogg drafts to get them ready to submit. And lots and lots of you are struggling with these very difficult questions that Kellogg is asking! In case you missed our discussion of an essay on “meaningful leadership” recently, that’s available. We thought we’d spend a bit […]
Continue reading...($) Breathless bloat and gloat can backfire.
This is most frequently an issue with the older MBA applicant though we see it across the board. You’ve been involved in some high-profile projects. You have a sense that the adcoms want to hear about “impact.” You combine those two into an essay that talks about how “we helped millions of people by launching...
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($) More on that HBS MBA essay
We have gone on and on about that essay for Harvard Business School on this here blahg because, well, Harvard. There’s like everyone interested in going there. And there’s like everyone telling you how to write your essay for your HBS app. Here’s a subtle reinforcement — since that’s all you ever really get from […]
Continue reading...($) A map to writing Columbia essay 3: “a leader you admire”
No offense, Columbia, but this is a crappy essay question and we’re surprised that you are using it. But maybe the admissions committee knows something we don’t. Here’s what we do know: Most people’s essays about “a leader you admire” totally and completely suck. Or perhaps that was the whole point. Maybe Columbia is using […]
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