We spent a lot of time recently laying out pointers and cautioning against mistakes we see MBA applicants making all the time, which can essentially be summarized as one big warning about how much time this is going to take and that you need to be working on it earlier than you ever imagined possible....
($) School research idea: What about talking to professors?
We frequently write posts that are hopefully about inspiration and going beyond the expected financial outcomes, by suggesting that bschool can be this incredible opportunity for personal growth and change, and that you can make the most of it when you go into it with the mindset of seeking out new experiences. That whole lean […]
Continue reading...($) How to mention a personal or “convenience factor” reason for choosing a school
There are gobs of reasons why you might have fallen in love with School X. Unfortunately, School X has heard all of them before. Some admissions consultants even spoonfeed their clients on what to say as a reason. That means that there are oodles of applicants citing the same things all the time. So how […]
Continue reading...($) The importance of explicit “why MBA” content
The “why MBA” aspect to your pitch in your MBA essays is not just literally stating why you think an MBA is necessary to achieve your goals — though that’s obviously an important part! The most sophisticated “why MBA” essays are about positioning YOU towards THIS SCHOOL. There are two angles of “why MBA” that […]
Continue reading...($) “I thought I was supposed to talk about the buzzwords.”
The thing with buzzwords is that when you’re using them in your own essay, you may lose sight of the fact that they’re buzzwords. And, it seems like you’re SUPPOSED to be using them! Why else would the schools be talking about all these things so much? Here’s a question we got on this from...
($) How far back is too far back, and are there exceptions?
Hopefully you’ve seen the oft-repeated guidance here that for the purpose of your MBA apps, your resume should be just one page, period. That means that tricky decisions must be made about what to include, and what maybe can go. Premium content starts here… ———– ———– Premium content ends. Even more useful tips […]
Continue reading...($) “Why do I have to say that in the essay when I’m already telling them that in the app?”
When we give feedback to a BSer in the Essay Decimator process, sometimes they come back with questions of “Why?” Premium content starts here… ———– ———– Premium content ends.
Continue reading...($) “I don’t want to have my personal information shared within the school” (plus a strategy tip about other programs at your target school)
Another reason why it’s important to open up an account on your school’s website and start filling out the application is this: They ask a lot of questions, some of which you may even need to think about! For example, all the schools have some variation of a question asking if you give permission for […]
Continue reading...($) What do these things have in common?
Stanford’s Touchy-Feely Booth’s Why are you here and not somewhere else Harvard’s case study Premium content starts here… ———– ———– Premium content ends.
Continue reading...($) If there is a secret to getting into a top MBA program, this is it.
We’ve kind of been hitting this theme a lot so far this season and partly that’s because you come to EssaySnark for the goodies you can’t get just anywhere. Nowadays, with the admissions offices being (slightly) more transparent with how they handle their admissions processes, and with more and more admissions consultants out there hawking […]
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