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...($) An example of the type of writing that does not work well in MBA essays
We spend a lot of time here on the blahg helping you learn the skills of good MBA essay writing. It’s important to recognize that the way to write a good MBA essay is quite different from the way to write other kinds of stuff. Admittedly, this can get confusing, because we offer recommendations that […]
Continue reading...($) The *really* best essays… tell a story.
Recently we had a rather simple post saying what you should already know: The best essays communicate clearly. That may be in the category of so obvious that it’s unhelpful. The biggest issue with that advice is that nobody intentionally does it differently. We’re certain that we’ve never received a mystifying and obtuse and unfathomable...
($) The best essays are…
Today we’re going to go over some attributes in common with all strong MBA essays. Premium content starts here… ———– ———– Premium content ends. It doesn’t matter if you have a 770 GMAT and you work at McKinsey, if you don’t do a good job in telling the adcom who you are and...
($) The most important technique you need to learn to write a good MBA admissions essay
What we’re going to cover today is what we cover over and over again on this here snarkolicious blahg – and it’s one of the slipperiest techniques to master. It’s also perhaps the most sophisticated, and while we cannot say that if you write your essays using this technique, that you’re guaranteed to be accepted, […]
Continue reading...The Stages of Learning: Why getting help on your essays is so useful
Writing good MBA admissions essays is an acquired skill. That means that you will go through the Four Stages of Learning in your process of developing your applications this year. This model is also referred to as The Hierarchy of Competence and we’ve seen it depicted in a number of ways: Or our personal fave: […]
Continue reading...One more tip for authenticity in your MBA essays: Don’t read other people’s essays
When BSers get stuck on what they’re supposed to say in their essays, they frequently leave an exasperated comment asking for help. “Do you have a sample I can look at?” they ask plaintively, trying to keep the whine out of their words. If you read other people’s essays – even “successful” ones that got […]
Continue reading...($) How to show your authenticity: Storytelling
What does authenticity mean when you think about execution of MBA apps? It means showing up as you really are. Premium content starts here… ———– ———– Premium content ends. You may also be interested in: Applying to bschool? The Strategy of Authenticity Authenticity test Don’t be satisfied with fools’ gold Seeing sample essays […]
Continue reading...Clouds. Marshmallows. Bunnies. Not essays.
Reblahgging this from many eons ago as it’s a fave post of ours, and we need to be reminding some of y’all about the value of FOCUS in them thar MBA essays you’re trying to write! Fluffy white clouds. Soft fluffy marshmallows (yum!). Cute little fluffy bunny rabbits. MBA application essays. […]
Continue reading...($) Your conclusion must match your essay.
We wrote many moons ago on how to write a conclusion. We know that none of the BSers reading the blahg today were around when we first wrote that so we’re mentioning it today so you can take advantage of it. This advice is in the category of Essay Writing 101 but apparently most people...