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You are here: Home / Snarchives for writing essays / "show don't tell"

($) Writing essays for complex environments: When is a deep dive beneficial?

December 9, 2020 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

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 […]

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Filed Under: "achievement" essays, "show don't tell", writing essays

($) Identifying stellar stories of leadership and impact for MBA apps

December 2, 2020 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

When you’re developing content for an MBA essay, or even for your resume, you’ll need to focus on stating what you did in the specific situation. That’s the essence of the “show, don’t tell” advice that you hear over and over here on the blahg. Speaking in generalities is never going to help the reader […]

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Filed Under: "show don't tell", writing tips

($) Are you arrogant?

September 16, 2020 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

First: This is not a subpost! Please don’t read this and think that it’s directed to you. We don’t want to trigger shame in Brave Supplicants or make you think you’re doing it wrong with how you’re trying to present yourself, but this is an important topic — because the way you write determines how […]

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Filed Under: "show don't tell"

($) “Should I write about this horrible personal experience in my essays for business school?”

August 4, 2020 by EssaySnark - Discusses Stanford GSB Leave a Comment

To continue the subject we started yesterday about disclosing personal stuff in MBA essays, but today on a different aspect: The difficult life event. If you’re coming from the military and have been deployed to combat, then it’s likely you have seen some awful things. Many people are currently dealing with the absolute tragedy of […]

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Filed Under: "personal interest/life experience" essays, "show don't tell" Tagged With: TMI Bschools: Stanford GSB

($) Goldplating

December 19, 2019 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

This is a tricky thing to critique, because the type of MBA applicant who does this actually has a lot to offer. And by calling this out, it can make it seem like we’re critiquing the person, or saying that this applicant is not going to make it in to a top school. Not at […]

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Filed Under: "show don't tell", leadership, resumes

($) The most important technique you need to learn to write a good MBA admissions essay

June 17, 2019 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

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, […]

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Filed Under: "show don't tell", writing essays

($) Embroider it on a pillow.

November 28, 2018 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

But please don’t write it in an MBA essay. We originally started this blahg because we saw too many earnest MBA applicants (aka BSers) saying earnest MBA applicant things in their essays. That was nine years ago (and we’d already been reading MBA essays for many years before then). Alas, not much has changed. 🙁 […]

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Filed Under: "show don't tell", lessons learned, writing essays Tagged With: authenticity, please don't do this

($) Another “show, don’t tell” post

November 21, 2018 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

Often when doing an Essay Decimator essay critique, we come upon a story that the BSer is trying to use to support their application and, well, we just can’t figure it out. Frequently it’s a question of alignment: The story starts off in one direction, emphasizing how the BSer did certain things to bring something […]

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Filed Under: "show don't tell"

($) “no other school has…”

November 13, 2018 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

Over the summer we did a two-part series about “compare and contrast” in your MBA essays and it’s worth revisiting, since this comes up a lot in what BSers submit in their apps. This is another component that seems innocent enough (and it is) but it’s a style of communicating that doesn’t actually help you […]

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Filed Under: "show don't tell", school fit

($) Being a “thought leader” is not a career goal.

September 18, 2018 by EssaySnark

BREAKING: Study Finds No One Quite Sure What The Hell “Thought Leader” Means — ADWEAK (@adweak) September 12, 2018     Sometimes people tell us that their long-term post-MBA career goal is to be a “thought leader.” (Apparently in Washington, DC, people say this on first dates , too.) This is not a career goal...


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Filed Under: "show don't tell", career goals Tagged With: please don't do this

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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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