Aspects to be considered while drafting responses to you MBA Essay questions
Probably the most difficult elements of the MBA application is writing the application essays. However, they form an essential part of the admissions process since they provide you the opportunity to showcase your personal and professional background, your key accomplishments, your research into your dream school and you professional goals while also offering the admissions committee critical insights into your fit with their community.
This article seeks to provide critical insights that play an instrumental role in your essay assessment and hopes to enhance the impact of your essays.
- Be distinct: It is strongly advised to avoid using clichés and instead create original content. In other words, be truthful and examine what unique experience you can bring to the program because the admissions committee wants to get to know the real “you.” To answer each of the questions, think about what you would say to a family, friend or colleague over coffee. MBA programs have a diverse range of profiles, ranging from those with medical, humanities, or military backgrounds to those with more traditional corporate career trajectories. This means that there is no predetermined design or ideal mold. Follow your instincts and write the story you want to tell instead of writing what you think the admissions committee wants to read; for instance, you may incorporate items from your personal life that show your interests, activities, or accomplishments. The best essays we’ve seen consistently strike a mix between personal and professional aspects. You should, of course, make sure that your professional and personal experiences speak to you personally and are pertinent to the questions.
- Clearly define your work history: Your professional experience is one of the most critical elements of your application and will be significant for your contribution to the classroom learning experience. Thus, It is not enough to give a 30,000 feet view of your work experience but to really drill down deep into your experiences and how they helped shaped you as an individual and your leadership style. The most impactful essays are those that bring out your impact and contribution to your organization.
To state, “I manage IT projects,” for example; you must provide specific and unambiguous examples of projects that you have undertaken, how you have managed those projects and lastly what was the outcome/ impact of those projects on your organization. If you work for a family business or a small to medium-sized business, you must define your company’s structure, market, and product. While discussing your experience, it is normal to highlight your skills, but be sure to also draw attention to your areas for improvement. - Grammar, sentence structure, words, and concepts employed, and expressing clarity: Even though they appear to be insignificant in the larger context, they have a significant impact on the reader(admissions committee member) and ultimately their perception about you. We recognize that managing your application with your other duties might be difficult at times. However, it is critical to maintain focus, brainstorm, and devote adequate time to writing, reviewing, and editing your essays. To ensure that the picture you are portraying is not distorted by mistakes, confusing phrases, or technical jargon and acronyms try to get feedback from multiple readers such as friends, colleagues or family members. Respecting the word restriction and responding to the question is critical and can have a significant negative impact if not followed with utmost discipline.
If you don’t enjoy writing, keeping a notepad in which, you jot down any passing ideas you have throughout the day may be quite helpful. You might find it easier to get going if you start with bullet points rather than complete words.
It can take you 2 to 3 weeks to complete the essay portion of the application, and you might need to modify it several times before you are satisfied with the outcome.
We hope these insights will prove to be helpful in getting you started on your application journey for your dream school. Remember, the essays form the backbone of your application and hence it is advisable to devote significant time and efforts on them.