Hi everyone,
It seems like the HBS interview invites are rolling and so we here's a quick refresher of our interview guidance. Once our clients start interviewing, we'll anonymize post whatever they want to share on this blog as well, so bookmark us and keep checking back!
Guidance from our HBS Alum:
"The HBS interview is not the Wharton interview - don't go in expecting a casual conversation that you can drive. Go in expecting an interview that will be driven mostly by the interviewer. Expect them to be taking notes and assessing you during the interview. Expect a few tough questions - also, expect that you will get almost no encouragement from the interviewer while you are speaking. Of course, it could turn out that your experience is much more casual than this, but we would encourage you to go in expecting this.
The interviewer will know you, your profile, your essays and your resume cold before you even step in to the room. They will look to see if they hear the same person that they read about - so be sure to stay authentic and true to the voice that you reflected in your application.
There could be one or maybe more deep dives into your resume - be prepared with at least a few snippets or phrases that you want to cover when a question like this comes up for any of the experiences you have on your resume. Same with questions about your undergraduate education. Expect a few behavioral questions too.
HBS interviewers are either AdCom or a few (very) select alumni so they are experts are doing this (vs. interviewing with students at some other schools). Walk in confident, but not arrogant, and describe your experiences with humility. Show your personal side and give the interviewer something to remember you by when they are done at the end of the day.
Don't forget to Practice, Practice, Practice - webcam, mirror, mock interview with family / friends (and us!). Good luck!"
To do a mock interview with a HBS alum, send us your preferred time slots (EST) in an email at essaycritique@gmail.com
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
Five MBA Essay Mistakes to Avoid
Hi everyone,
Now that we've reviewed a bunch of Round 1 essays, we revisited our "5 Mistakes" blog from last year and updated it slightly, but also found a lot of it is still pretty relevant! As you're thinking about your Round 2 Essays, here are some quick traps to watch out for...
1. Answering a Different Question - As simple as this sounds, we have found that a number of essays sent to us actually answer a different question than what is being asked. Many times, this is because candidates first identify parts of their personality and professional experiences that they want to showcase, and then figure out how to "force fit" these experiences into the essay questions. The best way to avoid this mistake? Do it the right way - think of the question, and then write the answer, not the other way around. After you're done, go back and check - have you answered the question exactly as it's asked?
2. Skimming over the Details - "That day, I learned how collaboration and teamwork are critical to leadership...". Whenever you have one of these "I realized / learned" revelations, check to make sure that before or after you have supporting details that explain why or how you realized what you did. The best essays are detailed enough that they naturally lead the reader to the conclusion that you were trying to hit.
3. Distracting Creative Imagery - "Beads of sweat dotted my brow as I lifted the rusty hammer to hit the moss covered..".. Great for a fiction novel, not so great for a business school application. We have seen a number of essays which are fun to read because they are written so well - unfortunately, they're just not written for an application. Especially all you very gifted writers out there, try and keep a check and keep the language simple.
4. Language, Grammar - If English isn't your first language, invest a lot of time in polishing the language and grammar in your essays. While a lot of people think it is OK to write in loose language if you are an international applicant, remember that you are competing with other international applicants who may not have this problem. As long as it feels like you have taken the effort to polish the language, you'll be in good shape.
5. Super-glorifying your accomplishments - Essays are all about you and your achievements. We get that, and of course you should brag about your achievements. At the same time, if you were a first year analyst in a MBS group in an investment bank, don't say you helped your organization battle the credit crisis (if you didn't). State your accomplishments as is, and they will sound great. In an attempt to magnify accomplishments, we have seen a lot of essays that lose their authenticity and credibility.
Hope this helps! If you have something else you'd like to see covered here, send us an email at essaycritique@gmail.com. We look forward to working with you!
Now that we've reviewed a bunch of Round 1 essays, we revisited our "5 Mistakes" blog from last year and updated it slightly, but also found a lot of it is still pretty relevant! As you're thinking about your Round 2 Essays, here are some quick traps to watch out for...
2. Skimming over the Details - "That day, I learned how collaboration and teamwork are critical to leadership...". Whenever you have one of these "I realized / learned" revelations, check to make sure that before or after you have supporting details that explain why or how you realized what you did. The best essays are detailed enough that they naturally lead the reader to the conclusion that you were trying to hit.
3. Distracting Creative Imagery - "Beads of sweat dotted my brow as I lifted the rusty hammer to hit the moss covered..".. Great for a fiction novel, not so great for a business school application. We have seen a number of essays which are fun to read because they are written so well - unfortunately, they're just not written for an application. Especially all you very gifted writers out there, try and keep a check and keep the language simple.
4. Language, Grammar - If English isn't your first language, invest a lot of time in polishing the language and grammar in your essays. While a lot of people think it is OK to write in loose language if you are an international applicant, remember that you are competing with other international applicants who may not have this problem. As long as it feels like you have taken the effort to polish the language, you'll be in good shape.
5. Super-glorifying your accomplishments - Essays are all about you and your achievements. We get that, and of course you should brag about your achievements. At the same time, if you were a first year analyst in a MBS group in an investment bank, don't say you helped your organization battle the credit crisis (if you didn't). State your accomplishments as is, and they will sound great. In an attempt to magnify accomplishments, we have seen a lot of essays that lose their authenticity and credibility.
Hope this helps! If you have something else you'd like to see covered here, send us an email at essaycritique@gmail.com. We look forward to working with you!
Monday, October 4, 2010
Michigan Ross MBA - Fall 2011 Essay Tips
Ross's deadline is coming up on October 11th, so here are a few tips on how to tackle the Fall 2011 essay questions. Two of our four reviewers were accepted at Ross, so they offer their words of advice here...
1. Introduce yourself in 100 words or less (100 words)
New question, and this one is actually easier than you think. We love it, because it's 100 words and it gives you the perfect opportunity to give AdCom your best elevator pitch about you, your life, your personality, your professional background, just about anything.
Our two cents here - keep it light, this is an introduction, there's enough room in the other questions to talk about the serious stuff, so for here, just project yourself as someone that classmates would actually like to have a beer with after class. Don't go overboard in doing so -- it's really alright to sound like a normal, fun person, with a few interests.
2. Describe your career goals. How will the Ross MBA help you to achieve your goals? (500 word maximum)
Before you start writing this essay, create a map for yourself. Link your professional experiences of the past to how you got to where you are now and why you think an MBA is the best thing for you at this point in your career. These experiences should lead the reader to the natural conclusion that an MBA would be the idea thing for your career right now.
Then, think through your short term and long term goals (don't forget either one) - and do it at a level of specificity that makes the reader believe that you have invested time in this self reflection. A lot of people tell us - "I don't know what I want to do yet!" Well, if there's one thing that you could do of the many that you want to do, what would it be? Then lay out why Ross. For this piece it is important that you go a step beyond what jumps out at you from their website - go through specific programs and parts of their curriculum and link them to your goals. Discuss which programs or people that you have met or spoken to that caused you to consider Ross as a top school.
The most important thing about this question - your entire essay should appear to have a single theme - your past experiences, why MBA now, goals and Why Ross pieces should all appear tightly integrated with each other.
3. Describe a time in your career when you were frustrated or disappointed. What did you learn from that experience? (500 word maximum)
Once you have the situation picked out, first describe why this was frustrating or disappointing. What may seem obvious to you may not be to the reader - explain what the situation meant for you in the role that you were in.
Whether you eventually conquered (or "won" in some way) makes no difference here. Don't try to force fit a "I overcame it by.." - you don't have to. It's OK if you don't have a win story here. What's important is that you discuss very openly and clearly what you took away from the experience. How did your personality change after this incident(s) occurred? How did your attitude towards other people or an organization change? What would you do differently if you were faced with a similar situation in the future?
4a. What are you most passionate about and why? (300 word maximum)
New question, and this one is actually easier than you think. We love it, because it's 100 words and it gives you the perfect opportunity to give AdCom your best elevator pitch about you, your life, your personality, your professional background, just about anything.
Our two cents here - keep it light, this is an introduction, there's enough room in the other questions to talk about the serious stuff, so for here, just project yourself as someone that classmates would actually like to have a beer with after class. Don't go overboard in doing so -- it's really alright to sound like a normal, fun person, with a few interests.
2. Describe your career goals. How will the Ross MBA help you to achieve your goals? (500 word maximum)
Before you start writing this essay, create a map for yourself. Link your professional experiences of the past to how you got to where you are now and why you think an MBA is the best thing for you at this point in your career. These experiences should lead the reader to the natural conclusion that an MBA would be the idea thing for your career right now.
Then, think through your short term and long term goals (don't forget either one) - and do it at a level of specificity that makes the reader believe that you have invested time in this self reflection. A lot of people tell us - "I don't know what I want to do yet!" Well, if there's one thing that you could do of the many that you want to do, what would it be? Then lay out why Ross. For this piece it is important that you go a step beyond what jumps out at you from their website - go through specific programs and parts of their curriculum and link them to your goals. Discuss which programs or people that you have met or spoken to that caused you to consider Ross as a top school.
The most important thing about this question - your entire essay should appear to have a single theme - your past experiences, why MBA now, goals and Why Ross pieces should all appear tightly integrated with each other.
3. Describe a time in your career when you were frustrated or disappointed. What did you learn from that experience? (500 word maximum)
Once you have the situation picked out, first describe why this was frustrating or disappointing. What may seem obvious to you may not be to the reader - explain what the situation meant for you in the role that you were in.
Whether you eventually conquered (or "won" in some way) makes no difference here. Don't try to force fit a "I overcame it by.." - you don't have to. It's OK if you don't have a win story here. What's important is that you discuss very openly and clearly what you took away from the experience. How did your personality change after this incident(s) occurred? How did your attitude towards other people or an organization change? What would you do differently if you were faced with a similar situation in the future?
4a. What are you most passionate about and why? (300 word maximum)
What a great opportunity to pick a topic of your choice and discuss why it's important to you! The only thing here is, be sure to highlight how, in the past and in the present you actually 'apply' this passion in your life. Use this essay - we highly recommend it!
4b. We expect that Ross MBAs will not only be effective leaders, but also effective teachers. How will you contribute to the learning experience of your peers at Ross? (300 word maximum)
4b. We expect that Ross MBAs will not only be effective leaders, but also effective teachers. How will you contribute to the learning experience of your peers at Ross? (300 word maximum)
If you feel like you have nothing substantial to say in Q. 4a (it's okay), this is a good alternative. Use your professional background or community experience to describe how you will share with your peers at Ross. You can discuss student clubs, initiatives that you will take, classroom projects, etc. If you have professional networks that the class can benefit from, this is a good place to mention it!
Good luck, folks - try and get your essays read by an independent, unbiased set of eyes! Even if you don't use our services, be sure to ask someone that doesn't know you for their candid opinion on your essays - this is the best "preview" of AdCom's feedback.
Good luck, folks - try and get your essays read by an independent, unbiased set of eyes! Even if you don't use our services, be sure to ask someone that doesn't know you for their candid opinion on your essays - this is the best "preview" of AdCom's feedback.
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