Saturday, September 24, 2011

MBA Essay Editing Tips - as the Round 1 deadlines get closer!

Hey everyone,

A lot of folks have been asking us for basic essay editing tips, so we're publishing a list of things that we look for when we review essays.  By the way, we've said this before, but let me just reiterate:  PLEASE get your essays reviewed by someone you don't know!   It doesn't have to be us (but we'll be happy if it is).  :-)  Remember, AdCom doesn't know you, so it's really important to get your essays read by at least one independent reader who doesn't know you at all, and ask for their candid opinion on your package.

Here are the editing tips:

  • Remove all redundant words.  A lot of qualifying adjectives are redundant - e.g., "very dire circumstances", or "significantly high volumes", etc.  You don't need "very" and "significant". 
  • Quantify.  When you say something is more, or higher, or has increased, please say by how much.  This makes your essay more believable, relate-able, and real. 
  • Stay within word limits:  There is no reason to go beyond.  No. Reason. 
  • Keep your sentences short:  The most beautiful essays are the ones in which sentences are short and succinct.  Winding sentences make essays very difficult to read. 
  • Stay chronological, as far as possible:  Essays that are not chronological can be very confusing - I've had to read some essays twice to make sense of what happened when. 
  • Emotion is good, drama is not:  When you write about a situation, it's great to explain how you felt and why.  But please, this is not a movie script.
  • Don't state the obvious:  In 80% of the essays we review, we're able to free up about 40 - 50 words because of this.  If you've explained something already, no need to state it again. 
  • Finally, whatever you do, DO NOT blame someone else:  There is NO excuse for this.  Don't even indirectly slight someone else for what they did.  Victor Lee, from the Wharton school admissions office, agreed with us in our S2S post on this topic, and called it the "kiss of death"
Good luck folks!  If you're interested in getting your essays reviewed by us, email us at essaycritique@gmail.com or use the form on this page. 

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Round 1 or Round 2? Low GMAT Score?

Hi everyone,

We're seeing a number of questions in our inbox from candidates who are thinking of postponing their applications to Round 2 because their essays don't feel "ready" or because they have a low GMAT score.

We asked one of our essay reviewers, a Wharton alum, to write about her experiences with past candidates and their GMAT scores:
  • If you have a GMAT score of 700+, please don't worry about being disqualified for your score - you will be fine, even at the top schools, as long as your essays are strong
  • Similarly, if you have a GMAT score of 750+, please don't think that you are a shoo-in to any school - also know that your your essays need to show all aspects of your personality even more because the GMAT already emphasizes your analytical skills
  • Now, if you have a score of less than 700:
    • If your score is below 650, it doesn't mean that you can't get in to a top school - BUT it does mean that your essays and other contributions need to be absolutely kickass. 
      • If you had a particularly bad day, the day of your GMAT, and were doing much better in earlier practice tests, you should absolutely think about taking it again and wait until Round 2 to apply. 
      • We don't usually make commercial recommendations in this blog, but taking the Kaplan ultimate practice test in the actual test center gave me a huge advantage with nerves on the day of the actual test
      • If your score in your practice tests was in that 600 - 650 range anyway, and you feel like you gave it your everything, it's okay - really.  Just put in everything you got into your essays and the rest of your application and put your best foot forward. 
    • If you have a score in the 650 - 700 range, mostly the same rules apply:
      • If you had a particularly bad day and were scoring 700+ on practice tests, or if you feel like you didn't really give it your 100% the first time around, take it once more
      • We've had plenty of candidates get in to really great schools in the past (and many of our classmates too) with GMAT scores in this range - so if you feel like you gave it everything, and the score was aligned with your practice tests, don't fret
      • Note - you don't have to explain your GMAT score in the "optional essay" if you are in this bracket - this is a good score. 
Finally, I just want to add here:  we've seen folks with scores in the 600 - 780 range get in - but I can tell you that the big differentiators have not really been their academic transcripts or their GMAT scores.  Thousands of people with strong GMATs and grades apply every year.  Your differentiator is your unique voice - your essays, and the rest of your application.  Don't short cut even the short answer questions - they can make a big difference sometimes. 

If you have other questions, email us at essaycritique@gmail.com.   We're thick in the middle of reviewing essays for Round 1, but happy to answer pressing questions from some candidates. 

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Stanford GSB Essay Tips 2011 - 2012 from our GSB Alum


Here are this season's Stanford Essay tips from our Stanford GSB Alum!


What matters most to you, and why?

  • Could be a person or a group of people, a hobby or interest, an event that occurred or might occur in the future, or a situation that you're in 
  • This essay needs to be pretty introspective - and it needs to be about you.  If you are going to say "eradicating poverty or hunger" or "spreading literacy", take care to not make this essay about the cause - it must be about why it matters to you. 
  • The essay isn't just about stating why something or someone matters to you - it's about explaining the deep relationships or connections that make this so important in your life. 

What do you want to do—REALLY—and why Stanford?

  • The guidelines for this essay clearly state that you shouldn't repeat and reiterate your accomplishments from your resume or other essays - it must be forward looking. 
  • Career aspirations can be simply stated - i.e., "be a CEO of a Fortune 50 company" - but you should explain in very pragmatic terms the path leading to it and how the MBA fits into that path
  • The "why Stanford" piece should follow naturally from your career goals - and remember, this is not an essay about Stanford - this is about how what they offer fits into your goals. 

Answer two of the four questions below. Tell us not only what you did but also how you did it. What was the outcome? How did people respond? Only describe experiences that have occurred during the last three years.

  • Try to pick two questions that showcase different aspects of your life.  These are all leadership questions, so they aren't easy to tackle, but the key is to tell your story in a unique, authentic voice that resonates with the reader. 

Tell us about a time when you built or developed a team whose performance exceeded expectations.

  • The most important part of this essay is that it should be clear to the reader what the expectations were of your team - because without this baseline understanding, it is challenging to prove how you went over and beyond
  • "built and developed" - for candidates in consulting, make note that you often don't build and develop short-lived teams; so don't forget to address this piece - how did you coach the people on your team?  how did you attract and retain talent?
  • The most engaging responses to this question respect the idea that building and developing a good team is extremely challenging. 

Tell us about a time when you made a lasting impact on your organization.

  • If you work in a large multi-national company, this is not an easy question to answer in that setting; unless you are confident that your actions really made a sustainable impact on your company, avoid using this question
  • Candidates will often rely on their own characteristics to answer this question - e.g,. "as a woman... " or "as the youngest Manager.." - if you are going to do this, be very careful not to slight others that don't share the same characteristic as you - and remember again, the impact must be sustainable and organization-wide.

Tell us about a time when you generated support from others for an idea or initiative.

  • This can be done in a professional, community or personal setting - you must describe why it was challenging to gain this interest and support - this is harder to do when you have established authority - i.e., you were the founder of a non-profit or Chair of a club - your job is to generate support and interest, so these types of responses may not be as interesting

Tell us about a time when you went beyond what was defined or established.

  • This is a good question to take on, because it is fairly individualistic, so it is easier to relate why you did something and how you changed what was defined
  • Again, pick a practice such that it is obvious to the reader and seems natural why things were established or defined a certain way - so that your efforts jump out as something that was "over and beyond" 

Friday, September 16, 2011

Dartmouth Tuck MBA Essays 2011 - 2012 Tips


We've seen an increasing number of candidates interested in Dartmouth's Tuck school.  Tuck doesn't constrain you to a word limit, but has suggested a 500 word estimate.  You can go higher in one or two essays, especially the first one, but try and stick to that benchmark for the rest.  Here are our essay tips for this admission year:

Why is an MBA a critical next step toward your short- and long-term career goals? Why is Tuck the best MBA program for you? 

  • Very similar to many other school's goal essays - set the context with your background, explain your goals in a meaningful, substantive manner, and then integrate Tuck's offerings into your vision
  • Remember, this is an essay about you, not about Tuck - so anything that you mention about the school must be tied into your story and your goals

Discuss your most meaningful leadership experience. What did you learn about your own individual strengths and weaknesses through this experience?

  • Describe just one experience - it can be a challenging opportunity that came your way, a career milestone, or a personal or community experience
  • A leadership experience doesn't have to be one where you came out a winner - it can be a situation in which you experienced a very big challenge, part of which you were able to overcome, with other parts that didn't go so well - that is why the question asks both for your strengths and weaknesses
  • Please, do not use spun-around-strengths like "perfectionism" or "taking too much work on my plate" in the weaknesses section. 

Describe a circumstance in your life in which you faced adversity, failure, or setback. What actions did you take as a result and what did you learn from this experience?

  • A failure or setback or adversity essay must expose you - and your vulnerabilities.  This is not about how you created a problem and then owned up to it or fixed it. 
  • It can be a bad situation that was dealt to you, or something that you did that resulted in a failure or setback, or a time when you chased something that you just weren't good enough for
  • To answer the "actions" piece, don't try to recreate the situation and explain what you did the next time around; what the reader wants to know is, after the failure, what did you do because of it - did you try again?  Did you make amends?  Did you apologize or forgive someone or give up on something?
  • Please, do not try to show anyone else in a negative light in this essay - e.g., someone stepped on your toes or acted politically etc. - this just reflects immaturity on your part  

Tuck seeks candidates of various backgrounds who can bring new perspectives to our community. How will your unique personal history, values, and/or life experiences contribute to the culture at Tuck?

  • Diversity is not just about where you're from - diversity can be derived from your specific story - your experience that make you unique to the classroom and community
  • So, if you're a Caucasian male who has spent three years in a consulting firm, your "diversity" can be from something that's a tradition or value that's been in your family for years, a sporting experience that shaped you, a community that you are tied to that you will bring to campus with you, etc. 

Chicago Booth Essays 2011 - 2012


The Booth MBA has gained tremendously over the last five years, and has become a favorite of many financial services Firms.   Here are our essay tips for the school's 2011 - 2012 essays. 
What are your short and long-term goals, and how will a Chicago Booth MBA help you reach them? (600 words)
  • Set the context of your past experience in a few short sentences; and then move on to describing your tactical and visionary goals; remember, the goals must be clear, specific and vividly imaginable for the reader
  • While it's important to tie Booth's offerings to your goals, please don't overdose on this - this is not an essay on Booth, it's an essay on you and your goals; the Booth part should be supplementary. 

At Chicago Booth, we believe each individual has his or her own leadership style. How has your family, culture, and/or environment influenced you as a leader? (750 words)
  • This is a really important essay for Booth - do not try to copy / paste bits and pieces of other essays and force fit into this one - it won't work
  • What is a leadership style?  A leadership style is really your way of owning, managing and leading the way.  How do you motivate people?  Think about the different leadership styles of Steve Jobs and Apple's new CEO, Tim Cook.  They are vastly different styles, and arguably both very effective.  Do you see yourself as a rousing-the-troops by being out there, shaking hands and being-seen type of leader, or do you see yourself as a more quiet, reserved leader who leads through the lines?  How much ownership and accountability do you delegate?  Where do you sit on the "niceness" scale?   These are tough questions to answer, but important to do so to truly describe your style. 
  • Pick no more than one or two themes and attributes, and one or two examples to support each attribute of your style
  • The experiences or examples you select should naturally lead the reader to understand what leadership style you are describing, so you shouldn't have to state it explicitly - the story-telling of these experiences has to be strong
  • Your environment also plays a big part - if you were an analyst in an investment bank for a few years, that has a different influence on your style than a consultant or a volunteer or a political staffer, etc. 

Considering what you've already included in the application, what else should we know about you? In a maximum of four slides, tell us about yourself.
  • This one is also a time-consuming essay.  One word of caution here - you can never stop editing.  Know when you are done and know when to stop, or you'll drive yourself crazy. 
  • The question clearly says, "what else?" - so avoid reiterating the things you said in the first two essays - try to cover the parts of your life and personality that may not have been discussed already
  • In creating this deck or PDF, think about what's most important to you?  If you were describing your life to a classmate, what would you say?  What matters the most to you?  What motivates you to go to work everyday?  Who inspires you?  These are the questions that you're trying to answer here. 
  • A good combination of words and pictures is ideal - think of it like a story book on your life - but keep the words succinct and engaging, this is not another essay. 
  • Follow the instructions and read the pointers - hyperlinks will not be clicked, so don't try to stick in your blog or your twitter feed into this, and remember, the document will be viewed electronically, but no videos or music is allowed. 

Berkeley Haas Essay Tips 2011 - 2012


If you're looking for a smaller MBA program with an extremely tight knit community, Haas might be the place for you!  If you're a budding entrepreneur, even more reason to apply to this school.  Here are our essay tips for this year's questions: 
What brings you the greatest joy?  How does this make you distinctive? (250 word maximum)
  • This question seems so much easier than it really is!  If you write about the things that bring you great joy, how do you make them sound distinctive to you?   By making a deep, meaningful connection between your passion and your life.  Why is this thing meaningful to you?  What does it say about you? 
  • Most common answer to this question - "making others' lives better / doing things for others / bringing joy to others".  It's okay to say this, but PLEASE, know that a lot of people also write this and AdCom reads thousands of essays, so the "distinctive" part has to be really strong. 
  • It's perfectly fine to say something like dance or writing or mountain climbing or spending time with your family or another hobby brings you great joy - but please explain why it is meaningful to you, in a way that really says something about you. 
What is your most significant accomplishment? (250 word maximum)
  • A lot of people ask if this must be limited to one accomplishment - absolutely, yes. 
  • The accomplishment can be professional, personal or community - depending on what you are discussing in the other essays, the overall set should be balanced. 
Describe a time when you questioned an established practice or thought within an organization.  How did your actions create positive change? (250 word maximum)
  • Use the words you have in this essay about 50:50 to describe both, what you did, and what impact it had - many essays we read are very one-sided and describe either one or the other
  • The change should ideally already have happened when you write this essay - not something that you "hope" will change in the future
  • Remember, broad cultural changes are hard to bring about - it is best to focus this essay on a specific practice or way of doing things that you were able to change
Describe a time when you were a student of your own failure.  What specific insight from this experience has shaped your development? (250 word maximum)

  • Please people - a failure is a failure.  It's not supposed to make you look good - i.e., don't use examples where you fixed something that you broke
  • Take only 2 - 3 sentences to describe the failure itself - and spend the majority of this essay explaining why it was important and what you learned from it
  • You do NOT need to reiterate what you learned by saying that you were in the exact same situation later and reacted a different way
Describe a time when you led by inspiring or motivating others toward a shared goal. (250 word maximum)

  • This will ideally be in a professional or community setting.  If you are going to use a non-profit setting, be aware that a lot of candidates do this, and you must really get into how you brought people on-board to your vision and goal. 
  • Choosing examples where you influenced without authority - i.e., brought people together that didn't necessarily report to you - is also a good idea, but also know that many people use this too, so you must bring your unique voice to the essay if you use this type of situation
What are your post-MBA short-term and long-term career goals?  How have your professional experiences prepared you to achieve these goals?  b) How will an MBA from Haas help you achieve these goals? (1000 word maximum for 6a and 6b)

  • Standard goals question - the big challenge here is writing a 1,000 word essay with smooth transitions, a tight structure, and content that keeps the reader interested and engaged in your story

Monday, September 5, 2011

Michigan Ross MBA Essay Tips 2011 - 2012


    Introduce yourself to your future Ross classmates in 100 words or less.
    • This is your elevator pitch.  The best advice I can offer here is - KEEP IT SIMPLE.  Give your reader a few clear signals to remember you by - "he's the Peace Corps guy from NC", or "he's the marathon runner from McKinsey" or "she's the professional dancer from India", or "she's the Indonesia Govt emissary..".  You get the message. 
    • Keep your "change the world" ambitions out of this one - how would you really introduce yourself to other classmates?  Where you're from, where you grew up, what your professional experiences have been, what your goals are, what your interests and hobbies are - that's it!
    Describe your career goals. How will an MBA from Ross help you to achieve those goals? What is your vision for how you can make a unique contribution to the Ross community? (500 words)
    • Spend about 250 words describing your short term and long term career goals, including post-MBA next steps and your career vision; use the rest to answer how the MBA from Ross will help you, and how you will help the Ross community
    • You may have to describe your past experiences when you start this essay to set the context - it's okay to do this, but don't use up too many words doing this
      Describe a time in your career when you were frustrated or disappointed. What did you learn from that experience? (500 word maximum)
      • Please, try to avoid blaming someone else through this essay - a large number of candidates will write about a co-worker who let them down or a horrible boss - remember, this is an essay about you, not them!
      • A lot of candidates also think "what you learned from the experience" actually means "how did you fix the problem" - please don't fall for this trap.  It's okay just to describe a setback or challenge, and what you took away from it - you don't have to describe how much better you were the next time you faced the same issue or how you resolved it. 
        What are you most passionate about? (300 word maximum)
        • Can be a cause, a hobby, a sport, a professional objective, a personal goal, etc.  
        • If you don't have a passion, it's okay.  A lot of people don't.  Don't force one, this is an optional question. 
          Describe a personal challenge or obstacle and why you view it as such. How have you dealt with it? What have you learned from it? (300 word maximum)
          • Somewhat similar to the third question, except that this is in the personal domain.  Almost everyone we know has a great personal situation or experience they went through to share, so try to use this question if possible. 
          • Again, what you learned from the experience is not "how did you solve the problem", or "how did you deal with the same situation the next time around"; please just stick with your takeaways from the situation :-) 

          Yale SOM Essays 2011 - 2012 Tips and Analysis


          Yale SOM promises to be an exciting place, especially now that Edward A. Snyder, ex-dean of Chicago Booth moved there this summer.  Here are the school's essays for this year, and some tips from our reviewers on them. 
          At the Yale School of Management, we believe the world needs leaders who understand organizations, teams, networks and the complex nature of leadership; understand markets and competition in different contexts; and understand the diversity of economies throughout the world and the relationships between business and society.  What experiences have you had that demonstrate your strength in one or more of these areas?
          • This question is a mouthful - but piece it apart, and it'll seem less challenging.  The question is really asking what key experiences have shaped and developed your leadership skills?  In the context of how teams work, how economics work, and how business and communities work with each other
          • This question is open ended - gives you a great chance to pick some experiences you want to describe that have helped you become either a professional or community leader
          What is the most difficult feedback you have received from another person or the most significant weakness you perceive in yourself? What steps have you taken to address it and how will business school contribute to this process?
          • Please, do not to try to "spin" strengths as weaknesses - e.g., perfectionism, or taking too much work, etc.  Doing this makes the essay boring, fake and a surefire fail.
          • "Difficult" feedback is bound to be candid and mostly uncomfortable - write about what you need to work on in a clear and confident tone, because we all need to work on some things!
          Imagine yourself meeting your learning team members for the first time in Orientation.  What is the most important thing your teammates should know about you?
          • The most important thing about you can be about your past (what you have done or an experience that shaped you deeply), or about your goals, or even about your working style
          • This essay should stress on not just what it is that your team-mates should know about you, but also why it is important that they understand it.  E.g., simply stating, my goal is to run a private equity fund in Asia isn't good enough. 

          Saturday, September 3, 2011

          Columbia MBA Essays 2011 - 2012 - Tips and Guidance


          This year, we were lucky to add a Columbia Business School alum to our contributors.  Here are his tips on the school's essays: 

          Considering your post-MBA and long term professional goals, why you are pursuing an MBA at this point in your career? Additionally, why is Columbia Business School a good fit for you? (750 words)
          • When an essay is more than 600 words (this one is 750), the biggest challenge is keeping the reader engaged and wrapped up in your story - transitions, grammar, and a tight storyline are even more important in longer essays than others
          • For the why CBS part, be sure to tie in CBS's offerings with your own background - this part should be very specific to CBS culture and community, not just any business school in general.  
          Describe a life experience that has shaped you. The goal of this essay is to get a sense of who you are, rather than what you have achieved professionally. (Maximum 500 words)
          • First, a life experience that has shaped you could be a happy experience, a tough challenge, a big change, a move, or a tragic or traumatic situation - anything that had a meaningful impact on you and your personality
          • Please do not include any professional experiences or details in this question - bring out your personality, your character, and tell your story!
          Develop your own “outrageous” business idea. In essay form, compose your “elevator pitch.” (Maximum 250 words)
          • What is an outrageous idea?  Founding the next "social startup" or "renewable energy company" or the ultimate "micro-finance solution" will probably NOT excite your reader.   There are many outrageous ideas that are over-done too - "free wireless internet for the world", "education for everyone in the world", etc. - it's okay to use these, but your elevator pitch in these cases has to be especially meaningful. 
          • Remember, the key is that the outrageous idea must be supported (unfortunately in a few sentences) by a real pragmatic sounding business plan that might work
          You are running for either Cluster Chair or a club leadership position of your choosing. Compose your campaign speech. (Maximum 250 words)

          • Choose this option with caution -- the challenge in this question is finding the balance between speaking about your accomplishments and your strengths in a political-campaign-like style, without sounding arrogant - some candidates can do this extremely well, but others end up sounding brash

          Select one of the current executives in residence with whom you would like to meet during your time at Columbia. Explain your selection and tell us how you would best utilize your half hour one-on-one session. (Maximum 250 words)

          • Great way to bolster your case for your career vision, but remember to clearly describe how you will spend your time, rather than simply why you admire this person or general platitudes about the program.