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by
Charlotte Thomas, Career and Education Editor, Peterson's
Whoever came up with the idea that people like to talk about
themselves has probably never confronted a blank sheet of
paper (or blank computer screen) with the deadline ticking
away for completing an MBA application essay. Writer's block
takes on new meaning when it comes to answering questions
about why you want an MBA and how a particular program fits
in with your career plans. All those lucid reasons that seemed
so intelligent before are suddenly nowhere to be found. You've
done the application, it's deadline time, and the essays remain
to be written.
"Few people really enjoy writing or talking about themselves,"
explains Christine Gill, Interim Director of Marketing and
Admissions at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case
Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio. "Essays just don't roll
off the top of their heads."
After reading more than 3,000 essays
a year, they know a well-written essay when they see one
She should know. Gill reads 3,000 plus essays a year, which
is not unusual as Linda Baldwin, Director of MBA Admissions
at the Anderson School of Management at the University of
California, Los Angeles, can attest. She reads the same amount
and has done so for eleven years. That's a lot of words, but
she never seems to tire of them, explaining that her curiosity
about people propels her to dig into the pile. Well-thought-out
essays are inspirational, she reflects, because they give
her a sense of who that person is rather than just a litany
of accomplishments. "I'm always amazed at how people see things
differently," she adds.
The reason the application essay can be such a source of
anxiety is that the process demands a deep level of introspection,
and so it should. With so much time and money involved, the
decision to pursue an MBA is a serious one. Plus, the competition
to get into good programs means that not only grades and work
experience are scrutinized but also the personal attributes
of the candidates. "It's one of the few times people are asked
to pause and look at their lives," Baldwin suggests.
Will essays make or break my chances?
While essays play an integral part in getting into an MBA
program, they are not the only factor by which admissions
directors make their decisions. Essentially, essays offer
the opportunity for applicants to provide information about
themselves that can't be deducted solely from test scores
and work experience. "Essays tie all the pieces together,"
says Baldwin, speaking of an applicant's skills, beliefs,
value systems, past experiences, and future goals that become
evident in a well-written essay. The objective facts gleaned
from test scores and resumes provide the framework. Essays
flesh out the skeleton.
Brian Walker, Assistant Director of Admissions at Jesse H.
Jones Graduate School of Management at Rice University in
Houston, Texas, notes that the application asks for work experience
and gives applicants only a few lines to list employers. The
essay, on the other hand, offers multiple pages in which to
tell program directors what's between the lines of your resume
and application--even why circumstances didn't work out as
expected. "You might have been a geology major in college,"
illustrates Michael Wynne, Director of Graduate Admissions
at Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College in New York,
New York. "After graduating, you went into that industry,
but didn't like it. You found yourself managing the budget
and realized that you were gradually changing direction. Now
you want an MBA." Or, it could be that an applicant's undergraduate
experience wasn't a particularly stellar one. Extenuating
circumstances can be explained and accounted for.
Unfortunately, some MBA applicants don't take full advantage
of essays and make the mistake of simply adding verbs and
nouns to a resume in the attempt to turn it into an essay.
They've missed the boat, says Walker, if applicants copy a
resume instead of using the essay to add to it. "Don't fall
into a trap and regurgitate your application," reiterates
Walker.
Looking for leaders who can communicate
The ability to communicate is the key quality MBA admissions
directors are looking for in essays. Can you succinctly inform
a reader who you are and do it in a given amount of words?
Though not everyone is a gifted author, communication skills
are essential for business leaders. Walker mentions a survey
done at Rice that asked top CEOs what they wanted in their
management teams. The respondents indicated they needed people
who can communicate. "You can be smart, and motivated, and
come up with the greatest strategies, but if you can't get
them across to customers or to upper management, your ideas
are worthless," says Walker.
In a competitive academic environment filled with applicants
who have high test scores and impressive resumes, essays level
the playing field. Wynne points out that the more case-oriented
and selective MBA programs usually require more essays and
put more weight on them.
You're unique, the program's unique--is
there a match here?
With essays such an essential part in the selection process,
it would be helpful to know what readers are looking for.
However, there are no cut and dried rules or checklists to
consult. According to Walker, the bottom line is whether the
reader will know more about the writer as a result of the
essay. Does the writer think clearly and answer the essay
question within the stated boundaries? Most importantly, says
Gill, readers use essays to discern if individuals will fit
into their programs.
Because of the emphasis on teamwork in most MBA programs,
a student's successful relationships within the class will
ultimately affect his or her own education, as well as that
of other classmates. "It's a ripple effect," Gill says, explaining
that the essay questions from Weatherhead are designed to
reveal how that person handles pressure, works with others,
and deals with ethical situations--characteristics that can
positively or negatively affect others in the program.
In the final analysis, Wynne says the essay is part of determining
if the individual has the motivation and commitment needed
to be a successful manager. Due to competition with other
students and the sheer volume of work, completing an MBA program
is a tough challenge. "Thus," says Wynne, "we're looking for
people who can convince the admissions' committee that they
really need an mba and that this MBA program is right for
them."
Greasing the writer's block
With so much at stake, MBA applicants can become immobilized
by essays. "People think they have to create a masterpiece,"
contends Baldwin. For that reason, it's wise to give yourself
plenty of time so that you can reflect on the question, process
it, and frame it from your own perspective, not someone else's.
Baldwin elaborates, "We're looking for people who distinguish
themselves." Walking the line between arrogance and letting
others know of your accomplishments takes some thought.
So what does an MBA candidate sound
like?
In the effort to present a polished view of oneself, applicants
often get caught up in perfection. That's not what readers
are looking for. "Focus on where you've added value or taken
initiative," Baldwin advises, "and above all, don't try to
sound like what you think an MBA should sound like." She suggests
letting a friend read the essays and if your friend doesn't
know more about you after reading them than before, the essays
have not achieved their purpose. MBA program directors want
candidates who can distinguish themselves from the pack and
show how their individual qualities fit an MBA program. Canned
answers won't work. Being real will.
First things first--follow directions
As simplistic as this might be, program directors say they
often get essays that far exceed the page limit or, conversely,
contain only a few paragraphs when applicants mistakenly reason
that their academic history and work experience speak for
them. "If we thought that was enough, we wouldn't ask for
essays," Gill says. Other obvious mistakes include not checking
for spelling and grammar as well as the grand prize mistake:
submitting the same essays to multiple programs and forgetting
to change the institution's name. It happens.
One size does not fit all
Writing one set of essays and then with some slight modifications,
using them for subsequent applications is not a good idea.
"If you're tweaking, all those tweaks start to sound alike,"
cautions Baldwin. Directors look for candidates who match
up well with their programs, so candidates must speak to the
strengths of individual schools. Each program occupies its
own niche. Essays should note how that program fits their
personal goals. "Let's face it," says Walker, "people are
applying to two or three programs, not ten to fifteen, so
they need to write distinctive essays, even if the questions
are similar. Individual programs warrant unique essays." Wynne
agrees that anything you can do to make it clear that you
appreciate that program's specific strengths enhances the
impression that you know what you're doing and why you're
applying.
Other than reading a program's literature or web site, a
smart way to get to know about a program's niche is to talk
to past and current students. Go to open houses and receptions.
"Articulate to anyone who reads your application that you
have a strong feeling for the school. You know what it's about
and want it. You're not just duplicating what's in the catalog.
Rather, you're filtering it through your experience," tips
Baldwin.
Don't pay to be perfect
A few clicks into Internet resources reveals services available
to the MBA applicant who wants help in writing and editing
essays. Baldwin notes that these services have been around
for a long time and that there are multiple ways readers know
that applicants have used them, such as inconsistency in writing
styles or different use of language between the resume and
essay. "It just sticks out," she observes. The majority of
the essays she reads are done by the individual, which is
fortunate because she feels the essay questions are well within
the realm of anyone who thinks he or she has what it takes
to get through a competitive MBA program. "You're not helping
yourself by using someone else to write your essay for you,"
counsels Wynne. "In many cases the contrasts and differences
are evident." Assistance with grammar and syntax is fine,
but beyond that, make each essay your own.
Cutting some slack for nonEnglish-speaking
applicants
MBA program directors are slightly more lenient towards applicants
who speak English as a second language. However, they advise
candidates to honestly craft the essays in their own words.
"We can tell by other indicators if a person can handle our
work," says Baldwin. Gill, too, observes that MBA programs
with a large international population realize that their essays
will not be letter perfect. She would rather see a few mistakes
than essays that obviously are not written by the applicant.
English skills will undoubtedly improve once the applicant
is in the program so the thinking that goes into the essays
is more important that perfect grammar.
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