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FROM myEssayReview Blog: USC Marshall MBA Essay Questions & Deadlines – 2015 -16 |
The online application is now live at the USC Marshall School of Business.. Here are the applicationdeadlines and required MBA essays for the admissions season.2015-2016. Round One Application deadline: October 19, 2015 Notification begins: December 18, 2015 Round 2 Application deadline: January 8, 2016 Notification begins: April 1, 2016 Round 3 Application deadline: April 8, 2016 Notification begins: May 27, 2016 Required MBA Essays
For more information, please visit the USC Marshall MBA admissions website. |
FROM myEssayReview Blog: Emory Essay Questions Analysis 2015-16 |
Emory Goizueta 2016 MBA Application Deadlines: Application Deadline Decision Notification Round 1 October 09, 2015 December 3, 2015 Round 2* November 13, 2015 January 28, 2016 Round 3** January 8, 2016 March 3, 2016 (Domestic) March 11 (International) Round 4 March 11, 2016 May 13, 2016 Like last year, Goizueta Business School requires applicants to write four essays for the school’s full-time MBA Program. (4 required and 1 optional). The structure of the essays remains the same. However, these essay questions have been tweaked a little bit. The first question (goals essay) no longer includes ‘back up plan’ of 200 words. Instead, it asks the applicants how their prior experiences and strengths will support them in their first-choice short-term position. Instead of asking about contribution and impact, the second question (leadership essay) now requires the applicants to discuss how their leadership experiences align with the school’s mission. The four-option short answer essay prompt includes two new options, and the 25-words “fun fact.” has also been tweaked a tiny bit- “interesting or fun fact” has now been changed to “fun or noteworthy fact”. These short essay questions cover a lot of ground: your professional path and goals, your alignment with the program’s core values, and who you are as a person. So you will need to do a lot of reflection to be able to choose the right stories/ examples to showcase your candidacy in the best manner. Make every word count and be as succinct , clear and concise as you can. Let’s take closer look at each of these questions: 1. Define your short-term post-MBA career goals. How are your professional strengths, past experience and personal attributes aligned with these goals? (300 word limit) This is pretty straightforward career goals essay question with emphasis on short term post MBA goals. You should begin the essay with clear statement of your short term career plans. Please be specific about the position /job title, industry that you plan to seek immediately after MBA. Also, consider naming 1-2 firms that you aim to join after MBA. Even though the question doesn’t ask you to discuss your long term, goals, you may still briefly mention (if space permits) how you plan to progress from your short term goal to a longer term vision. Then go ahead and address the second part of the question explaining how your professional experiences and strengths are aligned with this short-term goal, Discuss how your professional experiences and the skills acquired have propelled you to your desired path. While detailing your professional experience, make sure to focus on your specific professional strengths (quantitative skills, communication skills etc.) and personal attributes (cultural flexibility, perseverance etc.) Then you can wrap up the essay with a comment on how the specific resources of Goizueta MBA program will help you achieve your post MBA aspirations. How to structure your essay?
“Post MBA, I wish to join a reputed Technology and Strategy consulting organization, such as Deloitte or Ernst & Young as an IT Strategy Consultant. My passion for technology, my experience in corporate and business leadership ,my childhood vision to be a global business leader and continue my family legacy have defined my goal. They have also fueled my vision to lead my family business into the world of Technology and Consulting by opening a new division in technology & strategy firm. To realize my entrepreneurial dream, I need an MBA……” Note: For my blog on ‘Goals Essay’ click here:https://myessayreview.com/blogs/?p=1197 For sample ‘Goals’ essay, click here:https://myessayreview.com/sample2.html 2. The business school is named for Roberto C. Goizueta, former Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, who led the organization for 16 years, extending its global reach, quadrupling consumption, building brand responsibility, and creating unprecedented shareholder wealth. Mr. Goizueta’s core values guide us in educating Principled Leaders for Global Enterprise. Provide an example of your leadership – professional or personal – and explain what you learned about yourself through the experience. (300 words) Every year Emory’s leadership essay question centers round former Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company Roberto C. Goizueta’s leadership style. However, this question is tweaked a little bit every year[b]. [/b]In 2013-14 application, through this essay question the applicants were asked to discuss their potential ‘contribution’ to Emory ‘as a student and as an alumnus’. Last year, they were required to explain the ‘good’ they have done to an organization and ‘the impact of their actions’. This year, through this straight forward leadership question the Emory AD Com expect you to recount a personal or professional leadership experience and explain the learnings they have gleaned about them through the experience. The prompt offers you a broad choice as you can choose your stories/ examples from your professional life, personal life or community involvement. Still, I would prefer a professional leadership experience, unless you think your example from personal realm or community involvement is really an outstanding one. To select story/ experience, read carefully the first part of the essay prompt about [b]Roberto C. Goizueta’s leadership [/b]and vision about extending his organization’s “ global reach, quadrupling consumption, building brand responsibility, and creating unprecedented shareholder wealth” and identify an experience/ story that will allow you to showcase one of the above mentioned abilities. Look for examples when you stepped out of your comfort zone and took initiatives that brought about some change or resulted in the improvement of processes subsequently followed by an organization or group over a long term. Make sure to select recent experience where you made a clear impact. How to structure your essay? For structure, I recommend following the same 4 part structure:
[*]The action [/list] What initiatives/actions you took? How did you deal with the challenges? How did you process your thoughts and took your decisions? ( approx.125- 130 words) [*]The outcome/result[/list] What were the results of your efforts? What was the resolution of the story? ( approx. 40-50 words) [*]The significance :[/list] What did you learn about yourself? What lessons you learned during that leadership experience? How these lessons ( 1-2 only ) have helped you since then?( approx. 60-70 words) You may wrap up the essay with a final comment on how you are now in a position to contribute to the Emory community. Example: “Today, I recall this experience as one of the most meaningful life experiences. It helped me overcome my inability to collaborate. I now try to foster a positive collaborative environment within the teams. Also, this experience revealed to me my ability to take initiative, which has helped improve my productivity and develop solutions that have benefited the organization. Further, this experience has taught me the value of practicing a flexible approach while leading a team.” For sample leadership essay, click here : https://myessayreview.com/sample5.html#_blank Essay 3: Complete one of the following statements. (250 words) I am passionate about… The best piece of advice I’ve received is… The best day of my life was… A personal goal I want to accomplish is… Before selecting one of these 4 options, first you should consider which option will add the most value to your application. Indeed, this question is an opportunity to provide the Ad Com additional information about who you are. It is also an opportunity to showcase that aspect of your candidacy that will enable you to add value to the school and make an impact. This question should best complement the rest for your application. If the first two questions showcase your professional excellence, let this question and the last one reveal your personal side- a hobby or interest you are passionate about or a personal goal you want to accomplish, or the best day of your life that has shaped your personality. Here is an example of option #1 “I am passionate about….” Example: “I am passionate about community service as I believe that I have an obligation to give back to the community I live in. I belong to a family of radical thinkers who were pioneers in education and business. Inspired by them, especially my grandfather, a self-made man and a philanthropist, I championed causes of child education and the environment since childhood…….” 5. Share with the committee and your future classmates a fun or noteworthy fact about you. (25 word limit) Again, this short 25 words essay is also an opportunity to round out your profile .I encourage you to have some fun with this item and share something not covered anywhere else in their essays. You consider something that would genuinely interest your future classmates. It can be about an interesting hobby (music, car racing, cooking, travel etc.) You can also choose some interesting work related fun or noteworthy fact, if you want. Please make sure that your tone is not too serious. Here are some samples fun facts. Sample # 1 My singing can be quite entertaining; I have been known to shamelessly sing at the top of my lungs during 3-hour karaoke session. (23 words) Sample # 2 My future classmates will be delighted to learn about my excellent culinary skills which I will demonstrate in class parties with my specialty – Brazilian barbecue. (25 words) Optional Essay: If you have additional information or feel there are extenuating circumstances which you would like to share with the MBA Admissions Committee (i.e. unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, academic performance issues or areas of weakness in application). Please limit your response to 250 words This question provides you an opportunity to explore an important aspect of your candidacy, or other significant achievements / strengths not mentioned in other essay responses. You can choose examples from your work (if you have more than one equally outstanding professional accomplishment to share), community service, education, travels, or any other hobbies. You may also share a life -experience that has greatly influenced your personality and life. As directed in the essay prompt, you may use this essay question to address a weakness in your profile, such as a gap in work or low GPA or GMAT. Your weakness may also bring out a positive aspect of your personality. Please refer to the following example of a candidate whose grades dropped because of his military service. Example: “Although my leadership experiences in the military taught me many valuable lessons in teamwork, perseverance, and management, through all my responsibilities, it impacted my grades. Thus, I do not view my undergraduate performance as an accurate representation of my academic abilities. However, I hope the above reasons will assist you in understanding my particular situation. I grew from this experience and took a dedicated approach to professional education. I would respectfully ask the admission committee to consider this when reviewing my application.” Click here for blog on Optional Essay Click here for Sample Optional Essay For questions, email me at :poonam@myessayreview.com Web /Blog/ Free resources/LinkedIn/Facebook/ |
FROM myEssayReview Blog: Creating Compelling Essays – Day 1 Tip 1 – Comprehend the Essay Prompt |
The Round 1 deadlines for MBA applications for most B schools in the US for 2015-16 are only a couple of days/ weeks away. Harvard and Yale applications for Round-1 have already been submitted. Some other Top schools ( Wharton, Stanford and Haas ) will accept applications in the next couple of days, followed by other schools with their application deadlines in the first and second week of October. Starting today, MER will be posting one essay tip everyday for the next two weeks to help Round 1 applicants create compelling essays. Comprehend the Essay Prompt Understanding the essay prompt is the first step towards tailoring your story to a particular essay question. Read the essay prompt carefully and try to gauge what the school wants to know through this question. Without understanding the intent of the essay prompt, your story will go off track and will fail to convey the intended message. For example, if the essay question is about the contribution to the XYZ School, do not discuss your reasons for choosing that particular B-school. They are not asking you about their particular resources that interest you; rather they want to know in what ways they would benefit by accepting you. While elaborating what value you will add to your target school, make sure you connect your skill-set, your professional and personal attributes and your experiences to the specific resources (clubs, organizations, team groups etc.) of your target school. To cite another example, let’s take a look at the first job essay question of INSEAD. “Briefly summarize your current (or most recent) job, including the nature of work, major responsibilities, and where relevant, employees under your supervision, size of budget, clients/products and results achieved. (350 words maximum)” This job essay question does not require you to share your accomplishment story at your current job, the challenges you faced and the actions you took to achieve the desired results. (one of the applicants I am currently working with made exactly the same mistake in his first draft). Please note that the essay prompt requests a snapshot of your career at present. Keeping in mind that this will be the Ad Com’s introduction to your materials, you might also provide the reader the context necessary to understand your place within the organizational structure and the work that occupies your days. I would encourage you to stay focused on the details of your present job and avoid drifting away to your greatest achievements. You will get an opportunity to do that in Motivation Essay question #2. For questions, email me at poonam@myessayreview.com Stay tuned to the next step/tip in this process . |
FROM myEssayReview Blog: How to Craft Compelling Essays – Day 2 Tip 2 Brainstorm Ideas/Stories |
Yesterday , we discussed the first step in the process of crafting compelling stories for MBA essays i.e. Comprehend the Essay Prompt. Once you get an understanding of what the question expects you to discuss, begin brainstorming ideas / stories to be able to address that prompt appropriately. You will have to do a lot of soul searching to identify the right stories/experiences . There are many pre-writing techniques that you may use to generate ideas:
Begin Writing Once you have gathered your ideas/ stories on paper, mull over them to make sure that you chose the right story to address the essay prompt. Then go on to flesh out the details, organize, and arrange them. At this stage, don’t think about word-count, grammar, spelling, and punctuation. You want to make sure that your story has all the information that the reader needs to know to understand your story. Try to include all the relevant details that would make complete sense to the reader. Do not assume the readers (in this case the Ad Com) would know what has not been relayed to them. When I point out the lack of relevant details in my first critique/ edit, I hear the same response from almost all of my students, “I had many ideas in mind, but I did not pen them down because of the word limit.” And my standard response to all of them is “At this stage of the writing process, you don’t want the word count specifications to restrict the writer in you. Right now, the intent is to first get all the components of the story down on paper and then organize them well. We will take care of the word limits at a later stage.” In the past, this structured approach had worked for me as an English teacher, and now it is working for me as a consultant. I use the first couple of edits to get the right content for typical themes (goals, leadership, setback, culture, accomplishments etc.) and the last couple of edits to make the essays comply with the word count limits and proofread them for grammar, sentence structure, word choice spelling, and punctuation errors. Whether you are working on your essays by yourself or you have partnered with a consultant, you may try this technique. I am confident that you will find this extremely helpful. Stay Tuned for the next tip/step to create effective essays. For more MBA articles, visit myEssayReview blog. For questions, email me at poonam@myessayreview.com |
FROM myEssayReview Blog: Creating Compelling Essays – Day 2 Tip 2 Brainstorm Ideas/Stories |
Yesterday , we discussed the first step in the process of crafting compelling stories for MBA essays i.e. Comprehend the Essay Prompt. Once you get an understanding of what the question expects you to discuss, begin brainstorming ideas / stories to be able to address that prompt appropriately. You will have to do a lot of soul searching to identify the right stories/experiences . There are many pre-writing techniques that you may use to generate ideas:
Begin Writing Once you have gathered your ideas/ stories on paper, mull over them to make sure that you chose the right story to address the essay prompt. Then go on to flesh out the details, organize, and arrange them. At this stage, don’t think about word-count, grammar, spelling, and punctuation. You want to make sure that your story has all the information that the reader needs to know to understand your story. Try to include all the relevant details that would make complete sense to the reader. Do not assume the readers (in this case the Ad Com) would know what has not been relayed to them. When I point out the lack of relevant details in my first critique/ edit, I hear the same response from almost all of my students, “I had many ideas in mind, but I did not pen them down because of the word limit.” And my standard response to all of them is “At this stage of the writing process, you don’t want the word count specifications to restrict the writer in you. Right now, the intent is to first get all the components of the story down on paper and then organize them well. We will take care of the word limits at a later stage.” In the past, this structured approach had worked for me as an English teacher, and now it is working for me as a consultant. I use the first couple of edits to get the right content for typical themes (goals, leadership, setback, culture, accomplishments etc.) and the last couple of edits to make the essays comply with the word count limits and proofread them for grammar, sentence structure, word choice spelling, and punctuation errors. Whether you are working on your essays by yourself or you have partnered with a consultant, you may try this technique. I am confident that you will find this extremely helpful. Stay Tuned for the next tip/step to create effective essays. For more MBA articles, visit myEssayReview blog. For questions, email me at poonam@myessayreview.com |
FROM myEssayReview Blog: Creating Compelling Essays Day 6 Tip 6 Provide Specific Details |
One of the most common pitfalls of Admission essays is the writers’ inability to use specific examples or details and share stories that are filled with vague generalities. To be able to make sense of your story and appreciate it as well, the reader needs to know the specifics of your story. Please note that the members of the Admission committee have to read hundreds of essays for evaluating candidacy of their prospective students, so if you want your stories to ‘stick’ in their minds, your writing needs to be succinct, articulate, and specific. By providing specific examples/details about ‘what’ ‘why ‘where’ and ‘when’ of your experience and by sharing your thought process at that time, you can turn your stories into memorable essays. Let’s look at some examples to understand how specific details can turn around an essay. Not So Good Example: “My family is unique because my parents are spiritual leaders to point me the way to victory. My parents were growing in poor family. They did not have enough resource to chase their dreams. Furthermore, the most important investment is that they made countless sacrifices to foster my growing.” The above para fails to resonate with the reader because it does not provide any specifics about the place ( country, city) where the writer lived with his family and why they lacked resources. Now compare it with the revised version: Good Example: “Growing up in Shanghai, China, I have seen my parents working double shifts to provide me a better living. I am the only child of my parents. My parents grew up in poor families, so they did not have enough resources to afford college education. However, they made countless sacrifices to foster my growing and build a good life for themselves and for me.” Let’s take a look at another example: Not So Good Example: “My education, experience and accomplishments till date are in alignment with my vision as I am unique to have a strong academic and professional background. From a young age, I made achievements beyond those of my peers.My consistently best performance in high-school and under-graduation and service in renowned corporations made me stand out from the rest of the crowd.With the perfect combination of strong technical expertise and innovative ideas of an entrepreneur, I can differentiate myself from other consultants.” Most of the details in the above example lack specifics about the applicant e.g.. ‚‘strong academic and professional background‘ ‘achievements beyond peers‘,consistently best performance‘ , renowned corporations‘ etc. Also, the writer boasts of being‘ unique‘ and of being able to differentiate himself from other consultants . I sugegst that you follow the principle of ‘show not tell’ , so your actions and stories will showcase you as a ‘unique candidate’, and you will not need to ‘tell’ about them . That is, your professional career and accomplishments will vouch for you and set you apart from the crowd. Let‘s look at the revised version now. Good Example: “My education, experience and accomplishments till date are in alignment with my vision as I have a strong background academically and professionally. I was among the top 2% of the students in high school and under-graduation and one of the nine candidates selected by Infosys from 1000+ candidates. I was also recognized as the “Employee of the Year” and “Best Team Player” during my tenure.” The above example provides specific information about the candidate‘s strong academic and professional background,so he/ she doesn’t need to proclaim it any more. To sum up, one for the key components to make your stories compelling is to make sure to be specific about each and every tiny detail of your story. Stay Tuned for Tip # 7 of crafting compelling essaysJ For questions, email me at poonam@myessayreview.com |
FROM myEssayReview Blog: Creating Compelling Essays – Day 7-Tip 7 Do Not Use Passive Voice |
When narrating your personal and professional stories, make sure to be personal. Your experiences and accomplishments, irrespective of how impressive they are, will fail to make an impression on the reader if they are written in passive voice. I often come across essays composed in flawless English, but they still don’t succeed in making the desired impact on the reader. The lack of personal touch in those stories give an impression as if these stories are referring to someone else and not to the candidates themselves. Please remember that your personal stories of goals, accomplishments, challenge, cultural experience, background, setback, leadership etc. need to be made personal. By using passive voice, you will make your own stories so impersonal and lifeless that they will not only weaken your message, but also turn your heroic accomplishments into lackluster ones. Let’s looks at the following examples: Not So Good Example: (‘Accomplishment Essay’-A&M) While the course tests ones physical abilities, the main focus of the course is to assess your mental endurance and ability to make decisions when time matters and thinking is critical. Graduating with honors from one of the most difficult schools, the Marine offers are the standard against which I judge myself when leading others to accomplish team goals no matter the circumstances, signifying the competence and persistence I use today. The above example is not bad, but it is not as effective and personal as the one below. .Here is the revised version . Yes, it was ‘accepted’: Good Example: “While the course tested my physical abilities, the main focus of the course was to assess my mental endurance and ability to make decisions when time matters and thinking is critical. I graduated with honors from one of the most difficult schools that signified my competence under pressure. It is the standard against which I judge myself when leading others to accomplish team goals irrespective of the circumstances.” Here is another example composed in passive voice: Bad Example (‘Leadership/ Contribution’ essay- MIT): “Armed with this data, my client was able to make his case with the support of my analysis to gain the support of other executives. With the advancement of computational power and “big data”, analytics is now an inescapable aspect of current and future business leadership. Leveraging the trend of analytics to prove that a diverse work force can drive efficiencies and hard dollar savings in companies is a way to drive equality in the workplace.” The above example is too passive to offer a glimpse into the candidate’s actions. Now let’s look at the final version which is more personal and thus more impactful. And yes, it was ‘accepted’ . Good Example: With the support of my analysis, my client was able to make his case to gain the support of other executives. By leveraging the trend of analytics, I proved that a diverse work force can drive efficiencies and hard dollar savings in companies drive equality in the workplace. To sum up, one of the key components for crafting memorable essays is using active voice. Stay Tuned for Tip# 8 of crafting compelling essays J For questions, email me at poonam@myessayreview.com |
FROM myEssayReview Blog: Creating Compelling Essays – Day 8 Tip 8 Do Not Use Jargon |
It has been a common experience for me to review essays filled with technical terms of the applicant’s industry. Whether it is ‘leadership’ essay, ‘setback’ essay, ‘goals’ essay, ‘ethical dilemma’ or even ‘background’ essay, some applicants inadvertently provide lengthy technical details which are comprehensible only to their industry people. In their enthusiasm to showcase their technical expertise, they often omit relevant information (e.g. ‘What were the main challenges?’ “How did they deal with the situation?’ or ‘How was the experience meaningful?’ etc.). The use of excessive jargon makes it challenging for the readers to comprehend your story and distracts them from the ‘real story’. In order to create effective essays, you should aim at using only as much jargon as is required to convey your story. Let’s look the following example from the ‘teamwork/challenge’ essay for Schulich: Bad Example: In October, we got the first sampling. It worked fine without leakage, but the assembly manager complained the bailer was difficult to assemble because the washer did not quite fit with the opening. Although he was sure about the 0.5 mm difference during the meeting, there was still a gap between assumption and reality. In order to save the tooling cost and time, I did not ask for tooling amending of the washer, but asked Mr. Liu to decrease the hardness of the washer by 10 degrees and send me a washer sample immediately. The sample came two days later, and the assembly manager was satisfied with it. It also passed the water leakage test. Since the sample was ready much earlier than METS, we sent it by FedEx to Lindemann for test and got the sample approval during the meeting with Lindemann at the international METS.. Here is the revised version from the essay that was ‘accepted.’ Good Example: Finally, in mid-October, we got the first sample; however, the assembly manager found it difficult to assemble. A tooling amending might have solved this problem, but it would have taken time and the second sample might be worse. I certainly could not afford time for failures. So in order to save time, instead of inquiring tooling amending, I substituted a softer washer from the supplier which satisfied the manager. Thus, in spite of all the issues, the sample was ready much earlier than the METS (Marine Equipment Trade Show). Now look at the following example from ‘Why MBA’ essay for Kellogg and notice the jargon used by the writer. Bad Example: I am currently working on a project to leverage historical buying data of the 4 largest advertising holding companies in the world to forecast pricing of online media inventory and provide valuable insights to the media buyer during negotiation with publishers. The results of this project could have huge implications on how the inventory is priced in the digital marketplace, providing the holding companies with a tool to truly unlock the value of their data. Right now, different operational workflows, absence of standards and fragmentation of data prevent most of the holding companies in the advertising industry to get the true value of scale. My experience of providing solutions to such industry issues will complement the academic knowledge that I will gain through the part time MBA program at Kellogg and will accelerate my career growth. Here is the revised version minus technical details. And yes, it was accepted: Good Example: I am currently working on a project to leverage historical buying data of the 4 largest advertising holding companies in the world to forecast pricing of online media inventory and provide valuable insights to the media buyer during negotiation with publishers. I believe that my experience of providing solutions to such industry issues will complement the academic knowledge that I will gain through the part time MBA program at Kellogg and will thus accelerate my career growth. To sum up, whether you are writing goals essay, accomplishment essay, self-revelation essays (passion, cross cultural, failure/mistake, or ethical dilemma etc.) or leadership/teamwork essays, your objective should be to keep the technical details to the minimum and instead focus on how you dealt with challenges, how you communicated with people, how you processed information, how you made decisions and took actions, and lastly and most importantly, how you grew from your experiences to emerge a better person, personally, and professionally. Stay Tuned for Tip # 9 of crafting compelling essays J For questions, email me at poonam@myessayreview.com |
FROM myEssayReview Blog: Use Transitional Expressions – Day 9 Tip 9 |
Last week, we had discussed the use of specific details and examples for making our stories in application essays engaging and persuasive. This week, we will discuss how we can use transitional expressions to make these specific anecdotes/ details cohere and stick together so the reader is able to move smoothly from one bit of information to the other. The use of transition words and phrases not only helps us write clearly and coherently, but also helps our readers (in this case the AD Com) follow our story and stay focused. These transitional expressions act like road signs that help the reader follow the direction of our thought. True, we all are familiar with these most commonplace words and phrases, but we sometimes forget to use them, thereby making our ideas appear disconnected and choppy. Here are some common ones, listed in categories according to their meaning: Addition: also, in addition, too, and, besides, furthermore, next, then, finally Contrast: on the other hand, but, yet, however, nevertheless, in contrast, on the contrary, in contrast, still, at the same time Comparison: in comparison, similarly, likewise, in the same way, in the same manner Result: consequently, so, therefore, thus, due to this, as a result, hence, in conclusion, on the whole, finally Example: for example, for instance, namely, specifically Time: first, second, third, next, then, finally, soon, later, afterwards, during, before, meanwhile, eventually, currently, immediately, in the past, in the future, originally To understand the significance of these simple transitional devices that act like glue to hold the sentences together and lead the reader from one paragraph to another in making our stories coherent, let’s look at the following examples: Bad Example : My job was at stake. I resolved to remain calm, accept the challenge and started pounding my way through in a planned manner. Good Example: My job was at stake. Nevertheless, I resolved to remain calm, accept the challenge and started pounding my way through in a planned manner. Bad Example : I was sent to a regular elementary school in our neighborhood. Regular study was given the utmost importance; my father inculcated in me an interest to love numbers and play around with them. Good Example : I was sent to a regular elementary school in our neighborhood. Apart from giving importance to regular studies at school, my father also inculcated in me an interest to love numbers and play around with them. Bad Example : I consider this my best mistake because this experience taught me valuable lessons early in my career. I learned that it is important to take necessary action to resolve or mitigate the effects of the issue than worrying about the consequences. I learned that mistakes can be turned into opportunities through which something good can be done. Good Example : I consider this my best mistake because this experience taught me valuable lessons early in my career. First, I learned that it is important to take necessary action to resolve or mitigate the effects of the issue than worrying about the consequences. I also learned that those mistakes can be turned into opportunities through which something good can be achieved. As you can see, the addition of just one word in the above examples has articulated the ideas. Transitional expressions not only help in connecting ideas between sentences but also help smooth transitions between paragraphs. Let’s look at the following example from INSEAD’s essay on ‘extra -professional activities’, where the writer’s description of his third extra- curricular interest is completely disconnected from his previous activity. Bad Example : In 2012, my father who works at Ashalata – an NGO dedicated to assist children with special needs to learn, to grow, to get jobs, to get married, and lead a normal life – reached out to me to help procure some specialized hardware to create books in Braille. I am heavily involved with Ashalata, an NGO dedicated to assist the children with special needs, and I have been working to organize seminars and cultural events to promote the work done by the organization. Now take a look at the following revised version where the addition of a ‘transition sentence’ and summarizing of some details have resulted in smooth transition of ideas from the previous paragraph, so the two activities that the writer is discussing no longer read like isolated pieces. Good Example : Another extra- professional activity that I am passionate about is helping children with special needs. Since 2012, I am heavily involved with Ashalata, an NGO dedicated to assist the children with special needs, and I have been working to organize seminars and cultural events to promote the work done by the organization. Note: Even though transition words and phrases are useful in bridging the gaps between your ideas, please don’t overuse them. Not every sentence needs a transitional phrase so use one only when the relationship between your thoughts needs clarification. Stay Tuned for Tip # 10 crafting compelling essays. J For more MBA articles, visit myEssayReview blog. For questions, email me at poonam@myessayreview.com |
FROM myEssayReview Blog: Creating Compelling Essays Use Transitional Expressions – Day 9 Tip 9 |
Last week, we had discussed the use of specific details and examples for making our stories in application essays engaging and persuasive. This week, we will discuss how we can use transitional expressions to make these specific anecdotes/ details cohere and stick together so the reader is able to move smoothly from one bit of information to the other. The use of transition words and phrases not only helps us write clearly and coherently, but also helps our readers (in this case the AD Com) follow our story and stay focused. These transitional expressions act like road signs that help the reader follow the direction of our thought. True, we all are familiar with these most commonplace words and phrases, but we sometimes forget to use them, thereby making our ideas appear disconnected and choppy. Here are some common ones, listed in categories according to their meaning: Addition: also, in addition, too, and, besides, furthermore, next, then, finally Contrast: on the other hand, but, yet, however, nevertheless, in contrast, on the contrary, in contrast, still, at the same time Comparison: in comparison, similarly, likewise, in the same way, in the same manner Result: consequently, so, therefore, thus, due to this, as a result, hence, in conclusion, on the whole, finally Example: for example, for instance, namely, specifically Time: first, second, third, next, then, finally, soon, later, afterwards, during, before, meanwhile, eventually, currently, immediately, in the past, in the future, originally To understand the significance of these simple transitional devices that act like glue to hold the sentences together and lead the reader from one paragraph to another in making our stories coherent, let’s look at the following examples: Bad Example : My job was at stake. I resolved to remain calm, accept the challenge and started pounding my way through in a planned manner. Good Example: My job was at stake. Nevertheless, I resolved to remain calm, accept the challenge and started pounding my way through in a planned manner. Bad Example : I was sent to a regular elementary school in our neighborhood. Regular study was given the utmost importance; my father inculcated in me an interest to love numbers and play around with them. Good Example : I was sent to a regular elementary school in our neighborhood. Apart from giving importance to regular studies at school, my father also inculcated in me an interest to love numbers and play around with them. Bad Example : I consider this my best mistake because this experience taught me valuable lessons early in my career. I learned that it is important to take necessary action to resolve or mitigate the effects of the issue than worrying about the consequences. I learned that mistakes can be turned into opportunities through which something good can be done. Good Example : I consider this my best mistake because this experience taught me valuable lessons early in my career. First, I learned that it is important to take necessary action to resolve or mitigate the effects of the issue than worrying about the consequences. I also learned that those mistakes can be turned into opportunities through which something good can be achieved. As you can see, the addition of just one word in the above examples has articulated the ideas. Transitional expressions not only help in connecting ideas between sentences but also help smooth transitions between paragraphs. Let’s look at the following example from INSEAD’s essay on ‘extra -professional activities’, where the writer’s description of his third extra- curricular interest is completely disconnected from his previous activity. Bad Example : In 2012, my father who works at Ashalata – an NGO dedicated to assist children with special needs to learn, to grow, to get jobs, to get married, and lead a normal life – reached out to me to help procure some specialized hardware to create books in Braille. I am heavily involved with Ashalata, an NGO dedicated to assist the children with special needs, and I have been working to organize seminars and cultural events to promote the work done by the organization. Now take a look at the following revised version where the addition of a ‘transition sentence’ and summarizing of some details have resulted in smooth transition of ideas from the previous paragraph, so the two activities that the writer is discussing no longer read like isolated pieces. Good Example : Another extra- professional activity that I am passionate about is helping children with special needs. Since 2012, I am heavily involved with Ashalata, an NGO dedicated to assist the children with special needs, and I have been working to organize seminars and cultural events to promote the work done by the organization. Note: Even though transition words and phrases are useful in bridging the gaps between your ideas, please don’t overuse them. Not every sentence needs a transitional phrase so use one only when the relationship between your thoughts needs clarification. Stay Tuned for Tip # 10 crafting compelling essays. J For more MBA articles, visit myEssayReview blog. For questions, email me at poonam@myessayreview.com |
FROM myEssayReview Blog: Creating Compelling Essays- Avoid Using Quotations Day 10-Tip 10 |
When writing admission essays, most applicants tend to use quotes of famous and distinguished people ( leaders, philosophers, and scientists etc.) who have made a positive impact in the lives of future generations. It is a general perception that using quotations of eminent personalities is a powerful way to impress the readers. I, however, do not recommend using precious words to quote someone else. These essay questions about your goals, accomplishments, leadership experiences, cultural experience, background, setback, and life experiences are designed to evaluate YOU to determine your ‘fit’ with the school, so using someone else’s words, no matter how eminent that person is or was, is often a waste of valuable words, and not a value addition. Let’s look at an example from a student’s optional essay. The essay prompt specifies that you may use this essay to provide any additional information regarding your educational background, leadership experiences or unique accomplishments. Bad Example: Life lesson has taught me A goal without a plan is just a wish and the plan is to first pursue EMBA to get a solid footing. I know the journey will be tough but I have already gone thru some of the changes and survived. I am confident that I can do it again. As I read in Dr. Nancy L. Nolan Admission Guide- for Student everywhere “May the size of your dreams be exceeded only by your tenacity to attain them.” I have not given up yet. In the above example, the writer has quoted from an Admission Guide and has also made some generic statements about his goal which does not add any value to the essay. The goal of this essay is to provide additional information about the candidate’s educational background, leadership experiences or unique accomplishments and the above details fail to accomplish that . Now let’s look at the revised version minus the quote: Good Example: In my current Job at XXXX as a senior project manager, I was looking for an opportunity to create a platform where teams could collaborate. I decided to use some presentations from my MS classes to foster team learning, and I started doing these presentations in front of the team during lunch hour. Gradually, these presentation sessions turned into a formal one- hour ‘Lunch and Learn Program’, and the casual nature of the session attracted more people to bring up current issues for healthy discussion. Now this has become a great team building activity that has earned me accolades from the senior management. In this revised version, the writer omits the quote and shares one of his leadership experiences in his own words, which makes complete sense and is far more impactful than the previous version that is filled with generic statements and a quote. Here is another example from another optional essay where the student starts his essay with a quote: Bad Example : “Sacrifice is a part of life. It’s supposed to be. It’s not something to regret. It’s something to aspire to.”. Interactions with professionals in Quality Assurance Consulting industry and workplace mentors confirmed my passion for consulting, and I chose to follow it. Therefore, I decided to develop necessary skills and get the opportunity for career growth through Information Systems. In the above example, the writer starts his optional essay with a quote from someone before starting to discuss his passion for consulting. There is a disconnect between the quote and the following statements. Please note that in the first 59 words of his essay, the writer could not provide background information for his optional essay. Now let‘s look at the revised version: Good Example: I would like to draw the attention of the Ad Com to an important aspect of my candidacy that is relevant to the evaluation of my candidacy i.e. my employment gap. I understand that applying for graduate college is a time-consuming process, so I made a conscious decision to fully dedicate myself to the preparation of the Masters program towards achieving my goals. In order to put in my hundred percent to my application, I quit my job at the XXX in October 2013. In the above revised version, the writer begins his optional essay with a direct statement about his reasons to take a break from employment and thus captures the reader’s attention right away. Thus, quoting some one does not necessarily enhance the quality of the essay. However, if you feel that an eminent leader, philosopher or writer or any other illustrious personality’s words of wisdom have played a significant role in shaping or influencing your personality, you may use it, but make sure it is directly aligned to your story and supports it in an effective manner. With B schools reducing the word limits of essays and the number of essay questions every year, each word that you use should count. The word count constraints hardly leave you an option to use up precious space by using someone else’s words, no matter how renowned they are. So ‘quote’ only if you MUST. Stay Tuned for Tip# 11 of creating compelling essays J For more MBA articles, visit myEssayReview blog. For questions, email me at poonam@myessayreview.com |
FROM myEssayReview Blog: Creating Compelling Essays – Day 11-Tip 11 Choose Your Words Wisely |
Every year, B schools are cutting down on the number of essays and the word limits of essays they require their prospective students to write. What is the reason behind this changing trend? We all know that Admission officers have thousands of applications to review, so they don’t want to be frustrated with essays filled with overly lengthy paragraphs or sentences which they need to read 2-3 times to make sense of. Clearly, reducing number of essays and their word limits will ease the burden of the admission committee. Soojin Kwon, the admissions director of Michigan Ross School of Business, said it last year, “applicants increasingly tell us what they think we want to hear. They have become quite cookie-cutter,” so now they need to write just two short essays totaling 800 words. By imposing strict word limits, B schools will evaluate you for your ability to make your point concisely and succinctly without beating around the bush. Also, exceeding word limit reflects your unwillingness to follow the guidelines. However, following stringent word limits, and sometimes character limits (e.g. Duke’s short answer goals question of 250 characters) becomes one of the biggest challenges for applicants. Some students find it hard to figure out when to stop writing and end up writing 1000 words for an essay with a specified word limit of 400 words. On the contrary, some students limit themselves so hard that even their first drafts of a 500 words essay is composed exactly in 500 words; with the result, they hold on to many relevant details that the school wants to know about them through that question . So the challenge is “How Do I tell my story and adhere to the word limit at the same time?” I always advise my students not to be daunted by word limits when brainstorming ideas/stories for their essays. At that stage, your goal should be to get down on paper all of your ideas required for the essay prompt without worrying if the essay exceeds 100 or 200 words over the word limit. Once you have made sure that your essay addresses all parts of the question in an organized manner, you should identify areas that you think are not adding much value to the story. Then go ahead and begin eliminating those details without compromising on the essential components of the story. Also, omit repetitive content (if any), and replace big phrases by shorter ones. Following is the list of phrases that you can replace by their shorter equivalents: With a view to – To With regard to – About With this in mind – Therefore Under no circumstances – Never Prior to that time – Before Perform an analysis of – Analyze Provide information about – Inform Subsequent to – After Is indicative of – Indicates Reached an agreement – Agreed At this point in time – Now Come to the conclusion – Conclude Despite the fact that – Although I am of the opinion – I think It is incumbent on me – I must Make decision to – Decide In addition to – Besides On the grounds that – Since Let’s look at some examples: Bad Example: I would say that my family is the major factor which, to a large extent, led me to where I am today. (22 words) You are the writer of this essay, so it is understood that you are voicing your opinion. So why waste 4 precious words in saying ‘I would say that?” Good Example: My family is the major factor which, to a large extent, led me to where I am today. (18 words) Bad Example: It is evident from this example how my prior experience as a technologist has helped me in providing solutions. (19 words) Good Example: Thus , my prior experience as a technologist has helped me in providing solutions. (13 words) Now take a look at the following examples. The first one is lengthy (43 words) and the second one is the edited version (27 words). Bad example: When one of my best friends was placed on academic probation, I made it my personal mission to help her regain good academic standing. I spent many hours tutoring her in chemistry and calculus, and with my support, she regained good academic standing. (43 words) Good Example: When one of my best friends was placed on academic probation, I spent hours tutoring her in chemistry and calculus and helped her regain good academic standing. ( 27 words) To sum up, you can always tell your story effectively while staying within the word limit constraints. Follow the principle of ‘less is more’ and be as precise as you can. Often my students come up with this question if it is ok to exceed the word limits by 5-10%. I tell them that even though it appears to be an accepted practice, my personal preference is to strictly follow the word limit specification. So if the essay prompt instructions specify 400 words, I would not finalize an essay with 401 words. Stay Tuned for Tip # 12 of the story development process next week J For more MBA articles, visit myEssayReview blog. For questions, email me at poonam@myessayreview.com |
FROM myEssayReview Blog: Creating Compelling Essays Day 12-Tip 12 Conclude your Story Well |
Sometimes I read essays with compelling stories, impressive accomplishments, and flawless writing, but when I am done reading them, I feel something is lacking. What is that? — An effective conclusion. When you forget to wrap up his/her story, it leaves the reader wondering if the writer is really done. The key to a good story is an engaging beginning, a well-developed middle and a compelling conclusion. Therefore, it is important to sum up all the key components of your story and tie them to your thesis, that is, your main point. You need to bring it full circle to give your essay a sense of completion. Let’s look at the following example from the last paragraph of a ‘leadership’ essay written for Booth. Not so Good Example: “I now keenly notice the contributions of every specific team member and make sure everyone gets their due recognition. If I had taken the credit for the success of the project, the word would have gotten out that might have affected my chances of expecting the same level of cooperation for the next project.” The above example doesn’t effectively conclude the essay even though the writer summarizes his’ take aways’ from the leadership experience he has just narrated. Now compare it with the following revised version: Good Example: I keenly notice the contributions of every specific team member and make sure everyone gets their due recognition. If I had taken the credit for the success of the project, the word would have gotten out that might have affected my chances of expecting the same level of cooperation for the next project. I strongly believe that small personal gestures enhance the perception of a true leader who can motivate others to work towards the ultimate goal. I am excited to further enhance my leadership qualities through the courses and workshops offered through the Lead Exploration and Development program offered by Booth. In the above version, the writer shares his perception of leadership based on his experience and then aligns it to the offerings offered by Booth which provides his essay a graceful closure. Now let’s look at this ‘conclusion’ from a’ background’ essay written for Haas. Not so Good Example: “Because of my work assignment, we have lived in three different countries and moved six times since we were married eleven years ago. During these years, we have been through lots of things together and supported each other. My family gives me strength and meaning to aim higher and go beyond myself. It has enriched my life and has provided me opportunities to see the world I wouldn’t have otherwise. Also, this constant moving has further enriched my understanding of different cultures and nationalities.” In the above example, the writer abruptly ends his essay after giving an account of the influential role his family has played in his life. Now compare this with the following revised version: Good Example: “Because of my work assignment, we have lived in three different countries and moved six times since we were married eleven years ago. During these years, we have been through lots of things together and supported each other. My family gives me strength and meaning to aim higher and go beyond myself. It has enriched my life and has provided me opportunities to see the world I wouldn’t have otherwise. Also, this constant moving has further enriched my understanding of different cultures and nationalities. I am very excited about being part of Haas community to further broaden my perspective in life. I am also looking forward to contribute in enriching the Haas culture and bringing my unique and international perspective to the Haas community.” In the above version, the writer brings the essay to a graceful conclusion by adding two sentences about his potential association with Haas. Avoid Surprises: When writing your conclusion, please make sure not to include any new information that you have not already shared in your essay. You are writing an admission essay, not a short story where surprise endings might thrill the reader. It is not uncommon for me to review essays that surprise me with an absolutely new detail in the conclusion which has not been indicated anywhere throughout the essay. Let me share an example from an SOP I reviewed: Bad Example: “My long term goal is to be an angel investor because my entrepreneur family background has induced my interest in business venture. My work experience at an investment bank will nurture me on how to raise venture capital and to utilize exit strategies such as initial public offering (IPO) and acquisition.” This information about the writer’s strong entrepreneur back ground took me by surprise because he had not even mentioned it in the body paragraphs of his essay. Later, in his revised version, he included this relevant information about his entrepreneur family background and then reinforced it in his conclusion. Oftentimes, when I emphasize the significance of conclusion, I hear the argument The word limit is prohibitive, so I had no room to write a conclusion.’ I do agree that shrinking word limits are extremely restrictive; however, the truth is we can always accommodate ourselves as per the word limit specifications. It is always possible to eliminate details that don’t add much value and narrate your story briefly and concisely. To sum up, a ‘conclusion’ brings your essay to a natural and graceful end, sometimes leaving the reader with a final thought on the subject. Therefore, you need to make sure to wrap up your story effectively. You may either write a concluding sentence or a concluding paragraph, depending on the word limit specifications of your essay. Stay Tuned for Tip # 13 of creating compelling stories J For more MBA articles, visit myEssayReview blog. For questions, email me at poonam@myessayreview.com |
FROM myEssayReview Blog: Creating Compelling Essays Day 13 Tip 13 Proofread, Proof read, Proof read |
So you have written, rewritten, and revised your essay multiple times and have made sure that you have adequately addressed all parts of the essay question within the prescribed word limit effectively and persuasively. Now the last step is to get your essays edited for sentence structure, punctuation, grammar, and spelling errors. If neglected, these errors are a poor refection on your candidacy and can jeopardize your chances of admission despite your great GMAT score, good GPA, and impressive work experience. In order to bring variety to your writing, try to compose a mix of simple, compound and complex sentences. Do not write extremely lengthy sentences stretching 4-5 lines. Unduly long sentences might confuse the reader. The most common error I have noticed in student essays is the omission of articles (‘the’, ‘a’, and ‘an’). Sometimes, in their enthusiasm to trim the essay as per the prescribed word count, they tend to sacrifice ‘poor’ articles. Let’s look at an example: Bad Example: Looking back, this has been huge learning experience for me. My integration project has changed my status in company as I was offered position of chief analyst. My relations with some of my colleagues have become more cordial, and we continue to work together as team in friendly atmosphere…. Since then, I have learned importance of team work which I later applied successfully in my integration project. The only problem with the above example is the omission of articles ‘a’ and ‘the’ at some places. Good Example: Looking back, this has been a huge learning experience for me. My integration project has changed my status in the company as I was offered the position of chief analyst. My relations with some of my colleagues have become more cordial, and we continue to work together as a team in a friendly atmosphere…. Since then, I have learned the importance of team work which I later applied successfully in my integration project. You can see how the appropriate addition of articles has made the above paragraph error free. Also, check the essay for other common grammar errors: sentence fragments, run on sentences, modifier and parallelism errors. In addition to grammar errors, please proofread your essay for spelling errors and punctuation errors as well. A misplaced or missing punctuation mark (comma, period, and semicolon) can change your intended meaning. Also, it may make the comprehension difficult. After having reviewed thousands of essays in the past three decades, I can say that commas and semi colons are the most misused punctuation marks. People often mistakenly use semi colons at places where they should have used a comma. Please note that a comma is used to signal a minor break or pause in a sentence, while a semi colon is used to join two complete thoughts or independent clauses. Let’s take a look at the following example: Bad Example: Before I began my German studies in Europe; I was apprehensive that my professors, and colleagues would be intrigued by my orient knowledge and my unique perspectives. Also I could not grasp how to express myself clearly and effectively in a foreign language. Good Example: Before I began my German studies in Europe, I was apprehensive that my professors and colleagues would be intrigued by my orient knowledge and my unique perspectives. Also, I could not grasp how to express myself clearly and effectively in a foreign language. The inclusion of comma after an introductory phrase (in place of a semi colon) and then as an introductory word (Also) in the above example makes it a grammatically correct and easily comprehensible sentence. Lastly, I would like to make a suggestion for the non-native applicants applying to US B- schools. Please identify words/ phrases that American English speakers may not be familiar with and then replace them by their American English equivalents. There is no denying the fact that English is an international language used as a means of communication by people all around the world. However, it is also true that English spoken by people in India and UK is different from that of American English in terms of spelling, grammar, and usage. Therefore, I would highly recommend that when applying to US B schools, the non-native applicants should proofread their essays for terms that US Ad Com may be unfamiliar with. I have discussed this subject in detail in my article Proof reading Tips for Non Natives. For more details on the differences between American English and British English, refer to my article ‘American English vs. British English.’ Takeaways:
For questions, email me at poonam@myessayreview.com |
FROM myEssayReview Blog: Creating Compelling Essays – a Summary |
For the last couple of days, we have been discussing one essay tip every day. I have illustrated each of these super useful essay tips with examples from students’ essays. I hope you have enjoyed them. For those of you who missed some of them, here is a compilation of the links of all of the blog posts at one place. Tip # 1 Comprehend the Essay Prompt Tip # 2 Brainstorm Ideas/begin Writing Tip # 3 Address Each Part of the Essay Question Tip # 4 Make your Introduction Engaging Tip # 5 Organize Your Story Well Tip # 6 Provide Specific Details Tip # 7 Do Not Use Passive Voice Tip # 8 Do Not Use Jargon Tip # 9 Use Transitional Expressions Tip # 10 Avoid Using Quotations Tip # 11 Choose Your Words Wisely Tip # 12 Conclude your Story Well Tip # 13 Proofread, Proof read, Proof read To sum up, creating compelling and persuasive MBA admission essays is a skill that can be acquired with careful thought and preparation. To choose your best stories/ experiences, you need to devote significant amount of time in reflecting on your professional aspirations and life experiences. After selecting your stories, organize them coherently, and flesh them out with relevant details, keeping in mind all the above mentioned guidelines/ tips. Remember, the essence of writing is rewriting. So you must revise your essays multiple times to ensure that all the pieces of your story fit together, and then proofread them for any grammar, punctuation, or spelling errors. Lastly, get your essays reviewed by a friend because a second perspective can help you determine if your story is engaging and persuasive enough to the reader. I am confident that by following this structured approach, you will transform your stories into memorable essays that will help you secure admission in your chosen school. Good luck on your Round 1 applications J For questions, email me at poonam@myessayreview.com |
FROM myEssayReview Blog: Letters of Recommendation – Helpful Tips for Round 2 Applicants |
Letters of recommendation are a critical part of your overall application package—they provide the only outside information the admissions committee receives about you. A recommendation can validate claims you have made in your essays. Also, it can add stories that you cannot fit into your essays and further build on the stories you have shared in your essays. One of the most stressful parts of the application process can be picking your recommender. Your best recommenders are those who know your work every well, are impressed with your work, and are open to improve their LORs to ensure your success. However, your job is not done even after you have picked the right recommenders. You need to keep following it up with them to avoid ‘surprises’ and unnecessary stress when deadlines are hovering on your head. Some applicants I worked with in Round 1 had difficult time with their recommenders as the recommenders waited until the last day to share their LORs with them, and when they did , it was not in the desired format that the school required . With the result, we ended up following it up with them until a day before the deadline that the school had asked. Round 2 applicants! If you want to avoid this unnecessary last minute stress, I recommend that you choose your recommenders ahead of time. After that, you should schedule a meeting with them and apprise them of the themes you would like to discuss in your essays. If your essays are ready, share your essays with them so they are familiar with your personal and professional stories. You may also jot down relevant anecdotes in which you have demonstrated professional and personal traits being asked about. After the initial meeting, don’t forget to follow up with your recommenders about the progress. Here are some tips that you can use when they are working on your LOR’s. 1. Answer the Question Asked: As with the essay prompts, you need to make sure that your referees have answered the questions asked. The recommenders are busy people, so sometimes they do not directly address the question asked. For example, I remember reviewing an LOR where the question was about ‘specific professional traits’ (results-oriented, strategically-minded, and career-driven) and the recommenders had explained why the candidate needed an MBA. Recently, I reviewed an LOR where the school asked the question about a constructive feedback the candidate was given and the recommender had discussed stories of his leadership traits. 2. Provide specific examples: Another glaring mistake that I have often noticed in the LORs is that they often provide a laundry list of adjectives in praise of the candidate. A list of superlatives will sound bland if there is nothing to back them up. Discussing the ‘why’ and ‘how’ behind the ‘what’ will give a sense of who you are. They need to follow the principle of Show, don’t tell’ and substantiate their statements by specific examples from your work. Without concrete evidence, the LORs will fail to create an impact. 3. Compare the Candidate with his/her peers: Most schools ask the recommenders to compare the candidate with his/her peers. (e.g. How do the candidate’s performance, potential, or personal qualities compare to those of other well qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples.) And majority of recommenders ‘forget’ to compare the candidates with their peers. Please request them to cover this particular part of the question and illustrate it with examples. 4. Answer the Specific LOR Questions : Most schools will ask specific questions. Despite this fact, I often receive regular letters of recommendation that in no way address the questions that the school is looking for. It is the candidate’s job to request the recommenders to visit the school site and look for those specific questions. Trust me, if you do that ahead of time, you will save yourself, your recommenders, and also your consultant (if you have partnered with one) a lot of trouble when the deadlines are close. Round 2 applicants! Do yourself a favor and begin working with your recommenders as early as you can so your letters are ready before the holiday season begins and your recommenders leave for vacation. For more details on LOR’s , you may refer to the following link: Choosing Recommenders for MBA Applications : https://myessayreview.com/blogs/?p=1968 For sample LOR, please visit my website. https://myessayreview.com/recomend_letter.html For questions, email me at poonam@myessayreveiw.com |
FROM myEssayReview Blog: UT Austin McCombs Essay Questions Analysis -2015-16 |
Application Deadlines: Round 1: Application deadline: October 13, 2015 at 11:59pm CT, decision date: December 17, 2015 Round 2: Application deadline: January 12, 2016 at 11:59pm CT, decision date: March 29, 2016 Round 3: Final application deadline: March 31, 2016 at 11:59pm CT, decision date: May 12, 2016 You may review the 2015-2016 Applications Essay Topics here. Essay 1: At The University of Texas at Austin, what starts here changes the world. You are at the Texas MBA Orientation for the Class of 2018, meeting your cohort for the first time. Please introduce yourself to your new classmates, including relevant information about your personal and professional life. Like last two years, UT Austin requires the applicants to write an essay on introduction to their class mates. Mc Combs allows them to delve on their personal as well as professional attributes in 250 words. This essay, in terms of the topic and the medium of communication, provides applicants with a flexibility and freedom to showcase their creative side. It is asking you to introduce yourself to your peers, so you should convey your best side and talk about the traits that you feel are the best in you, considering this is your first encounter with them. You should highlight your personal and professional accomplishments, your hobbies, your history (background), and issues that pique your interest. The motive is to tell you future class mates who you really are. To showcase your creativity, McCombs offers you a choice of three modes of communication. , You should pick the format that works best for you. If you are an introvert, or if you love to write , you may select the ‘essay mode’ for sure. If you have an artistic bent of mind and are good with visuals and graphics, you may pick the https://gmatclub.com/chat option. An https://gmatclub.com/chat profile is simply a written expression about you which also includes visuals, giving you an option to use your creativity to the fullest. If you are an extrovert, you may find the video mode more exciting. A video essay allows applicants not only to be more creative but also imaginative. So you may use your own imagination, focusing more on the things that you like and would want to share. For example, if you plan to share your culinary skills with your class mates, you may consider shooting the one minute video in your kitchen. I am sure it will be fun doing a video essay ; however, It is my understanding that it would demand more time than a regular essay. (this doesn’t imply that crafting an ‘introduction’ essay is easy) So you may experiment with it if you can invest significant amount of time to make sure that you grab the attention of your audience not only through your words, but also through your body language and facial expressions . And remember your challenge is to say it all in just one minute video. Before you submit your response to this essay, have a trusted friend or colleague look it over to let you know if you have crafted a compelling piece. As they say, you only have one chance to make a first impression, so whichever medium you choose, dedicate the work necessary to ensure that your introduction is both engaging and true to who you really are. Essay 2: The McCombs School of Business is where leadership is earned. We have an inclusive environment where our dynamic and driven students take an active role in the Texas MBA community. Please discuss why the Texas MBA is the ideal program for you, what you hope to achieve, and how you will contribute to your classmates’ experience. (500 words) ..McCombs has slightly refined the second essay question . Last year, the applicants were asked to share what they hope to gain from the Texas MBA program both personally and professionally, in addition to why McCombs was the right program for them and what impact they will make on their classmates. This year the phase ‘personally and professionally has been omitted to encourage applicants to focus their responses on what they hope to achieve while at McCombs, why McCombs is right for them and what they will contribute to their classmates’ experience.” Also, McCombs is interested in learning more about your leadership potential.To address the first part of the question, explain why you wish to pursue MBA . Then, discuss why you are choosing McCombs and how various resources at Texas will help you fulfill your personal and professional needs and objectives and would aid in shaping up your future, the way you see it. To compose a solid response to this question, you need to do a thorough research of the resources and offerings of McCombs. You may also get in touch with the currents students and alumni to get insider’s perspective on their experience. If possible, visit the campus, attend a class, talk to faculty or other people to get feel of the school’s culture. This will help you determine your ‘fit’ with the school. Please refer to the following example: Example: “My past experiences, the knowledge gained in the classroom, McComb’s extensive NGO network, and the Net Impact club will equip me with skills to operate an NGO, helping me realize my dream of opening my own NGO.” To address the second part of the question, you should highlight your attributes, your strengths which you would be bringing to the Texas community. Focus on mentioning about your work in two or three clubs and elaborate on that, showing how you think it will groom your personality and how you will bring those traits to the classroom and enrich your class mates’ experience. So you may want to show your contribution by creating something new on campus e.g. a new club or a community event, or by leading it. Now, say, you could talk about your passion for soccer and how you could enrich the Soccer Club. Example: ‘Having a rich experience of being on the field and being best friends with the ball for more than a decade, I feel I can bring that to the Mc Combs Soccer Club and lead to the enhancement of the games..’ .Lastly , do not forget to showcase how you will imbibe the collaborative culture of Mc Combs and add value to it. Optional Essay: Please provide any additional information you believe is important and/or address any areas of concern that will be beneficial to the Admissions Committee in considering your application (e.g. unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, academic performance, significant weaknesses in your application, or extenuating personal circumstances). (250 words) An optional essay is an opportunity for you to give the Ad Com relevant information that you could not provide in other essays or other parts of your application essays, recommendation letters and resume. This question is also meant to shine a spotlight on an experience or side of your personality that has not been revealed in the other parts of your application. To provide context for a weakness in your profile, like low GPA or GMAT or a gap in your job history, make sure your reason is genuine to convince them that your low grades occurred due to unforeseen circumstances beyond your control. Also, keep in mind that your story should not only explain that particular weakness in your profile, but also bring out your other strong personality traits. That means your response should be positive and should not sound like you are making excuses for a weakness in your profile. Below is an example of an optional essay written by a military candidate to explain his low grades: Example: “Although my leadership experiences in the military taught me many valuable lessons in teamwork, perseverance, and management, through all my responsibilities, it impacted my grades. Thus, I do not view my undergraduate performance as an accurate representation of my academic abilities. I certainly deserved all the grades I received; I earned them. However, I hope the above reasons will assist you in understanding my particular situation. I grew from this experience and took a dedicated approach to professional education. I would respectfully ask the admission committee consider this when reviewing my application.” For sample optional essay, visit MER site. Note: For more application tips and tricks, click here: https://blogs.mccombs.utexas.edu/mba-insider/2015/08/19/from-texas-mba-admissions-application-tips-tricks/ For more MBA articles, visit myEssayReview blog. For questions, email me at poonam@myessayreview.com. |
FROM myEssayReview Blog: Black Friday Sale by myEssayReview- valid until November 30, 2015 |
Round 2 deadlines for the admission cycle 2015-16 are closer than they appear . If you are aiming to get into top 30 schools in Round 2 without spending a fortune, here is a special deal for you. myEssayReview, a highly personalized & dedicated service, with prices nearly 70% lowerthan direct competitors, is offering Black Friday One time offer to Round 2 applicants . Sign up for any multiple school package and get one school free. Work with Poonam a highly rated consultant (4.9/5) on the GMAT Club. What is included in school packages?
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School Name GMAT Score Received Admit Wharton (MBA,EMBA) 640, 760 Yes (multiple) MIT 760 Yes Kellogg 660, 720, 720 Yes (Multiple) Booth (MBA, EMBA) 660, 720,610 Yes (Multiple) IESE (Global EMBA) No GMAT Yes Darden 680, 760 Yes (Multiple), with scholarship Duke 620 Yes INSEAD 680,710 Yes Tippie 720 Yes, with scholarship LBS 620, 660,680 Yes (multiple) ISB 620, 700 Yes (multiple) Ross 670 Yes Haas (MBA,EMBA) 640,720, Yes (multiple) with scholarship UCLA (MBA,MISM, FEMBA) 630/720 Yes (multiple) Kelley 680 Yes, with scholarship UNC Kenan Flagler 680 Yes, with scholarship Emory 680, 700, 720 Yes(multiple), with scholarship (multiple) Tepper 680 Yes, with Scholarship Ivy Richards 620,720 Yes (multiple), with scholarship Cornell 720/ 580 Yes (multiple) with scholarship Georgetown 700 Yes, with scholarship Tepper 620 Yes, with scholarship Manchester 610 Yes, with scholarship Schulich, Rotman 620 Yes UC Davis 710 Yes, with scholarship Rice 650 Yes, with scholarship Rochester 650 Yes, with scholarship RSM 590 Yes Purdue 620 Yes with scholarship For more details , email Poonam at poonam@myessayreview.com This entry was posted in Promotions by administrator. Bookmark the permalink. |
FROM myEssayReview Blog: Useful Tips to Craft an Effective MBA Resume |
Résumé is a critical part of the MBA applications, and yet it is often the most neglected one. Unfortunately, some applicants ignore résumé and focus all their attention on essays. Your résumé demands as much of your attention as your essays do. In fact, résumé is your first introduction to the Ad Com, so it should be impactful enough to make them want to know more about you through your essays. When working with applicants on their résumés, I often quote Ross Admission Director Soojin Kwon. “For me, the résumé is just as important as your essays…….How you describe your experience matters. What you choose to highlight matters. Think of it as trailer of the movie about you. It needs to show there is substance there. I find that many applicants don’t take enough care with their resume.” Kwon said. True!! Your resume is a “trailer “of your career progression, accomplishments, leadership and team working skills, your interests, and extra-curricular activities that will be shown in detail in the “movie” of your essays. Therefore, in order to make a good ‘first impression’, you need to invest your time and effort to make your résumé strong and impactful. Here are some helpful tips you can use to craft powerful and effective MBA resume. 1. Keep it Short and Sweet : First, resist the temptation of writing a lengthy resume. It’s about quality, not quantity, so make sure not to go over one page limit. Most schools want to see only one page résumés.( if you have more than 10 years of work experience, you may go over 1 page .) The resume should be the shortest document in your application but the most impactful one that provides an overview of not only your professional career and accomplishments, but also your interests and extra-curricular activities. Please use 10 or 11 font and do not try to squeeze in loads of information by using 8 font. 2. Include Important Dates: When listing job positions, sometimes applicants forget to mention employment dates. Without specific dates, the Ad Com will not be able to garner your career progression and your promotions. Therefore, you want to make sure to provide specific information about your employment, education and extra-curricular activities. 3. Use Bulleted Points: Even if you have a lot of information to convey, please refrain from writing sentences or paragraphs. Instead, use bulleted points. Each bullet should be limited to two lines of text, and there should be no more than five bullets per job position. You may use 2 bullet points for listing job responsibilities and 2-3 for job accomplishments. 4. Do not use Fancy Fonts: Typical fonts for a resume are Times New Roman, Verdana, Cambria, and Arial, with Times New Roman being the most common. The business résumé is not the place to use fancy fonts. So resist the temptation of using crazy fonts or intricate borders. 5. Do Not Use Jargon: One of the most common mistakes applicants make is using technical terms of their industry. Do not assume that Ad Com will understand your industry jargon. This is not a job resume that you are writing for your prospective employer. This is your MBA resume that is scanned by the Ad Com of business schools for career progression, leadership qualities, team- working skills, initiative and other interests/activities of future business leaders. Hence you want to make sure to make it jargon free. The following example is jargon free: Example: Created and implemented new checklists and guidelines, helping reduce the cost of the projects by 10-15%.. 6. Use Strong Verbs: Begin each bullet point with a strong action verb. Verbs make you sound like a dynamic individual who is always ready for action. Also, try to avoid overusing verbs like ‘led’, ‘managed’ or ‘developed’, and consider using other verbs such as ‘accelerated’, ‘delivered,’ ‘established,’ ‘implemented,’ ‘initiated,’ or ‘spearheaded’ etc. Use verbs that demonstrate your collaborative attitude e.g ‘assist’, ‘contribute’, ‘support’, ‘provide’ etc. Example: Collaborated with multiple stakeholders and built a team of 7 analysts that resulted in revenue growth of $ 400K/ year. 7. Avoid a List of job responsibilities:Some applicants make their MBA résumé a long list of job responsibilities. The Ad Com will not look at your résumé for the number of years you have worked or for your simple job responsibilities. Instead, they will look for the quality of professional experience i.e. the skills you have acquired and the impact you have made on your organization. When listing your professional experience, follow the reverse chronological order so your current professional experience gets the utmost attention. 8. Showcase Impact: Résumés that do not quantify the outcome of your accomplishments fail to make an impression. So please make sure to quantify your impact on your company/organization with measurable results or achievements. Wherever possible, use numbers to communicate your impact. Try to provide specific details such as: · How much or by what percentage you reduced expenses? · How many people were on the team that you supervised? · How much or by what percentage you increased sales? Example: Spearheaded a flagship project– ‘Change In Terms’ for the company– built a team of 5 analysts, translating into revenue of $100K 9. Leave high school back in High School: Sometimes applicants fill precious space with high school accomplishments and grades. Please do not discuss your high school activities unless you did something exceptional for your age. You have come a long way after high school, and you are applying for graduate school, not college. 10. Include your extracurricular activities/ interests: Sometimes the applicants get so involved in the details of their professional experience that they tend to ignore extracurricular activities/community service and other interests/ hobbies. Please note that the schools are looking for well-rounded individuals, and not only professionals who have no interests beyond their work. Therefore, do not hesitate to include 2-3 hobbies that you feel passionate about and pursue in your non-work hours. Also, include community service activities you have been involved in. 11. Education Section: Please place your education section after professional career section and keep it short. It should show the schools you have attended , the areas of study, and ranking / accomplishments etc. However, some schools (Cambridge, Oxford, Sauder etc.) require you to follow a certain template which places Education section before Experience section. So you must check with your target schools if they need the applicants to follow a particular résumé template. 12. Additional Information/Skills: If you have some certificates or awards, if you have learned some foreign languages, or if you possess advanced computer skills, you may use this section for this information. Also, if you have a long list of awards/ honors, you may create a separate section of ‘Awards and Honors’ to include that information. 13. Providing Personal information: Please do not provide your height, weight, date of birth, and marital status on your résumé. Also, there is no need to provide your picture on your résumé. 14 . List of References: An MBA résumé is not a place for providing references. So do not use precious space in providing references or even mentioning ‘References on request’. Lastly, and most importantly, edit and proofread your resume multiple times before you submit it. You do not want to ruin your first impression by careless spelling, grammar, and style errors. Get it reviewed by a second pair of eyes to ensure consistency and accuracy. .For more details , contact poonam@myessayreview.com Web /Blog/ Free resources/LinkedIn/Facebook/ |
FROM myEssayReview Blog: Useful Tips to Craft an Effective MBA Résumé |
Résumé is a critical part of the MBA applications, and yet it is often the most neglected one. Unfortunately, some applicants ignore résumé and focus all their attention on essays. Your résumé demands as much of your attention as your essays do. In fact, résumé is your first introduction to the Ad Com, so it should be impactful enough to make them want to know more about you through your essays. When working with applicants on their résumés, I often quote Ross Admission Director Soojin Kwon. “For me, the résumé is just as important as your essays…….How you describe your experience matters. What you choose to highlight matters. Think of it as trailer of the movie about you. It needs to show there is substance there. I find that many applicants don’t take enough care with their resume.” Kwon said. True!! Your resume is a “trailer “of your career progression, accomplishments, leadership and team working skills, your interests, and extra-curricular activities that will be shown in detail in the “movie” of your essays. Therefore, in order to make a good ‘first impression’, you need to invest your time and effort to make your résumé strong and impactful. Here are some helpful tips you can use to craft powerful and effective MBA resume. 1. Keep it Short and Sweet : First, resist the temptation of writing a lengthy resume. It’s about quality, not quantity, so make sure not to go over one page limit. Most schools want to see only one page résumés.( if you have more than 10 years of work experience, you may go over 1 page .) The resume should be the shortest document in your application but the most impactful one that provides an overview of not only your professional career and accomplishments, but also your interests and extra-curricular activities. Please use 10 or 11 font and do not try to squeeze in loads of information by using 8 font. 2. Include Important Dates: When listing job positions, sometimes applicants forget to mention employment dates. Without specific dates, the Ad Com will not be able to garner your career progression and your promotions. Therefore, you want to make sure to provide specific information about your employment, education and extra-curricular activities. 3. Use Bulleted Points: Even if you have a lot of information to convey, please refrain from writing sentences or paragraphs. Instead, use bulleted points. Each bullet should be limited to two lines of text, and there should be no more than five bullets per job position. You may use 2 bullet points for listing job responsibilities and 2-3 for job accomplishments. 4. Do not use Fancy Fonts: Typical fonts for a resume are Times New Roman, Verdana, Cambria, and Arial, with Times New Roman being the most common. The business résumé is not the place to use fancy fonts. So resist the temptation of using crazy fonts or intricate borders. 5. Do Not Use Jargon: One of the most common mistakes applicants make is using technical terms of their industry. Do not assume that Ad Com will understand your industry jargon. This is not a job resume that you are writing for your prospective employer. This is your MBA resume that is scanned by the Ad Com of business schools for career progression, leadership qualities, team- working skills, initiative and other interests/activities of future business leaders. Hence you want to make sure to make it jargon free. The following example is jargon free: Example: Created and implemented new checklists and guidelines, helping reduce the cost of the projects by 10-15%.. 6. Use Strong Verbs: Begin each bullet point with a strong action verb. Verbs make you sound like a dynamic individual who is always ready for action. Also, try to avoid overusing verbs like ‘led’, ‘managed’ or ‘developed’, and consider using other verbs such as ‘accelerated’, ‘delivered,’ ‘established,’ ‘implemented,’ ‘initiated,’ or ‘spearheaded’ etc. Use verbs that demonstrate your collaborative attitude e.g ‘assist’, ‘contribute’, ‘support’, ‘provide’ etc. Example: Collaborated with multiple stakeholders and built a team of 7 analysts that resulted in revenue growth of $ 400K/ year. 7. Avoid a List of job responsibilities:Some applicants make their MBA résumé a long list of job responsibilities. The Ad Com will not look at your résumé for the number of years you have worked or for your simple job responsibilities. Instead, they will look for the quality of professional experience i.e. the skills you have acquired and the impact you have made on your organization. When listing your professional experience, follow the reverse chronological order so your current professional experience gets the utmost attention. 8. Showcase Impact: Résumés that do not quantify the outcome of your accomplishments fail to make an impression. So please make sure to quantify your impact on your company/organization with measurable results or achievements. Wherever possible, use numbers to communicate your impact. Try to provide specific details such as: · How much or by what percentage you reduced expenses? · How many people were on the team that you supervised? · How much or by what percentage you increased sales? Example: Spearheaded a flagship project– ‘Change In Terms’ for the company– built a team of 5 analysts, translating into revenue of $100K 9. Leave high school back in High School: Sometimes applicants fill precious space with high school accomplishments and grades. Please do not discuss your high school activities unless you did something exceptional for your age. You have come a long way after high school, and you are applying for graduate school, not college. 10. Include your extracurricular activities/ interests: Sometimes the applicants get so involved in the details of their professional experience that they tend to ignore extracurricular activities/community service and other interests/ hobbies. Please note that the schools are looking for well-rounded individuals, and not only professionals who have no interests beyond their work. Therefore, do not hesitate to include 2-3 hobbies that you feel passionate about and pursue in your non-work hours. Also, include community service activities you have been involved in. 11. Education Section: Please place your education section after professional career section and keep it short. It should show the schools you have attended , the areas of study, and ranking / accomplishments etc. However, some schools (Cambridge, Oxford, Sauder etc.) require you to follow a certain template which places Education section before Experience section. So you must check with your target schools if they need the applicants to follow a particular résumé template. 12. Additional Information/Skills: If you have some certificates or awards, if you have learned some foreign languages, or if you possess advanced computer skills, you may use this section for this information. Also, if you have a long list of awards/ honors, you may create a separate section of ‘Awards and Honors’ to include that information. 13. Providing Personal information: Please do not provide your height, weight, date of birth, and marital status on your résumé. Also, there is no need to provide your picture on your résumé. 14 . List of References: An MBA résumé is not a place for providing references. So do not use precious space in providing references or even mentioning ‘References on request’. Lastly, and most importantly, edit and proofread your resume multiple times before you submit it. You do not want to ruin your first impression by careless spelling, grammar, and style errors. Get it reviewed by a second pair of eyes to ensure consistency and accuracy. .For more details , contact poonam@myessayreview.com Web /Blog/ Free resources/LinkedIn/Facebook/ |
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