From Dr. Shel (Shelly Watts), https://www.mbaadmit.com, email: info@mbaadmit.com
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Get a FREE Profile Evaluation directly from Dr. Shel Watts, a Harvard and Oxford graduate with Harvard admissions experience and over 25 years of work with MBA applicants: just fill out the form on our homepage at https://www.mbaadmit.com or send your most recent resume to info@mbaadmit.com
Ask about our current specials – Comprehensive packages beginning at $1795 (Compare with our competitors who charge $4,400!); Basic editing of one application for $985. Valid through May 19, 2016. Opt to work directly with Dr. Shel on your MBA applications! HBS Single Essay 2016-17: How to Approach?!! (Don't Panic, Brainstorm!)You have no doubt heard that the rejection rate at Harvard Business School (HBS) last year was 89%. Last year, Harvard reports it received approximately 9,686 applications and it had an acceptance rate of only about 11%! With such intense competition, candidates have historically looked forward to using ample essay space to “sell their candidacies” to the HBS admissions committee.
Harvard was the business school that created a lot of buzz a few years ago by reducing the number of its MBA application essays to one – and one with no word limit! This year once again, Harvard provides a single essay topic and has actually returned to an essay it used in a prior year:
“As we review your application, what more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Harvard Business School MBA Program?” No word limit.The choice has left many candidates nearly panicked, uncertain of what material to present. Here are some practices to observe and ideas to guide you as you assess how you should approach the one admissions essay topic that HBS is offering this year.
Review the Business School Materials OfferedIn introducing their MBA application essays, many business schools including Harvard provide links to information and instruct applicants to review the information before writing. Last year, Harvard did this, providing a video about the Harvard Business School experience and qualities of current students. The HBS website instructed, “We suggest you view this video before beginning to write.” HBS will undoubtedly update this material this year. As you strive to be successful in the admissions process, follow the instructions or advice and review the materials provided. Then, take a solid look at your credentials and experiences, and the blend of those that both fit with what you have learned about the business school through the provided material and that are most likely to make the admissions committee want to admit you. Do you have some of the valued characteristics and practices you saw depicted in the materials? How can you show that you can fit in and contribute? Consider including comments about this in your essay.
A Holistic ApproachEven with one open-ended, no-word-limit single essay to write, it is important that your entire application conveys the strengths of your candidacy and also addresses any weaknesses (indirectly or directly). All parts of your application must work wonderfully together to convey your message and story to the committee. The resume, recommendations and application form take on much more importance in this context. Indeed, the application form and resumes are often “missed opportunities” where candidates fail to showcase their greatest assets for admission. Remember, the admissions committee sees your application form and resume before the essays. They are your “first impression” – and first impressions last! Use this space well. It will free you to focus more deeply on important themes in your essay.
You should stand back, determine which of your achievements, experiences, skills, activities and credentials are most important for admissions success, and make certain that these are highlighted somewhere in your application. HBS, for instance, provides space for the applicant to mention very important parts of their portfolio. These spaces are divided mainly into three sections on the form: employment, academics, and activities. Take the time to consider what you will highlight on your resume and application form. Try to communicate well with your recommendation writers so that they can introduce useful information through their recommendations for you.
With such a holistic view of your application, you can be confident that if you have explained on the application form how you contributed excellently as you led your college’s business club as president, you may not need to elaborate on that also in the essays. Likewise, if you have clearly indicated the strength of your GPA and awards on your resume, you may not need to refer to this again in the essays.
Strategy is the KeyAfter reviewing your key strengths in the areas of your professional, academic, extracurricular and personal achievements, and after checking to make sure most of these are reflected somewhere in your application, you are free to focus in on the essay. Make certain to shine a light on value-added information that can help get you to an “Admitted!” outcome. Taking the opportunity to shine a light on your winning attributes in your essay is what we at
MBA Admit.com call “strategic content”. Whether you convey your unique strengths and attributes effectively makes all of the difference between acceptance and rejection. You should strive to present a compelling blend of topics that highlight your strengths and minimize your weaknesses.
“Creative Strategy” for the Open-Ended Single EssayWith the single, open-ended essay, you are still seeking to paint a clear, well thought-out picture of who you are and your qualifications to the admissions committee. With an open-ended, no-word-limit essay, you have ample space and creative freedom to implement your strategy. In addressing the no-word-limit essay, blend in references to the topics you have determined merit more space in your application and, in addition, think about these matters:
LengthDon’t submit a book-of-an-essay that is 3,000 words or longer. We are sure you have led an amazing life and have enough accomplishments to fill a 3,000 essay, but the admissions committee will not want to read something that long and may be left thinking your ego is a little too healthy in size.
In most cases, you also should not submit a hyper-short essay that is 100 words or less. To do this can be read as arrogant, even if your credentials are outstanding in every way (professional, academic, and extracurricular). Are there exceptions to this? Of course. If you are an under-represented candidate who graduated Summa Cum Laude from college, have had promotions at a prestigious company like Goldman Sachs, have always received the top performance ratings, scored a 770 GMAT score, were student government president during college and are certain you will receive glowing recommendations, perhaps you can afford to submit the 100-word essay. The rest of your application will speak amazingly to your credentials! But, most candidates don’t fit this profile, so you should use the essay as premium space to “make your case” to the admission committee.
As you decide on the ideal length, bear in mind that in the past couple of years, a typical-length MBA admissions essay set allowed for approximately 1,400-1,600 words, so that can give you a sense of what might be considered appropriate and not excessive in terms of a word limit. You may be able to state your case in 600-1,000 words.
ToneWhat about the tone of the essay? Is it okay to make the essay tone more casual? Yes. Is it okay to make the essay tone more formal? Yes. There is not necessarily a right or wrong choice; it is a matter of what is the best choice for the needs of your candidacy and application. There are countless ways to compose a compelling essay. But remember, the ultimate purpose of the essay is to persuade the Harvard admissions committee to say “yes” to your candidacy. Adopt a style that can advance you toward that end.
Self-constructed promptFor the open-ended question, you are in many ways determining your own essay prompt. Thinking about what that prompt is can help you create a theme that permeates the whole essay. You may end up mentioning a mixture of professional, academic and extracurricular successes, and that is fine. But they should not be clumped together in a scattered sort of way. Flesh out what your theme is. For instance, a successful essay might present topics that reflect the theme, “This is what has influenced me to be who I am today.” Alternatively, a successful essay might reflect themes such as, “These are the things that motivate my future goals,” or “This is who I intend to be in 10 years,” or “This is my personal story and why my passion for my profession is so deep.” The possibilities go on. With such a potentially long essay, make sure it holds together well.
As you draft, also bear other matters in mind. Certain schools value certain characteristics. Schools like Harvard and Booth, for instance, value proven leadership, curiosity and innovation. Consider including topics that show you have these traits.
It is okay to touch on more traditional topics also. For instance, what are your long-term goals? Why is Harvard right for you? What can you contribute to HBS and through your future career? But try not to present a dry essay that simply answers the common MBA essay question, “What are your long-term goals and why our school?” If that was precisely what they wanted to hear about, they would have presented that as the essay prompt.
Other elements of stylePlease also bear in mind that your style can vary greatly with an open-ended, no-word-limit essay. Even if you choose to write the essay as if the topic was about what has influenced you to be who you are today, you can do this by taking us back in time to a pivotal life event. Or you can take us forward in time to who you intend to be and reflect on the influence. Or you can adopt a straight-forward style and simply recount your main messages. Don’t restrict yourself, but also don’t forget that your adopted style should be – above all else – effective. It is better to have a straight-forward style that got you an “Accepted” reply than a creative style that failed to convey the key attributes that would have elicited a positive response from the admissions committee.
Good luck in your writing process and feel free to reach out to us at MBA Admit.com if you need some assistance!! We love working on the HBS application and we have helped many candidates who were rejected when applying on their own to gain admission to HBS the very next year. The application is your very important "marketing package", so use it well!
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Dr. Shel (Shelly Watts)
President, MBA Admit.comhttps://www.mbaadmit.comEmail:
info@mbaadmit.com
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