GMAT Club
January 25, 2013
sworland

Joined: Apr 10, 2012

Posts: 1

Kudos: 5

Self-reported Score:
730 Q50 V39

My first attempts at essay writing on my own were dreadful because:

1) I didn't believe I had anything extraordinary to tell - I haven’t cured cancer, started a charity, mentored a child, lived in another country, or lost 100 lbs.
2) I couldn't answer the essay questions effectively - 400+ words of background information
3) The tone/voice of my essays was off the mark - It is SO easy to sound whiny, bossy, judgmental, or just plain boring.

I knew I needed help but didn't have the money to hire a 1:1 consultant. So I signed up for the 3-day mbamission Application Boot Camp held in Chicago in August 2012.

The class amounted to 9 hours of live instruction with five other students, a 1 hour pre-recorded class online, and 30 minutes 1:1 with the instructor to review practice essays and answer questions, which I used to discuss application strategy. I was initially nervous about not getting the personal attention of my instructor in a classroom setting. But the group is an added benefit because there are other people to bounce ideas, give feedback, and ask the questions you didn’t think of. But still small enough that your instructor gets to know you, your profile, and answer your personal questions.

Angela Guido is a fantastic instructor. You can tell she has a real passion for this and truly wants to help you succeed. She is intelligent, straight forward, and will tell you like it is. She also has an amazing ability to hear your story and twist it with a fresh perspective, or pull out some ‘a-ha’ that you didn’t initially see, so that you can craft a unique essay. And she will help identify the weaknesses and pitfalls of your writing style, so you can avoid these going forward on your own.

After the class, I was super motivated and applied to 4 schools in Round 1. I got interview invites to all 4, and accepted to 3 - Wharton, Kellogg, & Duke.

If you are SERIOUS about getting into a top 10 program, you are going to need some help. And this class is the best bang for your buck! DO IT!

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