{"id":1435,"date":"2009-11-30T00:50:06","date_gmt":"2009-11-30T08:50:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/?p=1435"},"modified":"2009-12-01T00:54:38","modified_gmt":"2009-12-01T08:54:38","slug":"surprise-how-it-can-help-you-get-accepted","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/surprise-how-it-can-help-you-get-accepted\/","title":{"rendered":"Surprise! How It Can Help You Get Accepted"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"My visit to the cemetary on Friday gave new meaning to 'Black Friday' for me.\"<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Actually it didn't. But if it had, that line would have provided a strong opening to this post on the second of Made to Stick's<\/em> six principles of memorable, persuasive communication: Unexpected.<\/p>\n

You expect me to post about writing and admissions, not about cemetary visits with intrinsic hints at the macabre. As the authors of Made to Stick<\/em> argue, surprise seizes attention.<\/p>\n

Once you have your readers' attention, they are more likely to read out of interest, pay attention to your message, and remember what you write.<\/p>\n

Corollary: The expected, the routine, and the ordinary bore. Essays with these traits are likely to be skimmed, yawned over, and forgotten. The ding pile acts like a magnet to pedestrian writing.<\/p>\n

Given that you aren't Shakespeare,\u00a0 how can you apply this principle to application essays and personal statements?<\/p>\n

Here are a few suggestions:<\/p>\n