![\"Overrepresented](\"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Overrepresented-Applicant-Group-300x150.jpg\")
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I recently received a question \u2013 or more of a complaint \u2013 from a client who was concerned with his status as an Indian IT male<\/a>. This individual was considering changing his location on his application \u2013 he was born, raised, and still lived in India, but his family had lived in Zurich for four years, starting when he was six, and he wanted to focus on that. And he wanted to highlight his job as a restaurant manager, rather than his extensive experience and education in IT.<\/p>\n I get questions like this all the time, so I thought it would be appropriate to post the answer that I gave this particular young man:<\/p>\n B-schools have been known to \u201cgroup\u201d applicants in ethnic, gender, and professional categories for administrative purposes, but that certainly does not mean that they are accepting and rejecting candidates based solely on those labels and groupings.<\/p>\n Moving beyond labels \u2013 if you can do it, so can the adcom<\/strong><\/p>\n The purpose of the admissions process is to allow the admissions committee an opportunity to get to know you as an individual \u2013 beyond labels. It\u2019s your job to show the adcom that you are not simply another face in the crowd<\/a> of Indian (or American, for that matter) IT males, but that you are a unique, category-less group of ONE. You are not Indian, not American, not American Indian, not Indian American, not IT, and not male; you are YOU.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t get hung up on the group or the label. Instead focus on ways you can draw out your individuality. It is true that you will need to work on this harder than, say, an entrepreneurial woman from a village in the Himalayas, but that\u2019s not to say it can\u2019t be done.<\/p>\n Come to life with a strong, passionate essay<\/strong><\/p>\n By constructing killer essays<\/a> that come alive with your personality, your diverse interests and talents, and your not-to-be-overlooked strengths and passions, you\u2019ll prove that your candidacy is equal in competitiveness to our Himalayan applicant.<\/p>\n That was my response to our Indian IT male friend, but it can be applied to anyone who is getting bogged down in the labels and losing focus on the process of individuating. Think about what sets you apart from your group.<\/p>\n Highlight your uniqueness<\/strong><\/p>\n Highlight your uniqueness in your essays, and the adcoms will get a clear look at how you \u2013 not your group \u2013 will contribute to your chosen MBA program or profession.<\/p>\n Last but not least, don\u2019t stress. Just because you are an Indian IT guy (or a member of some other common subgroup in the applicant pool), doesn\u2019t mean that you don\u2019t possess other unique qualities that will make you an attractive candidate at top b-schools.<\/p>\n You are unique, whether you realize it or not, and our expert admissions consultants can help you identify your individuality and highlight it in your applications. Check out our MBA Admissions Consulting Services<\/a>\u00a0to learn how we can help you stand out from the crowd and get accepted to business school!<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Related Resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a09 Secrets to Standing Out in Your MBA Application<\/a>, a free guide This article<\/a>\u00a0originally appeared on\u00a0<\/i>blog.accepted.com<\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n Applying to a top b-school? The talented folks at Accepted have helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to their dream programs. Whether you are figuring out where to apply, writing your application essays, or prepping for your interviews, we are just a call (or click) away.<\/p>\n![\"Get](\"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/CTA-Fit-in-Stand-Out-300x107.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Linda](\"https:\/\/blog.accepted.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/Linda-Abraham-150x150.jpg\" "\\"Linda")
<\/a>By\u00a0Linda Abraham<\/a>, president and founder of Accepted.com and co-author of the definitive book on MBA admissions,\u00a0MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools<\/a><\/em>.<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\u2022\u00a04 Tips For Indian MBA Applicants<\/a>
\n\u2022 Different Dimensions of Diversity<\/a>, a podcast episode<\/p>\n