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I would argue the PowerPoint is one of the absolute best ideas for an essay of any of the top schools. You are essentially given a blank slate to convey any ideas you want to share that the other essay questions don't hit on. It gives an applicant the chance to fill in any holes in their application. Also, as you said in your post, a PowerPoint presentation is for Sales & Marketing, which is exactly what you are trying to do now. You are creating a brand for yourself and trying to sell it to the adcoms. Seems to me it is really the perfect essay format.
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I agree, this question made Chicago seem even more enticing to me. They are not afraid to stray from the standard format, and want you to take the effort to express yourself through a different medium. Besides, everyone is complicated. But who wants to read a 20 page white paper on someone's life. Four slides is more than enough if you know how to be creative and make an impact with a limited amount of space.
well see the problem with putting pictures is i dont know if adcom is just going to print them in black and white or are they actually going to use projector..though I am not planning on using animation at all...
as for in a 4 minute interview answering questions IS VERY different from making a slide presentation about yourself...
so the question is should i risk putting pictures not knowing if the adcom will be using color printers or not? or are they going to user projectors???
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I wouldn't worry about those details. Focus on your message.
I went to an admissions event this week. Overall, nothing new. Talked to Joanna (associate director, admissions) about essay 2 and she said what most of us know - that fit with Chicago is really important and they are looking for applicants who can actually turn this essay to their advantage and articulate how Chicago GSB is the right school for them. I went to a small town event with about 15 prospective students, so got a chance to have longer conversations than other events with 200+ people.
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Oh my goodness, lucky you! I wish I didn't live in a metro area with tons of people at these events. I will say though, it's interesting to see the different types of people that show up different schools' events.
Oh my goodness, lucky you! I wish I didn't live in a metro area with tons of people at these events. I will say though, it's interesting to see the different types of people that show up different schools' events.
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heh..actually I don't live there. I was traveling to a client site, and it turned out they were coming there. I got lucky - I had never been to an info session before this although I have visited the school once.
Oh my goodness, lucky you! I wish I didn't live in a metro area with tons of people at these events. I will say though, it's interesting to see the different types of people that show up different schools' events.
heh..actually I don't live there. I was traveling to a client site, and it turned out they were coming there. I got lucky - I had never been to an info session before this although I have visited the school once.
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LOL well good for you for taking advantage. I went to their event last week actually, and I was looking around the room with the guy with me and we both agreed - there were a lot more suits at Chicago than any other schools. Since I was in a suit I was glad
Both recs are in, Essay #2 is complete and I'm proud of it, however Essay #1 is a mess and my PowerPoint isn't started. Does anyone care to egg me on for my Wednesday 4:55 PM submission time?
I feel like a college kid studying for final exams. I hope I don't have to pull an all-nighter here.
Also, I've realized that I'm not a good liar. I'm going to be straight forward and stick to my investment banking goals.
Hey terp - I'm in a similarish situation - essay 1 nearly done, 2 is fully done, optional is done. The PPT though is started and is really awful. So starting that one again. Oye. Long night(s) ahead.
terp06
Both recs are in, Essay #2 is complete and I'm proud of it, however Essay #1 is a mess and my PowerPoint isn't started. Does anyone care to egg me on for my Wednesday 4:55 PM submission time?
I feel like a college kid studying for final exams. I hope I don't have to pull an all-nighter here.
Also, I've realized that I'm not a good liar. I'm going to be straight forward and stick to my investment banking goals.
Mine are definitely not going to be the most refined essays. This is the first app that I'm submitting. Hopefully the "straight from the gut" approach takes me places.
My PPT is going to be awful and cliche, most likely.
This is a really difficult first application to start with Hopefully others feel the same way and there is less competition in R1?
Mine are definitely not going to be the most refined essays. This is the first app that I'm submitting. Hopefully the "straight from the gut" approach takes me places.
My PPT is going to be awful and cliche, most likely.
This is a really difficult first application to start with Hopefully others feel the same way and there is less competition in R1?
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Wharton was my first app so that helped get me the groove going....still, what happens with this ppt is anyone's guess!
I take that the word limits aren't set in stone? My essay 2 is approx. 1050.
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I don't believe they're set in stone...I think most people aim to get pretty close. I think as long as you're within 75-100 words of a 1000 word essay it should be okay...
Mine are definitely not going to be the most refined essays. This is the first app that I'm submitting. Hopefully the "straight from the gut" approach takes me places.
My PPT is going to be awful and cliche, most likely.
This is a really difficult first application to start with Hopefully others feel the same way and there is less competition in R1?
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I hope you aren't kidding - Because I feel the same way about my essays to Chicago. I hope R1 goes down to a 4000-way tie between all the applicants, and it comes down to the GMAT score
My Essay #2 is something I'm proud of. However, I don't know why I'm having such a brain fart in answering "Why now". Perhaps because it's a fairly difficult question to answer for someone with 3 years of experience at matriculation. I could easily wait another year and I'm prepared to, but I'd much rather go now. How does that sound?
However, I don't know why I'm having such a brain fart in answering "Why now". Perhaps because it's a fairly difficult question to answer for someone with 3 years of experience at matriculation. I could easily wait another year and I'm prepared to, but I'd much rather go now. How does that sound?
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Since the question is "Why are you pursuing an MBA at this point in your career?", I think it's important to write your essay similar to a movie script. Lay out the plot and build towards the 'climax', which is getting your MBA from Chicago. I think you need to answer 'why now', but I think it's just as or more important to show career progression building towards an MBA education. Let me know if you need any help.
However, I don't know why I'm having such a brain fart in answering "Why now". Perhaps because it's a fairly difficult question to answer for someone with 3 years of experience at matriculation. I could easily wait another year and I'm prepared to, but I'd much rather go now. How does that sound?
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As a reapplicant the why now becomes even more difficult for me
But remember, the question does not explicitly ask why now, it asks why this point in your career. So, you look at your experiences till date, you look at where you want to go and what is missing so far in your career and experiences and show that the MBA will be the perfect bridge to get you closer to your long term goals.
However, I don't know why I'm having such a brain fart in answering "Why now". Perhaps because it's a fairly difficult question to answer for someone with 3 years of experience at matriculation. I could easily wait another year and I'm prepared to, but I'd much rather go now. How does that sound?
As a reapplicant the why now becomes even more difficult for me
But remember, the question does not explicitly ask why now, it asks why this point in your career. So, you look at your experiences till date, you look at where you want to go and what is missing so far in your career and experiences and show that the MBA will be the perfect bridge to get you closer to your long term goals.
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Your why now shouldnt be hard! Think about all the things that you've done in the last year to prepare yourself for this point and just talk about that.
Thanks rhyme..maybe you can help me with strategy (after my first drafts are complete!) - I couldn't fit everything that changed in the last year all under 750 words - so I moved some of that to the optional essay. When I look at my essays from last year, I realize they were pretty much useless in communicating my past experiences and why the mba was important. So, I took some time in this essay to actually describe my past experiences....something I really should have done last year. I wonder now if I should do away with the optional essay and try to incorporate the changes in the last year within the 750 word essay. What do you think?
I think it would be best to try and put everything into Essay #1. You could also use the PPT slides if you need to capture other things you have done in the past year. I wouldn't use the optional essay.
I agree with JB, from the application: "The optional essay is provided to give you an opportunity to explain any potential anomalies or ambiguity in your application. For example, you can explain why you did not use your current employer to write your recommendation, you might provide some clarity as to why there are significant gaps in your resume, or you may help us to understand why your grades declined in your junior year.
Please note this question is very functional in its design, it is to provide clarity on aspects of the application, not to give you an opportunity to write another creative essay."
I wouldn't expect this optional essay to be used in very many cases at all.