Did You Sloan Applicants Do This?

Question

I was about two seconds away from submitting my Sloan application and was doing my last read-through when I had one of those realizations that you have where you realize you've been looking at something so long you don't really see it objectively anymore.

For the cover letter, I had just basically taken my generic "Why an MBA?" essay that I used for all schools and structured it a little differently to flow like a cover letter, but at the last second I realized that they said "Write a cover letter..." not "Write an essay that's kind of like a cover letter..."

So at the last second I added the MIT address and my address at the top and spaced it all out the way you would a business letter, and added a signature at the bottom. Is this what everyone else did? Or do you think they just wanted something that was an essay written similar to a cover-letter.

sm176811 · Answer

A Cover letter is not the same as an essay in a cover letter. A Cover letter usually more formal and needs to be addressed as if u are requesting for something (like a job or in this case admission into MIT).

naturallight · Answer

yeah, I formatted mine like a cover letter. the beginning was a formal introduction that would be appropriate for a cover letter, but much of the base material was the same.

johnnyx9 · Answer

So then did you also sign at the bottom and put the address up top like:

Rod Garcia
XXX Memorial Drive
Cambridge, MA

Johnnyx9
XXX Main St.
Boston, MA

Dear Rod Garcia,

sm176811 · Answer

yep

johnnyx9 · Answer

Cool.

I must be really dim, because that only ocurred to me at the last second. I guess it can't be emphasized enough "Read the question."

braindancer · Answer

Yeah, I did all mentioned above as well. I also made it much shorter - just an ultra-brief version of "what's so cool about me" that was only meant to make the guy read the rest of my app. I realize they would read it all anyway, but decided to adhere to a primary purpose of a cover letter.

Mark4124 · Answer

It is supposed to be addressed to Rod Garcia... So I addressed the thing to him in writing... not just address label at the top. It was a letter... to the guy... that is pretty clearly how it is supposed to be. It isn't an essay with a different address label... it is a letter to a person making your case.

Mark4124 · Answer

Mine was not the same as a job cover letter... How one would add to a business school class and how one would contribute to a company are fundementally different questions. I spoke somewhat personally about how I am different and how I would make a unique contribution to the class as well as how I was qualified. I would hope everyone applying is qualified and I did address that, but alof of my letter addressed how I was a unique applicant who would add flavor to the class.

johnnyx9 · Answer

Yeah I have no idea why I initially approached it as an essay, I must have been suffering brain damage from all the GMAT studying.

johnnyx9 · Answer

Mark 4124,

Did you say you addressed it "in writing"? In other words, you didn't just upload a document online, you sent in a written letter?

Mark4124 · Answer

No... I uploaded a document... what I meant by that is that my whole letter was just that... a letter, addressed throughout as if I was speaking about myself to a person. It was not an essay at all, it was personal...

Here is a quote...

"I bring to Sloan a unique background as well as strong footing in finance. I believe that I will make an enduring impact upon my class while at Sloan, and take away the skills necessary to make an impact beyond."

johnnyx9 · Answer

Okay, gotcha.

Did You Sloan Applicants Do This?

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