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novanative
Joined: 16 Aug 2011
Last visit: 14 Apr 2013
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Status:schools I listed were for the evening programs, not FT
Location: United States (VA)
GMAT 1: 640 Q43 V34
GMAT 2: 660 Q43 V38
GPA: 3.1
WE:Research (Other)
GMAT 2: 660 Q43 V38
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interviewbay
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Consulting2Finance
Joined: 12 Jan 2012
Last visit: 09 Dec 2015
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GMAT 1: 760 Q48 V46
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myEssayReview
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MBA Admissions Consultant
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There is no need to be scared of using your optional essay for explaining your bad GPA or any other weakness in your profile, as long as you are truthful. The UCLA had rejected those candidates for plagiarism i.e. for lifting portions from other people's essays from the internet or for having consultants write their essays which was detected by the plagiarism software. This means instead of stealing other people's ideas you need to express your own .
Every body has a story and what B-Schools want you to do is to share your OWN story in your own language.

Good luck with your optional essay. :-D