Let me preface this by saying that this could just be another paranoid reapplicant posting.
A few things got me thinking about this topic. 1) Ryhme's very informative post regarding the LEAD program at GSB. 2) The Ross MBA pamphlet, in particular, the discussion on MAP 3) You can plug in any other "school specific" item here, such as KWEST, Value Investing Program at CBS, Team Fuqua, Case Method at Darden, and on and on.
After having gone through the application process once already, albeit rather unsuccessfully, there are a couple of things that I realize are SUPER important. 1) Standing out in a positive manner (i.e., be memorable) and 2) Showing some serious love towards the school.
The first is really dependent on your life experiences, but can be improved and enhanced based on how you spin your work/life stories to make them memorable and important. The second is something that will be “relatively” the same for a huge chunk of applicants. For instance, you could say things such as:
“I am interested in GSB because of the LEAD program. It will teach me X, Y, and Z and will make me a more effective leader. The opportunity to be involved in this…”
“Chicago's flexible curriculum will also benefit me because...”
“Darden’s case method provides a great environment for learning and will allow me to really cultivate my critical thinking and analytical skills. This type of student interaction and the preparation required will be important for my role as a Management Consultant…”
I think a main reason that these topics are discussed at nauseam is because they are such a big part of why these schools are great and why they are unique. Also, even going through school websites and pamphlets, the schools post these very reasons as to why they think their programs are great. I guess what I'm trying to say here is, A LOT of people are going to discuss these things. From the adcom's perspective, are these types of topics a requirement to show that you have general knowledge of the program or is the word count better left to more “obscure” or intimate topics that won't be repeated by 5,000 other applications?
Cheers,
ryguy