lbjc wrote:
Thank you so much for getting back to me! I appreciate it. Do you have any recommendations as to how to stand out during the process?
Posted from my mobile device
Top 10 ways to stand out:
1. Use the wingdings font in Word. Just don't go overboard. Choose your moments.
2. Randomly switch to French from time to time. Everything always sounds more intelligent when you write about
une idée extraordinaire. C'est ça? 3. Liberally sprinkle Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, and Mahatma Gandhi quotes. They'll be too guilty to reject you, because rejecting you would be rejecting MLK, Mandela, and Gandhi combined!
4. The judicious use of emoticons always add a cute touch
5. If you want to show that you're passionate about your goals, WRITE THEM IN ALL CAPS with plenty of exclamation marks. For example, "AFTER BUSINESS SCHOOL, I REALLY WANT TO WORK IN CONSULTING!!!! I BELIEVE THE JOB IS THE PERFECT FIT FOR MY SKILLS! LET ME IN!!!"
6. Essays that ask about non-work stuff, always talk about your dogs. Who doesn't love dogs? Especially pugs. And for those schools like Booth or NYU that allow you to send in pics, just fill it with cute pictures of your dog, your neighbor's teacup pig, or even your boyfriend's grumpy cat. Aww, who could reject something so adorable?
7. In the essays and rec letters, include a few URL links to online gift cards. Hint hint wink wink.
8. End your "goals" essay with "#yolo" They want you to be genuine, so hashtag it baby! #donthatetheplayahatethegame #yolo
9. In the interview, try and hold a duckface throughout (you know, pursing the lips and sucking in the cheeks like so many selfies on Facebook and Instagram). Although this would be even funnier if a guy did it.
10. Convince the adcom in your essays that you are a descendant of Daenerys Targaryen, and that you have dragons. Not one, not two, but *three* dragons. That, is your contribution to the b-school community. And make sure to mention that the TV show and books based on your family's life is libelous and wholly inaccurate. Dragons are not dangerous at all. They're cute, like the dogs you wrote about in your other essays. Aww, cuddly wuddly dragons!
All kidding aside (yes there are applicants out there dense enough to take this literally), you haven't really given me a whole lot to work with. "Standing out" is something YOU have to work on through many iterations of the essays. It's a process, not some paint-by-numbers recipe (because if it was, then it defeats the whole purpose of "standing out" if everyone follows the same thing, right?).
In short, be good and be interesting. How one does that is as individual as the applicant herself/himself.
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18 Jul 2013, 13:25
