Last visit was: 19 Nov 2025, 10:53 It is currently 19 Nov 2025, 10:53
Home
GMAT
Messages
Tests
Schools
Events
Rewards
Chat
My Profile
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
mailtheguru
User avatar
Joined: 31 May 2006
Last visit: 25 Mar 2007
Posts: 185
Own Kudos:
89
Location: Phoenix AZ
Posts: 185
Kudos: 89
Wharton Essays 16 Dec 2006, 12:16
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
1. Describe a personal characteristic or quality that will help the Admissions Committee to know you better.
3. What do you do best?

What is the difference between these two?
User avatar
EconGirl
User avatar
Joined: 15 Jul 2006
Last visit: 24 Aug 2007
Posts: 365
Own Kudos:
5
Posts: 365
Kudos: 5
Wharton Essays 17 Dec 2006, 08:50
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
The way I see it is that what do you do best sets u up to talk about one thing you are exceptional in. the characteristic question, you could talk about more than one thing as examples (in the same essay).

I am interested to hear what other people think as well. Also, would you ever do both of these questions? They are a part of wharton's choose 2 of 4 essays: the other 2 are about 1) ethical dilema and 2) impact on team/organization.
User avatar
rhyme
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 05 Apr 2006
Last visit: 02 Dec 2024
Posts: 5,909
Own Kudos:
3,172
Given Kudos: 7
Affiliations: HHonors Diamond, BGS Honor Society
Schools: Chicago (Booth) - Class of 2009
GMAT 1: 730 Q45 V45
WE:Business Development (Consumer Packaged Goods)
Schools: Chicago (Booth) - Class of 2009
GMAT 1: 730 Q45 V45
Posts: 5,909
Kudos: 3,172
Wharton Essays 17 Dec 2006, 10:03
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
mailtheguru
1. Describe a personal characteristic or quality that will help the Admissions Committee to know you better.
3. What do you do best?

What is the difference between these two?
Show more


They seem like totally different questions to me... Maybe I look at them differently :)

Question 1 is basically saying "Ok, we have your resume, we have your GMAT scores, we have your recommednations and you've told us why you want an MBA. That's all great and fun, but tell me something about yourself that I wouldn't otherwise know. Make it interesting. I'm interested in knowing about you as a person. Imagine I'm a woman sitting at a bar all alone in a corner, slowly downing chocolate martini's as tears fall down my face into the drink, giving it a slightly salty flavour. How would you pick me up? In other words, what makes you interesting instead of a boring abusing husband like that two-timing bastard she married last year?"

Q1 doesnt need to be immediately valuable to the school/woman you are picking up. For example, "Excuse me maam, but did you know I'm really into sky diving?" - not exactly valuable, but interesting.

Question 2 says: "Ok, everyone who applies is good at something. You might be good at lots of things, but I don't care. I want to know what you think you are really really good at. I really don't want to hear about how you are a master programmer, cause that's pretty boring. Pick something thats not as esoteric as Q1, something that can have an impact to the school or your study group, but please don't be cliched and say your best skill is leadership. Thats going to be pretty transparent. Pick something thats backed up by a story or two and is a soft-skill."

Q2 has to be related to the school/woman you are picking up. For example, "I'm a monster in bed. This will be beneficial for you."

Q1 gets the woman to turn around and wipe her tears. Q2 gets her home with you.

So here are some possible approaches to Q1:

What do you do in your spare time that you haven't really discussed at length already?
Can you talk about this with passion?
Will it be believable?
Is it something at least marginally unique?

And for Q2:

Why do you think you've been sucessful so far in your career?
Is it a soft skill of some kind or is it something more boring like math skills?
Can you relate how this skill will help you in grad school?
Can you relate how it might help the student body?
Are there specific elements of teh school that you can talk about that can help you further develop this skill or utilize it?

Nice clean easy essays because you can really write about stuff you are passionate about, instead of pandering to a formulaic question on ethics or something boring like that.

Personally I'd probably pick Q1 and the "impact on team/organization" assuming I hadn't already talked about either of these elements elsewhere.
User avatar
GMATcram
User avatar
Joined: 27 Oct 2005
Last visit: 29 Dec 2007
Posts: 182
Own Kudos:
7
Posts: 182
Kudos: 7
Wharton Essays 17 Dec 2006, 16:10
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Q1 is different from Background essay? Something Adcome want to hear...