Blog: Archive for the “Essays” Category

You may have heard the old journalistic maxim “Show, don’t tell,” which demands that writers truly illustrate the actions involved in an event or a story rather than simply stating the results of what happened. Here is an example of “telling” (results oriented): “I arrived at ABC Bank and took on a great deal of … Read More  

Applying to business school is certainly not something to be taken lightly or put off until the last minute! It is a significant decision, and the process is time-consuming, but earning your MBA has the potential to provide meaningful returns, both financially and personally. If you are a natural planner who likes to thoroughly evaluate … Read More  

Most high school students in the United States are taught to write essays that have a formal introduction, a body that supports that introduction, and a conclusion that reinforces the main point presented in the introduction. Although this approach and structure yield easily comprehensible academic work, business school application essays are constrained by word count—so … Read More  

A common mistake we see in our clients’ MBA application essays is the misuse of the verb “lead.” A deeply entrenched and widespread misunderstanding seems to exist as to which spelling connotes present tense and which connotes past tense. One of our consultants even had a client raise their voice in passionate defense—of the wrong … Read More  

This year, Harvard Business School (HBS) revamped its essay prompts. It has replaced its previous, open-ended question about what else you would like to share with the admissions committee with three shorter, more defined essay prompts: a Business-Minded Essay, a Leadership-Focused Essay, and a Growth-Oriented Essay. With Round 2 application deadlines just around the corner, … Read More