Blog: Archive for the “Essays” Category

Each year, thousands of people apply to the top business schools. Although many of them opt to work with an MBA admissions consultant, many others do not. We at mbaMission find that this decision greatly depends on each candidate’s personal, professional, and financial circumstances. In this post, we address several common questions from applicants related … Read More  

We at mbaMission often tell candidates, “You cannot turn a bad idea into a good essay.” We insist on taking our clients through a lengthy brainstorming process—starting with a thorough questionnaire—to discover the stories that make them distinct. As you uncover your stories, consider each one from as many different angles as possible. Doing so … Read More  

Many MBA applicants—such as male investment bankers and Indian software engineers—worry that they are overrepresented in the candidate pool. Applicants cannot change their work histories, of course, but they can change the way they introduce themselves to the admissions committee. Consider the following examples: Example 1: “As an investment banker, I…” Example 2: “Managing a … Read More  

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  

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