Getting started on those essays

After the GMAT, writing the admissions essays is one of the most daunting tasks. For those of us who are not born writers, just to get started on the essays can be tough. While I researched most of the top MBA schools for close to two years, I eventually ended up applying only to INSEAD. Through this post, I hope to share with you the specific steps I took to get started on my essays for INSEAD.

1.       Keep a diary for admissions essays: I got this tip from a HBS video I watched online when I first started my research and it helped me capture all those fleeting thoughts I had throughout the day. Copy the admissions essay questions into your diary/notebook/word document.

2.      Reflect often and reflect deeply:

a.      Think about what you would say to a good friend/favorite sibling/significant other over coffee in response to the question. Take them out for coffee if it helps. Think/talk about where would you like to be in 5 years? What makes you interesting? What makes you a leader? This may make you slightly uncomfortable as it will gradually become a collection of your most personal and deep reflections about yourself, your abilities, your leadership theories, fears and what you would like to learn at MBA School.

b.      Think stories. Anecdotes from your childhood, high school or undergrad. Stories from work/personal situations that convey something about you and relate to questions.

c.       Observe yourself from a third person perspective in those stories—what did you do or didn’t do? What did that tell you about yourself and how does it make you a better leader to know what you know now? What else will you need to learn to become even better?

3.      Write in bullets if it helps: After a few days/weeks, you should have enough material to start writing in bullets a first draft of each essay. You may find yourself spinning out an entire essay in the first sitting for some essays.  For others you may have to go back to reflecting and capturing new thoughts again, which is alright as well.

The essay process becomes much easier once you have something on paper that you can discuss with friends and family, especially those that have gone through the MBA admissions process themselves. The self-reflection process will undoubtedly be extremely useful once you do embark on your MBA. Good luck!

Sweeny Chhabra, Forté Fellow
MBA 2013, INSEAD

 

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Two Strategies to Jump-Start your Essay Writing Process

Write Great Essays While Preparing for your Internship Search

MBA orientation is different than undergrad orientation in only one way: it is incredibly job focused. Orientation made it clear to me that much of the preparation for my internship search could have been accomplished while writing my admissions essays. Many of you are preparing your applications for the first round of MBA admissions in October. The application process, much like your MBA program, makes incredible demands on your time, so working smart is key. Here’s how I propose you leverage interview logic and company research to write better admissions essays and prepare for your internship search at the same time.

Develop 10 core stories about yourself and your experience.

Hanna Morgan, writing for US News, likens interviewing to improvising and says that most improv performers“adapt pre-rehearsed stories based on the responses from the audience.” If you draft ten pre-rehearsed stories you can adapt them to almost any interview question; you’ll also have 10 stories to insert into your admissions essays.

The key to a great story is its structure. I recommend the STAR structure. When you first start outlining or when you’re stuck with an essay going nowhere fast, force yourself to identify 10 situations (S) were you were given a task (T) and took actions (A) to complete the task, producing tangible results (R). If you can do this when you’re brainstorming your essays then you’ll have no problem selling your experience during an interview.

Do company research.

Check out The Two Hour Job Search, by Steve Dalton. It is a quick and organized way to identify your dream companies and companies that hired alumni from your program (or future program.) Force yourself to compile your list while writing your essays. Not only will your personal statement become clearer, in combination with your 10 stories, this list will help you see connections between where you’ve been and where you want to go – a key component of a strong essay’s structure.

Hindsight is 20/20 and looking back I wish I had had a comprehensive approach to essay writing. If you approach your essays as an extension of your job search preparation you’ll save a lot of time your first semester. If you have other suggestions for how to work smart I’d love to hear your strategies!

Amelia Crist, Forté Fellow
MBA 2014, Michigan State University (Broad College of Business)

Reflections and Advice on the MBA Application Journey

The first rule of applying for an MBA is that preparing your applications is always going to take longer than you expect… Planning is everything, especially if you’re applying to multiple schools. You will not only need to dedicate time to researching schools and programmes, but also to meeting students and alumni where possible; all this amidst an already hectic work schedule! Let’s start with the GMAT. The most important advice I can give you is to practice computerised tests (you usually get a few with a good GMAT book or find further information on mba.com); they’re worth their cost in time and money and prepare you for what the test is really like. I would suggest taking the GMAT as you are serious about an MBA as there is a lot of deadline-related pressure with essays, letters and interviews. In hindsight I wish I’d taken it soon after finishing my undergraduate degree.

For your essays and recommendation letters, I think it’s important to present yourself in an interesting but consistent way. You need your file to stand out amidst thousands of applicants so think clarity, brevity and focus. Think carefully about what you will personally bring to the class and what you stand for; essentially you need to define your value proposition and then articulate this within the specific context of every school. You also need to strike a balance between capturing what you have to offer and what you’re trying to develop or achieve through an MBA. Coming back to consistency, I think managers who know you well and who believe in you are best placed to write your recommendation letters. Remember that writing recommendations take time, so ensure you give your referees enough time for these. When it comes to interviews (usually conducted by alumni) schools’ approaches can be quite different. It’s worth doing up-front research so you know what to expect. Again, consistency is key. It is important to convey your motivations clearly and also to show that you have ideas and opinions. Staying abreast of current affairs is an easy way to do this. They’re looking for people who will add positively and significantly to the class and remember, one day you’ll potentially be joining your interviewer’s alumni network… Finally – enjoy it! You’ll learn about yourself through the process.

What are your experiences with applications? Do you have other suggestions? Please share here.

Sam Streicher, Forte Fellow
London Business School, Class of 2012