With regard to the tone of your essays, you must ensure that the admissions committees readily recognize your certainty and self-confidence. Being clear and direct about who you are and how you envision your future is vital. Consider the following basic examples:
Weak: “I now have adequate work experience and hope to pursue an MBA.”
Strong: “Through my work experience, I have gained both breadth and depth, providing me with a solid, practical foundation for pursuing my MBA.”
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Weak: “I now want to pursue an MBA.”
Strong: “I am certain that now is the ideal time for me to pursue my MBA.”
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Weak: “I have good quantitative skills and will succeed academically.”
Strong: “I have already mastered the quantitative skills necessary to thrive in my MBA studies.”
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Weak: “With my MBA, I hope to establish myself as a leader.”
Strong: “I am certain that with my MBA, I will propel myself to the next levels of leadership.”
The key in all of these examples is the use of language that clearly projects self-confidence—instead of “hope,” use “will;” instead of saying you have “good” skills, show “mastery.” Although you should avoid sounding arrogant, by being assertive and direct, you will inspire confidence in your reader and ensure that you make a positive impression.