Blog: Archive for the “Application Tips” Category

When MBA admissions officers read your application, they want feel inspired by your personal statement; they want to feel that you have a strong sense of purpose and that you will aggressively work toward your goals. So, you need to ensure that you are not presenting generic or shallow goals. Although this problem is not … Read More  

In the past, we have advised MBA candidates to exercise caution in choosing to write the optional essay. (See our Monday Morning Essay Tip: The Optional Mistake.) Our philosophy has not changed on this point, but we do want to make MBA candidates aware of certain circumstances, other than discussing a problem area, that may necessitate … Read More  

“The semester I spent in France during high school was a unique experience.” “I want to attend Columbia Business School because of its unique Entrepreneurial Club.” “The opportunity to do hands-on consulting at Ross is unique.” “My finance background and strong interpersonal skills will allow me to make a unique contribution to Cornell’s Investment Management … Read More  

When writing about your career, strive to inspire your reader by showing that your goals are ambitious, but not so ambitious that they are implausible. You should work to find a middle ground between goals that are easily achievable and those that are naïve or entirely fantastic. For example, stating that in the short term, … Read More  

Several top business schools explicitly ask candidates about the steps they have taken to learn about their MBA program. Via such questions, the schools are testing you: they want to know that you have a sincere desire to gain a place in their next entering class specifically, and so they want to know that you … Read More