Blog: Archive for the “Application Tips” Category

Many essay writers use medium-length sentences (like this one) in their essays. Few use short sentences (like this one.) Likewise, few use long sentences in their essays, even though long sentences (like this one) can often play a useful role in an essay’s structure and story. Confused? Consider the following example: “At XYZ Inc., I … Read More  

This week we offer an oxymoron of sorts: extreme humility. We suppose that one candidate could be more humble than the next, but one could never refer to oneself as “extremely humble,” because doing so would undermine the very claim to humility. Our philosophy at mbaMission is that candidates should let their experiences captivate the … Read More  

Sincerity. Honesty. Candor. We encourage candidates to strive to incorporate these attributes into their application work, and when they do, successful essays inevitably follow. Yet, can one express too much of these attributes? The answer is “yes,” especially when candor turns to negativity. Sometimes, when candidates believe they are being candid, they are in fact … Read More  

When tailoring essays to specific schools, many candidates do not go far enough to connect themselves with their targets. Offering school-specific information is good, but merely mentioning the particular resource that will be used is not enough—you need to take the extra step, adding context to your educational objectives. What is the difference between a mere … Read More  

When most business school candidates read an essay question, they interpret it quite literally. For example, when Kellogg asks applicants to “Briefly assess your career progress to date. Elaborate on your future career plans and your motivation for pursuing a graduate degree at Kellogg. (600-word limit),” many applicants assume that they must answer each subquestion within … Read More