{"id":2730,"date":"2021-05-21T15:48:14","date_gmt":"2021-05-21T15:48:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/abound.college\/mba\/?post_type=advice&#038;p=2730"},"modified":"2021-05-21T15:49:07","modified_gmt":"2021-05-21T15:49:07","slug":"7-tips-for-perfecting-your-mba-admissions-essay","status":"publish","type":"advice","link":"https:\/\/abound.college\/mba\/advice\/7-tips-for-perfecting-your-mba-admissions-essay\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Tips for Perfecting Your MBA Admissions Essay"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">With many current and future professionals rushing to get their <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/abound.college\/mba\/advice\/what-is-an-mba-what-how-and-why-to-study\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Master of Business Administration<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> every year, the application process can often seem cutthroat and intimidating. If you have been spending time putting together an <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/abound.college\/mba\/advice\/what-are-the-admission-requirements-for-an-mba-program\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">application<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, or if you\u2019re simply considering whether to get an MBA, it\u2019s important to pay attention to often under-emphasized application components. Sure, your undergraduate <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/abound.college\/mba\/advice\/how-to-get-into-grad-school-with-a-low-gpa\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">GPA<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/abound.college\/mba\/advice\/are-my-test-scores-good-enough-to-get-into-grad-school\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">GMAT\/GRE<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> scores, and your professional experience are important, but many underestimate the impact that can be had with a strong personal statement and essay.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The truth is that even the \u201cbest\u201d students with high test scores can be turned down from an MBA program if their essay or recommendation letters lack substance. Inversely, students with <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/abound.college\/mba\/advice\/how-to-improve-your-undergraduate-gpa-after-graduating-college\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">lower-than-desired grades<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> can drastically improve their chances of getting in with an impactful essay. Read our tips for perfecting your business school essay, and get ready to pursue your life-changing MBA education!<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">1. Demonstrate that you are a doer.<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Business schools desire leaders\u2014individuals that can stand out in a crowd. Don\u2019t just <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">say <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">you are a leader, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">prove<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> it. Think of specific experiences in your personal and professional life where you\u2019ve been a leader and tell it in a compelling way. In your essay, be sure to use examples that demonstrate you take initiative. Use active voice and power verbs in your description of specific events. The STAR method is an easy way to engage readers while highlighting your abilities. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Results. This acronym will help you stay focused and write an answer that provides background, tells exactly what you worked on, and what results you achieved.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">2. Demonstrate you have real life experience.<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Anecdotes and detailed stories make a greater impact than general claims. Put some life into the skills and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/abound.college\/mba\/advice\/getting-college-credit-for-life-experience-you-already-have\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">experiences<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> on your r\u00e9sum\u00e9. Admissions officials know that you are more than the work you do. Don\u2019t be afraid to use examples from your personal life to demonstrate how you have overcome obstacles or developed a passion for your work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">3. Tailor your essay to the individual school.<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Why are you the right fit for this school\u2019s program? You\u2019ve heard it time and time again that you should tailor your application materials to schools and jobs. We\u2019re going to tell you one more time. Make sure your essay is unique to each school! Admissions officers will know if you\u2019ve copy and pasted the same essay. Do some research about your prospective program and incorporate specifics into your essay. For example, when you are telling a story that demonstrates your skills, describe how they apply to the program you\u2019re applying for. Mention specific classes, professors, or other unique things that the school offers. Doing so will communicate to admissions staff that you are a serious candidate and that you will be an asset to the program.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">4. Get your voice to shine through.<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you can bring enthusiasm through written communication, it will likely excite admissions personnel that count on participation in the classroom. Your essay is your opportunity to show the admissions team that you\u2019ll be a valuable asset to the program.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">5. Avoid industry jargon.<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you work in digital marketing, tell the story\u2014but remember, your essay reviewer probably does not know what a CPL is. A great way to ensure your essay is digestible is to have someone outside of your industry read it. They can help you refine your essay so it is clear, concise, and compelling.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">6. Make it personal.<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You are a real person\u2014demonstrating humor and\/or vulnerability is key. Admissions officers are real people, too, and will likely find a unique essay far more compelling than the cookie-cutter essay you might <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">think <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">they want. Think of how many essays your reviewer has to read in a week. Which one will be most memorable?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Being personable and being professional are not independent of one another. You can still show your potential as a future business leader while still demonstrating your charisma and humility.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">7. Review and Revise<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Have a colleague, supervisor, or trusted friend read over your work before you submit it. On the most basic level, an editor will point out any grammar and spelling mistakes. An editor also ensures clarity, continuity, and cohesiveness. Having someone you trust review your essay will help you identify weak points or missed opportunities. An added bonus is that they probably have their own unique perspectives on the events or skills you\u2019re describing, and can add some extra insight you might not have had otherwise.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Even if you feel that your r\u00e9sum\u00e9 speaks for itself, you should never overlook the importance of a strong essay. Take the time to write thoughtfully, and you just might outshine other competitors in your applicant pool. Need help with the rest of your application? Abound: MBA has plenty of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/abound.college\/mba\/advice\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">advice<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to give, from looking for a school to mastering your business-school classes. We\u2019re excited to join you on your journey to professional success!<\/span><\/p>\n<span class=\"et_bloom_bottom_trigger\"><\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Use these seven tips from Abound MBA to craft the perfect MBA application essay.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":2732,"template":"","class_list":["post-2730","advice","type-advice","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","abound_advice_topics-finding-the-right-program","abound_advice_topics-application-process","abound_advice_topics-getting-accepted"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>7 Tips for Perfecting Your MBA Admissions Essay - Abound: MBA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Use these seven tips from Abound MBA to craft the perfect MBA application essay.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/abound.college\/mba\/advice\/7-tips-for-perfecting-your-mba-admissions-essay\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"7 Tips for Perfecting Your MBA Admissions Essay\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Use these seven tips from Abound MBA to craft the perfect MBA application essay.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/abound.college\/mba\/advice\/7-tips-for-perfecting-your-mba-admissions-essay\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Abound: MBA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-05-21T15:49:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/abound.college\/mba\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/05\/mba-essay-1-1.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"650\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"428\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/abound.college\\\/mba\\\/advice\\\/7-tips-for-perfecting-your-mba-admissions-essay\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/abound.college\\\/mba\\\/advice\\\/7-tips-for-perfecting-your-mba-admissions-essay\\\/\",\"name\":\"7 Tips for Perfecting Your MBA Admissions Essay - 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