If you are aiming for an MBA admission, you will need to write an admission essay, which is by no means easy. It assumes importance since it tells a few things about you to the admission committee.
Why an admission essay?
The admission committee gauges the following from your essay:
- Writing skills: Your essay indicates your fluency, style and clarity in English that is the bedrock of indispensable communication skills required in business schools and your future career. So, develop your writing skills to get your point across concisely and elegantly.
- Knowing you better: An essay not only indicates your writing skills but helps the committee to judge you by the way you say it in your essay. It provides an insight into who you are and what your aspirations are. It also shows your self-awareness and how you handled your past challenges, etc.
- Adaptability to campus climate: The admission committee is not only looking for your accomplishments but also your ability to be a team player. Your essay indicates whether you are capable of adapting to the campus climate, work well with others and contribute your mite to the campus diversity in a meaningful way.
- Showcasing your qualities: You can showcase several skills in your essay that may not be apparent in the resume alone, such as communication skills, problem-solving skills, leadership skills, goal clarity and ethical behavior.
Writing a Winning MBA Application
#1 Polish your writing skills
Since you are expected to write MBA entrance essay in brief, it requires a lot of skill and polishing, which is time-consuming. So, be deliberate in writing your essay to put all your points across most succinctly and clearly. The key is to start writing your essay much before the deadline so that you can mull over all the aspects and not miss any. Once you have gathered all the information, start by first making a draft and then develop it into the final essay.
#2 Showcase all your qualities
If you have leadership and other skills, an essay is the place to showcase them. The admission committee will be looking for these qualities in your essay. However, you have to be subtle in stating them. Merely saying that you have excellent leadership skills won’t do. You will have to demonstrate them with your real-life examples, where you used your skills to overcome obstacles.
#3 Display clarity about your goals
Generally stating what your future goals are may not cut the ice with the admission committee, so be as specific as possible. Specific goals indicate that you have researched them well and have a fair idea of how an MBA degree will help you achieve them. For this, you will need to undertake thorough research of the industry you want to enter.
#4 KISS
The oft used acronym, KISS (keep it short stupid), applies here too. You will in all probability be given a word count, so see to it that you don’t overstep it. This is only possible if you are clear about what you want to state. In case there is no word count mentioned, remember less is more.
#5 Be balanced in stating your pluses and minuses
You may get tempted to state only your strengths, thinking that it will impress the admission committee. However, stating your weaknesses is as important, since it shows that you are forthright and honest. Integrity is much sought after in any organization.
#6 Get personal
Since it is an admission essay, you can afford to get personal and not focus only on your professional background. Though nobody is interested in your life story, you must showcase your personality to give an idea of your personal background and life experiences to the admission committee.
#7 Revision is a must
Read what you have written again and again. This way, you will not only catch mistakes that may have crept into your essay but also spot any vital aspect you may have missed mentioning. Error-prone essays put off the reader and make you come across as thoughtless and unprofessional.
Conclusion
Writing an MBA application is the most crucial part of getting an MBA admission. If you falter at this step, you can well be left twiddling your thumbs. So, get down to honing your skills to write a winning MBA application.
