申請MBA留學(xué)Essay注意技巧

第頁共頁申請MBA留學(xué)Essay注意技巧申請MBA留學(xué)Essay注意技巧Partofthebusinessgraduateschooladmissionsprocessistheessay--yourchancetospeakdirectlytothepeoplemakingthedecisions.Learntowriteagreatessaywiththesedosanddon'ts.Ifyou'reapplyingtobusinessgraduateschool,theMBAessayisyouropportunitytogetpersonalandshowmoreofyourselfthanfill-in-the-blankapplicationsortranscriptsevercould.ButbeforeyouunleashyourinnerFaulkner,reviewthesetipsfromDonnaSpinella,assistantdeananddirectoroftheDukeMBACrossContinentProgramatDukeUniversity'sFuquaSchoolofBusiness.SpellingandGrammarCount.“Oneortwotinyerrors,ofcourse,arenobigdeal,”saysSpinella.Apatternoferrors,though,isaredflag.“Itoftenmeansoneoftwothings:Themunicationskillsareweakorthatthepersoniscareless.”PresentationCounts,ButDon'tOverdoIt.Nohandwrittenessaysonsmudgedpaper,please.Otherwise,keepitstraightforwardandletthequalityofyourwordsmaketheimpression.“There'snoneedtogildthelily,”shesays.“Puttingitonfancystationeryortryingtojazzitupwithfunkyfontsisnotgoingtowinyoubrowniepoints.”WatchYourLength.“Ifyoureally,reallywanttowintheheartsofthepeoplereading[youressay],sticktotherequestedlength,”saysSpinella,explainingthestandardessaylengthrequestedisbetweentwoandthreedouble-spacedpages.“Wehavereaderswho,ifanessayrunssignificantlylonger,juststopreadingwherewe'vesetthepagelimit.”BeHonest.AnMBAessayiscertainlynottheplacetobeshyaboutyourmerits,butit'snoplacetostretchthetruth.“Whenpartsoftheapplicationdon'tfittogether,it'seasytosurmisethatsomeoneisprobablystretchingthetruthbeyondoptimisticinterpretation,”shesays.Don'tTellReadersWhatYouThinkTheyWanttoHear.Schoolsreceivethousandsofessays.Distinguishyourselfbyansweringthoughtfully.“Wereallydowanttounderstandpeople'sownuniquethoughtssotellussomethingunique.Ifyouarenotarealiconoclast,thenatleastdescribeyourstrengths,skillsandpotentialcontributionswiththelevelofdepthandpassionyouwantustobelieveyouwillbringtotheprogram,”Spinellasays.AnswertheQuestionsAsked.UseConcrete,PersonalExles.It'smuchmorepowerfultoreadapersonalexperienceintheanswertoaquestionaboutleadership,forexle,thanjustanopinion.Evenifyou'reapplyingto10schools,don'twriteonegenericessay.“We'reinterestedinmorethanjustwhytheywanttogotobusinessschool,ingeneral,”shesays.“Wewanttohearwhytheyspecificallywanttoetothisschoolandthisparticularprogram.”UseYourEssaytoExplainGaps.Spinellasaysit'snotunmontoreceiveastrongapplicationthatcontainssomespottiness.Theessayistheplacetoexplainwhathappened.Thatsaid,don'tdiminishyourselfintheessay.“We'renotlookingforanapology,”shesays.“We'relookingforanexplanation.”HaveSomeoneElseReadYourEssay.Spinellarecallsaless-than-impressiveessayonrisk-takinginwhichthewriterchosetowriteaboutwhetherornottopurchaseacar.“Havesomeoneelsereadit,”shesays.“Ask'IsthisreallyinterestingWouldanybodycare'”ShowYou'reaHardWorker.“We'realwaysreadingbetweenthelinestofindmitment,”shesays.GettinganMBAisdaunting,andapplicationessayreadersarelookingforqualitiesindicatingapplicantshavewhatittakestogetthroughtheprogram.ThereAreLimits.It'sanessay,notaconfession.“Don'ttellusthingsthataretoopersonal,”shewarns.“Usethelevelofdiscretionyouwouldusethefirstorsecondtimeyoumeetsomeoneinasocialsetting.”Yourapplicationessay