The Fast Track to the Deny Pile

MBA AdComs have to read hundreds of MBA applications every round.

Do you know the surest way to bore them to death (or at least to "deny")? Write sentences like this:

“Therefore, on a day-to-day basis, I am absorbed in managing customer projects of varying magnitude, ensuring that work aligns with organizational capabilities and/or risk mitigation policy, working to ensure and maintain compliance, pinpointing and fulfilling coaching needs of my employees, and lastly, endeavoring to reach personalized targets set individually by the executive leadership.”

A 53!Words!Sentence!

I’m pretty sure this is illegal in some countries. Or it should be.

If the MBA AdCom can even bring themselves to finish reading this, the only thing they’ll learn is that you are an insufferable writer.

That you're unable to synthesize your experience succinctly.

And that you're having a hard time relaying information in a way that makes it possible for an audience to understand.

Which ultimately means that your analytical and communication skills leave a lot to be desired.

All qualities that can send your application straight to the “deny” pile.

You Have One Job

As an MBA candidate, your number one task is to make it easy for the MBA AdCom to understand your story.

Before you try to vow, impress, charm, and win over, you need to be clear on what you want to share with the AdCom. And you need to be capable of conveying it with clarity, conviction, and simple but skilled writing.

Essays That Win

You often hear how you need to have an “MBA story”. How your MBA story is the most critical component of your candidacy, much more important than your statistics.

It’s true that the best way to think of your MBA application is as a story. And it’s also true that a compelling story can outweigh statistics.

Yet, it’s often hard to know what this concept means, and developing that story for yourself can be even harder.

So Where Do You Begin?

​I have some ideas for you.​

Ready to Ink It Up?

​A while ago, I talked about the power of embracing a journalistic writing style for your essays. ​

But there's another tip that helps your writing pack a punch.

It's almost ridiculously simple.

Vary your sentences length!

Don't believe me?

Here's what happens when you do it:

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Now go write!

If you're applying in Round 1, that's what you should be doing. Right now.

Write music that pulls the reader in.

Write essays that make the AdCom want to meet you.

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Onwards and upwards,

Petia

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P.S. Creating an outstanding MBA story is an art of omission. What you leave out is just as important as what you leave in.​