Many admissions officials have agreed that about 80% of the applicant pool is fully qualified to do well in their programs. But as we all know, the admission rate for most top MBA and other graduate school programs is quite low.
Good academic performance and test scores are critical to gaining admission. And beyond this, applicants with plenty of great professional and other (leadership and international) experiences have a big advantage in the graduate school application process. The application essays are the key vehicle that applicants can use to deliver a powerful message about these experiences that can differentiate them from the other 80% of qualified applicants.
However, many graduate school applicants that have abundant experiences and many skills struggle to use the essays to differentiate themselves. Applicants often attempt to squeeze too many details about their experiences and explanations about all the incredible skills they have into a short essay. The result can be a cluttered message: the person has mentioned so many things that it is hard to clearly understand their core value.
The purpose of this blog post is to encourage MBA and graduate school candidates to first carefully think about their core value (or value proposition) and then build the essays around that message. Perhaps your core message is related to your international perspective, entrepreneurial mindset or ability think proactively and solve problems. If so, find ways to weave these concepts into your essays by explaining how this mentality affected your past decisions and future plan.
Graduate school programs definitely look for well-rounded students – but you don’t need to convince the admissions committee that you are good at everything. If the admissions committee can clearly understand your core value, they will more likely have a memorable impression of you. A lot of people have a skill or knowledge area that they are particularly strong in or a personality trait that sets them apart. First analyze what sets you apart and develop a core message. Then, instead of trying to persuade the admissions committee that you are good at everything, maximize your core message and subtly highlight your key experiences and stills related to it.
To use an analogy from business, the clothing giant Ralph Lauren now has a prominent product line in almost every possible fashion category and distribution around the globe. However, Ralph Lauren didn’t become a global icon overnight – this brand had humble beginnings as a necktie producer. The company’s exceptional necktie designs and elegant brand image allowed them to accumulate a dedicated customer base that eventually led to a partnership with a major department store and then rapid expansion from that point forward. The bottom line is that Ralph Lauren was not a top designer in all product categories from the beginning; it all started with neckties and then everything was built from there.
Thus I challenge graduate school applicants to find their core value (their “necktie” so to speak), and then build their own “brand image” in the essays around those key selling points. By taking this approach you will be able to deliver a memorable impression to the admissions committee, and increase your chances of acceptance.