![\"Manhattan](\"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/19\/2018\/06\/contextualize-goals-mba-application-essay-mbamission.png\")
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Taking the GRE for your business school application? You\u2019re in luck. Each month, we\u2019re featuring a series of admission tips from our exclusive admissions consulting partner, <\/i><\/b>mbaMission<\/i><\/b><\/a>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n When business school candidates read an MBA application essay prompt, they often interpret it quite literally. For example, when a school asks applicants a multi-part question such as \u201cWhat will you contribute to our school\u2019s community, and how will being part of it help you extend your professional vision?,\u201d many applicants assume they must answer the sub-questions in the exact order in which they are asked. However, this is not true. Such questions are actually quite flexible, and sometimes, you can better engage your reader by pursuing your own structure.<\/span><\/p>\n We have found that for overrepresented candidates with unique professional goals, one strategy that can be quite helpful is leading with goals instead of professional history. After all, \u201ctypical\u201d experience is not as captivating as unusual (but realistic!) ambitions. So, the technologist who plans to open a boutique hotel or the investment banker who aspires to start a competitive windsurfing circuit can use these bold goals to stand out from the start.<\/span><\/p>\n We must emphasize, however, that such candidates need to have and portray a compelling connection to their goals, and we do not suggest that overrepresented candidates strive to imagine or create \u201cwild\u201d goals just to catch an admissions committee\u2019s attention. However, if you have a profound connection to an uncommon aspiration, then responding to a school\u2019s questions in a different order and ensuring that your goals are front and center could make a difference.<\/span><\/p>\n Another trend we have noticed is that when tailoring their MBA application essay to specific schools, many candidates do not go far enough to demonstrate a clear and understandable connection between themselves and their target programs. Offering school-specific information is good, but you must go beyond merely mentioning the particular resource(s) that appeal to you\u2014you must add context for your claims.<\/span><\/p>\n What is the difference between a mere mention and providing context?<\/span><\/p>\n Mention:<\/b><\/p>\n \u201cWith a focus on entrepreneurship, I will participate in Columbia\u2019s Entrepreneurial Sounding Board process. Further, I am attracted to classes such as \u2018Small Business Finance,\u2019 \u2018Real Estate Marketing,\u2019 and \u2018Introduction to Mergers.\u2019 I also plan to join the\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Context:<\/b><\/p>\n \u201cWith clear plans to launch my startup immediately after graduating from Columbia Business School, I look forward to testing my ideas through the Entrepreneurial Sounding Board; I find this opportunity to meet with faculty and gain critical feedback and mentoring invaluable as I strive to refine my business plan and learn more about how to source investments\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n In the first example, the candidate shows an awareness of the Entrepreneurial Sounding Board but does not provide the context necessary for the reader to fully understand how he\/she will use this resource; therefore, the mention is entirely superficial. As a result, it is unconvincing, impersonal, and easily forgettable. The applicant has seemingly not taken the time to reflect on this resource and how he\/she would use it to progress toward his\/her stated goals. The candidate then goes on to list the classes he\/she plans to take and essentially succeeds in little more than cataloging resources rather than offering a reasoned consideration of how the school\u2019s offerings are necessary.<\/span><\/p>\n The second example better explains exactly how the candidate will use the resource mentioned; the applicant has clearly done the necessary research on the school and truly grasps how Columbia Business School will satisfy his\/her academic and professional needs. Because the latter example is more informed and serious minded, the admissions reader can be certain that the candidate has a set path and a clear plan to achieve specific goals. ?<\/span><\/p>\n Taking the GRE for your business school application? You\u2019re in luck. Each month, we\u2019re featuring a series of admission tips from our exclusive admissions consulting partner, mbaMission. When business school candidates read an MBA application essay prompt, they often interpret it quite literally. For example, when a school asks applicants a multi-part question such as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":132,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[645523,645522,1362363,672694],"tags":[1362581],"yst_prominent_words":[],"class_list":["post-11776","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-apps-and-admissions-mba-2","category-mba-2","category-mbamission","category-partners","tag-mba-application-essay"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11776","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/132"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11776"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11776\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11798,"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11776\/revisions\/11798"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11776"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11776"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11776"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=11776"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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mbaMission<\/i><\/b><\/a>\u00a0is the leader in MBA admissions consulting with a full-time and comprehensively trained staff of consultants<\/i><\/b>, all with profound communications and MBA experience. mbaMission has helped thousands of candidates fulfill their dream of attending prominent MBA programs around the world. Take your first step toward a more successful MBA application experience with a free 30-minute consultation with one of mbaMission\u2019s senior consultants.\u00a0<\/i>Click here to sign up today.<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"