This is a transcript summary of the Expert Chat that TopMBA Scorecard runs at regular intervals throughout the year. This is a live expert chat with Ms Rachel Killian, Marketing & Recruitment Manager of Warwick Business School in the UK.
Question: I'd really like to know what general advice you can give me about how to write a successful admission essay.
Answer: Include information that will help the admissions tutor understand who you are; this may be your background, the challenges that you have overcome, your ambitions, and your interests away from work. This may include for example, your volunteering work (what you do and why), your sports interests or information about your family.
A successful admission essay will also be well written! So I would always advise that every essay that you submit has to look professional (typed is always best). You should pay close attention to the structure of the essay and make sure it reads well, as well ensuring that your grammar and spelling are accurate. If you need to, break it up using headings. And definitely make sure you have an introduction and a summary at the end of what you have discussed. I'd also recommend that you get someone that you trust to read it once you are finished - just to be sure.
Question: How can I start my essay? How can I make my essay Interesting?
Answer: You have obviously realized that admission tutors will see many essays and so it is really important that you make your essay as interesting as possible.
The best way to do this is to remember that there is no right or wrong in writing essays. If you represent yourself honestly and openly, avoid generalizations and give sufficient detail, then your essay will be interesting, I'm sure. There is little point trying to be something that you are not, or trying to be something that you think the B-school is looking for; just be yourself.
Question: I have a specific question. How do I answer a detailed Essay Question that asks me to choose between two situations while I feel none of them is right and the third option that makes sense to me is not present?
Answer: This is an interesting question! I think you have to weigh up the pros and cons of the two scenarios that you are given and cover these in detail in your essay. In your conclusion, if you are asked to make a final decision, then you must do so; an admission tutor may simply want the reassurance that you can make such a decision, even when you are not 100% committed to the idea. However, if you have a bit more flexibility, then I would be inclined to say why you would reject the first 2 options and outline a 3rd option which you think is a much better choice.
Question: How long on average should an essay be?
Answer: Most schools will set word limits on their application essays. So the most important thing is to follow instructions.
If they don't specify any word limit, then I would usually exercise caution and assume that any admission tutor will not read more than a page or two of any one essay. Concise and relevant are definitely key words!
Question: How important is the use of vocabulary when writing essays? Is it advisable to keep the language simple?
Answer: It is very advisable to keep your language simple, especially if you are submitting an application in a language that is not your first. I often see essays from applicants where they have tried very hard to make their essay sound great, replacing complicated words where a simple one would have sufficed. The result is often confused or unclear messages, which are just very difficult to read and, at the end, I know very little more about the applicant, making it hard to reach a positive outcome. Most definitely, keep it simple!
Question: On the issue-related essay questions, how much technical knowledge should one include?
Answer: You have to remember that the person(s) reading your essays is unlikely to have technical knowledge so there is little point in getting into too much technical detail. However, if it is difficult to make your point without some reference to technical knowledge, then you should include it. If relevant, of course, you could always include some short reference or explanation at the bottom of the page.
Finally, remember that most admission tutors will be looking for some evidence of strategic thinking rather than expert knowledge in one field; they will know that you have this from your academic background and /or work experience. Instead, they are looking for information on how you might use this knowledge in a business environment.
Question: What are the key highlights worth mentioning in the personal statement?
Answer: Key highlights would include:
- aim to demonstrate your "fit" with that particular school
- say what you will contribute as well as hope to gain
- address any weaknesses in your application (e.g. gap in resumé, low academic performance)
- give examples of your experience to support any claims that you make
- information about your career aspirations, your short-term and long-term goals
- and of course, why? Why this school? Why the MBA?
Question: For the additional information question, what kind of information will the reviewers be looking for? E.g., is this a place to provide insight into transcripts, or will the reviewers be looking for something else?
Answer: The additional information question is designed to give you the chance to include any other information that you think has not been covered elsewhere in the application. So for example, if you haven't really been given the opportunity to talk about your professional achievements, then you should include them here. If you want to go into more detail about your educational background, then you can do this.
I wouldn't recommend discussing your transcripts at length at this point, unless you think there is something very obvious which needs covering; if you want to talk about your degree, then the admissions tutor will be more interested in knowing what you particularly enjoyed or found challenging, and why... how it changed your thought processes or led you to explore a new subject, and so on.
Question: A lot of candidates are nowadays using admissions consultants to write their essays. The consultant can polish the essay based on content given by a candidate. What do you think about this practice? Do you think students should go with their own essays, even if it might not be of the quality of a Shakespeare?
Answer: Interesting question! Unsurprisingly, I can't say that I agree with this practice. There are a couple of reasons.
Firstly, because of all the things I've written today about being honest and open and expressing clearly who you are as an individual. I can't help but think that if a consultant has gone through and doctored this, then all we will get is a "brushed-up" version of you.
Secondly, Business schools use essays not just to learn about you, but also to find out whether you can communicate well. We look at whether an essay has any structure, with an introduction, conclusion, etc. If a consultant has effectively re-written an unpolished essay, then what we are reading is essentially a false representation of the applicant.
And finally - it does show! An essay which has been professional written can stand out - for all the wrong reasons. At the end of the day, you are being untrue to yourself as well as to the school. We're not expecting perfect essays - we just want to learn about you.
Ms. Rachel Killian says: I hope it has been useful for you. If I can help any further with specific questions about Warwick, then please do email me at Rachel.Killian@wbs.ac.uk. Good luck with your applications. Best wishes!
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