Background Information: The fifth example is of a White Male liberal applicant working for a think tank in DC. Unlike ideologues-based think tanks, the non-profit that the applicant worked for has a history of helping Senators introduce transformative Acts. The secret ingredient behind the success was the composition of the team.
With recruitment geared towards finding balance in political ideologies, the applicant was often paired with conservative team members who had a different perspective on spending limits, regulations, and the value of life.
Many of the controversial differences in opinion between the left and right mimicked in the small team as well, but the Founder instilled a habit of debating – that continued two decades after the think tank's founding. The debate often seemed pointless, but the applicant has changed his perspective and even presented cases that helped his conservative peers consider liberal points of view.
Theme: Understanding Identity and Perspective-Taking, Bipartisanship
Theme (Explained): While the applicant held a liberal perspective on the content teenagers were allowed to see, the death of his cousin was a shock that he couldn't get over. What started as a harmless challenge escalated to bullying and suicide – the shocks of which continued to haunt the family.
The applicant, in consultation with his brother, learns about the toxic culture of online groups and social media that pits one group against another. Worst – teenage girls were the most impacted as they were judged on looks alone more than any other traits. The half-developed minds and perspectives of teenagers warp any sense of self-worth, which is often handed over to online bullies. The words turned harsh. The judgment turns harsher. What is left is a crushed ego willing to end it all.
Profile: Consultant
Industry: Government, Non-Profit
MBA Essay Strategy
The goal is to introduce a relevant and recent bill - Senator Schatz’s Protecting Kids on Social Media Act, to the narrative without making the bill the central focus or the Senator the protagonist of the narrative. If I had spent time dissecting all the controversial and useful guidelines in the bill, the reader would be confused. I had to be careful to find a common ground and highlight only one theme ‘protecting kids.’
Opener: The opener is a classic shock line to shake the reader and make them focus on the issue. Use it with care. The subsequent lines after a shock opener should be a topic that is relevant in our society.
Sample Columbia MBA PPIL Essay: Recommending Social Media Controls (Liberal Applicant with Conservative peers) (247 Words)
The panicked 911 call recording still haunts me. I could hear my aunt's helpless attempt at reviving my cousin. My brother was sobbing uncontrollably in the background. In our chats, he shared teenagers' obsession..
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