I remember reading an essay for review where the applicant was passionately talking about a cause that was controversial. At the end of the 2nd paragraph, the applicant went on to criticize a Businessperson - a public figure who happened to have close associations with the Business School. It clearly showed a lack of awareness.
When you are trying to connect with the admissions team, follow these 3 best practices:
1) Shared Assumptions
We connect emotionally even with the most dubious characters when there are certain shared assumptions that touch our hearts. The best example from fiction is the series – Breaking Bad, where a retired Chemistry Teacher is selling Meth. But because he is suffering from Cancer and is also the only breadwinner for the family, it touches a chord. The narrative and image of war, famine, forest fire, flooding, and life-threatening illnesses are suffering that connects universally. It is no wonder that applicants frequently use these settings to demonstrate their character.
The disconnect is often in how communication happens in an organization. American culture is entrepreneurial, with the individual given the highest value. That is why First Amendment rights make the US one of the most sought-after destinations. And many argue that the innovation also arose from this freedom to express. This is not the case in the rest of the world. So when an applicant from a society that respects top-down hierarchy shares their challenges, it often does not register with the admissions teams.
The admissions team will wonder whether the applicant can thrive in a different organizational structure where there is more autonomy.
You have to offer the right context about the organizational structure through recommendation letters or strategically through your essays.
2) Find the Politics
This is a controversial point to share. But most universities are left-leaning with progressive agendas with the scale of adoption differing. One reason for any lag in adoption could be donors’ politics preventing the school from adopting any radical agenda. Another reason is the politics of the region. For red states, it is unlikely that the school will jeopardize its relationship with the local community. But still, most universities are open to themes of climate change, investing with social goals, poverty alleviation, women’s representation in business and leadership roles, and working on healthcare initiatives for the underprivileged that have a larger impact on American society and the world.
Based on the politics, you must tone it down or express openly about causes that are dear to you.
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3) Find the Culture
The best place to analyze the culture of the school is the recent events page. Schools brand themselves with many traits, but if you analyze and find a common theme from the recent 15-20 events, you will see that there are causes that schools prioritize.
Another great source to understand the culture is the school alumni. They can share interesting nuances about causes they worked on and the school prioritized. If you can get in touch with the current student, you will get a real-time update on what is happening on the campus. Meet student ambassadors, but if you need much more honest feedback, network on your own.
Once you learn about current social conversations and themes of the cause that schools care about, you can use one of the themes while shortlisting examples for your essays.
This approach of shared assumption and finding the politics and the culture of the school will allow you to tweak the tone of the essay.
If you need my help with Essay Review, start the conversation by reaching out to me, Atul Jose
