Breaking stereotypes can go in surprising directions in an MBA application essay.
Indian-origin applicants in Rugby, American White Applicant with interest in Chinese Art, Chinese Applicants with virtuoso skills in Guitar are some that made me pause and think.
When applicants break stereotypes, they have set the expectations not just with the kind of life experiences that would be unique for an MBA class, but also the feasibility of achieving a new set of long-term goals.
Typically, long-term goals have a strict linear mapping.
Your short-term goal should connect with the long-term goal.
Industry Outside your Core Experience: If you cite an industry where you have limited exposure it should be related to your family business, an industry in the community you grew up, an industry where your hobby was focused on, or an industry where most of your community engagement was in.
The disparate connection to long-term goals works only for applicants who have broken stereotypes. Even then use these two rules:
1) Rule #1 – City/Region you Grew Up the Most
We have fond memories of cities where we grew up. One reason is the no-responsibility time in our life where our only worry was about grades, getting attention, or expressing our idealistic worldview. Another reason is the attention we paid to the issues that affected the community the most. The problem could be of such a large scale – either in infrastructure gaps, corruption, inefficiency in distribution of technology, resources and education that our little minds and heart was not sufficient to overcome it. But now that you have a worldview of how to solve problems with your consulting, technology, or financial solutions, you are looking to gain the support of a larger business school community - a community of world-class entrepreneurs, executives, researchers and alumni to solve larger societal problem. Schools love such narrative.
The only problem I see is the lack of community engagement to support such ambitious goals. Without evidence of thinking in a strategic direction or taking on larger community-level problems even if you have failed, citing eradicating poverty or improving access to education or changing infrastructure will seem less persuasive.
2) Rule #2 – Identity Over Cities and Traits
One of my clients from the LGBTQ community wanted to focus over a half of his essay on how he will transform the community with the right orientation and prevent younger kids from feeling isolated like he did growing up in a conservative society. I wondered whether it is wise to spend that many words on one identity. But the words and plans were so elaborate that the passion to serve the community and help them felt authentic. As an Editor I didn’t feel that I should intervene and ask him to incorporate his entrepreneurial skills for another beneficiary which he had evidence of serving. The balancing act is where most applicants fall. Out of excitement, they cite too many long-term goals without focusing on who they are and why it is important. As a rule – focus on one long-term goal that aligns with an identity and a related long-term goal that aligns with your dominant personality trait.
Luckily for us, I could merge the client’s entrepreneurial skills with the long-term goal to orient LGBTQ teens from feeling lost from identity crisis. That mix worked for two M7 schools. For strategically managing your long-term goals, brainstorm with me by signing up for F1GMAT’s Essay Editing Service
