First Draft
The first draft of an essay is messy with the applicant’s consciousness poured into the answer without structure, relevance, and sometimes missing the intent of the question. The flawed output could be discarded as a rambling of an applicant desperately seeking admissions. But through the process of pouring one’s heart out, the applicant touches upon points that missed the initial brainstorming sessions or captures a moment of vulnerability that breaks the ‘foolproof’ impression that one gets from the resume.
Without vulnerability, the essays are extended brag sheets with no context on how the applicant thinks, handles setbacks, and create imaginative solutions.
Applicants who are from a technical background – Technologists and Finance professionals, use the first draft as a structuring exercise, hiding their true motivation and taking great length to follow the standard template – define the problem, how we found the solution, implementation of the solution and the results. Unless you are working on the latest technology solution that is in the active consciousness of a general audience, the ‘cool’ solution will fail to associate your personal brand with the solution.
Let the first draft be messy with insecurities, idealistic values, and ambitious goals.
Should you share the first Draft with the MBA Admission Consultant?
MBA Admissions Consultants are like your therapist for 6 months with whom you share the innermost worries, aspirations, and goals. I have learned so much about function, industries, and technology from my clients. I have also been inspired by bright minds and the ones who never gave up despite looming life challenges.
Your thoughts, values, resilience, actions, and results define your brand. Don’t shy away from sharing your true persona.
I have found first drafts not just to capture a unique voice but also to have interesting life experiences that didn’t come out during the initial brainstorming session (IMPACT table creation and Resume Editing).
Share the first draft with the admissions consultants. A good consultant and editor will find structure from the free-flowing stream of consciousness.
Second Draft
Our editing mostly starts here. From an unstructured narrative, we bring structure, relevance, and elements of storytelling to the narrative.
The first draft could include exposition of values that might be too soon or too late.
Some values look like random mentions without enough relevance.
Many lines would have Jargons that are limiting to the flow of the narrative.
Some applicants overexpose the background information with details that could never be captured in the essay.
Many fail to offer enough context on an event.
The follow-up questions, quoting a specific line, becomes an exercise for us to capture the background information, the constraints, and the opportunities.
After Draft – Editing
The real work starts after all the relevant information is captured in the Second Draft. Depending on the applicant’s work schedule, writing capability, and the school deadlines, editing could take anywhere from 1 to 5 days.
Through our iterative editing process, the random thoughts about an Essay Question transform to a Winning MBA Essay.
