BizWeek: MBA Writing Tips

"MBAs may be good at analyzing spreadsheets and reading financial statements, but many cringe when faced with a lengthy academic writing assignment. The task can be especially difficult for students who have been in the work force for four or five years and haven't written a serious academic paper or report since college.
Writing classes typically aren't on most business schools' list of core required courses, but business schools are starting to recognize that MBAs' rusty composition skills could benefit from a brush-up. In Minneapolis, the University of St. Thomas' Opus College of Business requires that all students take a writing and spoken communication course during their first year. The school's writing communication lab professors helps students improve their writing skills, coaching them on everything from how to write a case study analysis to lengthy academic papers.
Rosanne Bane, an Opus faculty member, has taught the school's Business Writing Communication Lab for the school's full-time MBA program for the past four years and currently teaches and coaches the school's Executive MBA students. She will be offering a workshop on business writing this month called "The Write Stuff: Writing for MBA Courses" at Opus. Bane agreed to share some tips on how MBA students can make their writing sharper and more effective:
DON'T BE LONG-WINDED
One of the things most valued in business writing is the ability to get to the point—quickly. "In business writing, conciseness is a prime virtue," Bane says. Students often lose sight of this in business school, and will sometimes "just add fluff" for the sake of getting to a required page count for a paper. Bane counsels students to look over their papers closely after they've written the first draft, taking out unnecessary words or flowery phrases. While some extra words and elaboration may be permissible on an academic paper, students need to show restraint when they are writing documents for business clients. For example, second-year students at Opus typically prepare a market research report for business clients and often feel the need to try to fit every data point into the paper. "It's going to be a long report anyway, so don't make it any longer by throwing in words or phrases you don't need," Bane says.
KNOW YOUR MEDIUM
Students often come into B-school tending to rely too muchon e-mail, a habit many developed at their former workplaces. This can be a mistake, especially if you are trying to communicate an important or sensitive message. E-mail communication is "context poor" and doesn't always express the senders' intended intonation or emotional state, Bane says. Business school, with its emphasis on teamwork and community, is an ideal place for students to experiment with other forms of communication. Making a phone call, writing something in a letter or memo format or talking to someone in person can often be a lot more effective.
UNDERSTAND YOUR AUDIENCE
Before starting an assignment, students should step back and think about who will be reading their essay or report. Things to consider: What does your audience already know? What will the people need to know? What is the significance of the information you are trying to communicate? Students should also keep in mind the demographic they are writing for and the education level of their audience. This will make it easier to develop an outline and game plan for their writing assignment. "Identify the purpose of your communication, consider the context of the situation, and then select the message accordingly," Bane says.
SCHOOL AND BUSINESS ARE DIFFERENT
B-school students have to become comfortable doing a blend of academic writing and more practical business writing during their years in business school. It's helpful to have an understanding of the key differences between the two, Bane says. Academic writing tends to have a much more complex sentence structure with a "more elevated, polysyllabic vocabulary",; while business writing tends to have a brisker tone. "It should be faster and easier to read so people can absorb the information quickly," she notes.
PRACTICE WRITING OFTEN
Leaving an assignment to the last minute can be tempting, especially if you are juggling four or five projects for different classes. Fight this urge if possible, Bane says. Students should set aside time to write drafts, edit, and be thoughtful about their work. One easy way to do this is to set aside 5 or 10 minutes for "free writing" time a day, a practice of just writing without any defined purpose. That allows students to get over any inertia or writer's block. "I encourage them to do this so that they are able to practice and develop their skills," she says. "It lets you know where you need to focus your attention."
Damast is a reporter for BusinessWeek.com. "

Sample MBA Admissions Essays accepted by Anderson and UCLA

"Sample MBA Admissions Essays - Accepted by Anderson and UCLA (Courtesy of EssayEdge)
What do you consider to be your most important personal and professional accomplishments to date? (Please limit to three.)
With no money, no direction, and no goals, I graduated from high school in 1987 not knowing if I would ever be a man, if I would ever know what life means. Unable to afford college tuition, I worked odd jobs for a few months before deciding to join the United States Marine Corps. A scrappy kid who needed structure and support, I entered the Marines unprepared for the next thirteen weeks of extraordinary physical and mental challenges.
Arriving at the recruit-training depot in Parris Island South Carolina on February 3,1988 not knowing what to expect, I watched my hair fall off my head, had vaccinations for every disease ever discovered, and learned to live with sixty other young men in close quarters. The days were long. I would wake up at 4 a.m. and work nonstop for 18 hours until I could collapse on my bed. Exposed to individuals from many different cultural and economic backgrounds, I learned the value of teamwork and the work ethic essential to leadership. When we first arrived on the island, my platoon was a jumbled mess of disobedient, out of shape, undisciplined boys. After three months of exhausting training we were molded into a group of highly motivated, physically fit men. On the proudest day of my life, I marched in the graduation parade to become a United States Marine.
After being discharged from the United States Marine Corps, I became determined to attain an electrical engineering degree from Florida State University. I wisely invested in the GI Bill early on in my Marine Corps career in order to go to college. Although a substantial amount of money, the GI Bill only covered my tuition; to pay for food and rent, I took a full time job with the VA work-study program. In the beginning I had difficulty adjusting to working full time while maintaining a full coarse load, and I began to feel hindered by my years outside the classroom. However, determined to succeed, I learned to manage my time well, and I established good study habits, which have continued to the present. In the spring of 1997 I obtained a Bachelors degree in Electrical engineering, a full year ahead of schedule. I take pride in the fact that I am the first person in my family to obtain a college degree.
I moved to Los Angeles after graduating from college and accepted a position at an aerospace company as a design engineer. Although I had multiple offers, I chose to work at my particular company to further my education. Putting in long hours at work while devoting most of my personal time to obtaining a Masters degree in electrical engineering, I felt like I was in college again with my full time job and academic responsibilities. To keep some sense of sanity and maintain good spirits, I decided to learn how to snowboard. Although at first snowboarding seemed a most impossible mission given the long drive to the resort and my inexperience with cold weather, I persevered and by the end of my first day could navigate my way down the mountain. I have since become an accomplished snowboarder, but nothing matches the exhilaration I felt at the end of that first day when I completed my first run without falling.
Why have you decided to enter the Fully Employed MBA program? Why is it the appropriate time for you to begin?
With the drive, determination, and discipline to both work at my career and attend an MBA program, I am excited to pursue a high quality MBA at UCLA. Interested in acquiring the skill set and technical knowledge necessary to become a hi-tech consultant, the UCLA program will prove central to my future success.
As an engineering major in college, I developed excellent analytical skills and improved my problem-solving ability, but I never had the opportunity to take courses exploring business strategy, finance, or market forces. To realize my career goal, I clearly must enhance my abilities in these as well as other areas of business. I believe that the management core at Anderson will provide me with the necessary knowledge to enhance and develop my capabilities. Also, in order to become a successful consultant, it is imperative that I gain a more thorough education in foreign markets, business technology, and competition. As a hi-tech consultant in the twenty-first century, the ability to understand business on a global scale will be highly prized. The International Field Study at Anderson would suit my needs well by allowing students to learn about business by working with foreign companies.
Moreover, I look forward to interacting with the highly qualified, diverse students of the Anderson FEMBA program. With only 132 students forming numerous study groups, the program ensures the intimacy necessary to learn from each other's varying perspectives and backgrounds. I know I could both contribute and grow in this unique environment where all students are fully employed. From my time as an officer in US Marine Corps and as an employee at a high-tech aerospace company, I have both developed strong team abilities and have seen the value and synergies of combining people with different backgrounds, knowledge, and experience levels. The dynamics created by these teams help produce the most innovative and creative ideas, whether in the Marines or an Anderson classroom.
While I will never regret joining the Marine Corps, the five years I spent serving my country led me off the beaten path for achieving my career goals. Although I developed a strong work ethic and a goal-oriented nature, I have not followed the standard path. The FEMBA program will be the great equalizer, ensuring future employers that I have both the personal qualities and rigorous academic training necessary for success. By working full time and working on my masters degree in engineering from the University of Southern California, I have shown that I have what it takes to manage my work schedule while attending a prestigious institution. Now, I seek only the opportunity to prove this again by being admitted to the Fully Employed MBA program. AT UCLA, I will start my way down the path that will lead me to career success and fulfillment as a hi-tech consultant.
For access to 100 free sample successful admissions essays, visit EssayEdge .

Sample Application and Admissions Essays:
Sample Admissions Essay - Cornell
Sample Admissions Essay - Darthmouth
Sample Admissions Essay - Harvard
Sample Admissions Essay - Princeton
Sample Admissions Essay - Stanford
Sample Business School Essay - Wharton
Sample Business School Essay - Tuck
Sample Business School Essay - Columbia
Sample MBA Essay - Anderson
Sample MBA Essay - NYU
Sample MBA Essay - Stern
Sample MBA Essay - UCLA
Sample MBA Essay - Harvard
Sample Admissions Essay - Med School
Sample Admissions Essay - Med School
Sample Admissions Essay - Law School
Sample Admissions Essay - Law School
Admissions Essay Writing 101
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MBA Essay Samples - MBA Game Plan

Here are sample MBA essay evaluations that four applicants received from us on their initial essay submission and their free follow-up submission. These will give you a good idea of what you can expect from our business school essay evaluation services. Details have been changed to protect the applicants’ identities.
John's Wharton MBA Essay (First Submission)
John's Wharton MBA Essay (Second Submission)


Michael's Michigan MBA Essay (First Submission)
Michael's Michigan MBA Essay (Second Submission)


Manish's Chicago MBA Essay (First Submission)
Manish's Chicago MBA Essay (Second Submission)


Jennifer's Columbia MBA Essay (First Submission)
Jennifer's Columbia MBA Essay (Second Submission)

Perfect GMAT

For the many professionals affected by the current economic downturn, enrolling in a leading MBA program is emerging as an increasingly attractive option. Veritas Prep, a leading GMAT prep and MBA admissions consulting provider, today announced plans to hold Veritas Prep MBA Admissions Blueprint -- a two-day, boot-camp style MBA admissions tutorial to help students craft winning applications for the second and third-round application deadlines.
To be held December 6-7, 2008 at New York University's Kimmel Center, Veritas Prep MBA Admissions Blueprint will feature a crash-course introduction to the business school admissions process as well as individual access to some of the leading minds in business school admissions consulting. Designed primarily for bankers and other last-minute applicants affected by the economic slowdown, Veritas Prep MBA Admissions Blueprint will give applicants access to proven strategies for acing the business school application and securing coveted spots in leading programs.
"In light of one of the most competitive MBA admissions landscapes in recent history, former bankers and others affected by the economic downturn may find it especially difficult to set themselves apart from a crowded field of similar-looking applicants when they apply to business school," explains Scott Shrum, director of MBA admissions research at Veritas Prep and co-author of "Your MBA Game Plan: Proven Strategies for Getting Into the Top Business Schools."
In addition to a series of general information sessions, registered attendees at Veritas Prep MBA Admissions Blueprint will receive a personalized application advice session with a highly experienced business school admissions consultant who comes from a top business school. Depending on the unique needs of each student, this one-on-one session can help to objectively evaluate their candidacy for particular programs and select the programs that best match their goals, perfect their overall application strategy, review their application essays, or prepare for the business school interview.
The cost of attendance is $250 and space is limited. Online registration is available now at http://www.veritasprep.com/blueprint/ or by phone at 1-800-925-7737.
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UCLA B-School Sees a Surge in Applicants

With financial markets crumbling and capital for startups harder to find, what should would-be entrepreneurs do? For a growing number, this might be just the time to head back to the classroom. Judy Olian, head of the business school at the University of California at Los Angeles, says that applications typically increase during bad times. "When the market contracts in terms of employment, people come to school," says Olian, dean of the UCLA's Anderson School of Management. While it's too early to say just how much bigger the applicant pool will be this year, she says "we have preliminary indications it's up."
Chances are, a good number of those applications are coming from Asia. UCLA Anderson is popular among students from there, says Olian, who was in Hong Kong on Oct. 27 on an trip to promote partnerships with Asian schools. UCLA Anderson is partners with 17 schools in Asia, including four in Japan, four in China, three in India, and two in Hong Kong. Those connections help boost the popularity of the school in Los Angeles: Last year, 25% of UCLA Anderson's 3,700 applicants came from Asia. "It's a robust applicant pool," she says.
One reason for the school's popularity, Olian believes, is UCLA Anderson's highly ranked entrepreneurship program. Compared with other parts of the U.S., "Los Angeles is a much more entrepreneurial economy," she says. That emphasis on entrepreneurs "suits this part of the world," Olian believes, pointing to the importance of private business in the rise of the Chinese economy. "China's ascendancy has to do with entrepreneurs and taking risks, so in that sense there's a kindred spirit with the California risk-taking spirit."
Deepening Gloom
There are some things about launching a startup that not even the best B-school can teach, Olian concedes. "Nobody can inject you with risk tolerance or preference," she says. Still, Olian argues there's plenty that aspiring entrepreneurs can get from an MBA program. "There are a variety of ingredients in the entrepreneurial process that can be learned," she says. For instance, students can gain insights on how to test ideas, develop business plans, attract capital, market products, and structure deals.
Business schools can also teach would-be entrepreneurs about another, less appealing, topic: What happens when things go bad. "Entrepreneurship requires a high level of tenacity in the face of failure," says Olian. That's why a good entrepreneurship program will, among other things, "prepare people for the risk of failure, the likelihood of failure."
The deepening gloom about the global economy might make the odds of failure seem even higher for many young Asian entrepreneurs, but Olian says there's reason to be hopeful. Opportunities and rewards for creativity are going to be there in spades," she says. Despite the huge losses suffered by investors, "it's not as if there's isn't money," she says. "There's a lot of money waiting on the sidelines for the right ideas and the right time to get into the markets.".

Four Truths About Today's MBA

http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/content/nov2008/bs2008114_924879.htm?chan=bschools_bschool+index+page_top+stories

Until this year, you could say with near certainty that an MBA from a well-respected business school was a ticket to a good job and a respectable salary.
But with the financial crisis, a lot of those certainties are gone. Looking at the business school landscape, however, you can say at least four things with confidence.
1. You will face more competition for slots
Business schools aren't increasing their class sizes to accommodate the anticipated surge in applications. This can only mean that in a year when more people are applying to business school, admissions will be more competitive and a smaller percentage of applicants will get in.
The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) reports a jump of more than 11% in the number of GMAT tests taken this September compared with a year earlier. And schools report an increase in interest—both at information sessions and in online discussion forums and blogs.
For those students who think they can bank on getting into a middle-tier school, think again. If getting in has become harder across the board, students will likely apply to more schools to increase their chances. With a fatter stack of applications to choose from, middle-tier schools could shock prospective students with rejection letters they didn't expect.
One silver lining: For top students, getting into the elite business schools may not be any harder. After all, says Peter Johnson, the executive director of admissions at Berkeley's Haas School of Business' full-time MBA program, "An increase in the number of applicants does not mean an increase in the quality."
2. International students are going to find loans tough
International students face a new obstacle after the rigorous process of getting into a B-school has long passed. With the credit crunch, student loan programs are tightening up or disappearing entirely. For instance, this fall, Citibank (C) cancelled its CitiAssist loan program. That means many international students are out of luck unless they have lived in the U.S. or have a co-signer here.
The cutbacks have some administrators stumped. Rosemaria Martinelli, admissions director of the University of Chicago's Graduate School of Business, says that fixes to the problem are only short term and the school is still searching for a solution. Still, Martinelli remains committed to a diverse student body.
Besides the near impossibility of getting loans, international students face difficulties after they get their degrees. In a weak market, where companies have the luxury of sifting through more applicants, international students may find it even harder to obtain scarce H1-B work visas.
The end result: the continuation of a trend in which more and more students are choosing to go to business school in their home countries.
3. Quitting a job is risky
People in steady, well-paying jobs have always had to weigh the benefits of quitting to attend business school. This is especially true in a down economy, when no one knows what the job market will look like in two years. Viable options now include either putting off the MBA or joining a part-time program while staying employed.
According to Judith Hodara, admissions director at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, prospective students most frequently ask about opportunities for summer internships and post-graduation employment and are both "nervous" and "concerned."
Traditionally, students who quit jobs at the start of a recession graduate with an MBA when the economy is in an upswing. But no one is able to predict with certainty how long this recession will last.
Erin Nickelsburg, admissions director at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's School of Business, said that predictors of the "opportunity cost" of going to business school in a downturn have been skewed by the apparent end of big salaries and juicy bonuses in investment banking.
Still, Nickelsburg warns that opportunities could be missed, as well. "Not making an investment in yourself can turn around and haunt you when the economy goes back up," she said.
4. The learning is still valuable
While the return on investment on an MBA is still up in the air, no one is disputing that what you learn in business school will be extremely valuable as the economy recovers. Case studies have new meaning, now that executives face tougher decisions and large-scale business problems.
According to Chicago's Martinelli, now is a "cool time to study this, learn from this position, and figure out how you can add value"—meaning it's a great time to be able to learn about not just hypothetical but real issues.
Still, students may need to adjust their career goals and possibly their salary expectations. "This is a good time to park yourself in an MBA program and build up your portfolio of intellectual capital," says David Wilson, GMAC's president. "Graduates will emerge in two years or so and be in a different market."

Booth Donates Record $300 Million to Chicago Business School

Investor David Booth, who credits his success to the ``life-changing'' experience studying at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, donated $300 million to the school, the largest gift in the university's history.

The business school, which will be renamed in honor of Booth, may use the funds for any purpose, such as attracting new faculty and expanding its campuses overseas, the university said yesterday in a statement.

Booth, 52, is the chief executive officer of Dimensional Fund Advisors Inc., with $140 billion under management, according to the investment company's Web site. He received a master's degree in business administration from Chicago in 1971. He said the theories he learned from Eugene Fama, a finance professor at the school, inspired him to start his Santa Monica, California- based company in 1981, and have been instrumental in its success.

``It would be hard to find anyone who benefited more from a University of Chicago education and from the faculty at Chicago than I have,'' Booth said in the university's statement reporting the gift. ``The school is already in a strong position. This gift is intended to help it keep moving forward.''

The University of Chicago, like other universities, is concerned the current financial crisis may hurt its endowment by lowering returns and deterring donors, said Steve Kloehn, a spokesman for the school, in a telephone interview.

Topping Rockefeller

Booth's gift is three times as large as the $100 million that retired banker David M. Rockefeller Sr. gave to Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in April to finance studies abroad and advance the arts, and more than twice the record $125 million that the Swiss philanthropist Hansjoerg Wyss gave Harvard last month to fund a bioengineering institute. It is the largest gift to any business school, Kloehn said.

Other major gifts to universities from individual donors include $400 million in 2007 from John W. Kluge, former chairman of Metromedia International Group Inc., to Columbia University and $350 million from International Data Group Inc. founder Patrick J. and Lore Harp McGovern to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2000 to fund research on the human brain.

The University of Chicago business school's past and current students and faculty have won 25 Nobel Memorial Prizes in economics led by the late Milton Friedman, the late Friedrich Hayek, and Paul Samuelson.

`Life-Changing'

``The very first course I took at the University of Chicago was taught by Eugene Fama and it was a life-changing event for me,'' Booth said in the statement. ``I remember Professor Fama standing up the first day of class and saying `This is the most practical course you will ever take,' and it turned out to be true. We built Dimensional Fund Advisors around his set of ideas.''

Fama, 69, who has been referred to as the father of modern finance, is best known for his theory that capital markets are so efficient they embody the collective wisdom of all buyers and sellers, according to the university. In 1980, Fama accepted Booth's invitation to put his theories to work as a member of the management committee of Dimensional Fund Advisors. He thanked Booth today for what he called an incredible gift.

The company, founded in a brownstone in Brooklyn, promotes itself as investing in ``the science of capital markets'' rather than speculation about how the market will perform, according to the Web site.

Booth is a trustee at the University of Chicago. He is also a trustee of the endowment association that raises funds for the University of Kansas in Lawrence, where he obtained his undergraduate degree.

The University of Chicago dates from 1892, when it was founded by John D. Rockefeller, who was then embroiled in an intense public debate over monopolistic business practices at Standard Oil Co.

Friedman Looms Large

For 30 years, starting in 1946, the university's economics department was dominated by Friedman. He won a Nobel Memorial Prize in economics for showing, among other things, that consumers decide to save money on the basis of expectations for what they'll earn over their entire lifetime, not on short-term fluctuations that may be prompted by government attempts to fine- tune aggregate demand. He also advised such free-market, limited government advocates as Barry Goldwater, Ronald Reagan, and Margaret Thatcher.

After Friedman left for the Hoover Institution at Stanford University in 1977, the limelight shifted to such finance professors as Fama.

Booth's donation isn't related to the proposed Milton Friedman Institute for the study of economics, the subject of a faculty controversy. While advocates of the institute wish to honor Friedman, critics say the institute would represent a misuse of university funds and may fail to embrace a range of economic ideas.

Friedman's influence still made itself felt during a ceremony today announcing the gift.

``Together, we will do great things for the world's market- oriented economies,'' Ted Snyder, the business school's dean, said today while thanking Booth.

The Admissions Interview: Your Questions

During every business-school admissions interview, there's a moment where the tables turn. Usually, it's near the end, after you've been probed ("What sets you apart?") and prodded ("How was the workforce?"), and you're ready to head home. "So," the questioner chirps, "do you have anything to ask me?"

This is, of course, an optional request. But it's also an opportunity to make an impression, or blow your chances, says Randall Sawyer, director of admissions at Cornell University's Johnson School of Business. "You have to be prepared," says Sawyer. While asking smart, informed questions can set you apart, soliciting information that's readily available on a school's Web site ("What's your class size?") might irritate your interviewer.

What constitutes a "good" question? BusinessWeek recently spoke with several private consultants and deans of admission, all of whom recommended a variety of questions. Following are a selection, and some tips on how to ask them. And remember, these are general guidelines; the most impressive inquiries are case-specific.

What to ask deans, board members, and other officials:

In your opinion, what really sets this school apart?

Officials know this is an important inquiry, especially if you're choosing between multiple schools. To win points, Sawyer suggests prefacing your question with some original thought (e.g., "I've read that Professor X just received the Nobel prize" or "As an entrepreneur, I was impressed with your 'Fund My StartUp Program"). Otherwise, you may get the retort: "Well, what do you think sets this school apart?"

Can you talk a little about the student job search?

When you're about to drop $100,000-plus on an MBA, you're entitled to ask about career prospects, especially during the current financial crisis. But tread carefully, says Chioma Isiadinso, the CEO of Expartus, an admissions consulting company. Putting an official on the spot ("Can your school find me a job?") is awkward and offputting. Before you broach the subject, show enthusiasm ("I've heard great things about your alumni network") and emphasize that you're willing to be proactive.

For students, current and former:

How have you most benefitted from attending this school?

This question is crucial, especially if the interviewer pursued your concentration. According to Sawyer, it shows that you're "in the game, and interested in success." Be careful with phrasing, though: "How have you most benefitted?" is much more engaging (and much less skeptical) than "Have you benefitted?"

What was your favorite class? Who were your favorite professors?

O.K., these two are pretty obvious. But they're still good bets, says Dawna Clark, director of admissions at Tuck School of Business. Students (and former students) love to impart wisdom, especially with like-minded interviewees. Give them time to shine, and everyone wins: They'll get to relive a positive academic experience, and you'll pick up some inside information.

What's a typical day like?

Beyond engaging your interviewer, this question shows you care about more than academic factoids, says Linda Abraham, president of Accepted.com, an online hub for college counseling. After all, you're applying for an experience. It's only human to care about the little things, like when and where you'll eat, sleep, learn, and let loose.

For anyone:

Is there anything else I can further address?

This should be your final question, says Beth Flye, the assistant dean and director of admissions at . It's proactive, it's accommodating, and it's a great way to hint that you're eager to attend (as opposed to, say, asking when you'll get your acceptance letter). Also, on the off-chance that you made a mistake on your application, this request could spawn a shot at redemption.

How to get into b school

With thousands of applications flowing in to universities every year, it can seem impossible to find the formula that will help your application earn a second glance. I tell anyone who asks me that the "key" to the whole deal is to find your own way to stand out from the crowd.
Of course, doing this is not easy, so here are a few tips.

What Makes You Unique?
Your mother can answer that one easily, but you're facing a much more critical audience this time.
Consider using a tool called a Positioning Statement that helps you define, in a few simple phrases, what is unique and special about the product you are trying to sell.
The product here is "you", and the principle can be directly applied. A blank Positioning Statement for a Business School applicant might look something like this:
For (target university)
which(statement of need/opportunity)
the applicant (name) is a (key feature/category)
that/who (core benefit proposition).
unlike (primary competitive alternative),
this applicant (point of difference).
How can we apply this framework to you?

Let's say you've been working for a little longer than the average applicant, and have dealt with large teams for many years. Maybe you also worked in some exotic part of the world, preferably one of the flavors of the month in U.S. business circles such as China or Russia. To top it off, your target school-let's call it Stanvard--places special emphasis on global business and managing in large organizations.
What might your Positioning Statement look like? Here's one option.

For Stanvard
which needs diversity in the classroom
the applicant (name) is an experienced manager
that/who has worked in Russia and China.
Unlike most other applicants,
this applicant has excelled in a sport Stanvard happens to take great pride in.

Of course, this framework is just one option to help you figure out the few key points that truly set you apart from the person sitting next to you. However you choose to define yourself, make sure you have that picture in your mind with great clarity as you begin the essays and answers in the application. Refer to it several times as you go along, and critically examine your work to make sure this positioning easily stands out at first reading - that might be the only reading your application gets!

Getting Noticed
So you've got your positioning figured out - now what will make someone pay attention long enough to read the whole essay, and actually remember you? Remember, in the same day they read your essay, an admissions officer reads several other essays: some of those might be by Olympic swimmers working with factories in China, Reconnaissance Marines planning to change the way poverty alleviation works around the world, British schoolteachers who hike through the least known corners of the world taking photographs and meditating, and Bulgarian Tae-Kwon Do playing pilots (these are all real MBA students, no joke).

What are the most interesting stories you can tell about yourself? Not the ones you like to tell - the ones other people want you to re-tell. Ideally, the stories should not be all about you, but should give you an opportunity to gently bring in the positioning you want the reader to remember while keeping them engaged with an interesting narrative.

These stories can be about anything - maybe you will write about how your cricket team came back from a precarious position to win a crucial match, or how the students of your school organized an all-new event, or it might be about something more "relevant"-sounding such as a project at work or a research topic you undertook at university.

Diversity
Coming from a country that most Americans have a hard time locating on a map, you already possess one of the most sought-after attributes of all - diversity. There may be many other factors that contribute to your overall "diversity quotient" - talk about them all. Maybe you are a woman, or you worked in a unique industry, or your age or years of work experience place you outside the normal ranges of the schools you're applying to. Don't play down such facts - express why you think the diversity you bring to the table can make for a particularly rewarding classroom experience for everyone involved. The average student exists only in class statistics; every student deviates from this average in some direction, and admissions officers are always on the lookout for the unusual individual who will bring a fresh perspective to the conversation.

The Developing Nation Angle
In a globalized world, one of the most prized attribute any manager can possess is familiarity with the context of a developing nation. Congratulations, you were born into it. It may not help you during your visa interview, but it will count for a lot in the classroom, and Admissions Officers know it.
Classmates will keep looking to you when such topics some up. In fact, you'll find yourself contributing time and again on a side of life most of your classmates have only read about in elementary school. Make sure you highlight this aspect in your application.

Be the Man (or Woman) with the Plan
Admissions Officers get weak in the knees when applicants lay out clear, well-thought-out plans for how they plan to use their education. This is where all the introspection pays off. Go five, ten, twenty and fifty years into the future and talk about what you want to achieve. Then lay out a rough plan of how you're going to get there, using the education you get at business school as a vital tool. The more authentic and well thought out you can make this, the better the impression you will make.

Don't Stand Out for the Wrong Reasons
By the time you get to the end of your third essay, you won't remember which essay asked which question and where you narrated which story. The price of trying to keep things fresh and unique is that there's so much to keep track of. It's easy to go off topic or leave in entire paragraphs of gibberish.
Get a trusted colleague or family member (one you can freely disagree with on creative points) to read your essays and tell you whether you're clearly talking through your hat and whether they can say it's really you who wrote it.

Have a schoolteacher or education counselor look through the essays for obvious mistakes and to help you with your writing style.
One of the most interesting games to play is to not show them the question or topic and have them guess it instead. This is a good way to figure out whether you are writing to the point and whether your writing is clear enough to convey the message you're going for.

Keep Copies
You're ready to send off the applications complete with proof-read essays and stellar exam scores. Congratulations! But, before you hit the "send" button, save it and print a copy. You may be asked about a particular question, or you may be able to refer to large chunks of it in a different application. You may even apply to the same university next year, when a lot of the information may still be relevant.
J. Charitha Ratwatte (Junior).

Charitha is entering the second year of his MBA program at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, California.