“I have always believed that great achievements involve greater risks. After my schooling when all my friends were going with the crowd mentality and choosing their career in electronics and computer sciences I embarked upon a different journey by choosing my career in petroleum engineering, I saw a future others did not.”.
Every year, we get several essays like this one. The applicant is on a self-promotion spree here, while also berating others. Can this essay impress the adcom?
No. On the contrary, it will irk them.
The essay not only not impress, but also tells another thing about the applicant: that his ideas and thoughts lack maturity. He does not have the ability to analyze a situation and serve the reader information after assimilating and filtering it. The result is a salvo of thoughts flying in all directions, but making no impression at all.
Why does your maturity level matter to a business school?
Because the MBA education is a collaborative experience. Students are expected to contribute to class discussions, case analysis and project work. As most extra-curricular activities are student-led, they are also expected to lead them and run the show. Students can add value to these only if they are matured enough to understand what is expected from them, what they can contribute and how they can drive others.
Secondly, the level of discussion in an MBA class is of very high quality. You will have students with as much as ten years of work experience in class. How will the level of discussion that you engage in, add to their experience? Unless the insights you have drawn from your work are meaningful and of high quality, there is little knowledge that you will contribute to the class.
Even if you write solid essays with help from friends, family or admissions consultants, the interview can be a place where you can give yourself away. Many of the MBA interviews have behavioral questions that test you on specific experiences. If you are asked what was your biggest achievement, and your answer revolves around earning an IT certification or scoring a 750 on GMAT, it will not be a powerful example. Rejection could be on the cards!
We have also seen recommendations written by applicants themselves, where the recommender sounds even less matured. An example is the recommender, who is generally a senior boss, waxing eloquent about the applicant without any supported facts. The recommender heaps praises on the applicant and gives the applicant 100% credit for initiating and leading strategic issues that were probably only implemented by him. It sounds as though the applicant is the actual boss, not the recommender, neither the top management.
The good thing is that you can work on showing maturity in MBA applications. Become aware of what you speak and how you speak on a day-to-day basis. Make your communication with people around you more meaningful. And when you write your essays for the business schools, give better insights than the example above.
Explore our Application Strategy Roadmap service to find out what your maturity level is compared to other applicants.