The Study Link blog is part of a website aimed at helping students find and get into the universities that carries the programs they are looking for. The site offers its service to an international clientele of students with its extensive database of schools and application information. Students who want to study in the university that meets their educational goals can look to the site?s team of educational counselors and make use of application software that will make processing applications for universities and graduate programs easier to do. The blog offers conventional tips and advice ranging from essay writing to choosing the right courses and graduate programs.
What makes the site unique
What makes the entries in this blog unique from other blogs is the fact that it is an admissions blog in which the entries are surprisingly casual, something that will appeal more to the reading styles and preferences of students. The site is conveniently laid out with the main categories placed on the top of the main page for easy navigation. It follows a conventional blog layout, with the most popular posts on the right hand side, giving readers a feel of familiarity with the blog even if it’s their first time to visit.
Areas for improvement
The columns on the left and right side can use a little improvement in the font size. They are currently too small, which is bad for readers who may have eye problems or those in a hurry. The fonts could also use a little bit more saturation in the colors to make them pop out more. The Sign In and Register buttons could also use a makeover. They are less visible with the drab gray color. Making them bigger will make them more noticeable especially since they are tucked away on the upper right corner. In order to make the blog more personal, revising the blog?s tagline is in order. Personalizing the tagline to make it sound like you are talking to the reader instead of making it a descriptive header might be a more effective way to draw readers.
One mistake on your MBA essay, and you can create a lasting wrong impression. This is why when you are writing your application essay for business school, you have to be wary of the mistakes often committed by applicants. Below are some of the mistakes to avoid:
Trying so hard to sound like one of the experts
Do you want to impress your readers? Some applicants think that in order to impress the readers, they have to use jargon and high falutin words. But this is a mistake! This could result in the selection panel having a wrong impression about you. If you try to sound like you know-it-all, you will risk sounding like a braggart. You don’t have to use technical terms or you don’t have to talk like you know every thing about the school and the program. Instead, why not make them see you as a person who is eager to learn new things?
Making it seem like you don’t know what you want and how to get it
If you don’t want to sound like a know-it-all, still be careful not to fall under the category of those who don’t know anything at all. Be eager to learn more, but make sure that you don’t give the impression that you haven’t learned anything. You can do a little research about the school and the program, just don’t overdo it. Limit the discussion to your application and how the program can be beneficial to your career goals and life plans.
Citing goals and expectations that are just too vague
Some applicants think that citing goals is enough. In discussing about your goals in your personal statement, you have to make sure that the goals are specific. Don’t cite vague ones, or risk creating an impression of immaturity on your essay.
Avoiding these no-nos in writing your personal statement for business school can ensure that you get better chances of passing the admissions process.
Related links:
MBA School Profiles – All about top MBA schools in the US
Career Switch – How an MBA degree can help you switch careers
International MBA Programs – All about writing a winning MBA essay for the chosen program
Essay Writing Guide – All about essay writing advice
Beating the GMAT – All about MBA application and admissionm tips
Effectively Using MBA Essay Samples As Guides When Coming Up with an Excellent Essay
The advantage of MBA applicants nowadays is that there are several information and resources available for them online. One of the best tools that can be used are the MBA sample essays that can be found online. These provide good guides as to what are the elements of an effective admission essay. Through these samples, one can check for the right tone, expression, and content that one can use in one’s own admission essay.
An idea of what works
You might call this the “been there, done that” advantage. Since the sample essays that you found online are those of accepted applicants, you get an idea of what are the concepts you need to focus on in your essay. Since most business schools treat essays as a way to know the candidate personally, sample essays can help you determine which aspects of your personality to include and exclude in creating your essay. Aside from that, you also get an idea of the right tone and writing style that is acceptable to business schools. Thus, you can assess your own essay as to whether it is being too formal or casual and make the necessary adjustments.
Concrete examples
Another advantage of sample essays is that they provide concrete examples of how to use your personal achievements, skills, and experience into the admission essay. As stated in application guidelines, you should make a strong case on how your skills, abilities, and personality fit the MBA program you’re applying for in your essay. Somehow, that can still be vague and general. But with a sample essay, you can see how it’s done and have a fair idea on how you can execute that in your own essay. So, you should use those essays to guide you in using your experience when answering the admission essay questions.
Remember originality
But don’t forget that these sample essays are just guides. They are not templates where you just put in your text. These MBA sample essays are effective in letting you see what works and what does not, not as a license to copy the structure and answers. We all have different experiences and skills, so the essay should be unique to you. You should use these essays, not cheat with them, like what Hemingway says about using experiences in writing. Though it is tempting to imitate the sample essays fully, but remember that just defeats the purpose of sample essays. Those essays are guides for you to create your own, so if you just mimic them, the originality of your essay is compromised.
Sample essays are a lot of help when it comes to creating your own admission essays. Sample essays show you how it’s done, letting you have a concrete idea on how to write your own essay. Just remember that your essay should be unique, and that it should show your experience and personality. The sample essays just show you the way, you still have to write the essay in your own words and personal views.
Photo Credit : Kristian D.
Using MBA Essay Samples Focusing on Research Skills as Guides in Writing Your Own Essay
One might think that research skills are not needed in the business world, but you know the saying, knowledge is power. You could always use information about the market and the competition, and you could always use new technology that could make product quality better and lower production costs. So, don’t look down on research. You could use research skills as leverage in your MBA essay by looking at MBA sample essays that focus on the matter.
Showing your love for knowledge
Most of the sample essays that focus on research would forward the love of knowledge and the willingness to learn. By looking at the example situations given in the sample essays, you may find situations similar to your own. Whether it’s doing product research for your previous company or coming up with new ideas during your thesis days in the university, you could use these to forward your image as a lover of knowledge.
Aside from those, you also show a part of your personality. It shows that you have the qualities of discipline and diligence, and that you are an exceptional student. You can also show that you are eager to gain new knowledge and expand your horizons, getting a bigger and better picture of the world. It would also be helpful for admission officials to know that you’re not going to let their investment in you go to waste.
Application of that knowledge
Another common trend in successful essays is how the knowledge and information gained was helpful to one’s organization or community. Whether it was a new process, product, or initiative, you can show that you have used your research skills for the greater good. This means that you’re research skills are not purely academic; you are also actively looking for ways to apply that knowledge to improve things around you. Whether it provided more profits or made for smoother operation, what’s essential is that your research has changed lives for the better.
Remember to discuss your goals and school
Using research as an angle would not mean much if you haven’t thought and contemplated about your own goals and reasons for entering MBA. You should present yourself as knowledgeable about your own purpose in entering business school. Also, your research skills won’t matter much if you did not even research extensively details about the school that you want to enter. So, you must also mention details on why you chose the particular school and why you think it is the right fit for your purpose. This also shows your seriousness in pursuing your MBA studies from their institution.
There are several advantages in forwarding your research skills in your admission essay. And to help you start writing your own essay, you have several MBA sample essays online that can help you out. With the guidance of these essays, you can better present yourself as a lover of knowledge and as a practical person who would like to use that knowledge to improve the quality of life.
Photo Credit : Robert Scoble
How MBA Essay Samples Can Help You Highlight Your Leadership Skills in Your Own Essay
As most MBA admission essay questions ask about situations where you displayed leadership skills, having some sample essays to look can help you see how it’s done the right way. With sample essays of successful MBA applicants to form as basis, you can determine the proper tone and language to use come the time that you have to write your own. You can call this benefiting from others’ experiences.
Sample essays as guide
What are you supposed to look for in MBA essay samples? Aside from the tone and expression, one important thing to note is how the question was answered by using one’s experiences and abilities. If you see these samples, one thing you can note is that these discussed the situations briefly and went directly to the point. So, for example, if you’re asked to discuss a project that you led in the past, you should keep to the important details and discuss directly what skills and knowledge you showed while working in that project. This way, you give the admission officials a good look at your capabilities without being drowned in the details.
Another thing to note is that the qualities are not expressed in a blunt or arrogant manner; it’s more like letting the situations speak for themselves. By discussing the events and one’s role in it, one promotes one’s abilities without giving the impression of showing off. Through the sample essays, you get to build up yourself without seeming to.
Another thing that you can see in sample essays is the ability to organize ideas well, use language succinctly, and working within the word limit. Since the word counts are limited to 300-500 words, it becomes essential that you learn how to choose the details that you will present and learn to express those in concise manner.
What leadership qualities to forward
By looking at the sample essays, you can easily see some leadership qualities being presented in a clear and direct manner. The usual qualities that you will see are innovativeness, vision, and purpose. These qualities show more clearly once backed up by examples and illustrations based on past performance and experience. This way, if you do state that you have a certain leadership quality, you have specific instances to back up your claim.
But it’s not just success that’s important; how you handle failure is noteworthy as well. The Harvard Business School asks about that in its essay questions. And so, you can also use sample essays to find ways in expressing failures in a positive manner, such as it served as a learning and growing experience for you, and the like.
Sample essays can provide much assistance in helping you present yourself as a potential leader. Through the examples of the essays of people who got accepted in business school, you’ll get an idea on how to do that through your own essay. You’ll learn how to choose details carefully, let them speak on your behalf, and write your essay as concise as possible.
Photo Credit : Jimmy Mcdonald
