Before you start

Here’s what I’ve been seeing lately: a lot of clients who start on their essays with preconceived ideas of what an essay “should” be. Somewhere along the way — elementary school, college, but most likely high school — a teacher convinced them that an essay needed a particular structure, for example, the Five Paragraph Essay. You may have needed that structure to get an A in high school, but you are no longer in high school, and the MBA essay is unlike any writing you have done for school or work. So try to let go of all the rules that were drilled into you at a tender age.

Reading the prompt

Every word of every prompt is there for a reason, and was no doubt chosen after hours (days/weeks) of discussion and debate among adcom staff and various deans. It’s a good idea to read the prompt carefully, making notes as you do. Then come back to the prompt later and reread it, seeing if you can spot any nuances that eluded you the first time.

Try to start fresh with every school. As you read the Booth prompts, for example, try not to dwell on whether or not you can adapt one of your Columbia essays to respond. (The answer, generally, is no, though of course the introspection and soul-searching that helped you write an effective essay for Columbia won’t be lost, and will give you a stronger starting foundation for the next school).

You can also look online and find various interpretations of each prompt written by admissions consultants and school staff. I revise my prompt notes for each school every year, and make them available (free, of course) to anyone who asks.

Writing the essay

Some topics will take some research. Wharton, for example, asks you explicitly about what resources you will tap at the school to help you meet your goals. For the second essay, they want to know what you will contribute to the school. Yes, along the way you will briefly talk about your background and your goals, but there is no way you should even begin to write the Wharton essays without spending a significant amount of time researching their website, talking to friends at the school, and connecting the dots between your phenomenal past and your glorious future, focusing on the Wharton bridge that will help you make that leap.

Once you have done any necessary research, it’s time to start drafting your first essay. The advice I always give: don’t worry about perfection, don’t count words, don’t edit yourself as you go along. Your first draft is not the finished essay! Much of it will not make it into the final version, and that’s fine. Best to get all the material out there first, and then look for your storyline. (If you are my client, at this point I will ask you to explain or amplify some of the topics you’ve touched on, ie to write even more — you can never start with too many words.)

Depending on the prompt, it may make sense to show your draft to someone who knows you well and can give you feedback.

In any case, try not to sit down with the mindset “I’m going to crank out this essay today and I’m not stopping until it’s finished.” That may work for short answers, but it’s generally better to let your draft ferment for a while, at least half a day, and then come back to it and write some more. The first few drafts are all about adding material. Don’t even think of editing until you’ve put down everything that comes to mind. The act of writing unlocks a part of your brain that often comes up with the best inspirations — ideas that hadn’t occurred to you when you were putting together your notes.

Editing the essay

Okay. You’ve been through all the paces with your draft. It’s time to begin shaping your story. At this point, you will again want to enlist that friend/colleague who knows you well, or a consultant. Ask these questions:

  • Does this sound like me?
  • What impression do you get about me from reading this essay?
  • What stands out to you in this essay?
  • Is there anything in the essay that doesn’t make sense to you or doesn’t seem to belong?
  • Do you think I responded to the prompt adequately?
  • What else could I add?

After you have a clear idea of what your essay will look like, you can begin shortening it to meet word count limits.

Ideally, after you make these edits, you will have time to let the essay marinate for a while before you come back to it. In other words, don’t wait until the day before the deadline to begin, as the most compelling essays are generally written over a period of weeks if not months. Even if you know someone who knows someone who claims they wrote the Stanford essay the morning it was due, that’s probably not going to be you. Allow yourself enough time to ensure that the essay gives an accurate, authentic picture of you.