HOW TO WRITE THE OPTIONAL ESSAY

linly

Okay gang, much hasbeen written about  the Optional Essay.  And today, we willcontribute to that pool of knowledge.  But we will as always do itcleverly, briskly, and not without our special brand of PE humour.  

Behold: the first ever Precision Essay Guide to the Optional Essay.

1) Speak to the facts.  As we all have heard countless times,the key to the Optional Essay is to explain WHY you bombed the GMAT.  Whyyou did so badly at college.  The adcom already knows THAT you did--sohere you can tell them a story.  I did A badly in college, but the reasonsare B and C.  Since then, Ive done D and E.  See that?  Noproblems here.  Just the facts, gang.  No long-winded, circularstories.

2) Dont write unless you have to.*  As most of us know, this is NOTa chance to slip in a new essay for the adcom's viewing pleasure. "Well I havent written about community service yet, so..." Nope.  Bad idea--this will force the adcom to question your judgment. Now that being said, there are two exceptions to this rule--Johnson andCBS.  Those apps are so frickin short, we DO recommend perhaps writing anadditional short essay.  But these two are the ONLY exceptions we areaware of.

linly

3) Speak with Confidence.  This is the only one that seems to trippeople up.  The last thing that an adcom wants to read is another whinyexplanation as to why you blew the GMAT.  After youve written your firstsentence, they KNOW where the essay is going.  We HATE to spend all 500 wordson this essay if we can help it--get in there, make your point, and getout.  If you are not sorry, if you dont apologize--that is perfectlyFINE.  All you need is some clear logic--make the point, and get out ofthere.  Speak with confidence, and dont dwell.  This should be theshortest essay that you write.  Period.

Hope this helps gang.

marronhair

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