A Run

This is the second most important (next to “why MBA”) question that an MBA aspirant needs to work on for a powerful application. It’s imperative that he relates a common theme across his strengths, past experiences, current experience, MBA, career immediately post MBA and career long-term post MBA. To me, this self-realisation helped me identify the right kind of schools that could fit into my experiences and aspirations. For example, I understood that I am more of a “learn by doing” kind of a guy. Accordingly, I was obsessed with schools that operate Case-Method as the primary teaching style than the Lecture-based style.

Unquestionably, it’s essential that an applicant clearly articulates and demonstrates past successes in the application, but make sure that it doesn’t sound arrogant. Talking too much of successes can apparently have an egotistical tone, but sticking to the central theme of relating past successes to future goals, can significantly reduce the “overconfident” factor. On the other end, being over modest can sometimes provoke you disregard potential successes, which is again a bother. Make sure to maintain a good mix of both "Marketing" and "Modesty" and not "Exaggeration".