The 5-paragraph MBA essay: B-Schooled episode 167

While there are countless ways to approach an MBA essay, we know a few things are true for virtually any business school essay prompt: You need to convey a lot of complex information succinctly, These prompts are often purposely broad/vague--which means that it is essential for you to structure your essay in a way that is compelling and easy to understand, and Admissions officers, who have to read hundreds or thousands of applications a year, read these essays VERY quickly. For all of these reasons, it is ESSENTIAL your essay is well structured, compelling, and that you make every word count. Of course you can write a well-structured essay in all kinds of ways, but one tried and true approach is probably the same format that your middle-school English school teacher taught you – the five paragraph essay: One introductory paragraph, Three paragraphs in the body that support and develop your argument, and One concluding paragraph at the end But the magic of what we share here ISN’T this format. Virtually every 14 year-old in the country is familiar with this format; the critical thing is how you LEVERAGE this format to integrate interesting and relevant stories about yourself in a way that is consistent and cohesive with your larger application narrative.  In this segment your host Chandler will: Walk listeners through each paragraph of this essay structure, Suggest specific tips and suggestions to think about for each part of the essay, Share things to watch out for/avoid, and Showcase essay examples from successful applicants who earned admission to their first-choice programs