2009 Great Application Essays MBA Chat with Paul Bodine

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Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 11:59:46 AM)
Hello. My name is Linda Abraham. I am the founder of Accepted.com and the moderator of today’s chat. First I want to welcome all applicants to the chat today, and I want to congratulate you for taking the time from your busy schedules to learn the tried and true techniques that can transform a ho-hem effort into a Great Application Essay for Business School. It is with special pleasure that I welcome you all to this chat with Paul Bodine, senior editor at Accepted.com and author of Great Application Essays for Business School, and valued colleague since 1997. Paul, thanks for coming today. You have participated many times in chats and assisted me, but now you’re the "special guest."

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:00:14 PM)
Thanks, Linda, Great to be here! Thanks everyone for coming.

amitd (Sep 4, 2008 12:00:40 PM)
Thanks for having me.

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 12:01:40 PM)
Thanks to everyone for joining. It’s your turn now. Please post your questions.

amitd (Sep 4, 2008 12:02:1540 PM )
Paul.. My 1st question: I am really struggling with understanding the long essay questions for Fuqua. Can you please clarify the question? Here is the question "Today, companies must navigate through complex and interdependent issues. They must deal with health and security matters, environmental impact questions, and diversity and cultural concerns. Leaders need adaptability, imagination, and emotional intelligence as well as business acumen. Upon graduation, a Duke MBA will be a leader of consequence - able to deal simultaneously with complex matters and engage skillfully with colleagues, clients, and community. What impact do you hope to have as a leader of consequence? "

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:03:05 PM)
Amitd: That is a tough question. At first glance it looks like they're asking you to regurgitate your goals, but they've already asked you your goals in an earlier essay.

amitd (Sep 4, 2008 12:03:22 PM)
Right.

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:03:43 PM)
So I think this essay is asking you to dig behind your goals, to imagine which challenges (the ones they name are just examples) you'll encounter down the road as you pursue your goals.

HeatherM (Sep 4, 2008 12:04:27 PM)
I am reapplying to b-school and the question "describe your career progress since you last applied" is popping up -- What is the best format/flow for approaching this?

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:04:38 PM)
AmitD: Then for each of those goal-related leadership challenges, find an example from your past where you hopefully demonstrated that kind of leadership.

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 12:04:59 PM)
Great answer.

amitd (Sep 4, 2008 12:05:05 PM)
What is a “leader of consequence”? I searched for this phrase on the internet but apart from President Bush referring Mr. Putin a leader of consequence, I didn't find anything.

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:05:13 PM)
Using these examples will enable you to use this essay to give them some accomplishments rather than an abstract essay about your thoughts on management.

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 12:05:14 PM)
LOL

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:06:29 PM)
Heather, you should start with what you've accomplished professionally. Move thru these accomplishments chronologically. You want to show them that you are stronger than you were last time, but you also want to show how these accomplishments have (a) refined your goals and (b) deepened your feeling of fit with the school. The (a) and (b) parts can be addressed in the second half of your reapplication essay.

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:07:40 PM)
Amitd, better not give Putin as an example in your essay!

DesaiGuy (Sep 4, 2008 12:07:50 PM)
Understanding that this year will be more competitive than previous years, how does one determine what is a safety school, a realistic school, and a reach school?

HeatherM (Sep 4, 2008 12:08:18 PM)
Very helpful - thanks!

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:08:33 PM)
Amitd, I think "leader of consequence" is just a jargon term for a manager who is concerned with more than just managing projects, but has a larger vision and is concerned with leaving a larger impact. This means that you should probably not focus in this essay *only* on post-MBA professional goals/challenges but on the kind of leader you intend to be in the community as well. For example: Rather than say that you will start a company that expands worldwide, etc. say that you want the company to also impact the communities it's in, and provide some examples of the ways you see it doing that.

amitd (Sep 4, 2008 12:10:37 PM)
Ok. Great advice.

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:10:48 PM)
DesaiGuy, one way is simply to apply to more schools -- spread the risk. The other is just to discount the competitiveness of your GMAT score a bit.

RMN (Sep 4, 2008 12:11:00 PM)
One of the most typical essay topics is "Describe your greatest achievement?" I understand that one should try to present stuff outside school and work, as I'm not a world class athlete, haven't climbed Mount Everest or won piano contests, what would be significant/unique enough to grab admission officer's attention?

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:11:36 PM)
That is, instead of saying that a safety school is one where your GMAT is 20 points above their above, use 30 percent. I'm just talking rules of thumb here not formulas. Linda, do you have thoughts on this question?

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:12:54 PM)
RMN, well that depends on the quality of the material you've got. Tutoring a single student, getting into an IIT, and winning your high school's football championship would probably not be strong or unusual enough. You want an accomplishment that not only shows impact but ideally shows you leading people, the more the merrier. The bigger the impact ($, % etc.) the "greater" the impact.

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 12:14:12 PM)
Desai Guy, I use averages as a guide. If your GMAT, GPA, and work experience are close to the average, then the school is realistic. If you are below the averages on all 3 or much lower on any one and the school has less than a 20% acceptance rate, the school is a reach. If you are above average on all and the school has a 30% plus acceptance rate, then it's a safety. Again that's a rough guideline.

mbahopeful (Sep 4, 2008 12:14:22 PM)
Paul I have a question about MBA fairs. I will be attending one in a couple weeks. Is there any way to make myself stand out to the recruiters? Would my performance there have any impact on the application itself?

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:14:48 PM)
RMN, you need to think a bit out of the box. Even if your accomplishment is not all that unusual you can maximize it's impact in the essay but doing a really good job of explaining how it changed you and why it was important to you.

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:16:18 PM)
Mbahopeful, I don't frankly think you should try to use these fairs to stand out. Adcoms probably see some pushy and graceless behavior at these fairs, so just focus on talking to people, getting information in a friendly, respectful manner. If you do some homework on the school beforehand and act in friendly positive way, they may remember you. If you're pushy or try to sell yourself they may also remember you, but in a negative way.

KT (Sep 4, 2008 12:17:23 PM)
I have a question regarding Stanford’s essay questions - "What matters most to you, and why?". This question is kind of vague, and I don't really know where to begin. What do you think the Stanford’s adcom expect to learn from this question?

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:17:39 PM)
Mbahopeful, show them genuine interest in and knowledge of their school (avoid obvious questions), make sure you get the names of the people you speak to, and maybe bring a business card along to give them.

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 12:18:25 PM)
Great suggestion. I think showing knowledge of the program, at least, that which can be found on their website, is a great way to make a good impression. And that's really all you want to do.

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:19:04 PM)
KT, they are trying to get to know you as a person rather than as a professional or "number." They want to know what makes you tick. Unfortunately, they have seen every kind of "What matters most" answer, so avoid obvious ones or generic ones like: "Success,"  "My family," "Achieving balance in life" or "Learning as much as I can." Try to dig deeper.

HeatherM (Sep 4, 2008 12:19:21 PM)
(Linda - that guideline is really helpful - thanks!!)

DesaiGuy (Sep 4, 2008 12:19:24 PM)
Thanks, that was very helpful.

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 12:19:31 PM)
You're welcome.

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:20:31 PM)
KT, one approach I use is to forget the What Matters Most language until after you written the essay, and focus on the 3-4 things that you're most passionate about. When you're done try to find what those things have in common.

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 12:20:52 PM)
And if you do use something like "my family," then be more specific. As Paul says dig deeper. What about your family is important to you? Family dinners? Vacations? Values? If the latter, how are you incorporating those values in your life? Think experiences.

ruche (Sep 4, 2008 12:21:40 PM)
For the Yale question: "What are you most passionate about, and how have you demonstrated a commitment to this passion", what activity can I show to sound passionate? If I say I am passionate about working for society, does that mean I should have started my own NGO? How do you define the term passionate?

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:21:56 PM)
KT, if there is a common theme stating that theme can become your What Matters Most statement at the beginning of the essay. My point is, it's OK to say that multiple specific things or activities matter most to you.

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 12:22:46 PM)
I also want to announce that Accepted.com is offering 20% off its regular price for Paul's "Great Application Essays for Business School" today and tomorrow. Go to http://www.accepted.com/Ecommerce/MBA/applicationessay.aspx to purchase Paul’s book. To obtain the discount enter the coupon code GREATAPP and you will receive 20% off. But please remember that the discount is only available today and tomorrow.

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:23:07 PM)
The What Matters Most essay should probably also steer clear of professional/career aspects since they give you Stanford B for that. Use Stanford A for "autobiographical," passions, and community involvement (usually).

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:24:09 PM)
Ruche, well, passionate just means what activity or hobby gets you pumped up or excited. If you don't know what you're really excited about, you may have a problem. :-)
And yes, you need the "passion" to be matched by some activity that "proves" or gives evidence of your passion.

amitd (Sep 4, 2008 12:24:54 PM)
Paul, Ross has the following question: " Describe your experience during a challenging time in your life. Explain how you grew personally, either despite this challenge or because of it." Now, not everyone faces a challenging time in the life. Can I substitute that with a challenging experience or challenging instance? Challenging time to me is a long enough period of time such as struggling with cancer.

ruche (Sep 4, 2008 12:25:00 PM)
Ok. Got it. Thanks !

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:25:24 PM)
Ruche, that doesn't mean you have to have started an NGO, but it does mean that a few months or tutoring or working at Habitat for Humanity will probably be too weak to prove that working for society is truly your passion. Make sense?

LRink (Sep 4, 2008 12:25:50 PM)
Are they looking for really creative essays (that show personality) or rather straightforward, stating the facts/stories?

ruche (Sep 4, 2008 12:26:02 PM)
Yes. I got your point!

KT (Sep 4, 2008 12:26:22 PM)
Thanks Paul, Linda.

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 12:26:27 PM)
You're welcome.

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:26:50 PM)
Amitd, oh, sure, "challenging time" can mean any duration of time you want it to mean. It could probably even be a single-day's event if the challenge was difficult enough.

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 12:27:55 PM)
Amitd, it means your challenges, not someone else’s. Everyone has challenges. Fortunately, not all face cancer.

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:28:24 PM)
I think it is true however that "challenging time" means they want to hear about an experience that wasn't just difficult but involved some personal change, reflection, really presented you with an obstacle. Studying to pass an entrance exam would probably not work here.

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 12:28:37 PM)
Agreed. Unless you had a disability of some kind to overcome.

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:29:33 PM)
LRink. they are definitely looking for essays with personality, but you should also be giving them plenty of vivid, specific facts as well. But avoid dry, impersonal descriptions. "Creative" and "Factual" are not mutually exclusive.

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 12:30:45 PM)
LRink, I think you would be amazed how people's personality comes through in their writing. Don't force it and don't try to be something you're not. Write experientially and well, and your personality will come through. And it should.

HeatherM (Sep 4, 2008 12:31:12 PM)
UCLA Anderson has started doing an audio essay (rather than submitting text). How would you recommend approaching that so as to sound conversational, but not off the cuff -- and are they looking for similar content to what you would have written? (FYI the essays are: A. What does entrepreneurial spirit mean to you?, B. What global issue matters most to you and why? C. What is something people will find surprising about you?)

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:32:06 PM)
HeatherM. Great question. I do think your answer needs to be as well-thought-out as a written essay, and in fact I would probably start by answering that question as an essay. However, once it's written I would memorize it or practice saying it -- with a friend, for example -- so you can say it without reading from the paper and so it sounds engaging.

amitd (Sep 4, 2008 12:32:48 PM)
That’s a great question....

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:33:25 PM)
In a way, that essay is a test of your interviewing skills. So you might as well get started practicing your interviewing / presentation skills early.

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 12:33:37 PM)
You might want to read it or practice it into a tape recorder or voice recorder and then play it back. But don't be too stiff.

amitd (Sep 4, 2008 12:33:52 PM)
So should it come across as if you are impromptu?

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:34:29 PM)
If you can get to the point where you can deliver the essay in a conversational way without sounded overly scripted, then you're ready to submit it -- you'll probably also be ahead of lot of people in your interview prep. :-)

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:35:18 PM)
Amitd, it needs to sound like you have not memorized an essay, but I don't think you want it to sound like it's off the cuff. Few people have the skill to answer a thoughtful question like that off the cuff.

ruche (Sep 4, 2008 12:35:27 PM)
One more question. Does your passion need to depict in your goals also? Even though, I have a passion for working for the society, I do not want to go in to non-profit sector, is it perfectly fine?

HeatherM (Sep 4, 2008 12:35:29 PM)
Thanks!

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:36:43 PM)
Ruche, it's OK to say that working for society is your passion and state a for-profit goal. Just define what you mean by "working for society." It's too vague a phrase. Tell them what you mean by it.

DesaiGuy (Sep 4, 2008 12:36:52 PM)
For the optional essays, I've often heard you are to utilize this if you have an area of weakness in your application you would like to explain. I recently read from one source that even if you don't have a perceived weakness in your application, you should use this essay to touch on another topic. What are your thoughts?

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:37:07 PM)
Ruche, but whether you have for-profit or non-profit goals, your passion for those goals needs to come across in the essay.

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 12:38:04 PM)
Ruche, sometimes clients say "I want to help people." My usual response to that is "Why don't you become a plumber?" When my sink backs up, he helps me every time." Why do you want to help people or society in the particular way you have chosen.

ruche (Sep 4, 2008 12:38:11 PM)
Ok. Thanks a lot !

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:38:31 PM)
DesaiGuy, I (and I know Linda also) believe that optional essays can in most cases be used to talk about non-extenuating circumstances. The exceptions are schools that explicitly tell you that they *only* want the essay used for extenuating circumstances. Most are not so restrictive.

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 12:39:16 PM)
Agreed.

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:39:18 PM)
If you do use the optional to talk about an accomplishment, a hobby, etc. just make sure you add a sentence at the very beginning explicitly telling them why you will be writing about and why think this valuable for them to know. Don't give them the impression that you're just pasting in an unused essay from another application.

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 12:39:41 PM)
And make sure you didn't write about it in another essay or make the optional into some grand and superficial summary.

AIM (Sep 4, 2008 12:39:57 PM)
I have a question regarding the second part of Kellogg's question "Describe your key leadership experiences and evaluate what leadership areas you hope to develop through your MBA experience." I am particularly confused about the leadership areas that I hope to develop through an MBA part . Can you give some pointers please?

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:40:03 PM)
Yes, DesaiGuy, it needs to be new material and it needs to be "value-added" material.

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:41:35 PM)
AIM, you probably are not yet the leader you hope to be some day. There are leadership skills you want to work on. For example, delegating, mentoring, building consensus, "managing up," motivating teams, allocating human resources more effectively, taking initiative, sharing a vision, etc. These are all examples of leadership areas that could be improved at B-school.

AIM (Sep 4, 2008 12:43:09 PM)
Thank you Paul.

Dan (Sep 4, 2008 12:43:53 PM)
I may have missed this, but how do you develop a marketing handle? How do we identify and develop it?

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 12:44:01 PM)
I was just about to ask that!

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:44:09 PM)
Dan, I thought you'd never ask.

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:44:40 PM)
The marketing handle is just the brief profile that encapsulates what's unique about your candidacy.

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 12:44:41 PM)
:-)

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:45:50 PM)
You need to inventory your experiences -- at work, extracurricular, in the community, at school, in your personal life -- and ask yourself which 4 to 6 elements are most distinctive or best define who you are.

amitd (Sep 4, 2008 12:46:05 PM)
Great.. Paul should the optional essay have a theme or can it be used to talk on a variety of subjects that you want to let adcoms know about yourself?

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:47:19 PM)
For example, someone's "handle" could be a combination of: their particular career niche (IT security, litigation consulting, etc.), their family (from the Ukraine), their hobbies (basket weaving), their community involvement (Sunday school teaching).

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:48:19 PM)
Dan, usually, it's hard to look at your own profile and evaluate what's distinctive. So ask your friends, family, and maybe an Accepted.com consultant how they think your profile differs from other applicants.

BD (Sep 4, 2008 12:49:18 PM)
Just a general question: If a candidate has strong interests in both the “for profit” and “non profit” worlds and has experience to date in both, is it too "pie in the sky" to continue those themes throughout your essays considering how demanding this can be? Or maybe this makes an essay not as focused or clear as choosing one or the either?

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 12:49:47 PM)
I like the Accepted.com consultant idea.

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:50:04 PM)
Amitd, I recommend not using the optional essay to discuss a variety of topics unless all those topics are "extenuating circumstance" topics. If they are, then you *have* to address them. If your multiple topics are just "extras" then I would search for a unifying theme.

amitd (Sep 4, 2008 12:51:55 PM)
Thanks!

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:52:21 PM)
BD, no, there's nothing wrong with someone who has major commitments in both the for-profit and non-profit worlds. In fact, it would probably make you attractive to the B-schools. Ideally you want both your for-profit and the non-profit activities to be focused, i.e., not skipping around to different employers or fields or NGOs.

BD (Sep 4, 2008 12:54:20 PM)
Great - thanks - so interests in both will resonate so long as both are focused respectively.

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 12:54:33 PM)
What is the biggest, most common mistake most people make in writing application essays?

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:54:46 PM)
BD, just to follow up, it's also perfectly fine to tell the schools that post-MBA you intend to continue pursuing both for-profit and a not-for-profit involvements. More power to you.

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:55:30 PM)
BD, yes, the for-profit and non-profit activities don't even need to necessarily be related to each other. We all have passions outside of work that may have nothing to do with our careers.

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 12:56:35 PM)
I agree with Paul, but I think you have to be specific about a post-MBA professional goal, i.e., you want to go into marketing for a large corporation and continue your work for the NGO in off hours. Or you want to bring business techniques and processes to your favorite NFP cause while managing your private investments on the side. Saying in general that you want to pursue both may make you appear non-focused.

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:56:37 PM)
Linda, I would say it's a tie between thinking the schools are looking for some kind of canned, generic, phony answer and leaving out the detail and personal examples that make good essays good.

BD (Sep 4, 2008 12:56:45 PM)
Very helpful – thanks.

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 12:57:08 PM)
Wonderful, succinct response.

amitd (Sep 4, 2008 12:57:11 PM)
Paul this may be an off-topic question, but what questions should we ask to the current students in finding out more info about the school?

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:57:41 PM)
I see both of these all the time: (a) people don't respond to the schools' questions sincerely and (b) they respond on so superficial a level that the reader doesn't learn what makes them unique or interesting.

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:58:21 PM)
Amitd, good question. You could ask them specific questions related to the schools' resources in your field of interest.

Dan (Sep 4, 2008 12:58:38 PM)
A couple years ago I asked my friends for positive feedback - what they saw as my strengths. They said I'm a compelling writer, a creative arguer (I call it my mental astigmatism; they call it my ability to see multiple issues where they see only one), and the go-to guy for explanations about economic events. One of my friends threatened harm if I didn't go into business. Is that the kind of thing we're talking about for a handle? Or should we look more at background - I've worked in manufacturing and engineering industries, served in the Peace Corps etc?

ruche (Sep 4, 2008 12:58:58 PM)
I have the same question regarding alumni. What school specific questions we can ask them? Every one generally says their experience is too good.

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 12:59:13 PM)
You can ask both students and recent alumni:
What did they like best/least?

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 12:59:39 PM)
Amitd, you could also get a sense of what they like most and least about the place. Students are generally pretty upfront about both. The positive stuff can make its way into your goals essay and the not-so-positive stuff can be food for thought as you evaluate which schools you really want to go to.

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 12:59:46 PM)
Who were the best profs? What were their favorite classes, projects/ clubs?
What is a typical day like?
What is the biggest lesson you've learned at X?
For alumni, how do you apply what you learned in your work, or do you?
How have you benefited from your time at X?
What disappointed you about your MBA experience?

ruche (Sep 4, 2008 1:01:24 PM)
Great ideas. Thanks!

amitd (Sep 4, 2008 1:01:33 PM)
Great answer. Thanks.

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 1:01:36 PM)
Dan, both. I like the strengths your friends identified because they're specific/focused and they're also distinctive and real. But you also need the handle to encapsulate your total profile in some way: the Peace Corps and experience in two industries would definitely quality.

KT (Sep 4, 2008 1:01:51 PM)
Paul, how do you think younger applicants (with less than 3 years of experience) should address this weakness in their essays? Should the younger applicant try to touch on this in other essays than the optional essays?

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 1:02:32 PM)
Ruche, you could ask alumni about the schools' network in their area and what experiences in B-school helped them most in their careers.

ruche (Sep 4, 2008 1:02:57 PM)
Ok.

amitd (Sep 4, 2008 1:03:03 PM)
Thank you Paul and Linda for answering my questions.

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 1:03:08 PM)
Thanks for coming.

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 1:03:13 PM)
Thanks everyone for coming and best of luck!

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 1:03:17 PM)
Thank you again all for participating today. Special thanks to Paul Bodine for joining us.
We look forward to seeing you at future chats, and here is a list of the upcoming scheduled chats:

*September 11 INSEAD

*September 15 Wharton

*September 25 Yale

*October 2 Columbia

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 1:04:01 PM)
KT, I will answer your question...

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 1:04:31 PM)
KT, I don't think I would waste an optional essay on that issue. I would try to work it into the main goals essay. Your core argument has got to be that (a) you've accomplished as much as older applicants in your limited experience and/or (b) that you already know what your goals are (in contrast to other people your age) so there's no need to wait. These can both be communicated in the goals essay. You want your whole essay set to be sending the message: This applicant has achieved a lot given his/her age/experience.

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 1:04:35 PM)
Don't apologize for your youth, make the positive points Paul is suggesting that you make.

PaulBodineACCEPTED (Sep 4, 2008 1:06:37 PM)
Good luck to everyone ...

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 1:06:39 PM)
Good luck to you all and thanks again for coming.

AIM (Sep 4, 2008 1:06:47 PM)
Thank you Paul and Linda!

AIM (Sep 4, 2008 1:06:55 PM)
Will a transcript of this chat be available on the accepted website ?

Linda Abraham (Sep 4, 2008 1:06:59 PM)
Yes. In about a week.

BD (Sep 4, 2008 1:07:03 PM)
Thanks Linda and Paul - I look forward to reviewing the chat session transcript online

KT (Sep 4, 2008 1:07:08 PM)
Thank you very Paul, Linda. I really appreciate your thoughts and efforts.

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