Gosh. I am tired. I've been re-editing my Chicago essays everyday for the last two weeks. Thankfully, I have several reviewed that have been willing to go the extra mile and comment on my essays within the same day I send them. My essays have been reworked from scratch, they are now a ghost of their former selves.

The essay 1 now reads so much better. I now understand why I have been dinged from all my other schools. My applications were just W E A K...and horrid. I cringe at the thought of actually having sent them. 5 schools before I learnt how to write properly. Sigh. A little too late in some sense.

But hopefully, with Chicago, I might have a chance. Who knows. Maybe?

2 more weeks till I get my ding from Tuck. I wish Tuck would send out its dings earlier and faster. At least, there would be closure and a chapter closed. If for some reason Tuck decides to give me an admit (looking at my essays), I have nothing to say.

I'm thinking of maybe a second school for Round 2. Maybe Kellogg? Maybe Ross? I guess I'll look at their essays before I make a decision. At the moment, I just want to wrap up Chicago and call it quits. My poor little brain can't edit much more.

EVERYBODY SCREAAAAAM!! FEEL GOOOOD!

No. I have NOT got an interview invite, much less an admit.

But hey, that's no reason to feel down right? So you haven't got that sexy interview admit, and so Columbia/Wharton/Chicago doesn't think you're as hot as PetroChina, but that's cool. You know why? Because.... because there's round 2 coming up! WHOA!

That's right, Round 2 applications are due in two months or there abouts, so here's a chance to learn from all your mistakes that you made in Round 1 and perfect those sorry essays. I've got to say that since Round 1, I've realized/learnt where my mistakes were and am hell bent on making sure my next application is as close to perfection as possible.

I think, since last year, I've managed to narrow down a few keypoints that need to be considered in Essay 1.

1. Why MBA? Be so clear on this point that it hurts to read your essay. Be explicit in your explanation.

2. Why this MBA? Because it's a top school and had the best placements for IB/MC isn't good enough. You need a hook.

3. Why now? I messed up big time on this point. But why now is a definite necessity. However, I'm still struggling with this point.

4. Talk about what makes you special. Another point which I'm still struggling with. I'm not special and it's kind of hard to talk about something you're not. Maybe I could say "because I'm hot and you're not...."

5. And why do you have the short term goals that you have? And no, apparently saying because you'll make a gazillion trillion bucks working in IB isn't a good answer.

I've started wondering about the Chicago PPT "essay". Four slides or less to capture who I am.

I've done this sort of thing before, well, not exactly. But I've created a 45 second video clip that showed who I am. But, I've got minimal experience with PPT and am a bit stuck.

Should I use pictures as much as possible? Maybe a bit like Picture Scrabble? But I'm sure the other five thousand odd applicants are also busy copy/pasting little cute pictures. But really, I think what GSB is trying to push here is not only how creative can you get, but maybe, also how relevant can you be.


1. It's not relevant to stick a picture a church and talk about your risk taking abilities.

But it's relevant to post two Playboy bunnies and say how much you believe in relationship building and live on the edge.

2. It's not relevant to use a picture of a Volkswagon and discuss your drive for success.

Please use a souped up Ferrari at least when you talk about being a Big Swinging Dick.

3. Don't post happy pictures of Hello Kitty and mention your hobbies.

Do post a picture of a stack of chips and a hand of hold'em poker. Mention that you're doing your CFA Level 3 because you had some spare time on the weekends.

4. Unless you suspect the ad coms are into him,insert a picture of Tom Jones and discuss your family ties.

Instead, a photoshopped picture of your family and Li Ka Shing/Lakhmi Mittal/Warren Buffet and talk about how Uncle has always mentioned he'll make a donation to the school that accepts you would be perfect.

5. You're unique. Don't use a standard picture of you in a suit. They've seen that a million times.

Nothing would differentiate you posing like you're going to hit a drug fuelled orgy. Remember, Chicago GSB enables career changers and is happy to accept people from non-traditional backgrounds!


If you follow my suggestions and don't get admitted, hit them back, they're holding out on you. :)