Top MBA Essay Analysis from Jon Frank---P11: THE MOST IMPORTANT THING MBA APPLIC

meimei0222

Hi Jon, do I need to write an optional essay if I changed my jobs just few weeks before the application deadline? i.e. same function but better company brand names.

Also, can you give us some suggestions on how to address the employment gaps during the financial crisis? Thanks a lot!

JonFrank

Hi Jon, do I need to write an optional essay if I changed my jobs just few weeks before the application deadline? i.e. same function but better company brand names.

Also, can you give us some suggestions on how to address the employment gaps during the financial crisis? Thanks a lot!

-- by 会员 meimei0222 (2010/10/9 14:06:56)

Hey there!  Honestly, if the change occurred just a week or two prior to submitting your application, you might want to simply…ignore it.  Just say that you did your app a couple weeks earlier, and don’t even mention it.  J  That might be your best bet.  Otherwise, yes, you will need to address it in the optional essay.  And you will need to do the same as you describe any other gaps as well—the good news is that adcoms wont hold the work gaps against you this year as they would in years with stronger economies.  erhaps tho, you can find a way to address the gap, elsewhere in the essays.  As a “risk” you took for example, or even in your career goals essay.  You do need to address gaps, but you DONT need to do it in the optional essay, if you can get creative…
Hope this helps!


Jon Frank

summertang

Hi Jone.  I am wondering whether I need to write an optional essay for my grade inconsistency. I have gpa around 3.8 in my first year, but the second year I got into business school, which is very competitive, and I got 3.2 for that year. Do you think that its good for me to write a optional essay on that? Around 200 words sould be enough?

JonFrank

Hi Jone.  I am wondering whether I need to write an optional essay for my grade inconsistency. I have gpa around 3.8 in my first year, but the second year I got into business school, which is very competitive, and I got 3.2 for that year. Do you think that its good for me to write a optional essay on that? Around 200 words sould be enough?

-- by 会员 summertang (2010/11/27 15:12:04)

Hey there!  This is a great question—but no, you don’t need to write anything here.  Even at 3.2, your GPA is juuust fine.  Leave it alone—your grades are just fine.  Don’t stress it—not in your Optional Essay anyway.  J  Good luck!


Jon Frank

summertang

Thank you Jon.

kolinlian1988

Hi Jon, when the school is require to write an essay to address your strengths and weakness, should I mention that my GPA below 3.0 here? And how should I address it appropriately to make it not sounds so bad.....

JonFrank

Hi Jon, when the school is require to write an essay to address your strengths and weakness, should I mention that my GPA below 3.0 here? And how should I address it appropriately to make it not sounds so bad.....

-- by 会员 kolinlian1988 (2011/3/2 11:25:15)

Hello my friend.  I would be honored to answer your questions here of course.  If your GPA is lower than 3.0, then yes you should address it in the optional essay.  That is the easy part.  The harder part is doing it in a way that is convincing.  J  Here are some ideas—focus on aspects of your job that show your INTELLECT.  “Yes I did badly in finance classes at school, but today I work in advanced finance at a bank every day; clearly, I can handle the workload.”  You can also point to your GMAT as proof that you have what it takes to succeed.  Also, perhaps there is a good reason as to why you did poorly in school.  Did you…work full time?  Was there a death in the family?  Can we see a nicely positive trend in your grades over time?  Have you taken any additional courses since graduating?  All of these things are worth bringing up.  But remember, don’t whine—just get in there, make your argument concisely, and get out.  Hope this helps!


Jon Frank
Precision Essay

poa0101

Jon:

Thanks for the optional essay info.
My GMAT 640 (M49,V28) is pretty low in CD , do I have to write optional essay to address that?


tnx


Danny

ianianpk

Jon, my gpa is around 3.2, but I did get a D in this very important class of mine. Do you think I should devote the optional essay in writing about why I poorly performed(and I do have a reason for it: family issues) in this one class  or should I just totally skip this optioanl essay? Thank you so much for your help in advance!

bbs139

hi, Jon, my undergraduate GPA is 3.03, not very high. But actually I was top 10% student in my class, and the score was mainly lowered by some courses other than major course(accounting) such as Physical Eduation and Military theory.

Should I write additional essay for this? and what's the best way to express that?

Thank you for your long-term volunteer help for the applicants. Really thanks.