A To-Do List for Your Personal Statement: See Feelings as Information

This week on the blog we’re providing you with a to-do list for your personal statement and school-specific essays. Check back frequently as we’ll provide one key area of focus each day this week. 

See feelings as information. If you can state or allude to how an experience made you feel, you will paint a dynamic picture for the admissions team. You can include "negative" emotions like fear but also positive ones like joy, camaraderie, and pride.

We don't believe in self-aggrandizing but don't self-deprecate either. We think the "pride"-vibe you're aiming for is best explained by organizational psychologist and author Adam Grant: "Downplaying your achievements is not the antidote to appearing arrogant. Humility is acknowledging your weaknesses, not denying your strengths. Generosity is elevating others, not diminishing yourself. Owning your success doesn't make you a narcissist—it makes you a role model.”

(Bonus!) Understand that you will rewrite most things. Embrace it. Know now that having to write several drafts is not a failure. It is a way to success.

A To-Do List for Your Personal Statement: Don't Avoid Fear

This week on the blog we’re providing you with a to-do list for your personal statement and school-specific essays. Check back frequently as we’ll provide one key area of focus each day this week. 

Show fear when it's applicable. Similarly, the "show no fear" image people often want to flaunt in their applications doesn't seem authentic because it isn't. You have many terrific qualities; being 100% fearless isn't one of them. You've experienced fear, whether it was about not finishing your Honors thesis on time or confronting a colleague about a sexist comment. Good. Fear helps you assess a situation, prepare yourself to address it properly, and take (sometimes very cautious) action. Addressing a fear can be quite humbling—it's another way to show vulnerability in your application. And fear can be a pathway to courage.

A To-Do List for Your Personal Statement: Show Self-awareness

This week on the blog we’re providing you with a to-do list for your personal statement and school-specific essays. Check back frequently as we’ll provide one key area of focus each day this week. 

Show that you're self-aware. Many of our clients shy away from sharing examples of their weaknesses or times they've made mistakes in their Personal Statement. But replaying a fumble is an opportunity to then share actions you took to remedy a situation and lessons you learned. That said, not every issue you present must be one that you've fully resolved. For example, say you're great at presenting ideas on paper but you have a hard time speaking up in professional settings. Likely, one beautiful, clarifying moment didn't change that forever. That's something you work on over a long period. You may share an anecdote where you spoke well in front of an intimidating group and how you prepared to do it. Then say how you will continue improving your verbal communication skills and how you plan to exercise that muscle regularly in the future. That's a stronger, more realistic take than "I will never have this problem again!”

A To-Do List for Your Personal Statement: Remember what Resonates

This week on the blog we’re providing you with a to-do list for your personal statement and school-specific essays. Check back frequently as we’ll provide one key area of focus each day this week. 

Remember what resonates most with reviewers. Passion. Depth of Impact. Potential. We probably don't need to explain passion to you. Depth of impact means expressing how much an experience and your actions during it changed things within you and/or outside of you. Potential is you exemplifying one or more qualities that medical, law, or business schools admire: Leadership, collaboration, critical thinking, etc. You know these from your brainstorm “buckets."

Related:

Your Med School Application: Build a Brainstorm Document

Your Law School Application: Build a Brainstorm Document

Your MBA Application: Build a Brainstorm Document

A To-Do List for Your Personal Statement: Emphasize Past Experiences

This week on the blog we’re providing you with a to-do list for your personal statement and school-specific essays. Check back frequently as we’ll provide one key area of focus each day this week. 

Emphasize past experiences. Focus on what you've done more than on what you want to do. So many of our clients think their essays should exclusively be about their fantasy future. But this isn't a magic carpet ride. Your rug must be on the ground. What you have accomplished and learned is the only proof that you are committed to the study and practice of medicine, law, or business. (We use that phrase a lot because you should be reinforcing this commitment throughout your application.) 

Essay Guide 2024-2025: The Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia

UVA’s Darden School of Business has released its 2024-2025 application deadlines and required essays. 

Round Application Deadline   Decision Notification

Early Action 05 September 2024       16 October 2024

Round 1         02 October 2024       11 December 2024

Round 2         07 January 2025         12 March 2025             

Round 3         02 April 2025               30 April 2025

The essay prompts at UVA’s Darden showcase the value the school places on understanding the student as a full person. Rather than just focusing on career goals, the required essay prompts seek out insights into an applicant’s personality and ability to contribute to an inclusive and cohesive class. Darden calls out the importance of responding to the prompts with writing that is “authentic and genuine,” cautioning students not to attempt to write to please the admissions officers. “We want to get to know you,” they write, “not us.” 

Community of Belonging: What would you want your classmates to know about you that is not on your resume? (100 words)

It’s time to show some personality! Darden is looking for students who will be collaborative and form lasting personal and professional relationships, so exposing a bit of vulnerability to show a quirky or sentimental side is a good idea. You could also write about how you will contribute to the diversity of the class and what you will offer your classmates. Are you a passionate environmentalist who spends weekends leading group hikes? Do you organize food drives with a local non-profit? Do you spend all of your vacation time traveling to a specific region of the world? Are you an avid guitar player? Show the admissions committee and your future classmates who you are and what you are most passionate about.

Inclusive Impact: Please describe a tangible example that illuminates your experience promoting an inclusive environment and what you would bring to creating a welcoming, global community at Darden. (300 words)

Show Darden’s admissions officers how you will contribute to building an inclusive community by anchoring your response in an experience from your past that will inform and invigorate your plan. It may be something on a large-scale: Did you start a pro-bono consulting group at your current employer, bringing together representatives from various practice areas, and you’d like to partner with a local organization to offer similar services alongside a group of your Darden colleagues? Or what about steps you take on a weekly basis to include others? Do you regularly invite new coworkers to lunch with you to welcome them to the team? Or serve as a mentor for team-members as they get up to speed on new projects? Once at Darden, perhaps you could serve as a tutor to classmates struggling in finance or technology courses. In linking your past actions to your proposed contributions, you will demonstrate to the admissions directors that you are the kind of collaborative, community-minded, and determined student they are looking for.

Required Essay 2: Careers With Purpose. 

At this time how would you describe your short-term, post-MBA goal in terms of industry, function, geography, company size and/or mission and how does it align with the long-term vision you have for your career? (200 words)

You’ll want to state a clear post-MBA goal that makes sense given your previous professional post-baccalaureate experiences. A common mistake we see in MBA admissions is applicants who, unknowingly, position themselves as an employment risk by articulating a goal set that is too vague or unrelated to what they’ve done before. You will also want to clearly show how your short-term goals will set you on a path to achieving your long-term vision. 

Related:

Essay Guide 2024-2025: The Writing Process

Essay Guide 2024-2025: Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley

Essay Guide 2024-2025: Harvard Business School

Essay Guide 2024-2025: The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania

Essay Guide 2024-2025: The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University

HBS to Require GMAT Focus Test-Takers to Submit Additional GMAC Writing Assessment

Harvard Business School has announced that MBA applicants who submit a GMAT Focus score and advance to the interview round will also need to take the GMAC Business Writing Assessment. MIT Sloan, too, is now going to require some MBA applicants who apply with a GMAT Focus score or test waiver, to take the writing assessment upon advancing to an interview. 

These programs’ decisions are the result of GMAC removing the writing section from the GMAT Focus, just as the value of a third-party validated writing sample increased due to the proliferation of AI and ChatGPT. 

GMAC’s Business Writing Assessment is 30 minutes in length at a cost of $30, which brings the GMAT’s total length to two hours and 45 minutes and total cost to $305. GRE test-takers, who will not need to submit additional materials as the shortened test has retained the writing component, will face a total test time of one hour and 58 minutes, at a total cost of $220. 

Related: Essay Guide 2024-2025: Harvard Business School

Johns Hopkins Medical School to Go Tuition Free

Johns Hopkins University just became the latest medical school to announce plans to go tuition-free after a $1 Billion gift from Bloomberg Philanthropies. 

Starting in the fall, Johns Hopkins medical students from families that earn under $300,000 per year, which includes 95 percent of all Americans, will receive free tuition. Medical students from families earning under $175,000 annually will receive financial aid that covers living expenses in addition to tuition and fees. Approximately two-thirds of current and entering medical students will qualify and will receive their updated financial aid packages over the summer. 

"As the U.S. struggles to recover from a disturbing decline in life expectancy, our country faces a serious shortage of doctors, nurses, and public health professionals—and yet, the high cost of medical, nursing, and graduate school too often bars students from enrolling," said Michael Bloomberg, Founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and Bloomberg L.P and 1964 graduate of Johns Hopkins. "By reducing the financial barriers to these essential fields, we can free more students to pursue careers they're passionate about—and enable them to serve more of the families and communities who need them the most."

The gift will also fund expanded financial aid for other graduate health programs, including students at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and School of Nursing, as well as those pursuing graduate degrees at the Johns Hopkins schools of Education, Engineering, Business, Arts and Sciences, and Advanced International Studies, the Peabody Institute, and the School of Government and Policy. 

This donation to Johns Hopkins by Bloomberg Philanthropies expands upon a 2018 donation of $1.8 Billion to support undergraduate financial aid. 

Essay Guide 2024-2025: The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University

The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University recently released its 2024-2025 application deadlines. The required essay prompts are unique in nature, and prospective students will benefit from getting started with brainstorming and drafting early. 

Round Application Deadline   Decision Notification

Early Action 04 September 2024       18 October 2024

Round 1         01 October 2024       12 December 2024

Round 2         09 January 2025         14 March 2025             

Round 3         20 February 2025   04 April 2025 

Round 4 03 April 2025               08 May 2025

The essay prompts at Duke showcase the value the school places on creating a diverse and cohesive class. They emphasize the importance of admitting students who are a good fit for the program, with the website calling out that “Finding the right fit is important—for you, and for Fuqua—so the admissions process for each of our programs is designed to ensure we learn about each other.” A significant portion of the essay word counts are in service to learning about the applicant as a full person and to understanding how the applicant would fit into and contribute to the student body at Fuqua. 

Required Short-answer Essay: What are your post-MBA career goals? Share with us your first-choice career plan and your alternate plan. (100 words)

Don’t overthink this question. State a clear post-MBA goal using straight-forward terminology that a fellow MBA would understand. A common mistake we see in MBA admissions is applicants who, unknowingly, position themselves as an employment risk by articulating a goal set that is too vague or unrelated to any of their past experiences.

Required Essay 1: 25 random things about yourself.

The 'Team Fuqua' spirit and community is one of the things that sets the MBA experience apart, and it is a concept that extends beyond the student body to include faculty, staff, and administration. Please share with us “25 Random Things” about you. The Admissions Committee wants to get to know YOU - beyond the professional and academic achievements listed in your resume and transcript. Share with us important life experiences, your hobbies, achievements, fun facts, or anything that helps us understand what makes you who you are. (750 words maximum. Please present your response in list form, numbered 1 to 25. Some points may be brief, while others may be longer.)

Duke believes that their program is best-served by putting together a diverse community from each applicant class and that “different types of people, points of view, and experiences bring out the best in everyone.” 

For this one, you will be sharing your outside-of-work self, and you can get quirky. You don’t have to relate everything to MBA-ready qualities that you have—though it’s great for some entries to speak to your values and skills. 

When it comes to this prompt, nearly everyone ends up writing something about a travel experience, a story about childhood ends up in the mix, as does a mention of time spent on an extracurricular team or in a club. That’s all fantastic. But after this, some folks hit a wall and don’t know what else to include to strike the right balance and tone. Twenty-five is a large number, so really do a wide search of yourself: Have you written a poem you’re proud of? Were you an Eagle Scout dropout? 

You also want these entries to be illustrative. So, not just, "I love dumplings." But, "I'm on the hunt for the best dumplings in NYC. So far, my favorite spot is White Bear in Flushing." Instead of writing, "I love non-fiction.", you might write, "I love non-fiction. I'm currently reading The Black Count, about Alexandre Dumas's father." You have 750 words to work with, so you have room to share more info in your favorite entries. So, does making Italian food bring back fond childhood memories of your grandmother’s kitchen? Details like this not only show admissions counselors your love of chicken piccata but also of family and your heritage.

Required Essay 2: The Fuqua community and you.

Fuqua prides itself on cultivating a culture of engagement. Our students enjoy a wide range of student-led organizations that provide opportunities for leadership development and personal fulfillment, as well as an outlet for contributing to society. Our student-led government, clubs, centers, and events are an integral part of the student culture and to the development of leaders. Based on your understanding of the Fuqua culture, what are 3 ways you expect to contribute at Fuqua? (500 words maximum).

Show Fuqua’s admissions officers how you will be a valued member of their community by anchoring your response in experiences from your past that will inform and invigorate your plan. 

Are you a passionate environmentalist who has spent your career in corporate social responsibility and hopes to spearhead a new student-led sustainability case competition for full-time MBA students? Did you start a pro-bono consulting group at your current employer, and you’d like to partner with a local organization to offer similar services alongside a group of your Fuqua colleagues? Consider also some of the clubs and activities that already exist at Fuqua. How will you get involved and contribute? In linking your passions and expertise to your proposed contributions, you will demonstrate to the admissions directors that you are the kind of collaborative, community-minded, and determined student they are looking for. 

Optional essay: Tell us more.

If you feel there are circumstances of which the admissions committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g. unexplained gaps in work, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance). Note that you should NOT upload additional essays nor additional recommendations in this area. The Optional Information section is intended to provide the admissions committee with insight into your circumstances only. (500 words maximum)

This essay is for additional context around a weak spot in your application. Did you get a C in calculus? Or withdraw from your courses your sophomore year to help a family member? Do you feel that your lackluster GMAT score isn’t indicative of your abilities?

If you are going to address a low grade in an analytical course or a low GMAT score, don’t make excuses. Spend the majority of your word count demonstrating your ability to excel in rigorous academic or professional environments by using specific examples. Provide information on similar classes in which you achieved excellent grades or give details about a professional pursuit that resulted in success.

If you are speaking to a more sensitive situation, perhaps a big mistake or legal issue that impacted your GPA, spend approximately 20 percent of your essay addressing the situation. Then use the remaining 80 percent on the actions you took to improve and what happened as a result. Do not make excuses, simply address the situation, placing the emphasis on what you learned. Remember, everyone makes mistakes, taking accountability and moving forward demonstrates maturity.

Related:

Essay Guide 2024-2025: The Writing Process

Essay Guide 2024-2025: Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley

Essay Guide 2024-2025: Harvard Business School

Essay Guide 2024-2025: The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania

Essay Guide 2024-2025: The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School 2024-2025 Round One application deadline is among the earliest. Let’s get started!

Round Application Deadline   Decision Notification

Round 1         04 September 2024       10 December 2024

Round 2         03 January 2025         21 April 2025             

Round 3         02 April 2025   13 May 2025 

*Deferred        23 April 2025               01 July 2025

*Deferred applicants apply during their final year of study at an undergraduate or graduate institution. They are expected to pursue quality work experiences for two to four years and then enter into the Wharton MBA program.  

The founding vision of the Wharton School was “using analytical expertise to produce well-rounded leaders to drive societal progress,” and Dean Erika James states that this remains the school’s ethos. A review of Wharton’s strategic plan, The Wharton Way, also identifies three strategic areas of focus for the school. These include: Elevation of its research; Pedagogical innovation; and Collaboration across divides. Understanding the school’s strategic direction will assist you in making a strong case that you belong there.  

Wharton receives a large number of applicants each year, most of whom have excellent undergraduate transcripts, post-baccalaureate work experience, and standardized test scores. Because of this, key points of differentiation for the Admissions Committee are applicants’ essay responses and their performance in the team-based interview. 

The 2024-2025 Wharton essay prompts are the same as last year. 

Essay 1: How do you plan to use the Wharton MBA program to help you achieve your future professional goals? You might consider your past experience, short and long-term goals, and resources available at Wharton. (500 words)

This prompt asks you to explain how a Wharton MBA will bridge your past accomplishments and your future goals. To do this, you will want to anchor this essay in the past. Because what you’ve already done, learned, and achieved is far more important than what you haven’t—what you say you want to do in the future. In order to fully satisfy the objective of this prompt, go into your backstory and detail the key moments that influenced you and the formation of your goals. Then transition into what you have yet to learn, and why a Wharton MBA is your next step. Prove to them that their program is the perfect intersection between where you’ve been and where you want to go. Which courses, professors, experiential learning opportunities, etc. are most interesting to you? Choose three or four that differentiate Wharton from other business schools you’re considering and explain why you’re so eager to engage and participate. This essay is about connecting the dots; once the reader has taken the trip to your past, your proposed path forward will make much more sense.

Essay 2: Taking into consideration your background – personal, professional, and/or academic – how do you plan to make specific, meaningful contributions to the Wharton community? (400 words)

Show Wharton’s admissions officers how you will be a valued member of their community by anchoring your response in experiences from your past that will inform and invigorate your plan. Are you a passionate environmentalist who has spent your career in corporate social responsibility and hopes to spearhead a new sustainability case competition for full-time MBA students? Were you part of a years-long organizational behavior research study in undergrad and hope to find a research mentor in that department at Wharton? Did you start a pro-bono consulting group at your current employer, and you’d like to partner with a local organization to offer similar services alongside a group of your Wharton colleagues? In linking your passions and expertise to your proposed contributions, you will demonstrate to the admissions directors that you are the kind of collaborative, community-minded, and determined student they are looking for. 

Required Essay for all Reapplicants: Please use this space to share with the Admissions Committee how you have reflected and grown since your previous application and discuss any relevant updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, and extracurricular/volunteer engagements). (250 words)

Use this essay prompt to show Wharton’s admissions officers how you have grown over the past year. Describe the experiences you have engaged in, since your last application, and how they have driven professional and/or personal growth. You will also want to explain the reasons behind your re-application and reiterate why Wharton is the MBA program for you. Ensure that your writing is clear, concise, and polished. 

Optional Essay: Please use this space to share any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere in your application and that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee. This space can also be used to address any extenuating circumstances (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, areas of weakness, etc.) that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider. (500 words)

This essay is for additional context around a weak spot in your application. Did you get a C in calculus? Or withdraw from your courses your sophomore year to help a family member? Do you feel that your lackluster GMAT score isn’t indicative of your abilities?

If you are going to address a low grade in an analytical course or a low GMAT score, don’t make excuses. Spend the majority of your word count demonstrating your ability to excel in rigorous academic or professional environments by using specific examples. Provide information on similar classes in which you achieved excellent grades or give details about a professional pursuit that resulted in success.

If you are speaking to a more sensitive situation, perhaps a big mistake or legal issue that impacted your GPA, spend approximately 20 percent of your essay addressing the situation. Then use the remaining 80 percent on the actions you took to improve and what happened as a result. Do not make excuses, simply address the situation, placing the emphasis on what you learned. Remember, everyone makes mistakes, taking accountability and moving forward demonstrates maturity.

Related:

Essay Guide 2024-2025: The Writing Process

Essay Guide 2024-2025: Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley

Essay Guide 2024-2025: Harvard Business School

Essay Guide 2024-2025: Harvard Business School

HBS has released its updated application requirements and deadlines for their full-time MBA. 

Round       Application Deadline           Decision Notification

Round 1       04 September 2024             10 December 2024

Round 2       06 January 2025                26 March 2025

This year’s application features significant updates from previous years, asking applicants to respond to three short essay prompts on business, leadership, and growth rather than submitting one open-ended personal essay.

At HBS the essays are a critical component of your application and provide an opportunity for you to show those character traits that Harvard values. HBS puts a strong emphasis on character and service, with a longstanding mission “to educate leaders who make a difference in the world.” The program also expressly calls out community values including, “trust and mutual respect, free expression and inquiry, and a commitment to truth, excellence, and lifelong learning.” Dean Srikant Datar describes one of his aspirations for the school as “...stretching HBS and its learners beyond notions of merely personal success toward becoming, collectively and individually, driving forces in redefining the role of business in society around the world—addressing inequality, exclusion, climate change, and other intractable problems.” 

Business-Minded Essay: Please reflect on how your experiences have influenced your career choices and aspirations and the impact you will have on the businesses, organizations, and communities you plan to serve. (up to 300 words)

You will want to anchor this essay in the past to show the admissions committee what you’ve already done, learned, and achieved and how those experiences have prepared you to do what you say you want to do in the future. To fully satisfy the objective of this prompt, go into your backstory and detail the key moments that influenced you and the formation of your goals. Your resume will provide a general overview of your professional path to date, but this is your chance to provide a deep dive into your most pivotal experiences. Once the reader has taken this trip to your past, your proposed path forward, which will include your career goals and the impact you plan to make, will make much more sense.  

Take a look at our writing process to help you craft a strong narrative.

See also: Anatomy of a Successful MBA Application: Show Meaningful Professional Experience

Leadership-Focused Essay: What experiences have shaped who you are, how you invest in others, and what kind of leader you want to become? (up to 250 words)

This essay asks you to share how experiences from your past have influenced your current views on leadership, but you only have 250 words, so it will be more impactful to focus on just one. Which experience prompted the most significant evolution in your perspective on leadership? How did your views change as a result? What have you determined matters most when empowering and inspiring others? 

Growth-Oriented Essay: Curiosity can be seen in many ways. Please share an example of how you have demonstrated curiosity and how that has influenced your growth. (up to 250 words)

Don’t be afraid to show a little personality as you respond to this prompt. While you can focus on an aspect of your professional life, this is also an opportunity to discuss a topic you feel passionately about outside of work. 

To get started, think about instances when you have entered a flow state or gone very deeply into a subject matter. Keep in mind that the topic or activity itself matters less than the personal growth that has resulted from your experiences. So choose something you feel authentically passionate about rather than what you believe the Admissions Committee wants to see.

Once you feel confident with what you want to write about, take a deep dive into one specific instance in the topic or activity. Then explain its role in your life. What has it taught you about yourself, about others, about the world? How does your ongoing curiosity and exploration in this area continue to inspire your growth? 

Related:

Essay Guide 2024-2025: The Writing Process

Essay Guide 2024-2025: Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley

Overcoming Loneliness

In our next Emotional Intelligence (EI) Friday blog series, we will examine loneliness by considering research on social isolation in the workplace. We will discuss who is affected, the psychological effects of prolonged loneliness, and how you can support yourself or others who may need your help. We hope you enjoy this three-part series.

Click here to read Part 1 of this series. 

Click here to read Part 2 of this series.

So, what should you do if you are experiencing loneliness? Being aware of the dangers of prolonged loneliness is a starter. Below, we have also compiled suggestions for keeping loneliness at bay, for yourself or within your workplace or network.

1. Take cues from your loneliness. If you feel lonely at work or in your personal life, act on the emotional prompt! Do not ignore the feeling or focus on work to the detriment of your own professional, social, and physical well-being. Consider how you can find more consistent person-to-person interaction. If you work remotely or travel frequently, think about facilitating work discussions over video conference or the phone rather than relying on email or instant messaging.

2. Form personal relationships. While you’re at work, speak to people and don’t allow yourself to rely solely on emails or other technology to communicate. Ask people about their lives outside work and tell them about yours. Leave your desk to have lunch and invite someone to walk and/or eat with you. Take the occasional coffee break with peers. Join office committees or participate in community service activities. In the Work Connectivity survey, almost three-fourths of Gen Z and just under 70 percent of Millennials say that they would be more inclined to stay with their company if they had more friends. As a manager working to staunch loneliness on your team, Barsade and Ozcelik warn against falling into inauthentic means of relationship-building such as holiday parties or company picnics. Relationships are built in small groups by people sharing about their lives. Large parties often result in people feeling more isolated as they witness the socially connected enjoying the event.

3. Find shared meaning. According to a Harvard Business Review study, finding shared meaning with colleagues—understanding the meaning that they derive from the work and connecting it with the meaning that you find in the work—creates meaningful “social cohesion” and insulates team members from feeling isolated. This also addresses Barsade and Ozcelik’s point about the meaning and identity that younger generations are looking for in their careers. Younger generations are seeking to be part of something bigger, not just to receive a paycheck. This may also provide a way to connect with others when there are not obvious shared interests or a foundation for a relationship.

4. Work for companies and managers who take their emotional culture seriously. Some companies have cultures that are more prone to driving isolation than others. Consider this as you look for jobs. Do the employees seem connected beyond meeting corporate goals? Do they seem to know and care for each other on a more personal level? “Mandy O’Neill (management professor, George Mason University) and I have done some work in emotional culture—the norms around what emotions you’re allowed to express at work and what you’re better off suppressing. We found that in emotional cultures of companionate love [that include] care, compassion, and tenderness, even lonely employees were more likely to be perceived as approachable and committed to the organization… Anything that a manager can do in terms of creating a culture that sends out cues that are supportive is helpful,” Barsade said. When interviewing, look for signs that your manager and co-workers will be interested in forming real relationships with you that extend beyond your work together.

Top Qualities Business School Admissions Committees are Looking for in Your MBA Application

At Apply Point, we often remind our applicants that MBA programs are looking for individuals, not just resumes. Admissions committees want to understand the full spectrum of experiences that have led you to this point of your life and career, and have informed your future goals. But while you brainstorm, in addition to poignant personal experiences, be sure to keep in mind the key tenets of the business school application: leadership, teamwork, innovation, and integrity. 

Leadership. Throughout your application, you will want to showcase your ability to influence a team in order to accomplish a common goal. And keep in mind that there are many ways to demonstrate effective leadership. You don’t need to be the captain of a sports team or a club president to be an inspirational and persuasive leader. 

In what meaningful experiences did you show your leadership abilities? Did leadership come naturally to you, or did you work to get to this place? (Both things are great!) How did you support your team? Did you encourage collaboration or independence? Did you feel supported by your team? Did you experience any pushback, and how did you handle that if you did? What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? What did you learn that you will incorporate into your leadership style in the future?

Teamwork. Conducting business is a team endeavor. Accordingly, business school is a highly collaborative place where you will spend a lot of your team working together with your classmates. Highlight instances where you have shown humility and elevated the voices of others. 

During what meaningful experiences did you work with a team or collaborate with others successfully? Were you working with people unlike yourself? Was there a struggle for balance in the beginning? Any confusion? What did you appreciate about your team members? How did they influence and impact you and your actions? Did one or two team members step up in a way you admired? What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? Have you had experiences with teams that were unsuccessful? What did you learn (remember: failures can provide great insight too!)?

Innovation. The pace of change in business continues to speed up and business schools are looking for students who demonstrate skills in both critical and creative thinking and problem solving. 

In what meaningful experiences did you utilize critical thinking and problem-solving skills? How did you determine the best course of action? Did you approach something one way at first and then correct yourself? What did you think about these things at the time? What did you learn? How did you feel?

Integrity and a sense of community. Many leading business schools have missions that include educating principled leaders who will make a positive difference in the world. Business schools are, now more than ever, highly-attuned to applicants’ integrity and sense of civic responsibility. 

In what meaningful experiences did you elevate a community that you were a part of? What effect did you have on others? What effect did they have on you? What have you learned about finding common ground with those who are different from you?  What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? 

Law School Early Decision: What You Need to Know

Due to the rolling admissions at most law schools, prospective law students should submit their application materials as early as possible in the admissions cycle. But, if early is good, is early decision even better? Well… it’s complicated.

Submitting an early decision application is an appealing choice. Generally, the applicant pool is smaller. Classes are still open and waiting to be filled. Admissions officers provide expedited decisions, which can relieve a lot of stress. And, it provides the applicant a chance to demonstrate commitment and enthusiasm for the program, which can be highly beneficial. However, despite these positives, there are some complexities to consider. 

Early decision applications are (almost always) binding. If you are admitted to a law school early decision, you agree to withdraw all other applications and enroll. There is no leeway. It doesn’t matter if you were also accepted to the dream school that you thought you’d never get into or if your financing falls through and you find yourself in need of merit-based scholarship money. And, for the most part, if an applicant applies early-decision they forego the possibility of receiving any scholarships.  This is because they have already agreed to attend if admitted.  The school doesn’t have to woo them with money. 

We’ve summarized the pros and cons to applying early decision below:  

Pros

• Applying early decision will place you in a smaller “yield protection” applicant pool than applying regular decision. This can advantage you if you’re seeking to gain access to a “reach” school, as you have clearly demonstrated a commitment to the program and will definitely attend if admitted. Schools are always interested in protecting their yield. Do note that some schools grant automatic scholarships to all students admitted early decision, which increases the competitiveness of their early decision round (Northwestern and Berkley). 

• If you have a slightly lower than a school’s average GPA or LSAT score, applying early decision may help you to gain admittance to a school you may not have otherwise. 

• You will receive an expedited response—an accept, reject, or move to the regular decision pool. If you are moved into the regular decision pool, your preference for the program, shown through your initial early decision application, may benefit you as schools are looking for applicants who will accept their admission offers. 

Cons

• Early decision deadlines come… early. So you will need to finalize all of your application materials, which includes recommendations and test scores, earlier. For most early decision deadlines, you’ll need to complete the LSAT/GRE by October (confirm the deadlines on the school admissions page). 

• By committing to the law school, you are giving up your ability to negotiate for scholarships. In fact, we recommend that you do not apply early decision if financial assistance is an important factor for you. This is unless you are applying to one of the programs (Northwestern Pritzker or Berkeley) that award assistance to all early decision admittances, and you are comfortable with that financial award. 

• You may not be able to defer your matriculation to the school, if admitted via early decision. If the option to defer is important to you, confirm with the admissions office their policy on early decision deferrals prior to submitting your application. 

• You cannot change your mind. Your admissions decision is binding (you are contractually obligated to withdraw your other applications) and you must matriculate at the school if you receive an early decision acceptance…even if you find out that you’ve been accepted to a more appealing program. 

The bottom line is that applying early decision requires a great deal of commitment on your part. While it can bolster your chances for admission in some cases, you want to be 100 percent sure that you would attend a particular program regardless of financial aid. 

Applying to Both Allopathic and Osteopathic Medical Programs? Here’s What You Need to Know.

If you’re a prospective medical student, particularly one interested in primary care, it’s a good idea to consider osteopathic medical programs in addition to allopathic ones. While many students grow up dreaming of an MD behind their name, osteopathic medicine continues to grow in popularity. One in four medical students in the United States attends an osteopathic program, according to the American Osteopathic Association (AOA). 

The program requirements for MD and DO programs are similar, although osteopathic students are required to take an additional 200 hours of osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) training, which focuses on the spine, bones, and muscles. “Osteopathic physicians use all of the tools and technology available to modern medicine with the added benefits of a holistic philosophy and a system of hands-on diagnosis and treatment known as osteopathic manipulative medicine. Doctors of osteopathic medicine emphasize helping each person achieve a high level of wellness by focusing on health education, injury prevention, and disease prevention,” the AACOM says.

Additionally, while osteopathic programs are highly competitive, entrants typically have slightly lower GPAs and MCAT scores than their allopathic counterparts.

Mean GPA and MCAT scores for Entering 2023: Osteopathic Students:

• Overall GPA: 3.61

• Science: 3.52

• Non-Science: 3.71

• Overall MCAT: 503.9

• Psychological, Social, and Bio: 126.9

• Bio and Biochemical: 126.1

• Chemical and Physical: 125.7

• Critical Analysis and Reasoning: 125.2

Mean GPA and MCAT scores for Entering 2023 Allopathic Students:

• Overall GPA: 3.77

• Science: 3.71

• Non-Science: 3.85

• Overall MCAT: 511.7

• Psychological, Social, and Bio: 128.9

• Bio and Biochemical: 128.1

• Chemical and Physical: 127.8

• Critical Analysis and Reasoning: 127.0

Recipients of both degrees have similarly high residency match rates (over 90 percent for both in 2023), though DOs tend to specialize in primary care at higher rates. In May 2021, the AOA’s Physician Masterfile reported that 56.5% of osteopathic doctors (DOs) practiced primary care (including specialties like obstetrics and gynecology and pediatrics). And in 2022, nine colleges of osteopathic medicine were in U.S. News & World Report’s list of the top 10 schools with the most graduates practicing primary care. 

Among the more competitive specialties, MDs continue to outnumber DOs in residency placement. But DOs can increase their competitiveness by taking the USMLE (MD accreditation) in addition to the COMLEX (DO accreditation). 

Sounds appealing? Here’s what to keep in mind for your DO application:

• Submit your AMCAS and secondary applications first. Then, turn to your osteopathic applications (AACOMAS), which you’ll want to submit by October. 

• Spend at least 20 hours working alongside a DO and ensure your application demonstrates your understanding of and motivation to pursue a career in osteopathic medicine.

• Request a recommendation letter from a DO. 

• Review the guidelines for any program where you would be considered in-state, as some schools must admit a certain percentage of in-state students.

• Review the residency placements for the DO programs you are considering to ensure the school’s placements align with your goals. 

The Loneliness Epidemic

In our next Emotional Intelligence (EI) Friday blog series, we will examine loneliness by considering research on social isolation in the workplace. We will discuss who is affected, the psychological effects of prolonged loneliness, and how you can support yourself or others who may need your help. We hope you enjoy this three-part series.

Click here to read Part 1 of this series. 

The reasons for the rise in workplace loneliness are many, and in some ways, apparent. Technology has allowed us greater efficiency in reaching out to coworkers and peers, without truly interacting with them. The Work Connectivity study found that, “almost half of an employee’s day is spent using technology to communicate versus in-person.” Additionally, working remotely and having constant access to emails has not only decreased our likelihood of forming meaningful relationships with our co-workers, but also can negatively impact our relationships outside of the workplace. Consequently, based on the nature of the work, different professions have greater rates of reported loneliness. Lawyers, doctors, engineers, and scientists are the most lonely while those with more social jobs such as sales and marketing report lower levels of loneliness.

Sigal Barsade and Hakan Ozcelik, management professors at California State University, Sacramento, point also to the importance that careers have in shaping Millennials’ identities and creating relationship opportunities, in an interview with knowledge@Wharton. “I think employees have an increasing level of expectations from their organization simply because our professions make up a huge component of our identity. We are not doing our jobs just for a paycheck; we want to be a part of the group. We want to be respected. We want to feel that we are having a good quality of life. I think this is getting more profound with the new generation. They might be more relationship-oriented than we are, so it’s important for companies to take that into account. They need to create that relational environment and provide opportunities for employees to build relationships,” Ozcelik said.

Moreover, Barsade and Ozcelik observe that loneliness begets loneliness, meaning that prolonged feelings of isolation harm an individual’s social behaviors and impact their networks. Theoretically, loneliness should serve as a signal. It can and should be a transient emotional state that motivates a person to seek out connections with others, particularly useful when a person is in a new environment. However, prolonged loneliness causes behavioral changes that deter interactions. 

“What the psychology literature has shown is that once loneliness is an established sentiment—you’ve decided you’re lonely—you actually become less approachable. You don’t listen as well. You become more self-focused. All sorts of things happen that make you less of a desirable interaction partner to other people. We found that was one of the things that explained the lower performance. The co-workers of lonely people found them less approachable. Because of that, they didn’t share things and didn’t get the resources they needed. By the way, the literature showed it’s not that they have lower social skills. Loneliness makes it happen,” Barsade said.

Barsade and Ozcelik also point out that existing research shows that loneliness can be “contagious,” afflicting networks and driving negative changes in employee behaviors and interactions throughout teams and organizations. 

Learning to Value the Personal Side of Your Professional Life

In our next Emotional Intelligence (EI) Friday blog series, we will examine loneliness by considering research on social isolation in the workplace. We will discuss who is affected, the psychological effects of prolonged loneliness, and how you can support yourself or others who may need your help. We hope you enjoy this three-part series.

Being single. Living alone. Moving to a new city. Working remotely. Frequent work travel. Sound familiar? While Millennials and Gen Z are generally thought to be the most socially connected of generations, the truth is more nuanced. Many characteristics of the young professional lifestyle are triggers for loneliness, or “the distressing experience that occurs when one’s social relationships are perceived to be less in quantity, and especially in quality, than desired.”

A 2018 study by Cigna and Ipsos found that while most American adults are lonely, Generation Z and Millennials report higher levels of loneliness than older generations. Similarly, data collected by The Economist and the Kaiser Family Foundation, found that in the U.S., the majority of those between 18 and 49 were classified as lonely (59 percent) compared to less than half of those over 50 (41 percent). And, the negative effects of loneliness have been well-documented. In 2015, UCLA researchers found that social isolation triggers a physiological response causing chronic inflammation, which increases the risk for heart disease, stroke, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. A 2015 meta-analysis out of Brigham Young University, which included 70 studies, found that lonely people have a 26 percent higher risk of dying, controlling for age and health status. Other studies have linked loneliness to eating disorders, drug abuse, sleep deprivation, depression, alcoholism, and anxiety.

But loneliness isn’t just a personal problem. Sigal Barsade, a Wharton management professor who researches workplace loneliness, says, “People tend to think that if you’re lonely, you’re lonely everywhere. But that’s not true. What research has shown is that you can be lonely in your private life, in your family life, in your romantic life—it depends on the place.” Certainly, you can be lonely in your professional life. And, just as loneliness is harmful to your health, it is also harmful to your career. 

Recent research on the effects of loneliness in the workplace show that loneliness brings detrimental consequences to an individual’s job performance, satisfaction, likelihood of promotion, and engagement and tenure with a company. And, not surprisingly, loneliness is pervasive amongst the youngest members of the workplace. The Work Connectivity study, published by Future Workplace in partnership with Virgin Pulse, surveyed 2,000 managers and employees and found that just over half feel lonely always or very often. At 47 percent, Millennials were the loneliest followed by Generation Z (45 percent). Generation X and Baby Boomers fared better at 36 percent and 29 percent, respectively. While loneliness can affect any demographic group, the survey found that men were more likely than women to report being lonely (57 percent versus 43 percent) and introverts were much more likely than extroverts (63 percent versus 37 percent).

Your Medical School Application: Trust the (Writing) Process

We know that as the Secondary prompts start coming in, you’ll be tempted to sit down and start writing. Fight this urge. Instead, we encourage you to follow a writing process for each new prompt that comes in. Investing time in the pre-writing stages will result in a stronger essay and a better return on your time. 

Below is a writing process that we recommend. You will want to return your responses within two weeks of receipt, so start early to give yourself enough time to work through this iterative process and create your most compelling work. 

Begin with a brainstorm. Do not underestimate the importance of this step. If you have not yet created your brainstorm document, it’s not too late. This document will be immensely useful for writing Secondaries (and later, for interview prep!). 

Document your experiences, positive and negative, that prompted an evolution in your perspective—you know, those “ah-ha!” moments without which you would be a different student and/or person today. Then, record those experiences that will show the reader your abilities in critical thinking and problem solving, leadership, teamwork/collaboration, and empathy/connection, as well as those experiences that reinforced your interest in medical school. Capture as many details as possible, paying particular attention to what you thought, felt, said, and did in each situation. Your focus should be on adult experiences (from the start of college and later), though stories from your youth could comprise up to 20 percent of this brainstorm.

During your brainstorm, don’t limit yourself by worrying about a cohesive narrative, the quality of your writing, and/or the number/length of your stories. Simply focus on collecting those situations that helped to guide your path to this point and impacted your decision to apply to medical school.

Craft an outline. Select the key stories you will use to anchor your narratives. Remember that you’ll use your essays to go deep into experiences that demonstrate the traits you want to emphasize. Consider also your essay’s structure and how you can tell your stories in a way that will capture and hold the reader’s attention. 

Write. Keep in mind that you must be showing, not telling the reader who you are. In contrast to your Work and Activities section, which provides an overview of your experiences, your Secondary Essay responses should go deep into a story that allows the reader to come to their own conclusions about some of your character traits and abilities. Highlight how you’ve struggled, triumphed, learned, and how these experiences have developed you into the person you are now. Remember that what you’ve done and accomplished in the past is how you will prove to the admissions committee that you will be able to accomplish your future goals. 

Review. Revise. Repeat. Confirm your word count and read your essay aloud noting where you stumble. Make revisions as necessary. Once it reads smoothly, set it down and walk away for at least 24 hours. Then re-read it. Is it you? Is it personal and authentic? You want the reader to see the real person behind the applicant number. While we caution against “oversharing,” being appropriately vulnerable will create connection.

Listening to Connect

We’re excited to introduce “Emotional Intelligence (EI) Fridays” on the blog, where we will hone in on how to develop and implement these softer skills. 

Our first topic of focus will be listening, a critical skill for doctors, lawyers, and (future) CEOs alike. We hope you enjoy this three-part series.

Click here to read Part 1 of this series. 

Click here to read Part 2 of this series. 

Learning to listen, as with any skill, takes practice and time. Julian Treasure in his Ted Talk on Conscious Listening, spoke compellingly on the power of sound to connect us to our world, and to each other. “I believe that every human being needs to listen consciously in order to live fully—connected in space and time to the physical world around us, connected in understanding to each other, not to mention spiritually connected, because every spiritual path I know of has listening and contemplation at its heart,” he said. 

Treasure recommended daily listening exercises, which may help to attune you once again to listening, to hearing the noise in your environment (much of which, you’re likely tuning out) and to promoting your ability to be mindful and connected in a loud and busy world.

1. Sit in three minutes of silence to “reset your ears and to recalibrate.” This will allow you to pay more attention to sounds that you do hear afterwards. Treasure notes that if silence is impossible (for you NYC residents!), quiet is good too. 

2. In a noisy environment with competing sounds, try to differentiate the sounds that you are hearing. Treasure uses the example of a coffee bar. Listen for the “channels” of noise: people having conversations, the grinding of the coffee, the door opening and closing, typing sounds, ringing of cellphones, shoes squeaking on the floor, etc.

3. Listen for and try to take pleasure in everyday sounds that you may routinely tune out. The dryer, birds chirping, kids playing in the park. Instead of filtering out sounds as you go through your day, seek to savor a few. 

4. Each day you use “filters” in your listening to pare down the multitude of sounds in the world to those which you give your attention to. For example, you may opt for passive listening at the beach to take in the many pleasant sounds: the ocean, birds, people laughing, etc. Alternatively, when your partner joins you, you may focus on their voice over the waves crashing. Similarly, when listening to others, we can choose different filters. A friend may garner empathetic listening with your focus on emotion and connection, while a coworker may receive a more critical filter where you seek to assess and validate their ideas. Treasure, who calls this exercise the most important, challenges you to become aware of the filters you use and when, and to proactively adjust them. Filters, he says, “actually create our reality in a way, because they tell us what we're paying attention to right now.” 

Your Medical School Application: Approaching Optional Secondary Essays

In this blog series we will be covering all aspects of Secondary Essays. Stay tuned over the coming weeks for guidance on writing compelling essays that will earn you a coveted interview spot. 

There are two optional secondary questions that are common to most applications, one that you can always answer and one that you should only answer if it is appropriate. Let us explain.

Is there anything else we should know about your candidacy? If you have no issues to address and the prompt is this open-ended, you could recycle a Secondary Essay from another school to highlight an experience that didn't fit into your W&A. Or, if they didn't ask in another Secondary, talk about why you love this program. 

But the secret purpose of this prompt is to give you a chance to take down some red flags. It is the school's nice way of saying: "What not-so-great thing did you do? Explain why we shouldn't be concerned about it." 

Some schools will ask about it more explicitly: Please explain any inconsistencies in your college or graduate school academic performance and/or MCAT scores. 

So, did you tank a class your freshman year? Does your lowish MCAT score not reflect your ability to thrive in a challenging academic environment? Don't make excuses. Instead, after you share your misstep, explain how you excelled in later courses or rigorous academic or work environments. You want to keep any answer concise: This is the issue. These are my accomplishments that mitigate that issue. 

Test scores and grades aside, is there something else in your school record that needs to be addressed? Did you get a citation for underage drinking at a campus music festival two years ago? For topics like this, keep your answer very brief. Going on and on about every circumstance and how this is not really your fault, etc. is weak. Go to the pain: This is the situation. This is the action I took afterward. This is the result of that action and what I learned. 

You do not have to max out this word count. And much like the adversity question that might pop up in your Secondary application, you want to avoid appearing too negative or overly critical of others here. 

Have you experienced any hardships? 

If you have experienced hardships regarding your health, family, finances, or any significant interruptions to your education, share them here. 

If you have not experienced such hardships, don't exaggerate a small hurdle or massage any facts to answer this question. A hardship prompt is different from an adversity prompt. We've all faced adversity in our own way. But an optional secondary question about hardships is exactly that —optional. 

We once had a client who considered writing about living in a medically underserved area. Her home state was in the top 10 medically underserved states, but this description applied to rural parts of the state and areas of her city deeply affected by poverty—not where she lived. 

She had access to a local primary care physician and was less than an hour away by reliable public transportation from a specialist she saw. Including this obvious exaggeration of affiliation in her submitted application might have led to an awkward interview moment (best case) or an immediate rejection (worst case). We cautioned our client then, as we caution you now: avoid using embellished responses to prompts and interview questions.