How to Avoid the Kitchen Sink Strategy when Writing Your MBA Personal Statement

This article is posted under mba personal statement tips

Many MBA school applicants commit the mistake of coming up with an admission essay that’s a hodgepodge of ideas.  They tend to submit a hodgepodge essay because they want to impress the readers by coming up with an essay that contains the “winning theme or topic.”  By discussing a variety of topics in their essays that can range from philosophical, political, or even religious beliefs, these applicants are hoping that by doing so, they’ll be able to land a spot in their dream school.  Unfortunately, this is not an effective essay writing technique.

Why the kitchen sink technique is never an effective essay writing tip

By throwing in everything in your essay except the kitchen sink, you’re creating an essay that has no focus and is confusing.  Your readers will definitely notice this even on the first paragraph.  It’s great to discuss your beliefs in your essay as these have shaped how you think and see things today.  But, always remember to not go overboard.  Too many irrelevant and incoherent details in your essay can dilute the strength of your personal statement.  And of course, you don’t want this to happen, as the essay is your ticket to a spot in your dream MBA school.

Tips to avoid falling into the kitchen sink strategy

For you to avoid committing this common mistake, think of a topic or thesis for your essay.  Have a draft outline so as to give your personal statement some direction.  After writing the first draft, review your work and see if there are areas for improvement or if there are sentences or paragraphs that don’t really contribute anything to your essay.

For example, if you’re planning to discuss in your essay your work experiences, resist the temptation to include everything you did for the past five years.  It’s best to think of just one experience that made you realize that an MBA degree is very helpful in achieving your goals.

Try to read sample essays when writing your own MBA personal statement.  There are many reliable online resources you can check out when looking for well-written sample essays.  Take note of how these essays were able to discuss a single topic without boring the reader.  You should be able to achieve the same effect with your own MBA personal statement.

Letting others read your work is also a good idea.  Getting the opinion of others is an effective way for you to see your work’s strengths and weaknesses without getting too subjective.

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