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I purchased the "Navigating the MBA Admissions Process" videos, and so far have been very happy with the content. However, when reviewing the essay segment, there was no answer to a slightly more specific question I have about my essay.

I graduated from a smaller university with a 3.88 GPA in accounting. I also have a 690 on the GMAT. I am applying to Washington University's Olin Business school. Olin only has 1 essay, and it is a 1,000 word purpose statement. Here is my problem...

Straight out of high school I attended the University of Missouri for an engineering degree. I failed calculus and subsequently left MU to join the military. Since then, I have done well in academics and accomplished everything from the previous paragraph while still carrying a successful military career. How do I represent this issue in my essay, knowing that I only have 1 essay and the 1,000 word limit? Any advice on how to approach this specific blemish would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

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"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery