Question regarding Texas Application

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Stockmoose16: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 347; Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 1:42 pm; Thanked: 1 times

by Stockmoose16 » Tue Feb 10, 2009 1:37 pm

Lisa,

I'm hoping you can answer a question for me regarding an essay on the UT McCombs application. The question asks:

At the McCombs School of Business, you will be part of an active and diverse community. How will you use your personal strengths and unique experiences to enrich the McCombs community during your two years in the program?

For this question, I wrote an essay that talks about one element of my past (a rough youth), and how it bred multiple personality characteristics that will allow me to make a meaningful contribution at UT. Do you think this approach is sound? I'm concerned because the question asks about personal strengths and unique experiences, but I'm really only talking about one experience that led to the development of many personal strengths. With only 500 words to write this essay, I felt that focusing on one powerful experience would be much stronger than listing a bunch of events in my life.

What do you think?

Source: Beat The GMAT — Ask Stacy Blackman | Tue Feb 10, 2009 1:37 pm

GMAT/MBA Expert

Lisa Anderson: MBA Admissions Consultant; Posts: 3845; Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:57 pmFollowed by: 148 members; Location: Houston, TX; Thanked: 442 times

by Lisa Anderson » Thu Feb 12, 2009 8:23 am

Dear Stockmoose16,

I think this is a tough essay to write in 500 words and include multiple experiences that would be significant enough to shape your personal development. As such, I don't think your approach is wrong or will not be received well by the admissions committee. When thinking about this essay, I think it is important to focus on the actual question which is what are you bringing to the program that will add value. From there, you can identify what strengths you want to convey and fill in the details from there. From what you posted, it sounds like this is the basic approach you took to the question. In my opinion (for whatever that is worth), I think it is critical to back up what you identify as your strengths with supporting evidence. So as long as you are doing that, then I think you are answering the question.

Best of luck,
Lisa

Lisa Anderson
Consultant
Stacy Blackman Consulting

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