I'm debating who to share drafts of my essays with so that I can get feedback. So far, I'm sharing them with a co-worker at work (Harvard Law alum) and one of my closest friends (NU Law alum). I'd like to also share them with a friend who interviews for Columbia B School (Columbia MBA alum) to have the perspective of someone who has been through the process (though she applied to Columbia early decision and only one other school). I don't have that many other friends who have been to business school and I feel uncomfortable sharing the essays with others due to the content (many of them are very personal). Anyone have some advice on this matter?
You could share it with all three. Maybe your Columbia friend could 'educate' the other two (if they know each other) on specific aspects to focus on. That'll ensure that the Law alums look at the apps from a bschool perspective (if they aren't already familiar with the process). I'm sure they'll pick the basic concepts quickly.
Perspectives from 3 independent reviewers should give you a pretty good idea of what's working in your essays and what needs to be strengthened a little more.
Sharing it with too many people could be counter-productive, as it's a subjective evaluation. Every reviewer is 'right' from his/her perspective, and there might be conflicting inputs on what works and what doesn't.
So don't rush in to fix everything they recommend. See if any common points come up in the review and then take a call.
Also, be aware that folks who know you closely might have a tendency to fill in the gaps and complete the story. An adcom member who doesn't know you will not be in a position to do that. After completing the drafts leave them on the table for a few days. Reviewing them again with a fresh perspective could help you identify the blind spots that were missed out earlier.
Good luck.
