Can an “excuse essay”/ life story help me get into a target/semi-target MSF?
I have heard that having a good essay is an important part of a good application for top schools. I honestly do not have this great story of overcoming my weaknesses and wanting to make the world a better place and whatnot. I went to a shitty undergrad (not even top 300 according to usnews, and even as a shit ranking, puts it into perspective ) so I think my relatively high 3.9 GPA and GMAT of somewhere between 650-690 wont matter given its from a school that is easier than ivy league’s for example. Also as an international student I feel that being accepted requires me to have a great potential to even be considered.
Would it help me if I write an “excuse essay” as to why I attended an unknown college and couldn’t get accepted into a better school straight out of high school?
I never thought I was going to graduate high school and much less college, not because I was going to dropout, but because I genuinely believed “the world was going to end” before that happened. The thing that made me different than most kids my age during school was that my family, and therefore me too, were part of a relatively small religion that makes its believers believe that the world is about to end any time now. This high control religion (some might call it a cult, or at the very least containing cult-like behaviors) actively told its followers that attending a university is bad because “satan controls them”.
As a kid and teenager who was told that the world will end any day now, and that college is evil, I never developed any interest in higher education or in doing good in high school as those grades wouldn’t even matter anyway, so I graduated with a 2.2-ish gpa (adhd also helped in that,but I still have it and I am doing better).
Fast forward to freshman year in college living away from parents and not going to church or activities revolving around church 3/4 times a week and I quickly started doubting my faith slowly over a two year period. During those days I started actually studying because for the first time ever I started considering that I was going to eventually graduate. I actually enjoyed learning for the first time ever and decided that I wanted to not only get good grades but even get a masters degree (remember that going to an international university away from home and getting higher education was already “rebellious”, doing a masters meant in the eyes of the people of that religion that I stopped trusting god and instead “had faith in myself and the world under satan’s control”.
Looking back I feel dumb for not realizing how crazy that religion was, but I can definitely see how it made me a different person and changed my priorities while I still believed. This story is very personal, and I rarely mention things like this to the people i know, with my girlfriend being the exception.
I would like to attend a top university, but my lack of experience makes me feel that I will never be accepted into somewhere that is even top 50.
Would this experience be enough to differentiate me among so many smart and talented kids that were able to attend better undergraduate colleges, have great past internships, maybe even actively working for nonprofits making the world a better place, and get better gpa’s and gmat scores?
Or should I avoid telling personal/religious things in my essays?
I'm no admissions counselor, but would think that "I was in a cult / thought the world was going to end so I didn't bother studying" has a lot more potential downside than "I went to a no-name school, but graduated with a 3.9 [and leaving it at that]." Could see people getting somewhat creeped out, or simply finding you guilliable or otherwise lacking foresight, none of which would be a great outcome. Maybe you just make brief mention of a difficult, puritanical upbringing and keep it vague?
To be candid, I'm not sure you're really bringing a sufficiently unique perspective, etc. to a business school – by formerly being a part of what sounds to be a pretty nutty sect – to justify letting you in above those with superior academic profiles.
Also, what – to you – is a "top university?" Could you improve your GMAT? Another ~100 points (no small task, I know) would totally change the equation. Even if someone were to totally accept uncontrollable family factors as the reason for your non-target degree, the GMAT is 'post-revelation' and won't get the same excusement.
I consider a “Top School” to be something like top 25 in the US. I haven’t done an official GMAT, but based on a test I did without even remembering or using any math for at least 2 years and forgetting/never really learning how exponents work, how to multiply and divide fractions I think I can get my quant score to at-least a 40, which isn’t great but I am not sure if after re-learning math and practicing I could realistically get to a 45+. My Verbal score was already relatively high so I wont spend as much time on it because after a few weeks of practicing I can realistically get it to a 42/43 which would already be a 95+ percentile. I think those scores would put me at around a 680, and thats already assuming I get a slightly higher score after a few months of studying. I wont really bet on myself getting my quant score so high to get to the 730-750’s.
I do think a quick, non-griping mention that “my parents are fundamentalist JWs [just saw your username] and I wasn’t able / permitted to prioritize academics until undergrad” may prove somewhat exculpatory to you lack of collegiate prestige, but also believe your admissions prospects will depend heavily on whom your GMAT says you are. So a ~730 would be great; plus, it furthers that notion that you’re in full bloom after a restrictive start.
And hey, if you can get someone to believe you’ll bring a unique perspective to a financial program due to your upbringing, more power to you! Definitely don’t make any mention of believing in the end of the world, though.
Assuming I was able to send 2 applications to the same school, with the 3.9Gpa and a 710Gmat with a lack of finance related internships, do you think including that one sentence trying to explain why I didn’t attend a “better” school would have a difference in me being accepted or rejected?
Probably wouldn't make a huge difference unless you were truly toeing the line. Total conjecture on my part, however. Also, remember that there are lots of late-bloomers / people looking for a reset with an MBA – you aren't going to be the only "non-target" applying (and getting in), or any or anywhere close).
I think it can be good enough, if you write your essay honestly. Last time I needed to write an essay, I ordered it from Essayshark after reading the review about them, this service seemed rather reliable to me. This service has a user-friendly site and attractive prices, and they offer the ability to choose your own writer.
Nice try Essayshark marketing team.
The key to making this essay work is that instead of it being an "excuse" or "pity" essay, it should be a "how I grew from this experience" or self-discovery essay. it also has to address the prompt.
In addition, do all the other things that make a strong applicant strong. Have a clear reason for pursuing the degree. Take a few relevant classes and ace them. Show leadership and the other qualities b-schools want to see. Study hard for the GMAT/GRE.
For additional suggestions on dealing with your low GPA, please see 5 As for Your Low GPA.
this isn't Ozark. a dark backstory isn't going to get you into Mizzou.
imo, you should be honest about who you are in your essay, but within that constraint you should paint yourself as the kind of student you think they want - the kind of student that would benefit the most from a place on the course.
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