And Essays

Today in the morning when I was feeling helpless, I started thinking about life after gmat. To calm my nerves, I started imagining that I have scored a perfect score in gmat. But the next step scared me. Application essays seem like an ocean with no predetermined formula or structure. In GMAT, I can quantify my progress and have a rock solid plan but for essays I had nothing.

To be honest essays are haunting me from last one month. I assume my fellow gmat-takers would agree that its difficult to focus just on gmat and not worry about the apps. People say to me about not worrying about them and just focusing on gmat. But I am not able to do that.

In my spare time especially in plant when production is happening smoothly, I tend to think about my achievements, my goals and my influences. I think think think but nothing concrete comes up. Also I am not able to pen down my thoughts because I am unsure what I am doing.

"Begin with the end in mind" - I remembered this line and realized I must understand the essence of admission essays. And right now I am totally clueless about it. Understanding the essence or core is more like a zen thing. Its like understanding poetry or philosophy or music. Only after a person has spend a considerable amount of hours spending on these things, they start to truly understand it.

After preparing for 1.5 years for CAT(Common Admission Test), I now truly understand CAT. After failing 3 job interviews in a row, I now truly understand interviews. After spending 4 years or so reading books about philosophy and spirituality, I truly understand it and after spending 20 years with 4 musical instruments(in an amateurish manner), I truly understand music(at least I think I understand).

I have started to understand GMAT too. But I am a new pupil for admission essays. So again the same line - "Begin with the end in mind" helped me. I have decided to read 3-4 sample admission essays daily to understand what end product I want. There is some pretty good material on the internet along with the adcom's comments. It really really helps. I can get a feel of its powerful impact just in one day when I went through 3 admission essays today morning.

My dear fellow GMAT takers, please try doing this and let me know your opinion...

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