The following article was provided to us by our friends at Accepted.com. Accepted is hosting a number of telethons in mid-2008 that allow MBA applicants to call in for a free 15-minute consultation. Click here for more details.

Recipe for Acceptance

Take a few buzzwords like synergy, global village, sustainability, social responsibility, leverage, empower, diversity. Season with acronyms B2B, B2C, ETF, M&A,CDO, TLA, and PE. Stir in generous platitudes about forces that molded you into the person you are today and the top-notch faculty, diverse student body, and outstanding alumni network at the schools to which you are applying. Cook on your smart phone while seeking feedback from a bevy of your fifty closest colleagues, friends, and relatives. And voila! You have an MBA application essay.

No, you may have a recipe for rejection.

All too often MBA applicants grope for a recipe for success, a one-size-fits-all approach to writing the essays. Push the right buttons, stir in the tried-and-true ingredients, and you’ll have it made. Right? Wrong!

That recipe doesn’t exist. You aren’t making pancakes here; you’re trying to portray yourself as a multi-faceted, one-of-a kind gem. How do you do that? Use the Ten Tools for Terrific MBA Essays below to focus on your uniqueness, accomplishments, and strengths as you refine your essays.

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by Chris Ryan, Director of Instructor and Product Development, ManhattanGMAT

You’ve studied all the content, you’ve done hundreds of problems, you’ve taken practice test after practice test.  And now, it’s GMAT game day.  You’re following all the logistics tips: you got enough sleep last night, you’ve shown up early, you haven’t eaten anything funny, you plan to take the breaks while giving yourself enough time to check back in with the proctors.  But what about actually taking the test?  What do you have to remember while you’re in the thick of battle?

Here are five strategies to guide you:

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The best resource around for MBA-related podcasts is the aptly named MBAPodcaster, which includes Admissions tips and discussions with admissions officers from various institutions.  Their library is deep enough for you to constructively fill many a morning commute or jog on the treadmill.  Something else to do when you’re not prepping for the GMAT!  🙂

If you’ve ever wondered how you could combine planning your forthcoming business school career with your previous undergraduate lifestyle, look no further. ManhattanGMAT, in conjunction with MBA Admissions Consultant Firm, Clear Admit, is holding a networking mixer in Philadelphia on Wednesday, February 6, 2008.

At the event, you’ll have the opportunity speak with ManhattanGMAT Instructor, Brian Lange, and Clear Admit co-founder, Graham Richmond. This is truly a great opportunity to get a head start on the admissions process while networking with other young professionals.

As if alcohol and food isn’t enough of a draw, for those who can’t wait to experience their senior citizen side, we’ll be raffling off various goodies throughout the night, including a 9-session GMAT prep course, a complete set of ManhattanGMAT course books and some school guides from Clear Admit.

Just click the Martini glass below to register! After all, there’s nothing quite like Happy Hour (or getting into a top business school).

(Click Here to Join)

Good luck to all business school candidates who have recently submitted (and perhaps may continue to submit) their applications for consideration! To all those who are just starting the process of applying to business school for Fall ’09 admissions, congratulations for doing your research sooner rather than later. We hope you strongly consider ManhattanGMAT for your test prep needs.

Have a safe and healthy New Year!

Best,

The Team at ManhattanGMAT