Kaneisha Grayson's Blog, page 14
December 2, 2020
Detailed Feedback on Essays from a 2021-2022 Harvard Kennedy School MPA Joint Degree Application
Our founder, Kaneisha, recently sat down with an Application Accelerator® client applying to the Harvard Kennedy School’s MPA Joint Degree program. This client had worked with us for the previous admissions cycle and was rejected from HKS despite her strong application. However, with our help, she was admitted to a top MBA program with a scholarship. So when it came time to reapply, she approached us for help making her second application to HKS as strong as possible.
The client sat down with us for an hour-long feedback session, seeking critical input on her essays. In one hour, Kaneisha reviewed all nine of her HKS application essays. In this post, we’ll break down highlights from the feedback Kaneisha shared for several of her essays.
Using specific examples of new skills in the reapplication response essay:
As this client is applying to HKS for a second time, nailing her reapplication essay was crucial. Kaneisha’s primary advice for this essay was to focus heavily on how the client has most changed since she last applied. In the client’s case, this would mean focusing the essay on her recent experience as a student in a rigorous MBA program.
Namely, Kaneisha advised being as specific as possible about how that MBA experience has helped the client grow. Kaneisha said, “Add more about your time at the MBA program, [share] what have you been involved in outside of the program that has made you a better candidate.”
Additionally, to really drive home the point, Kaneisha edited the essay to be as explicit as possible about the benefits of the MBA program. For example, the client used the term business skills in her essay draft, and Kaneisha commented, “You need to actually say what business skills. For example, negotiations, risk assessment…human capital management, etc.”
Using active language in the expectations essay:
Kaneisha also edited the client’s expectations essay, which prompts applicants to share more about a time when they did not meet expectations. In this essay, Kaneisha edited for clarity and active voice. For example, Kaneisha advised the client to use active language such as: “At HKS I will…” instead of “At HKS I would…”
Kaneisha also shared some insight into how the client could make the essay more impactful with the remaining word count. For example, Kaneisha advised the client to describe how she felt about the situation covered in the piece, and what thoughts were in her mind at the time.
Adding specificity and clearly identifying career goals in the concurrent degree essay:
The concurrent degree essay prompts the applicant to discuss how the joint degree program will benefit their career. For this essay, Kaneisha shared feedback about how the client could more specifically name the value of the HKS MPA program and clearly identify her career goals.
Kaneisha advised, “I think you need to put something in here about learning how policy is made. You talk about leadership skills and subject expertise. But, there is also expertise in the way the government functions, like how policies are made, lobbying, negotiating, regulations, electoral politics, etc.” After implementing this feedback, the client’s essay offered a more holistic response to the question at hand.
Kaneisha also shared advice about how the client presented her career goals. In the essay draft, the client shared long-term plans and mid-term goals but did not explicitly label them as such. Not differentiating between the two types of goals could be confusing for the reader, so Kaneisha advised the client to name which goals are long-term vs. mid-term.
Demonstrating interest in the two-year MPA essay:
For the two-year MPA essay, Kaneisha shared some tips about how the client could make a case for her interest in HKS specifically. To do so, Kaneisha recommended discussing classes, culture, alumni and clubs.
Fortunately, the client had already done her homework. In her draft, the client referenced her excitement about connecting with an HKS alum whose work was relevant to her career goals. Kaneisha was thrilled to note that the HKS alum mentioned happened to be a former The Art of Applying® client!
Closing Thoughts:
The essay portion of the HKS MPA Joint Degree application is no small feat. While every applicant’s stories and essays are unique, using the feedback we shared with this client could help many applicants. For example, like our client, many applicants could benefit from being more specific about their career goals in their essays.
Kaneisha was able to give this Application Accelerator® client feedback on all her essays in 60 minutes. If you are applying to HKS or other graduate programs, getting inspiration from previous essays can always be helpful. Application Accelerator® clients get access to 100+ sample materials, including essays, resumes, and recommendation letters.
Application Intervention® calls can be up to 90 minutes long and cover essays, resumes, and more. Application Intervention® clients may also receive access to relevant materials to demonstrate how a strong application flows.
Whatever stage you are at in the application process, we can help you put your best foot forward. Learn more about the Application Intervention® here.
Application Intervention® Case Study: Applicant to Harvard Kennedy School’s MPA Joint Degree Program Gets Specific and Clear in All Nine Essays
Our founder, Kaneisha, recently sat down with a client applying to the Harvard Kennedy School’s MPA Joint Degree program. This client had worked with us for the previous admissions cycle and was rejected from HKS despite her strong application. However, with our help, she was admitted to a top MBA program with a scholarship. So when it came time to reapply, she approached us for help making her second application to HKS as strong as possible.
The client signed up for a 60-minute Application Intervention®, seeking critical feedback on her essays. In one hour, Kaneisha reviewed all nine of her HKS application essays. In this post, we’ll break down highlights from the feedback Kaneisha shared for several of her essays.
Using specific examples of new skills in the reapplication response essay:
As this client is applying to HKS for a second time, nailing her reapplication essay was crucial. Kaneisha’s primary advice for this essay was to focus heavily on how the client has most changed since she last applied. In the client’s case, this would mean focusing the essay on her recent experience as a student in a rigorous MBA program.
Namely, Kaneisha advised being as specific as possible about how that MBA experience has helped the client grow. Kaneisha said, “Add more about your time at the MBA program, [share] what have you been involved in outside of the program that has made you a better candidate.”
Additionally, to really drive home the point, Kaneisha edited the essay to be as explicit as possible about the benefits of the MBA program. For example, the client used the term business skills in her essay draft, and Kaneisha commented, “You need to actually say what business skills. For example, negotiations, risk assessment…human capital management, etc.”
Using active language in the expectations essay:
Kaneisha also edited the client’s expectations essay, which prompts applicants to share more about a time when they did not meet expectations. In this essay, Kaneisha edited for clarity and active voice. For example, Kaneisha advised the client to use active language such as: “At HKS I will…” instead of “At HKS I would…”
Kaneisha also shared some insight into how the client could make the essay more impactful with the remaining word count. For example, Kaneisha advised the client to describe how she felt about the situation covered in the piece, and what thoughts were in her mind at the time.
Adding specificity and clearly identifying career goals in the concurrent degree essay:
The concurrent degree essay prompts the applicant to discuss how the joint degree program will benefit their career. For this essay, Kaneisha shared feedback about how the client could more specifically name the value of the HKS MPA program and clearly identify her career goals.
Kaneisha advised, “I think you need to put something in here about learning how policy is made. You talk about leadership skills and subject expertise. But, there is also expertise in the way the government functions, like how policies are made, lobbying, negotiating, regulations, electoral politics, etc.” After implementing this feedback, the client’s essay offered a more holistic response to the question at hand.
Kaneisha also shared advice about how the client presented her career goals. In the essay draft, the client shared long-term plans and mid-term goals but did not explicitly label them as such. Not differentiating between the two types of goals could be confusing for the reader, so Kaneisha advised the client to name which goals are long-term vs. mid-term.
Demonstrating interest in the two-year MPA essay:
For the two-year MPA essay, Kaneisha shared some tips about how the client could make a case for her interest in HKS specifically. To do so, Kaneisha recommended discussing classes, culture, alumni and clubs.
Fortunately, the client had already done her homework. In her draft, the client referenced her excitement about connecting with an HKS alum whose work was relevant to her career goals. Kaneisha was thrilled to note that the HKS alum mentioned happened to be a former The Art of Applying® client!
Closing Thoughts:
The essay portion of the HKS MPA Joint Degree application is no small feat. While every applicant’s stories and essays are unique, using the feedback we shared with this client could help many applicants. For example, like our client, many applicants could benefit from being more specific about their career goals in their essays.
If you are applying to HKS or other graduate programs, getting inspiration from previous essays can always be helpful. Application Accelerator® clients get access to 100+ sample materials, including essays, resumes, and recommendation letters.
While this client’s session lasted 60 minutes, Application Intervention® calls can be up to 90 minutes long and cover essays, resumes, and more. Application Intervention® clients may also receive access to relevant materials to demonstrate how a strong application flows.
Whatever stage you are at in the application process, we can help you put your best foot forward. Learn more about the Application Intervention® here.
November 29, 2020
2020-2021 Policy School Application Deadlines for Top MPP / MPA Programs
What are the 2020-2021 policy school application deadlines?
This list covers deadlines for top U.S. public policy school MPP and MPA programs. Some of these policy schools have other master’s programs focused on a particular policy area, such as environmental policy or global studies. Most programs have a priority deadline that is typically the deadline for scholarship and financial aid consideration, and a final deadline for admission to the policy program.
Note: Be sure to verify deadlines on school websites as dates sometimes change, and schools will occasionally adjust deadlines.
Policy SchoolDegreesDeadline(s)George Washington University (Trachtenberg)MPA
MPP
MA-ENRPFebruary 1, 2021 (priority deadline)April 1, 2021 (final deadline)Georgetown (McCourt)MPP
MPMDecember 1, 2020 (early action deadline)January 15, 2021 (priority deadline)April 15, 2021 (final deadline)Harvard Kennedy School (HKS)MPP
MPA
MC/MPA
MPA/IDDecember 8, 2020Indiana Bloomington (SPEA)MPASpring 2021 (January start date):November 15, 2020 (priority deadline)December 1, 2020 (final deadline)
Fall 2021 (August start date):January 15, 2021 (priority deadline)June 1, 2021 (final deadline)Cornell (CIPA)MPARolling admissions, submit your application as soon as possible.Johns Hopkins (SAIS)MIPPSpring 2021:October 15, 2020
Fall 2021:February 1, 2021*Deadlines vary by program typeNYU (Wagner)MPA
MUP
MSPP
EMPASpring 2021:October 5, 2020
Fall 2021:November 30, 2021 (priority deadline)May 1, 2021 (final deadline)Princeton (SPIA)MPADecember 1, 2020Syracuse (Maxwell)MPAFebruary 1, 2021 (priority deadline)Rolling admissions through April.UC Berkeley (Goldman)MPP
MPADecember 1, 2020 (MPP, MPA Round 1)February 2, 2021 (MPA Round 2)April 1, 2021 (MPA final deadline)University of Chicago (Harris)MPP
MSCAPP
MACRMOctober 27, 2020 (early action)December 1, 2020 (Round 1)January 22, 2021 (Round 2)June 15, 2021 (Round 3)Michigan Ann Arbor (Ford)MPP
MPAJanuary 15, 2021USC (Price)MPP
MPADecember 15, 2020 (priority deadline)May 1, 2021 (international applicant final deadline)July 1, 2021 (domestic applicant final deadline)UT Austin (LBJ School)MPA
MGPSDecember 15, 2020 (priority deadline)March 15, 2021 (final deadline)U. Washington (Evans)MPAExecutive MPAJanuary 15, 2021 (MPA)May 15, 2021 (Exec MPA priority deadline)July 15, 2021 (Exec MPA final deadline)U. Wisconsin (La Follette)MPA
MIPAJanuary 1, 2021 (priority deadline)Rolling admissions after January 1
A policy degree from a top program offers students the opportunity to advance their careers and make a difference in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. This year’s deadlines for top policy schools are fast approaching. Looking for help on your policy school applications? To learn more about how we can help, schedule your 15-minute Quick Call with our team today.
November 24, 2020
Application Intervention® Case Study: International Applicant to MPA/ID Revamps Her Resume and Tightens Her Essays
Our founder, Kaneisha, recently had a 90-minute Application Intervention® with an international client who found us while preparing her application for the Harvard Kennedy School’s MPA/ID program. With an impressive long-term goal of becoming a high-level government official in her home country, the client is passionate about helping her home country be equitable for all.
The client had already prepared her resume and drafted her essays when she came to us, but wanted to take her materials to the next level. The client was especially concerned with how to make her application stand out from people applying from her country with similar professional backgrounds.
She signed up for a 90-minute Application Intervention®, an excellent choice for applicants looking for highly targeted feedback on near-final materials.
Focusing on impact rather than on tasks in the resume:
During the 90-minute working session, Kaneisha met with the client on Zoom to answer her questions, live edit her materials, and offer a list of actionable advice. In particular, the client wanted Kaneisha to edit and provide feedback on her resume and essays. To the client’s surprise, she and Kaneisha spent about half the session (40 minutes) editing her resume to make it as strong as possible. Kaneisha shared notes on how to make the resume more impactful, easier to understand, and how to improve the formatting for readability and information flow. Now, the client’s resume will focus on the impact and larger implications of the work she’s done instead of simply listing out a series of impressive tasks.
Live editing of essays:
After working through the client’s resume, Kaneisha live-edited three of her HKS MPA/ID essays. The live editing covered everything from clarity, flow, and directness to leaving probing questions as comments to make sure each essay addressed the prompts as clearly and effectively as possible. Kaneisha talked through some options for how the client could reduce the word count of certain parts of her essays so that she had room to elaborate in other areas. Kaneisha also provided advice on how to best tell a holistic, authentic, and compelling story.
Addressing low grades in an optional essay:
Grades were another trouble area for the client. To help assuage the client’s worries that her grades would hold her back, Kaneisha walked the client through a former client’s anonymized optional essay submitted in a previous year in a successful application to the HKS MPA/ID program. Optional essays present an opportunity to explain anything the admissions committee may be worried about in terms of your candidacy for the program and preparedness for the rigors of graduate school. The example optional essay Kaneisha shared was from a client who had similar goals and concerns. Kaneisha walked the client through a simple formula for effective optional essays that the client can now easily adopt.
Concluding Thoughts:
This Application Intervention® client was a strong applicant in her own right with excellent work experience and a few possibly problematic grades. During a fast-paced 90-minute Application Intervention®, Kaneisha helped her drastically improve the effectiveness of her resume, polished her essays from good to great, and helped her more clearly articulate her compelling personal and professional story and ambitious goals. While Kaneisha and the client spent more time than anticipated editing her resume, it was for the best. Now the client’s resume will be a strong contributor to her overall application rather than a simple box to be checked off during the application process.
Application Intervention® Case Study: International Applicant to MPA/ID Passionate about Equity in Education
Our client Clarissa is an international applicant who found us while preparing her application for the MPA/ID program. With an impressive goal of becoming the Minister of Education in her home country, Clarissa is passionate about making education in her home country more equitable and accessible.
Clarissa had already prepared her resume and drafted her essays when she came to us, but wanted to take her materials to the next level. She signed up for a 90-minute Application Intervention®, an excellent choice for applicants looking for specific feedback or who are pretty far along in their application process.
Clarissa had some specific concerns. She shared, “I’m applying at the same time as a colleague. She works with me, we have a very similar background and I’m kind of afraid that my application may not be good enough.”
In a 90-minute working session, our founder, Kaneisha, sat down with Clarissa to offer some actionable advice. In particular, Clarissa wanted to review her resume and essays. She and Kaneisha spent about half the session editing her resume to make it as strong as possible. Kaneisha shared notes on how to make the resume more impactful, easier to understand and how to improve the formatting. Now, Clarissa’s resume will focus on the impact of the work she’s done instead of listing out a series of tasks.
After working through Clarissa’s resume, Kaneisha live-edited 3 of her essays. The editing covered everything from rewording for clarity and directness to making sure the pieces addressed the prompts as clearly and effectively as possible. Kaneisha talked through some options for how Clarissa could reduce certain parts of her essays and strengthen others to help her tell a holistic story.
Grades were another trouble area for Clarissa. She said, “For my grades…they’re not bad, but they’re not excellent. For an MPA/ID, I think [good grades are] what they are looking for.” To help with this, Kaneisha walked Clarissa through a former client’s optional essay. Optional essays present an opportunity to explain anything the admissions committee may be worried about. The example Kaneisha shared was from a client who had the same goals and concerns and followed a simple formula Clarissa can now easily adopt.
Clarissa was a strong applicant in her own right, and we helped her add some polish and articulate her story. After her Application Intervention® session, Clarissa shared that the session surprised her, “It’s been intensive…For example, I thought the CV was going to be much faster, but I have seen that there is a lot of space to improve. I appreciate that.”
November 18, 2020
How to Build Your Brand for Grad School: 7 Tips and 1 Exercise for Putting Your Best Foot Forward in Interviews, Essays, and More
What is your personal brand? Can you tell someone what it is in less than thirty seconds? Within a minute? In a 400 word essay? You have to figure this out to put forward a great application to your dream graduate school. We are here to help you do it. Here are 7 tips and 1 exercise for developing a winning personal brand to help you succeed in graduate school and beyond from our consultant, Rosette.
What is a personal brand?
A personal brand is what people perceive when they think about you. It’s how you present yourself. It also encompasses your professional experience, expertise, and more. Most of all, it’s who you are. You have to decide what it is and how to present it for the personal brand to work its magic for you. So, where do you start?
1. Identify your target audience
We’re not one-dimensional people, so in many cases, we have different personal brands depending on where we are, who we’re with, and what we’re doing. Who you’re with and what they know about you will determine what your personal brand is in those contexts. That’s why it’s so important to identify, then consider your target audiences as you develop your personal brand.
When it comes to applying to graduate school, your target audience is the admissions committee and you want them to see you as a unique candidate who can succeed in a rigorous program and add value to the classroom. Your personal brand should embody those things in their eyes.
2. Live your brand by being mindful of it and thinking holistically
Think carefully about how you want your audience(s) to perceive you both directly and indirectly. What story do you want them to tell about you when you’ve moved on? Ask yourself this question and solidify the answer as you look over anything your audience will consume to determine how you fit into their worlds. For better or worse, your brand will follow you wherever you go, so make sure it’s working for you and not against you in your application process. This goes for application materials, social media profiles, and any other channel where you express your brand.
3. Develop a strong value proposition
This is critical to developing a unique brand for applying to graduate school. Think carefully about what you can offer to others that will help them solve their problems and achieve their goals. Remember the target audiences you’ve identified. Admissions committees want to see what experience you can bring to your cohort to improve your classmates’ learning experiences as much as you benefit from them. Focusing on what’s in it for them helps you stand out from your competition and helps you build trust.
4. Be the expert
What are you most knowledgeable and passionate about? This is a huge part of the personal brand you can showcase when you apply to graduate school. Best of all, you’re already an expert in your field! If you keep up with industry news and who the key players are, you will know more than the average person about your industry and how it works.
5. Be consistent
In addition to telling them, how will people know you as the expert in your field? If you’re telling a consistent story about yourself across your social media profiles, your elevator pitches, and the knowledge you share, it’ll be easy for people to see you as the expert. Further, you also need to be consistent in how you present yourself in person, over video conference calls, and verbally. Posture, physical presence, and tone of voice all create a brand for you in someone’s head as they get to know you more.
6. Keep in mind that your brand will one day include more people than just you
We make associations with others all of the time. People might associate you with the school you got your undergraduate degree from, where you worked, or even who your significant other is. They’re all a part of your brand, so keep in mind how they all fit and what they say about you as a whole package.
7. Be authentic
All of this is for nothing if it’s not who you really are. Make sure that everything you’re putting forward in your applications and saying to your future cohort aligns with your values, your expertise, and who you want to be. Your entire application and presence should tell a clear, consistent story that people can remember.
By the way, you don’t have to be the only person telling your story. You’ll know your brand is really sticking if you hear people talking about you with the same words you’ve used to describe yourself.
Ready to start building your brand? Start with this exercise!
Write your personal brand in 30 second, 60 second, and 30 minute stories that you’ll be able to tell. Record yourself on video telling those stories so you can practice nailing your story and making a strong impression.
Building a strong brand takes time, so don’t stop here. Continue to refine and develop your personal brand with feedback from your friends, family, colleagues, and even our team! If you have questions about how to make your personal brand stand out to and resonate with admissions committees at your dream graduate school programs, book a quick call with our team today!
November 10, 2020
How to Prepare for Grad School Behavioral Interviews
Whether you’re applying for graduate programs or a new job, you’re likely to encounter behavioral interviews. For grad school applicants, the application process doesn’t end with the tests and the essays. After written applications, many programs require applicants to participate in behavioral interviews with alumni or faculty. Read on to find out how to prepare for those grad school behavioral interviews.
We sat down with one of our consultants, Kristin, to get some actionable advice on how to master your behavioral interview. As Kristin puts it, “The whole point of an interview is for you to pass the airplane test, where you’re trying to get them to walk away from sitting next to you with ‘Wow, I’d be okay with sitting next to this person as a roommate or a desk-mate for a really long time, and feel good about it.'”
Behavioral interviews can be challenging to prepare for because you never quite know what interviewers will ask. Still, there are steps that you can take to prepare for a behavioral interview. Following these tips will help you be better prepared and more comfortable in your next interview.
Aim for more than being likable. While it’s understandable that you may aim for being agreeable when applying for a job or graduate program, there’s more to it than that. Kristin shared, “Your goal is not just to be likable, but also to enhance somebody’s life just by being there.”
That means that you’ll want to work to demonstrate your knowledge and thought process beyond just agreeing with interviewers. While you want your interviewers to like you, you also want to be seen as someone who can offer value to a classroom or workplace. To accomplish this, be mindful of narrating your thought process and decision-making. Many interview questions are less about providing a correct answer, and more about showing how you think through a question or situation.
For virtual interviews, consider using a virtual background to minimize distraction. Virtual interviews are most likely going to be the norm until further notice. One way that Kristin suggests that you adapt to this new reality is to leverage virtual backgrounds. “The idea is, you’re putting your best foot forward, so minimize distractions. Make sure how you present yourself on the screen is going to be how you want [interviewers] to see you in person.”
This feature should be available in Zoom if your computer meets specific performance requirements. Within Google Meet, you can also use the Blur Background feature, which accomplishes something similar. Minimizing distractions will help make sure nothing is detracting from the value of what you’re saying.
Research to find connecting points. Before an interview, research is crucial. It’s a given that you’ll want to know about the company or program and have a good reason for why you’re interested in it. However, you can go a few steps further to really impress your interviewers.
Kristin recommends conducting in-depth research to find something particular to tie you to the graduate program you’re applying to. “Having very specific, niche things that you’re bringing to the table, that you probably had to do analyst-level research to figure out why there’s a connection between you and what you’re interviewing for; that’s always going to be really interesting.” Finding this level of connection demonstrates your research skills and the link you have to the school. It will also help you answer the critical question of why you want to be a part of the school.
Moreover, research can help you find ways to connect with interviewers. As Kristin puts it, “Pick up as much as you can personally about the person who’s across the table, because starting with that is going to make the whole interview so much easier.”
Even if you don’t let on that you’ve looked up a person beyond their role, you can still leverage information to help you connect with your interviewer. For example, if you learn that the person you are speaking with is a former college athlete, you can reference any relevant athletic experience you might have in an interview answer. Researching your interviewers can make them feel more connected to you.
Consider adding interesting facts about yourself to your resume. Outside of researching your interviewer, you may also consider adding some unique points to your resume. One of our mindset coaches, Nicole, chimed in on this subject: “It’s about putting things that are really interesting and unique on your resume. Be really specific, something like ‘I hiked the Camino de Santiago in Spain and I wrote a manuscript.’” Putting something interesting on your resume can be a conversation starter or icebreaker that can help reduce any potential awkwardness in your conversation.
Anticipate questions or scenarios. One of the more intimidating aspects of a behavioral interview is that you can’t fully anticipate the questions. However, there are still ways to prepare for them. For example, one of Kristin’s tips is to create a “book” or a list of scenarios that you can reference in interviews. While you may not know what questions interviewers will ask, having a list of project examples or situations you’ve experienced can prepare you for any questions that come your way.
Summary
Behavioral interviews are inevitable. Unlike crafting a resume or an essay, you don’t have weeks or months to respond to the questions you’ll receive during a grad school behavioral interview.
Take some time to anticipate questions, prepare responses, and find ways to connect with your interviewer. Using the tips in this article to better prepare for your next interview can reduce some of the nervousness associated with interviewing, and help you craft a story around why you’re a good fit for your dream grad school.
November 9, 2020
How to Write Your Graduate School Essays: 7 Tips for Writing About Your Accomplishments in a Compelling, Concise, Authentic and Interesting Way
Have you ever been to a party and froze when someone asked you a simple question like, “What’s your story?” If you don’t know how to talk about yourself in a way that’s authentic, professional, and interesting, you might fumble when the time comes for you to shine. Writing about yourself is just like talking about yourself, so don’t let that happen to you with your graduate school admissions essays! Here are some tips from our wonderful Writing Center Consultant, Ariel, on how to write about your accomplishments for graduate school essays in a compelling, concise, and interesting way!
Why is it so hard to write about ourselves?
Maybe it’s easier for some people than others, but talking about ourselves, let alone writing about ourselves, doesn’t come easily. You don’t want to sound arrogant. You certainly don’t want to be the person that shares too much. The bottom line is most of us don’t know where to start or where to go when it comes to telling our story. So, what’s the easiest and fastest way to figure this out?
1. Start by interviewing yourself.
Ariel recommends breaking down any essay response with these three questions:
What did you do?How did you feel?What did you learn?
Since you’re interviewing yourself, don’t stop at these three questions. Keep digging deeper and asking more questions until you find the juicy, compelling parts of your story that strengthen your essay.
2. Make your case by telling the admissions committee what you did.
When telling your story, don’t fall into the trap of writing in passive voice. You’re trying to persuade the admission committee that you’ll be successful in the graduate program you’re applying to. This first question, “What did you do?” sounds simple. Simplicity is key for getting to the heart of what you’re trying to convey. Tell your readers what you did, what impact it had, and why it mattered. When you can answer these questions for yourself, it’ll be clear in your writing why you’re awesome.
3. Take the admissions committee on your journey by sharing how you felt.
Write like yourself, not how you think you’re supposed to write. You’re professional, smart, and interesting. Make sure that comes through when you talk about how excited you were traveling to a new country for a work assignment or getting promoted to lead a team. These things are big deals, and sharing your emotions as you went through your journey helps the reader connect with you.
Afraid of sounding like a robot when you talk about your accomplishments? Don’t worry! The thesaurus is your best friend for helping readers understand how you felt during your journey. The nuances of the different words you pick to convey your emotions will help you paint the picture you want your admissions committee to see in your essays.
4. Show how much you’ve grown as a person by sharing what you learned.
Difficult experiences change us. How they change you is up to you, and so is how you tell that story. If you started your story with what you accomplished and led readers through your hero’s journey against life’s challenges, then the most beautiful way to end it would be to share how you’ve grown as a person.
When you talk about what you’ve learned from your story, you show that you know how to face adversity and how to succeed and grow despite it. It also shows your admissions committee what experiences you’ll bring to your graduate school community. All of this helps build you up as a gritty, smart, accomplished individual who deserves a spot in a top graduate school program.
5. Streamline your story by writing more than the word count, then trimming it down.
The famous quote, “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead,” applies to writing your graduate school admissions essays. Sometimes, telling the right story requires writing as much as you can and editing your draft down later.
Think like an artist working on a sculpture when you’re writing your essays. Sculptors start with a large piece of stone and chisel it down to reveal the beautiful piece of art underneath it over time. When you approach your essays this way, you’ll make each word count while staying under your word count.
6. Triumph is built on adversity, so pick the story that’s most relevant and tells your hero’s tale.
Everyone has experienced hardship. Those difficult moments shaped us into who we are and show that we can handle the stresses and struggles of graduate school. The stories in your life where you failed, and later found your way to success are the best ones to share in an essay where an admissions committee wants to understand if you’ve got what it takes to graduate from their program.
If you’re trying to decide which one of your stories to share, pick the one that fits the big picture of your whole application best.
7. Tie it all together with why it matters.
Don’t forget the most important part! After you’ve told your readers what you did, how you felt, and what you learned, you have to bring it home with why it matters.
If your work empowered your community, share how proud you are of that. If you’re the only person out of a hundred who got picked to travel across the world for your company on a special assignment, make that clear to your readers. This is how you’ll contextualize your accomplishments to show off how important they are and how great you are!
Want some help with your essays?
Don’t just read these seven tips for telling your story in a compelling, concise, and authentic way. Begin putting them into practice today when you schedule a Quick Call with our team!
October 9, 2020
Harvard Kennedy School 2020-2021 Deadline and Essay Prompts
What is the deadline for Harvard Kennedy School’s 2020-2021 admission season to start school in Fall 2021?
December 8, 2020 at 5 pm Eastern Time
Be sure to check the HKS Admissions blog to double-check that you are responding to the correct essay prompts for your degree.
Optional Statement
(optional for all degrees)
Optional for: MPP, MPA2 (Two-Year MPA), MC/MPA, MC/MPA Mason Fellows, MPA/ID
If you have any concerns about your prior academic, professional, or personal background that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee, please provide an explanation.
word limit: 250 words
Personal History Essay
(required for all degrees)
Required for: MPP, MPA2 (Two-Year MPA), MC/MPA, MC/MPA Mason Fellows, MPA/ID
Diversity of all kinds (race and ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, nationality, religion, physical abilities, political philosophy, intellectual focus, socioeconomic status, geographic and many others) is important to enriching the educational experience at the Kennedy School. Please share with us anything in your background or life experience that has shaped your perspectives and how that would contribute to the classroom and community at HKS.
word limit: 250 words
Expectations Essay
(required for most degrees)
Required for: MPP, MPA2 (Two-Year MPA), MC/MPA, MC/MPA Mason Fellows
Not applicable to: MPA/ID
Describe a time when you did not meet expectations and elaborate on how the experience changed you.
word limit: 250 words
Perspectives Essay
(required for most degrees)
Required for: MPP, MPA2 (Two-Year MPA), MC/MPA, MC/MPA Mason Fellows
Not applicable to: MPA/ID
Describe a time when interactions with others and/or an experience caused you to change your mind or expanded your point of view.
word limit: 250 words
MPP Essay Prompts
Required for: MPP
Essay #1: JFK Essay (required)
The Harvard Kennedy School motto, echoing the President for whom the School is named, is “Ask what you can do.” Please share with the Admissions Committee your plans to create positive change through your public leadership and service.
word limit: 500 words
Essay #2: MPP Curriculum Essay (required)
The MPP curriculum is designed to broaden students’ perspective and sharpen skills necessary for a successful career in public service through a rigorous set of courses that draw on the social sciences but are adapted for action. Please describe how the MPP curriculum at HKS would leverage your distinctive abilities and/or fill gaps in your skill set as you equip yourself to achieve your career goals.
word limit: 500 words
MPA2 Essay Prompts
Required for: MPA2 / Two-Year MPA
Essay #1: JFK Essay (required)
The Harvard Kennedy School motto, echoing the President for whom the School is named, is “Ask what you can do.” Please share with the Admissions Committee your plans to create positive change through your public leadership and service.
word limit: 500 words
Essay #2: Two-Year MPA (MPA2) Essay (required)
There are many pathways one can pursue in order to make a difference in the world. Why is the MPA Program at HKS an appropriate pathway to achieving your goals?
word limit: 500 words
MPA/ID Essay Prompts
Required for: MPA/ID
Essay #1: International Development Essay (required)
Discuss your decision to choose international development as your professional career. Also, explain how developing your analytic skills relates to your career in development.
word limit: 750 words
Essay #2: Leadership Experience Essay (required)
Describe an event or experience in which you exercised a significant decision-making, management, or leadership role.
word limit: 750 words
Essay #3: Public Policy Essay (required)
Describe a public policy or public management problem related to international development and analyze a range of solutions.
word limit: 750 words
MC/MPA and MC/MPA Mason Essay Prompts
Required for: MPA/MC (Mid-Career MPA) and MPA/MC Mason Fellows (Mid-Career Mason Fellows)
Essay #1: Career Goals Essay (required)
Submit a statement that discusses your career goals, as well as the factors that led you to select the Mid-Career MPA program as a means of furthering your personal and professional goals. Be as specific as possible in describing how your expected course of study will enable you to build on your prior professional experience and achieve those goals.
word limit: 500 words
Essay #2: Professional Contribution Essay (required)
The Harvard Kennedy School motto, echoing the President for whom the School is named, is “Ask what you can do.” Please share with the Admissions Committee how you have created positive change thus far in your most substantial professional leadership and/or public service role.
word limit: 500 words
Joint Degree and Concurrent Degree Essay Prompt
Required for: applicants to a joint or combined degree program
Harvard Kennedy School’s mission is to improve public policy and leadership across the United States and around the world, so people can lead safer, freer, and more prosperous lives. How will a joint/concurrent degree enhance your pursuit of this mission?
word limit: 400 words
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October 3, 2020
Client Case Study: LaTisha
Our client LaTisha had anything but an easy upbringing. She was born with an addiction to crack cocaine because her birth mother abused drugs and alcohol. LaTisha was adopted at an early age, and her parents were retired and lived on a fixed, modest income. Despite attending a high school with a low college readiness score, she went on to graduate from Northwestern University and has now been accepted to Northwestern Law!
After graduating from Northwestern, LaTisha worked in fintech/regulatory compliance for 6 years. Her work in compliance spurred an interest in consumer protection and she began looking into law school. LaTisha set her sights on returning to her alma mater for law school and took the LSAT 3 times. Having always struggled with standardized tests, LaTisha still scored below a 160 despite her best efforts.
She began looking into ways to bolster her application and came across The Art of Applying®. LaTisha shared, “I knew I needed a little bit more help in terms of crafting my story and getting my voice out there…in a way that I just couldn’t be turned down…I knew that on the raw number [alone] it wasn’t going to happen.”
LaTisha enrolled in the Application Accelerator® in January of 2018, with not much time to spare before the upcoming enrollment period. In her first application cycle working with us, LaTisha was denied from Northwestern Law but accepted to DePaul University, Loyola University with a $45,000 scholarship, Chicago-Kent College of Law with a full scholarship, and waitlisted at University of Chicago, New York University, University of Pennsylvania and Columbia Law School. LaTisha knew she had worked as hard as she could, but felt that she could do better with more time, so she signed on to work with us for a second application cycle.
Ultimately, LaTisha’s intuition was correct. When she reapplied, LaTisha was initially waitlisted at Northwestern but she was officially accepted on June 30th. In response to the news, LaTisha said, “Northwestern is going to open so many doors for me…The opportunities are what’s going to change my life the most. My options now are so much more than they were a month ago.”
When reflecting on the 2.5 years LaTisha has spent working with our team, she had this to say, “This program has honestly changed my life and I highly, highly, highly [recommend] it…just go for it.”
We couldn’t agree more, LaTisha. Congratulations!
Start Date: January 2018 | End Date: June 2020
Applicant Information
GPA: 3.67LSAT: 158Work experience: 6 years in fin-tech/regulatory compliance Undergraduate: Northwestern University Major: Sociology/International Studies
Acceptances
Northwestern Pritzker School of Law Loyola University School of Law DePaul University – College of Law Chicago-Kent College of Law University of Chicago Law School – waitlistedNew York University School of Law – waitlisted Columbia Law School – waitlisted University of Pennsylvania – waitlisted
Scholarships
Chicago-Kent College of Law – Full ScholarshipLoyola University School of Law – $60,000 scholarship
Notable Quotes
On the value LaTisha found in working with her consultant:
“[My consultant] really took the time to help me craft my story in a way that I felt so proud of the end result and comfortable knowing that I gave the very best shot…She really helped me craft that in a way that was meaningful, we really sat down and talked about what I actually was trying to say, what I wanted to convey [to the] admissions committee…and why I want to go to law school. Sometimes I look at what I originally wrote and then the end result and it’s night and day.”
How LaTisha found inspiration and community from other applicants:
“We have people from all over the world trying to go to their dream schools. Interacting with them energizes you because you’re all joined in this collective [activity] of trying to get into these schools. You’re all struggling with trying to reach those target scores. You’re struggling with trying to get your essays together…In the members area I was able to ask questions and people would answer. It wasn’t like you’re only working with your consultant. You could also work with each other and [share] that sense of encouragement…That’s also what kind of helped keep me sane throughout the process. I knew I wasn’t alone. It’s been wonderful because you also feel inspired by hearing everyone else’s story. Hearing why they are interested in doing what they want to do energizes you and provides inspiration.”
LaTisha’s advice to other applicants with a low test score:
“It’s important to know that you’re more than a number. They also care about what you’ve done and what you’re trying to do and what your story is. The biggest thing that I got out of this program was finding a way to [tell] that story… I was afraid that I had no chance… I literally can’t get above 160…If you are passionate and hungry and know in your heart of hearts that you deserve to be there and that number is not going to hold you back… [The Application Accelerator®] program is the program for you because it will help you craft your application in a way where you’re [an] irresistible candidate.”
On deciding to invest in working with The Art of Applying®:
“If it means I’ve gotten into my dream school, and [gotten] scholarship money, it balances out. I think the rewards are so much greater than the upfront cost of participating!”
