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Accepted Admissions Blog

Everything you need to know to get Accepted

August 25, 2022

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Optional and Open-Ended Essay Questions: What’s the Best Strategy?

Open Ended Essay

Many business schools ask open-ended questions, many of which are variations of, “I wish the admissions committee had asked me…” or, “What is a question that you wish we had asked?” The most common among these open-ended questions is the optional essay, where you really have free rein to discuss anything you feel is important… 

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Article by Judy Gruen / MBA Admissions / Harvard Business School, mba application essays, optional essay

June 11, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

3 Tips for Writing the Optional Essay in Medical School Secondary Applications

med school optional essays

Many medical schools include an optional essay in their secondary applications. Obviously, this “optional” essay is not required, and the essay prompt sometimes emphasizes this point. Often, the question will include the stipulation that you cannot include anything that was already mentioned in your primary application or other essays. Some schools even state that most… 

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Article by Alicia Nimonkar / Medical School Admissions / optional essay, secondary essays

May 16, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

How Should I Choose Which Essay Questions to Answer When I Have Choices?

How should I choose which essay questions to answer when I have choices

You’re sitting down to face your application, and you are glad to see that you can choose which essay questions to answer. You’re not stuck answering a particular set of questions.  It’s good to know you have options. After all, you are determined to answer the questions that allow you to portray yourself at your… 

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Article by Accepted / College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions / college application essays, common app, grad application essays, law application essays, mba application essays, med application essays, optional essay

February 28, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Whatever You Do, Do Not Leave the Law School Optional Essay Blank!

Whatever you do do not leave the optional essay blank

Many law schools invite applicants to share more about themselves through optional essays.  For example, the University of Pennsylvania Law School provides the following optional essays prompts: Describe how your background or experiences will enhance the diversity of the Penn Carey Law community (e.g., based on your culture, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity,… 

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Article by Christine Carr / Law School Admissions / law application essays, optional essay

September 22, 2019

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Add-Ons and Extras: Supplements to Your Law School Application

Add ons and extras supplements to your law school application

If your law school’s application offers optional or extra opportunities for submitting supplementary materials, you are wise to take advantage of them and give the admissions committee more information about you, more reasons to admit you. When writing these supplemental materials, choose your topics carefully and write an essay that will make the admissions committee… 

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Article by Accepted / Law School Admissions / Law School Letters of Recommendation, optional essay

September 20, 2018

Reading Time: 2 minutes

When the MBA Optional Essay is No Longer Optional

MBA Optional Essay is No Longer Optional

You’ve already written the required essays that most business schools ask for – do you really need to write the optional essay? If you’re a strong applicant who doesn’t need to explain weaknesses, low stats, or application inconsistencies, then you may be able to skip the optional question. But the optional essay is NOT AN… 

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Article by Accepted / MBA Admissions / mba application essays, optional essay

June 29, 2017

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Law School Admissions Tip #7: The not so optional “optional” essay

determined

The Top 15 Things Every Law School Applicant Should Know is a series that will teach you the ins and outs of successful law school applications. Stay tuned for the remaining elements. This week we’ll discuss the not so optional “optional” essay. Almost every law school will ask for a personal statement as part of… 

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Article by Accepted / Law School Admissions / law school personal statement, optional essay

April 18, 2012

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Making Your MBA Essays Do “Double Duty”

With the new MBA essay questions coming out, you may be starting to sketch out your answers.  Of course first and foremost answer the given questions thoroughly and thoughtfully.  But how can your essays work for you to the max, especially when the questions don’t seem to provide opportunities to portray experiences, skills, qualities, or… 

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Article by Cindy Tokumitsu / MBA Admissions / Columbia Business School, EMBA, finance, goals essay, leadership, optional essay

March 25, 2012

Reading Time: < 1 minutes

Optional Essays: When and How to Write Them

optional essays when how to write

In this short video, Linda Abraham explores the two kinds of optional essays, who should write them, and what should go into them. Don’t miss the crucial warning at the end.   Related Resources: • 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your Application Essays, a free guide • How to Edit Your Application Essays, a podcast… 

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Article by Accepted / College Admissions, Grad School Admissions, Law School Admissions, MBA Admissions, Medical School Admissions / College Video Tips, Grad Video Tips, Law Video Tips, MBA Video Tips, Med Video Tips, optional essay, secondary essays

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