A large number of B-Schools have a variety of questions in the application forms that students have to answer. How one answers such questions has a bearing on ones final selection or non-selection into the institute. Some B-Schools even give a certain weightage to the application questions as a part of the selection process.
The answers you give to the questions in the application forms are often used as discussion points in your interview with the B-School and as such these should be filled in with care.
NOTE:
• Please ensure that you get all your answers reviewed by a someone before putting it down in the application blank
• Ensure that you take a photocopy of the filled in application form before posting the same.
How to write ‘good’ answers to the questions that requires you to write ‘a Statement of Purpose (SOP) essay is one area that troubles most applicants.
The following broad guidelines will help you in writing and structuring your essays and also help you in ensuring that you are well-prepared to answer the questions that you may be asked in the Personal Interview relating to your answers to the ‘SOP’ questions:
1. Language: One should always follow the KISS (Keep it Short & Simple) methodology in structuring the answers. The objective is not to impress the reader with your vocabulary but rather to communicate.
The use of simple and commonly used words is recommended – verbosity is a definite no-no. A word of caution: Do not try to use all those high-funda words that you learnt in your Vocab sessions!
2. Structure: Avoid long sentences. Flow is the key property of a good essay. Planning out the flow of the answer is a key step in writing good answers.
3. Consistency: Be consistent when more than one essay has to be written. Show your essays to a friend/parent/teacher for a third party review - if there are inconsistencies (that you may not notice), they will be able to point it out.
4. Clarity: Even when you are not required to write ‘why’ & ‘how’ in response to a question, be prepared with your answers to these. This will also bring a greater clarity to your essay.
5. Length: Please make judicious use of the space provided – at least 80% of the given space should be used up in answering the question. Do not use any additional space unless the form specifically allows it.
6. Honesty: Be honest in answering the questions. Do not invent examples / instances/ qualities that you do not have. The panelists are very experienced and can call a bluff when they see one.
For example, if you do not have any extracurricular activities, do not fill anything under that head.
7. Career Goals / Milestones: Career goals may be likened to the other side of the river which you need to cross to reach it. You can swim, build or hire a boat or look for a bridge if any exists or even build a new one! Some even think of flying across!
Goals may be divided into short, medium or long term goals. All the intermediate steps taken to reach your goals may be considered as milestones.
Admission into the B-school can only be one of the most suitable ‘means’ (and not a "career goal") considered by you keeping your strengths in mind and considering your long term goals / ambition.
Typically, what you would like to achieve towards the latter part of your career (say, when you are 40-50 years of age) can be called long term goals. The next 8-10 years will qualify to be called medium term goals and what you would like to do in the next 3-5 years would be your short term goals.
When you write what your career goals are, you may want to consider various options like corporate career, entrepreneurship, academic career, NGOs, social work, etc.
8. FMS: ‘Why is FMS the most suitable institute for realising your goals’ should be answered in a balanced manner. There is no point in saying – “FMS is the best in the world”. Further, do NOT copy from their prospectus wherein they would have mentioned some of FMS’s unique strengths. Please collect more information about FMS and use it. If nothing is possible, rephrase the words from the website / prospectus. If you can identify a unique strength / offering at FMS and explain how this can help you in achieving your career goals, it would be a more sensible answer.
In any case, career goal can’t be getting into FMS or even an IIM!
9. Ethical Questions: No point in painting yourself as a saint! Equally, no point in proudly mentioning how practical you are and how one has to be flexible & realistic!
You may share the instances when you did something where you ‘overlooked’ some of your ethics, or where you were tempted to ‘compromise’ for some short-term gains. However, you should later realize that it is an inferior / lazier alternative and you would have done better had you walked the straight & narrow path. A good idea could be to describe how you have emerged stronger from this experience. Never ever try and portray an unethical approach as a good one on the grounds of being practical!!
10. Some Specific Questions
A. ‘If I had the freedom, I will change the following in me’: This is a tricky one! If you respond to the meaning on the surface, it may imply that at present, you don’t have the required freedom! On the other hand, can you fully defend that ‘you-are-doing-what-you-want-to-do’ and ‘you-will-do-in-future-what-you-would-like-to-do’ in terms of career or activity.
This question can be answered by discussing the choices that you have considered and the process of arriving at the decision from the options considered by you.
This could sometimes also be used as a check for consistency since this is closely related to a question on strengths & weaknesses. It is very unlikely that you will respond that I am perfect and see no reason to change!
B. Learning Incidents: Be specific, describe it crisply but the focus should be on the learning and ‘how’ it helped you. The incident should not necessarily be used to showcase only the positive aspects of your character but rather one where you had learnt something positive.
C. Principal Interests: Our interests are conscious decisions that we take for we invest time, efforts, energy in nurturing & building the same. These also influence our attitudes & behavior and shape our personality - usually in a positive way.
D. Strengths & Weaknesses and Achievements & Failures: Do not take these lightly. One way to arrive at your strengths & weaknesses is to understand the link between these and achievements & failures.
Your strengths should help in achievements while your weaknesses should have contributed to your failures or lack of achievements!
Simply put, achievements are those moments that make you proud of yourself. On the other hand, failures are not necessarily failing in the exams but these are about failing to meet the targets you set for yourself.
Be prepared for the follow-up questions – if you have identified ‘X’ as your weakness, then what are you doing to improve in that area. How far have you succeeded?
It is advisable to list 3-4 strengths and 2-3 weaknesses. Also take care that the weaknesses that you write are articulated appropriately. You obviously can't say "My weakness is that if somebody does not agree with my point of view, I feel like strangling that person." You can say "I am a little impatient with people who do not agree with my point of view."
E. Examples/ Instances: All examples should be specific and relevant. Make these as crisp as possible.
F. How did you tackle & achieve a difficult target: Focus should be on the reason why you decided to take up the challenge and on ‘how’ you achieved the target despite obstacles.
G. Are you a good team player?: Please ensure that you fully understand what makes an effective team and the example you mention should include you playing a key role in building effective team processes leading to the desired outcome. Please note that this is not the same as leadership.
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