Application Tip #1 from the Director of Admissions
How to introduce yourself in 100 words.
 Welcome to the first installment of my application tips. I hope the information is helpful and takes some of the mystery out of the application process.
For those of you who’ve tried to start an application or read my blog, you know that our fall 2011 application is not yet live. The University of Michigan is in the final stages of testing and rolling out a new online application system campuswide, and we expect our application to go live by Sept. 1. Both the website and my blog outline steps you can take in the interim to streamline the process once the app is live. One of the steps is to work on your essays.
Our first essay question asks you to briefly introduce yourself. The short word count may leave some applicants wondering, “What can/should I say about myself in 100 words?” While I can’t tell you what a “successful” response might look like, since this is the first time we’re using this question, I can share a couple things we’re not looking for in Essay 1:
- A summary of your resume or your stats (e.g., where you went to school, your GMAT score, etc.). We’ll already have reviewed those before we get to your essays, so no need to repeat.
- A preview of your responses to the other essay questions (e.g., your goals, why Ross, your passions, etc.).
You may wonder how you can introduce yourself without referencing your career to date. It’s okay to weave it into your essay, but don’t let that be the sum total of what you write.
Imagine that you’re meeting me for the first time at one of our events. What would you say if you had one minute to tell me who you are and try to make a positive, memorable impression? Don’t feel like you have to approach it in a particular way or talk about a particular aspect of yourself. We’re looking forward to reading the variety of responses.
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