Welcome to another edition of MBA Myth Busters. This is the series in which we review and disprove the popular myths surrounding graduate business education.
Myth: Adcoms are impressed by jargon and fancy language.
Can you improve your application essay by using technical jargon and corporate language? Of course not.
The points that disprove this myth are many; in this article, we’ll explore the main four.
The first is that MBA programs are full of people from diverse backgrounds. Applicants will hail from jobs that required a high level of technical language, jobs that required none, and everything in between. Top business schools actively search for this diversity, so don’t write your application in a way that obscures it. Write in a way that reflects you!
Second, remember that you are not expected to sound like you have completed an MBA in order to land a spot in an MBA.
Third is that admissions committees do not always have MBA degrees, or come from a business background. Many of the people reading your essays will be from liberal arts backgrounds. If the adcom must fight through the language you’ve used to get to the essence of what you’re saying, you’re making it harder for them to know what you’ll bring to the program.
Which takes us to our fourth and final piece of anti-myth evidence: One skill vital for success in the business world is the ability to communicate clearly, succinctly, and to a broad range of audiences. You want to be able to showcase your work and your impact to as many people as possible. Fancy, overcomplicated language can muddy this mission, rendering your achievements lost in a tangle of jargon. Instead, keep your application essays clear and simple.
