Admission Reconsideration, Essay Example

I recently applied into the MBA program and was quite confident of being admitted due to my strong credentials. Unfortunately, my GMAT verbal fell below the 20% requirement and has adversely affected my otherwise strong application. I am indeed disappointed but I also believe that this doesn’t accurately reflect my potential to succeed in the program and tremendously contribute towards class learning in the MBA program. I possess a unique combination of family background, skills, and experiences that will help me bring something new to the table. I have always been excited by learning opportunities and out of all educational programs, MBA programs have a reputation of admitting some of the most diversified student bodies in terms of skills and academic backgrounds. This practical and fast paced learning environment in MBA program is exactly what brings out the best in me.

I did my B.S in Business Administration with Accounting/Finance concentration from California State University, Hayward and before that I did a three years study in Business Administration with Marketing concentration from Wuhan University of Technology, Hubei Province, China. Thus, not only I have strong educational background in diverse concentrations of Business Administration but my family also owns a business in China. I have over six years experience which includes working in my family business. This gives me unique global perspective on business practices in both China and the U.S and I believe I can contribute valuable insights during class discussions. In addition, I also have reasonable fluency in Math, Statistics, and Computer Science.

I am fascinated by different cultures and have always gotten along well with people from different cultural backgrounds. In addition to Mandarin Chinese and English, I also have conversational skills in French and Korean as well as slight knowledge of Japanese since I had a Japanese roommate for three years. I have an open mind attitude towards learning which is why I got along very well with my Japanese roommate even though Japan and China have their fair share of historical rivalry. My friends always commend me for my curiosity and desire to learn more about other cultures. Knowledge about other cultures is a huge advantage in today’s increasingly global environment because there are vast differences among cultures that are often not quite apparent yet can make or break the business deals. U.S. and China are probably the world’s most important trading partners in terms of trade volume yet two countries have quite different cultural attitudes. For e.g. U.S is highly individualistic while Chinese culture prefers group achievements. Being a native Chinese with an undergraduate degree from a U.S college, I have acquired considerable knowledge about the differences between U.S and Chinese business practices and I hope to benefit my American class mates with my knowledge as well as learn from them.

I also have strong public speaking skills. I was a University TV Station Broadcaster and Part-time Announcer at Wuhan University of Technology. My responsibilities also included interviewing important University personals such as President and Vice Presidents for outside TV networks. I also broadcasted weekly University news on radio at Wuhan University of Technology. At California State University, I eventually became the level 3 (highest level) Library Student Assistant. I won Scholarship for Outstanding Student Manager for two consecutive years at Wuhan University of Technology. This shows I have strong leadership skills and can work well both as an individual as well as with people.

I realize my disappointing performance in GMAT Verbal part and have already started reading business newspapers such as Wall Street Journal and The Financial Times. In addition, I am also reading books because from my experience I know that reading is often one of the most effective ways to improve one’s skills in a particular language. I am complementing my readings with business news channels such as Bloomberg and CNBC. I am already noticing that my ability to construct short and clear sentences has improved. I have even requested my friends whose first language is English, to correct me without any hesitation whenever they find a mistake in my verbal communication.

I believe that everyone has weaknesses but one can always overcome them with hard work and persistence. My English is a lot better than what it was when I came to the U.S three four years ago and it will improve by even a greater margin in the next few months. What is important is the fact that I am aware of my weaknesses and have taken steps to deal with these weaknesses. I understand the importance of communication and often come across articles on the internet that describe communication as the top or second most important skill in the job market. I realize that improving English communication skills is extremely important to my career ambitions and that’s why I am absolutely committed to bringing a huge improvement in my English verbal skills.

I have a friend who did quite well in GMAT and completed her MBA last year. She has been providing me guidance to improve my verbal skills. She has advised me to read on different subjects and not only business. She reasons that articles in different subjects such as politics, history, and science etc. use different writing styles and words which will be a far more interesting and useful reading exercise than just business articles. She particularly mentioned magazines which are often available in local libraries on a range of subjects and some libraries allow older magazine issues to be rented free of cost. This will not only introduce me to diverse writing styles in English language but will also expand my thinking horizon. I have been actively seeking suggestions because I have set it a goal to make up for my disappointing performance in GMAT verbal within the next one year.

As my resume shows, besides academics I had an active involvement in co-curricular activities and I intend to do the same as an MBA student. I believe I will take leadership roles in arranging the out-of-class activities and am particularly confident because of my teamwork skills and ability to get along well with everyone. I have also my sights on MBA case competitions because I am strong in analytical stuff and secondly, I enjoy competition. I like the structure of MBA program because it combines classroom learning with practical learning like few other degree programs. In addition, it is fast paced which helps the students improve their organizational skills and learn to work better under pressure.

I assure you of my impressive performance in the MBA program and I know I will have to work extra hard to justify the opportunity given to me. I plan to regularly consult with the University’s Writing Center to improve my English written and verbal communication skills. I will do my best to prove that I deserved the chance and have not wasted the valuable opportunity given to me. Please do not hesitate to let me know should you have any questions. I put my trust in you that you will give me the opportunity to prove myself in the MBA program and I am truly grateful to you for taking valuable time out of your busy schedule to consider my application.