Is there any other information that you believe would be helpful to the Board in understanding you better and in considering your application? Please be concise.
Sample One
It was toward the end of my college career that I began to grasp a larger picture of reality. I was graduating from an excellent university with an enviable degree, but I had not a clue as to what I wanted in life; what I needed were firm goals on a personal and professional level. While bridging the gap between college and my upcoming job, I was hired as a bartender in a Yacht Club. I had always been good with people, but after spending a few months behind a bar meeting different kinds of people, it became evident that I had a knack for relating to others whether it was through a mutual friend, a travel destination, or a baseball game on ESPN. This was when I first saw my opportunity to take full advantage of this talent, and I knew I had found a focus. I wanted to be able to walk into a room full of people with different backgrounds and interests and have an educated conversation with each person about something in which he or she was interested. At this point in my life, I feel as if I have made giant strides toward this goal. I am well-rounded as a pilot, motorcyclist, boater, SCUBA diver, and hunter. I know my way around a kitchen and when there’s time, I enjoy reading classic novels, watching stage productions, and listening to classic music. I am familiar with foreign languages and cultures, and I have traveled, lived, and conversed with people from all over the world. My “to do” list is extensive and includes an extended SCUBA diving tour of sunken World War II battleships in Micronesia’s Truk Lagoon and enjoying a magnificent horizon while learning about the life of a Tibetan Monk on a backpacking adventure through the Himalayas. When it comes time for a vacation, I always choose somewhere new, and when a fresh experience is in sight, I jump at the opportunity. In short, I strive to experience as much as I can, meet as many people as possible, and enjoy all the world has to offer. The more I experience, the more fulfilling I find my life, and I know that continuing on this course will provide me with both personal satisfaction and the ability to converse with anyone - which should prove to be an asset in my professional life.
Sample Two
My GPA does not accurately reflect either my hard-working nature or my abilities. In fact, I am a hard worker who graduated with 267 units when the graduation requirement is only 180 units. Additionally, I pursued the rigorous BA/BS program, a 5-year program pursued by less than 20 Stanford students per year. I did have some academic difficulties, however, which began during the spring quarter of my fourth year, when I increased the amount of time spent working to pay my tuition and bills. The difficulties continued through my graduation in spring quarter of my fifth year.
The period was a tough one for me because my time constraints forced me to sacrifice two important aspects of my life: community service and academic work. Working as many as 30 hours per week during this period, I was unable to continue my association with community organizations that had come to depend upon me. Worse yet, I was unable to devote adequate attention to class work.
My grades in college had steadily improved during my first three years, from 3.36 to 3.50 to 3.71 but my progress was halted abruptly. Of all of the poor grades accumulated during the following period, the most embarrassing blemish on my academic record is a failed grade in the spring quarter of my fourth year. Spring of 1998 was my first horrible academic quarter, the result of organizing the Charity Auction for the Peer-Counseling Center, working as a Financial Planning Intern at Prudential and finishing my tenure as the Financial Manager of BlossGrove. At the time, I had hoped to repair my GPA during my fifth year, but that did not come to fruition because my financial situation declined during my fifth year. So the nightmare continued as I worked even longer hours during my fifth year, dropping my cumulative GPA through graduation to 3.18.
During my first year of work, I frequently wished that I had taken an accounting course as an undergraduate. However, my work responsibilities were too numerous for me to fit a class into my busy schedule. I seized the opportunity to take an accounting course as soon as I could, and the resulting success caused me to take more classes. I believe, to some extent, that “you’re only as good as your last game,” so the results were a comfort from my previous academic failures. After 9 months of working 55 hours per week and achieving a 4.0 while carrying enough units to officially be a half-time student, I felt that I had proven that I could now do what I once could not.
Although I have been successful in juggling many interests and commitments, the time I was forced to devote to working near full time as an undergraduate did cause my GPA to be a poor representation of my abilities and dedication. At HBS, I look forward to being able to immerse myself in the academic and extra-curricular environment, without the distraction of having to earn money for my education. This will be a highly valued opportunity for me.