Common Questions From Helpless, Hapless & Hopeless MBA Applicants by: Sassafras on October 18, 2012 | 2,772 Views October 18, 2012 Copy Link Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email Share on LinkedIn Share on WhatsApp Share on Reddit 6) Will they accept materials after the deadline? Even if the answer is yes at some schools, my answer will always be no. It’s only fair to all the candidates to adhere to one deadline. The rare exception is for recommenders, but we need to prove that we can manage projects and people, and, well, the application is a combination of both. 7) Should I use the optional essay to explain why I have a low GPA/GMAT? Ok, this isn’t as dumb as the others, but you need to tell us whether you should. If you have a legitimate reason then yes, but don’t say, “I partied too much in school and it was awesome! I’m more mature now as you can see by my leadership role in the weekly Beer Garden Club that I started with bros at the office.” Or for the GMAT: “I scored poorly on math because I’m not good at math.” They noticed this already. It also doesn’t fly to say, “I did poorly on the GMAT because I didn’t have time to study.” Ok, great, so you mean to tell us, you don’t care enough about applying to grad school? Everyone else has a job and manages to study. 8) Who can I pay to write my essays for me? I hope you are rejected from every school. You and your little dog too! Any others out there that get under your skin? Let me know how you’d answer them or if not, I’m sure my opinionated self will have an answer! Sassafras is a 29-year-old MBA applicant who works for a San Francisco-based non-profit organization with a primary focus on youth development and education. With a 730 GMAT and a 3.4 grade point average from a highly ranked liberal arts college, he currently blogs at MBA: My Break Away? His previous posts for Poets&Quants: 8mbsp; A Non-Traditional Candidate Reflects On Why He Wants An MBA The Round One Days Dwindle Down To A Precious Few 8mbsp; Previous PagePage 2 of 2 1 2