Generic Essay Guide

Other / Generic

A generic MBA rubric for schools we don't yet have a custom lens for.

Every program reads essays differently. Our critique scores yours against this school's actual evaluation criteria — not generic essay rules.

What readers look for

The Generic reader's lens

  • 01A clear sense of who you are beyond your resume
  • 02Specific, quantified impact in your professional work
  • 03Authentic fit with this program's culture and community
  • 04Evidence of self-awareness and learning from setbacks

Common pitfalls

What gets Generic essays rejected

  • Resume narration without a story
  • Generic ambition without specific evidence
  • Claims of leadership without quantified impact

How our critique works

Three steps for Generic

  1. 01

    Paste your Generic draft and the prompt.

  2. 02

    We grade against the Generic-specific rubric, not generic essay rules.

  3. 03

    You get an overall score, paragraph-level flags, and the three fixes that move your score the most.

Related reading

Deeper guides

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Rubric-aligned critique in under two minutes. Free partial to start.

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