Many prospective applicants count themselves out of the MBA game because they have too many career changes. But not everyone follows a direct path to business school. Businessweek.com currently features A Mistake Leads to Business School one woman’s reflection on how her twists and turns from HR to freelance marketing to yoga instructor to Whole Foods led her to Cornell.

Of course, it is a realistic concern that business schools will think you lack focus if you have jumped from job to job or industry to industry. The key to telling this type of story in your application is to explain yourself. Schools want to understand why you have made these decisions and why business school fits into the plan now. Some of the most interesting and inspiring essays come from applicants with complicated job histories provided they show insight and self-awareness.

For ideas on how to talk about your background, be sure to check out our essay tips for UCLA, Yale, Kellogg, Darden, MIT, Ross, Tuck, Columbia, Haas, Wharton, Chicago, Stanford, and HBS.

The blogs are busy with updates on round one submissions.

As we posted earlier this week, it can be extremely helpful to have reviewers for your essays provided that you choose wisely. Many bloggers are discussing their essay review process, especially turning to alums for an extra pair of eyes. Helluva journey submitted the INSEAD app and had a few alums edit iterations of essays. The Journey also got tips from an HBS alum before finalizing essays. However, you don’t have to use alums. Riding the admissions highway points out that alums are not an option being from Cananda and not knowing anyone familiar with the American business school process, and instead is “just using people that know me well.”

Almost as difficult as submitting applications in round one is recognizing that your applications are not ready to go for round one. Oops I plan to do it again made the wise but difficult decision to push Wharton and Chicago applications to round two because essays weren’t where they needed to be. The best strategy is submitting your best application, and if that means waiting for round two then wait.

Congratulations are due either way - whether you’ve made the push to submit for round one or you need to spend more time on your essays or improve your GMAT for round two. Keep up the great work…the end is in sight!

Tis the season for essay writing. Experience-My Life’s recent blog is appropriately titled “essays, essays, essays.” With the HBS and Insead deadlines rapidly approaching, many applicants are looking to get feedback on their essays. Round one game plan has a list of potential reviewers including family and friends.

It can be very helpful to get an objective second review of your essays. However, you should be savvy in selecting your reviewers. Here are some tips:

Select 1-2 people who know you well and can iterate a few times rather than 5-6 different people
*Too many cooks in the kitchen results in too many ‘voices’ being reflected in your essays
*Everyone will have a different opinion

Pick someone who understands the process

Give them the entire package at once so they can help identify weaknesses in the overall package rather than the quality of a particular essay. Feedback will be more actionable, effective, and holistic
* E.g., your app is weak on leadership rather than this essay is lacking energy

Save comments on grammar until the very end

Also remember to check out our essay tips for Chicago, Columbia, Darden, Tuck, HBS, Kellogg, Ross, Sloan, Stanford, UCLA, Wharton, and Yale.

Yale School of Management recently sent an email to interested applicants with admissions season updates. Remember to visit the websites for your schools of interest to sign up for email updates.

Fall Recruiting Schedule
The Yale SOM fall recruiting schedule is posted. You can view the schedule and register for events online. Note that they will continue to update the schedule, so please check back over the course of the fall for more events.

Application
The application for the Class of 2010 should be available within the next week. We will provide essay tips once the application is posted.

Remember to check out our essay tips for HBS, Wharton, Stanford, Chicago, Columbia, MIT, Ross, and Haas,