美国留学：MBA个人陈述写作关键须知

申请MBA的留学申请信如何写是令很多申请人头疼的一件事情，尤其对于一些顶尖的商学院，个人陈述的写作就显得尤为重要，它是你能否被录取的关键因素。下面我们就给大家介绍一下申请哈佛商学院MBA的个人陈述，是关于描写失败的。

经历挫折或失败

“描述你经历的一次挫折、失意或是失败。你是如何掌控局面的?你从中学到了什么?”

如果无需付出任何努力就可以获得你想要的一切，那么生活将变得单调乏味。上述问题想要考查你是如何面对逆境的，其中关键的一点就在于你如何将自己经历的挫折转变成积极的东西。在陈述的时候，注意不要一味地描述受挫的事情本身——即使你的描述栩栩如生——而是应该将更多的笔墨集中在你处理问题的方式以及你从中得到的教训上。

下面这篇申请哈佛商学院MBA的个人陈述就是一个非常好的例子——作者在处理问题的过程中体现出了其主动性、适应性、自知之明和坚强的性格。这个故事说大也大，说小也小。当你在选择自己的故事时，不要担心找不到那些惊天动地的故事，因为招生委员会的评委们看重的其实是你的理解能力和反省能力，所以事件的大小并不是太重要——你没有必要把自己描述成一只在灰烬中涅磐重生的凤凰。

描写失败的文章并不是要挖掘你性格中的弱点，相反，它的目的是通过陈述展示你的性格。文章的结构应该简明清晰，陈述应该包括故事的背景、挫折、结果、教训、解决方案以及你未来将如何把你的心得付诸实践。

我们都曾遭受过打击、都曾被爱情抛弃、都曾经历过考试的失败……我们对这一切应该心存感激，因为失败意味着我们曾经努力过，我们的勇气体现在吸取教训的能力上。写这样一篇文章是让你有机会讲述自己如何重振旗鼓，如何找到新的爱情或者如何在考试中最终出类拔萃的。英国伟大的领袖温思顿·邱吉尔爵士有句话说得非常好——“解决了困难，就赢得了机会”。你可以利用这次机会向评委们展示你的这一信念。

优秀英语范文：

During my first consulting project, I was asked to construct a sales plan for an insurance company. The first step was to meet Adam, the director of sales, to discuss forecasting assumptions. A list of questions in hand, I knocked on the door. To my surprise, Adam was very formal in his reception. He did not understand why we were meeting, so I explained that I would be creating sales plans. At that point, he became outright hostile, he barked out his nonanswer to my questions and informed me he was very busy preparing sales plans. Before I could suggest cooperation, I was ushered out, and the door slammed behind me. Too shocked to react to the secretary's condescending smirk, I attempted to grasp why a textbook opportunity for teamwork became such a spectacular failure. What had I done to attract such hostility? I had just wanted to help. I called my engagement manager to complain, but he just accused me of handling the situation poorly. I was crushed and convinced that I was not cut out for consulting.

To this day, I am not sure why Adam was so hostile. Retrospectively, I can only guess that he was insulted and threatened, because no one had formally requested his assistance. Instead, a twenty-two-year-old appeared in his office, ready to perform one of his most challenging tasks.

Adam and I never became friends, but the incident profoundly affected the way I communicate. Now, every time I interview a client, I begin by exploring and allaying any fears the person might have. I explain the project's rationale and seek a frank reaction. The rapport thus established makes the interviewees comfortable enough to share private opinions. This very human interaction not only secures me with quick yet profound insights, but also relationships that often far outlast consulting project.

对这篇申请MBA的个人陈述点评：

这是一篇非常好的描写失败的文章，原因之一就是文章重点描述的并不是一个完美的结局。与此形成对照的是，很多文章讲述的焦点是一路坎坷，到头来写的却是一个成功的故事。在这篇文章中，作者的态度坦率真诚，他坦言自己把与亚当的见面搞得一团糟。虽然作者没有直言，我们大概可以猜测出他和亚当从来就没有过什么建设性的工作关系(我们不管他们后来是否成为了朋友)。由此而言，这篇文章是合乎逻辑的关于失败的文章。当你在描写自己的失败经历的时候，不要把时间浪费在“粉饰”糟糕的结果上，而是要先把事情的真相说出来，接着再往下写。

当然，文章最关键的一点就是作者从这次经历中学到了什么?答案是：他学到了很多。我们看到了作者的心路历程。他的第一想法是认为自己天生就不适合做咨询，但是经历这次失败以后，他也彻底改变了与顾客的沟通方式。结果文章的重心从失败转移到了如何建立关系和相互的信任上。作者曾经自卑过，但他从失败中走了出来，变得成熟了，在与高层领导打交道时表现得更加的游刃有余。在一个机构里能够应付自如并能以优雅和坦诚的方式应对不同层次的困难对话，这种能力将使作者在哈佛商学院和未来的职业中受益匪浅。