Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I like my mom's stuffing, getting together with family and friends for Thanksgiving dinner, and the theme of the day. Physically and philosophically, it's my kind of day.  For loosely analogous reasons, my all -time favorite blog post was last year's Thanksgiving post.  It combined beliefs I hold dear, a good story, AND admissions advice. Blogging nirvana. I received more compliments on that post than on any other post in 4.5 years of blogging.

This year, I intended to simply wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving whether you are in the United States, which is celebrating this uniquely American holiday, or not. The themes of appreciation and gratitude associated with Thanksgiving are universal -- even on days when the headlines scream terror attacks and recession. Or perhaps especially on days when the bad news outweighs the good we need to count our blessings. 

However, a few days ago I received an unusual thank-you from a former client and applicant. Our clients frequently thank us when we finish working with them and/or when accepted, but this woman wrote roughly four years after working with us. Consequently this Thanksgiving I want to share one of the nicest notes of appreciation Accepted has ever received.

"I am writing to you today because I want to give you a testimonial for use on your website for the law school essay [editing] services. I know your service must receive testimonials from people who have just received their admissions. I, however, am now an attorney and can see the long-term value of using your service, which is why I share this with you now.

"I worked with, if I recall correctly, Linda Abraham in the Fall of 2004 in writing essays that would help explain that I left law school [earlier] for family reasons, and why law schools should have taken a chance on me a second time. Linda really helped me distill my reasons for wanting to return to law school into clear, achievable goals. This process not only helped me write a terrific personal statement, but also helped me once I got into law school in keeping a clear focus on my long-term goals. This, in turn, truly made me very successful in law school, which allowed me to procure the most exciting and meaningful professional experience of my life, my current position as an associate with a wonderful law firm.

"In short, the money I spent to work with Linda was the best $1,000 I ever spent in my life. That $1K turned into over $75,000 in scholarships over my three years in law school, and, more importantly, got me into a school that really worked for me, which turned into a job that now pays me market rate. Talk about a return on investment!

"Thank you."

JS

While I would like to take credit for the work that so helped this applicant, I can't. She worked with an editor who has since left Accepted to pursue other professional interests, but any one of our staff would provide the dedicated support that this client received.

Thanks to all of you for sharing your dreams and aspirations with us, for letting us into your lives. Wishing you a Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving!

Inside Higher Ed reports that in the 2007-08 academic year, more foreign students came to the United States than ever before. The increase is largely due to the high numbers of international students employed off campus through optional practical training (OPT) programs and those enrolled in non-degree or English Language programs.

Some statistical highlights:

• International students in the U.S. increased by 7%.

• Students enrolled in OPT increased by 36.3%, from 41,660 to 56,766.

• Foreign enrollment in intensive English programs increased by 23.5%.

• International students from eight out of the top ten host countries increased, India saw a 12.8% increase, China - 19.8%, and South Korea - 10.8%.

• USC was the leading host institution, followed by NYU, and Columbia.

In addition, the numbers of Americans studying overseas continues to increase, with an 143% increase over the last decade. Europe is still the number one host destination for American students, attracting 57.4% of U.S. students studying abroad. The top five sending institutions were New York University, Michigan State University, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, and the University of Georgia.

However, Peggy Blumenthal, vice president of the Institute of International Education noted, “The only really discouraging set of numbers are the diversity numbers...For as long as we’ve been collecting data, the diversity of those studying abroad has not really changed at all.”

Earlier this week I gave a well-received presentation to a group of UCLA students and recent graduates on "Bold and Brilliant Essays." The students were attentive, asked lots of questions, and even laughed at my corny jokes. I had a good time. But one question was asked or hinted at repeatedly:

"What should I do given the economy?"

And its close cousin: "I want to go into finance. Should I forget about business school given the recent market crash and turmoil? Should I go into law instead?"

Given the press and headlines I read, there are abundant reasons for concerns:

• "Nightmare on the Charles" an article in today's WSJ about how tough "Hell Week," HBS' traditional interview week, was this year.
• "MBA's Veer Off Path to Big Finance Jobs"
• "Financial Crisis: The MBA Outlook"
• "Big Law Associates' Bad News/Good News: Bonuses Chopped, Raises Delayed, Bad; Keep Your Job, Good"
  

So is now a good time to get an MBA? Is it a good time to spend $150K for a JD? Should you abandon all hope of that dream job in investment banking?

It depends. It depends, again. Probably not, as long as you realize investment banking is going to be different (and probably less lucrative) . Whatever you do, you should do it for the right reasons and not because of the latest headline. The economy is a moving target. It's dynamic. Basing your professional decisions on today's headlines is akin to making travel plans for three years hence based on today's weather.

The dismal situation we see today could be as short-lived as the boom of a few years ago. In 3 or 4 years, when you finish graduate school, the landscape could have entirely changed, just as it has changed in the last 3 years and changed entirely from the 3-4 years prior to that. So don't base all your plans on today's economic situation.

As Elissa Sangster, Forte Foundation's Executive Director, writes in "Getting Your MBA: Come Rain or Shine?", 

"And in 2011, when you’re ready to graduate, my prediction is that the financial crisis will be over, companies will still be recruiting MBAs, and a job opportunity will be there for you. But I can guarantee that this educational experience will drive you to be a more strategic and analytical thinker and a more confident and thoughtful leader. You’ll have an extended network of peers that you can rely on throughout your career. And you’ll have a set of skills and abilities that no one can take away from you. The MBA is an investment in you and the dividends will always pay out."

So whether you are interested in business school, law school, medical school or any other professional program, if you have a clearly defined goal for your studies and have figured out how to finance it, don't let the economy deter you. (Don't ignore it entirely either. Be nimble.) Go where you see personal satisfaction and opportunity. 

If you are applying to a competitive MBA program, you will have the opportunity (or, as some may see it, the dreaded task) of writing about a noteworthy achievement. Not only that, many schools will also want you to reflect on what you learned from that achievement. In most cases, it makes sense to write about a work-related achievement, unless you have a non-work related one that is especially remarkable or have discussed professional accomplishments in other essays. 

But how do you convey all the creativity, time-management, leadership, and innovation that went into your trophy event? After all, you will have about 700 words at best to paint this picture; sometimes, you may have as little as 300 words. In that case, even writing about an impressive achievement in such short space is an achievement in itself!

Here are some tips that will help you tell this story most effectively:

1. Be specific, but don't get bogged down in detail.

Don't burden the adcom with your industry-specific lingo or acronyms that you commonly use at work, which they may not even understand. Before you write, it can be very helpful to describe your achievement out loud to your editor, or even a friend, as if you were explaining it over coffee, to ensure that you can summarize it conversationally. When you can explain it simply to an outsider, you can write it simply and clearly. For example, "Our company was losing market share to a newer competitor because of their superior marketing materials and staff." Or, "Our client was facing lawsuits because their out-of-date patient correspondance software was generating letters to deceased patients." Try to keep the basic problem to no more than two sentences.

2. Highlight only the most significant aspects of the story.

You won't have room to list every meeting held, or every hurdle you had to overcome in getting the job done. Highlight the major steps you took in your achievement, looking for opportunities to highlight your creativity, persistence, interpersonal skills, and hard work along the way. These could include boning up on the problem/solution on your own time; buying lunch for the team members whose "buy-in" was essential; communicating the importance of the goal to associates and bosses. Show a progression of events, but again, keep it simple.

3. Quantify results. 

Don't just say that your new software program or sales pitch saved the company a "significant" amount of money. Whenever possible, put it in dollars and cents, whether it was in savings or increased sales. If the work was for a client who was so pleased with what you did that they hired you again for an even bigger project, say so.

Remember that "less is more" in writing, so don't feel bad that you don't have room to talk about that great speech you gave during one meeting. By zeroing in on the key parts of the story, especially where you can show concrete progression toward your goal, you'll make your significant achievement essay an achievement in itself! 

By Judy Gruen, award winning author and experienced admissions editor.

Most of us carry a very large critic inside our heads when we sit down to write. I have an exercise that helps writers defeat this critic who keeps them from writing.

Dialogs to Diffuse The Power of Critical Voices

Years ago, I was flying Southwest Airlines from Seattle to Tucson where I was going to teach a weekend writing class. Then Southwest Airlines gave boarding passes at the gate, first come, first serve, and loaded their planes in boarding groups rather than assigning seats to passengers. The boarding passes were given out one hour before departure and people started lining up before the agent actually arrived behind the counter, so they could be in the first boarding group. I was standing behind an elderly man and a middle aged man, both dressed in Western gear, tight jeans, cowboy boats, and cowboy hats, their belt buckles sparkling under the florescent lighting. They may have been father and son. Their conversation went something like this:

Older man: There sure were a lot people downstairs at the check in.

Younger man: Yup, these days, you can never give yourself enough time.

Older man: They sure wanted us here early and there's no one ready to see us.

Younger man: Yup, that's how it is, hurry up and wait.

Older man: I guess we could've gotten all jammed up at that place where they check the carry-ons and the people for weapons.

Younger man: Yup, these days you can't have enough security.

I realized that the conversational style hadn't really allowed either party to say very much. The answers they gave one another were clichés and just seemed to shut things down. "What if," I thought, "writers applied a strategy like this to a situation where there were higher stakes?" An exercise was born: Think of an area in your life where you have to interact with someone you feel has annoying power over you. Think of lines that annoying person says. After each line, imagine answering that person with a cliché. This will create a patronizing tone and put the "I" (you!) in the driver's seat.

Here's a case where a writer chose to have a dialog with her inner critic by answering in clichés:

• That's not bad for a first try, but why are you calling it an essay?
• A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.


• This little part isn't historically accurate.
• Historical, schmistorical.


• People aren't going to like it.
• You can't please everyone.


• You may think you can write, but how do you know other people will think so?
• Bite me.


• Your ego is getting in the way of your writing.
• Takes one to know one.


• Your style is too uninventive, not colorful enough.
• I'm saving my pennies for a rainy day.


• You could be spending your time more productively.
• Penny wise, pound foolish.


• You aren't listening to me.
• Whatever.

By the time this dialog ends, the writer is drifting into her own space. She is leaving behind the critical voice that keeps the writing from happening.

Any time we resist being pushed around, we are helping to free ourselves from the forces that trample our desire to express ourselves.  If you are having trouble getting a first draft finished, stop and do a dialog like this one. Your writing energy will ramp right up.

By Sheila Bender, author of McGraw Hill's Perfect Phrases for College Application Essays and a supportive, constructive mentor ready to help you nurture your essays.