You can use a metaphor as a phrase in your essay or as a whole theme that envelopes your essay. In either case, if used well and thoughtfully, metaphors will add color to your essay and anchor it with concrete images.

I wrote previously about using metaphors in phrases as well as other techniques to enliven your writing . Let's discuss metaphors as themes in this post. You can reveal an interest or hobby by using it as a metaphor. For instance, I used my favorite hobby, hiking, in "Personal Statement Tip: Topic Choice,"  my cross-country ski expertise or lack thereof in "Wimp Hill," and cooking in "Recipe for Disaster: Application Mistakes You Want to Avoid" (MBA) and Recipe for Disaster: (Law) . The author of college sample essay, While the World Sleeps, successfully uses running to convey her boundless energy and determination. In all cases,  personal experience frames the piece, allows the writer to better connect with the readers, and adds interest.

Be genuine when choosing your metaphor and reflect a real passion of yours. If you never cook, don't use a cooking metaphor. If you are a couch potato, don't talk about ironman marathons. But if old silent movies are a love of yours, what do you see in that form of entertainment and what have you learned about human communication through those oldies?

 And if you aren't interested in silent movies, running, hiking, cross country, or cooking, what makes you tick? Painting? Tennis? Drama? Dance? What have you learned in this activity? How has it changed you? Could you use it in an essay?  Think about it.

Thomas Caleel, Director of Admissions at Wharton, will be Accepted.com's guest at a chat for waitlisted Wharton MBA applicants. He promises that it will be brief chat because Wharton discourages contact, but if you have questions about the Wharton waitlist and want to know how it functions, he has graciously made himself available to answer your questions.

The chat will take place on Thursday morning February 2 at 10:00 AM PT/1:00 PM ET/6:00 PM GMT in the Accepted.com chat room.

For those of you waitlisted at Wharton, mark the date and time on your calendars. This is your golden opportunity to get answers to your questions.  

Accepted. com is also hosting waitlist chats for a number of other schools over the next several months. Stay tuned for the details.

I am in a mellow (and generous) mood after a short hike today. I am offering our blog readers 25% off Accepted.com's featured ebook for January.

Accepted Admissions Almanac readers can save 25% on The Nine Mistakes You Don't Want to Make on an MBA Waitlist  today and tomorrow.  Through January 31, when you click on a link in this post and purchase our MBA waitlist ebook, you will receive 25% off the regular price of this instantly downloadable ebook. (Discount will appear at checkout.)

The Nine Mistakes You Don't Want to Make on an MBA Waitlist, provides techniques that can move you from the waitlist to the accepted list. It teaches you:

• Who writes the most effective letters of support.
• What to emphasize in your waitlist correspondence with the school.
• How to highlight recent achievements.
• and much more.

A few items of note for MBA applicants:

• Rose Martinelli gives waitlist advice to Chicago waitlistees. You can find more on Chicago GSB's waitlist policies in its FAQ. BTW, the Accepted.com waitlist transcript should be posted next week.
  
• The Wharton Executive Committee's view on proposed changes in the Wharton program.
• Exceptionally informative Harvard MBA Interview Feedback. The author of this report went back through earlier reports and compiled the common questions by topic. Well done and thank you!
  
• I want to welcome Graham Richmond of Clear Admit to the GMAC panel on Admissions Consultants.
  

I strongly urge those who consider law their calling to research the field before spending tens of thousands of dollars and three grueling  years studying titillating tortes so they can attend enter a profession they are going to hate. 

CollegeJournal's "Five Myths About Law and Its Practitioners" is clearly written by someone who did not take that advice. It is also clearly written. Period. And witty. Enjoy.

Then go and make sure you know what you are getting into before you start the application process. When you do start that process, give Accepted.com a call.