Jumping into the deep end

Unfortunately, I'm nowhere near jumping into this particular pool (see left), but I sure do wish I was!

I've been getting a few questions about the application essays and especially about two questions on the LBS one:
1. The one that asks the applicant about the kind of activities they want to get involved in on campus
2. The one where you have to specify what your career goals are.
On both of these I think I can shed some light, or at least my thoughts.

On question 1: a lot of the things that make LBS and its social/cultural/work-life special (Tattoo, the student clubs, the Santa Claus Pub Crawl, Sundowners, cheap Japanese lessons etc) are organised and run by students for students. In looking for next year's intake, the adcom want people that will actively contribute to that campus life. Will you run a club, start up a new one, represent our School at MBat (the yearly MBA olympics in France), organise crack-a-case sessions, tap lager at Sundowners, organise the next Media Summit, get a big-whig PE hot shot on campus or be the academic rep for your stream? For me, the most important part of any b-school is its people, the students, staff, professors and alumns, they make or break the school. It's great when you get that electricity going where ideas flow freely and people learn from each other or just have plain good old fun. Let the adcom know that you won't just be a consumer, but instead a rainmaker.

On question 2: There are basically two tacks that you can take in b-school. You can either dive in at the deep end and explore the unknown, or stay in the shallow part of the pool and deepen your knowledge. For some people b-school education will be about deepening skills they already have and moving back into the same industry with a better filled toolkit (but not exchanging it for another) and an increased rolodex. For others, including yours truly, b-school is about broadening your scope, and trying out as many new things as humanly possible, getting a brand new toolbox filled with brandnew tools, and change careers. The one is not intrinsically better than the other, but they are different when it comes to writing your essays. Figure out where you are with regards to the toolboxes (fill your old one, or get a new one) and that will give you your backdrop for your essays. One note of caution: even though a lot of people come to do an MBA to change careers, when it comes to convincing the adcom you're the cream of the crop and they want you in their MBA, pick a career path that you can actually make happen. Telling them you want to be the first MBA in space might not get anywhere in terms of admissions (even though you might still land up on the moon!).

[edit 1: bought Carl Honore's 'In praise of Slow' yesterday for 1.50 pounds at Bookends (opposite Foyles bookstore on Charing Cross Road)(great bookstore with great prices)(especially chuffed since I walked into the Blackwell's right next door to Bookends and saw the exact same book for 7 books. On sale.) and finished it. Liked it. But read through it too quickly. So much for praising slowness!]
[edit 2: yes, yes, I know. Think before you write. So you won't have to add edits. I know. There's just a huge gap between knowing and doing.]