by Charlotte Thomas, Career and Education Editor, Peterson's

Whoever came up with the idea that people like to talk about themselves has probably never confronted a blank sheet of paper (or blank computer screen) with the deadline ticking away for completing an MBA application essay. Writer's block takes on new meaning when it comes to answering questions about why you want an MBA and how a particular program fits in with your career plans. All those lucid reasons that seemed so intelligent before are suddenly nowhere to be found. You've done the application, it's deadline time, and the essays remain to be written.

"Few people really enjoy writing or talking about themselves," explains Christine Gill, Interim Director of Marketing and Admissions at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio. "Essays just don't roll off the top of their heads."

After reading more than 3,000 essays a year, they know a well-written essay when they see one

She should know. Gill reads 3,000 plus essays a year, which is not unusual as Linda Baldwin, Director of MBA Admissions at the Anderson School of Management at the University of California, Los Angeles, can attest. She reads the same amount and has done so for eleven years. That's a lot of words, but she never seems to tire of them, explaining that her curiosity about people propels her to dig into the pile. Well-thought-out essays are inspirational, she reflects, because they give her a sense of who that person is rather than just a litany of accomplishments. "I'm always amazed at how people see things differently," she adds.

The reason the application essay can be such a source of anxiety is that the process demands a deep level of introspection, and so it should. With so much time and money involved, the decision to pursue an MBA is a serious one. Plus, the competition to get into good programs means that not only grades and work experience are scrutinized but also the personal attributes of the candidates. "It's one of the few times people are asked to pause and look at their lives," Baldwin suggests.

Will essays make or break my chances?

While essays play an integral part in getting into an MBA program, they are not the only factor by which admissions directors make their decisions. Essentially, essays offer the opportunity for applicants to provide information about themselves that can't be deducted solely from test scores and work experience. "Essays tie all the pieces together," says Baldwin, speaking of an applicant's skills, beliefs, value systems, past experiences, and future goals that become evident in a well-written essay. The objective facts gleaned from test scores and resumes provide the framework. Essays flesh out the skeleton.

Brian Walker, Assistant Director of Admissions at Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Management at Rice University in Houston, Texas, notes that the application asks for work experience and gives applicants...