Location, Location, Location: College Admission Essay Sample

When I was trying to pitch my first business, I learned the hard way that getting in front of the right people is not easy. A stacked rolodex can make a world of difference when trying to secure funding or landing that dream job. Because of this, among the most important aspects of business are the connections and bonds formed with other people — people who are the gatekeepers to better networking and vital resources. NYU’s Stern business school is not only renowned for its student body and alumni; it is also in the heart of one of the most connected cities in the world, providing endless opportunities for entrepreneurial and private equity enterprises.

I’ve fallen in love with the art of pitching, having presented multiple business endeavors to many different investors. There is a thrill involved in conveying my passion for new, challenging ideas, in hopes that seasoned professionals will feel and share my ambitions. I got my first taste of pitching with my first company, HashStorm. The plan was to create a Bitcoin “mining” farm funded by people who would purchase partial ownership of hosted ASIC Bitcoin miners, and their respective Bitcoin revenues, allowing people to invest in Bitcoin without having to purchase through an exchange. I did not have the right connections to make a deal, and was still trying to figure out ways to describe a fairly complex operation like HashStorm succinctly, but failure always comes with valuable lessons. I learned how to write a business plan, and why economical and engaging writing is important at this stage; the business plan serves to lay the foundation for the how, what, and why of a business. This preparation called to mind with one of my favorite business mantras from Simon Sinek: people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. The Berkley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation holds annual Venture Competitions that would allow me to seamlessly pursue my entrepreneurial goals without shortchanging the coursework for my finance career.

As far as networking goes, there is truly no place better than NYU, especially with networking groups like the NYU Finance Society. I cannot wait to hit the ground running my first year and use alumni and student contacts to my full advantage, pursuing my dreams in the heart of New York City.