The Admit Office’s Hate List
Excuses don’t cut it, say seasoned admissions officials. Here’s what not to say, from the folks who have heard it all
Whether it be gaps in your employment history, significant job-hopping, or a lower-than-you’d like GPA or GMAT score, many prospective B-schoolers have something in their applications that they worry doesn’t reflect their true abilities. Is the worry justified? Actually, say admissions counselors, yes. “If you think the admissions committee will question something, we probably will,” says Alison Merzel, co-director of MBA admissions at Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business].
You can try gloss over the shortcomings, or you can make excuses. Either way, you won’t win any points with B-schools admissions offices. Fortunately, most schools’ applications include an optional essay with an open-ended question like, “Is there any further information that you wish to provide to the Admissions Committee?” that’s designed so you can explain any mitigating factors behind the data. “The more information that we have about you, the better,” says Beth Flye, assistant dean and director of admissions and financial aid at Kellogg.
While some applicants might think that drawing extra attention to a problem could be a bad approach, admissions officers say addressing problems head-on—and demonstrating why you can succeed in spite of them—is a much better strategy than trying to hide behind them. “Don’t leave a gap in your application that would leave us wondering. Address it, and then move on,” says Christina Ballenger, co-director of MBA admissions at Ohio State.
But how you address the problem can make all the difference. In fact, admissions directors say MBA candidates sometimes go overboard trying to compensate for the weaknesses (or perceived weaknesses) in their applications. Here’s what they say are some of the most common tactics that backfire. (Source and complete article: http://www.businessweek.com )
