A compelling personal story wins the day

As the number of admissions applications to top MBA programmes climbs, the stress levels among today’s applicants are reaching fever pitch, inciting far-reaching ethical dilemmas and increased manipulation of the application process.

Without question, the statistics are daunting. Acceptance rates at leading business schools have shrunk: programmes such as Stanford Graduate School of Business admit fewer than 7 per cent of applicants. Thousands of hopefuls who scored above 700 on their Graduate Management Admission Test are denied admission annually. Many of these have already worked in sought-after roles at blue-chip companies. Despite their solid test scores and prestigious resumes, they fail to secure admission.

Business schools feed today’s frenzy with marketing materials replete with extraordinary, admitted candidates. Think award-winning Olympic athletes, entrepreneurs who sold businesses for millions of dollars, a social advocate who introduced an innovative water system that serves Sudanese villages and former military personnel with experience leading rebuilding efforts in war zones. This exaggerated marketing by schools places undue pressure on applicants to be overly accomplished.

Layered on the competitive admission reality is the misconception that only a few schools “open doors” to attractive careers. Applicants think “my dream company only recruits from ABC school”, suggesting that failure to enrol at that school means doors are forever closed to their dreams. Yet, all we have to do is look at leading companies across the globe to dispel this thought. In fact, the publication US News & World Report revealed that only 174 of the Fortune 500 chief executives have MBAs.

The misconception is also echoed in business school chat rooms as applicants compare notes and spout opinions about which programmes create career opportunities.

Given the statistics and common messages, applicants find themselves stressed and obsessing over ways to gain a competitive advantage. While most applicants remain on the right side of the ethical line, others find the temptation to sneak ahead too great.

This was the case for an applicant who had a sufficient record that would have earned him admission to a select school. Unfortunately, his desire to stand above the competition led him to change his grades. However, he was caught and his admission offer was rescinded.

Some candidates have even gone as far as manufacturing entire lives. Adam Wheeler faked his way into Harvard College and Stanford University by manufacturing achievements that had little basis in reality.

Business schools will not become less competitive in the foreseeable future. Only a few years ago, Stanford Business School received about 4,000 applicants. Today that number has grown to 7,204. Will the continued rise in applications mean that the temptation to cross ethical lines is likely to increase in the future? What should be done to guard against that possibility?

First, instead of exaggerating one’s achievements, applicants must honestly evaluate their personal and professional experiences and present these as cohesive and compelling stories that reveal genuine achievements. Successful candidates to business schools are not all superstars; they simply know how to excite others with their achievements.

Second, it would behove the MBA programmes to incorporate more representative profiles of those who have been admitted, highlighting accomplishments made by their “typical” student as opposed to their top-ranking student. Doing so would help curb the stress that accompanies the application.

If we, as members and supporters of the admissions community, are not careful, applicants’ stress and deep-seated need to excel are likely to lead to increasing ethical issues and dilemmas. Should that happen, it will tarnish the integrity of our admissions system and the schools that we support.

It is time to take an honest look at the expectations and information that we present to our candidates so that we may ensure continued success as an industry.

Chioma Isiadinso is chief executive of Expartus, the business school admissions consultancy, and author of ‘The Best Business Schools’ Admissions Secrets’