Stanford GSB Debunks More Admissions Myths
It looks like the admissions department at Stanford Graduate School of Business is on a mission to bring the truth to the people as Allison Davis once again takes to the MBA admissions blog and dispels three persistent assumptions regarding Stanford’s admit process.
MYTH 1: If I worked full-time during college, I can count those months as “full-time work experience.”
THE TRUTH: In the Full-Time Employment section, please include only the months of full-time work experience SINCE you graduated from your undergraduate university. We ask you to calculate how many months you will have from your college graduation until September 1, 2013.
You can list work you did during college, even if it was full-time, in the Part-Time Employment section of the application. That section includes a field for hours per week so you will be able to indicate that you worked full-time. We read everything and will connect the dots that you were working throughout college.
MYTH 2: After I submit my application, I will receive regular updates on my status throughout the application process.
THE TRUTH: Unfortunately, we do not have the staff to update each applicant’s status for every step in the process. When you submit your application (…) you will receive an immediate message thanking you for your submission. Your application status in Hobson’s ApplyYourself shows as “Submitted.”
Approximately two weeks after the application deadline, all applications are updated to “Your application is currently under review.” This line will appear under the “Submission Status: Submitted” line. (Note that all applications are reviewed even if they are missing documents like recommendations. We will evaluate your application and make a decision based on the application documents that you submitted.)
You will be contacted via email by our office if you are invited to interview; your application status will remain “Under Review.” On the decision notification date, you will receive an email that the decision on your application has been posted. You will be directed to log into your Hobson’s ApplyYourself account, where you will see your decision letter.
MYTH 3: It’s critical to visit campus before I apply. If I can’t schedule a visit before the application deadline, I’d better wait to apply in the next application round.
THE TRUTH: Visiting campus does not affect your chances of admission whatsoever. It may be of value to you as part of your research on which schools to apply to; that’s up to you. Keep in mind that many of our applicants come from outside the U.S. so we couldn’t expect everyone to visit. If you have only one chance to visit, come after you’ve been admitted for Admit Weekend, where you’ll meet students, alumni, faculty, and your future classmates.
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So there you have it, folks, straight from the admissions team at the Stanford GSB. If you’re applying in Round Two, coming up on January 9, 2013, and would like guidance on your MBA application, Stacy Blackman Consulting can help with hourly and comprehensive consulting services. Contact us to learn more.
