Business Week: Business Schools Revamp the Application

The MBA application process is starting to change, with the GRE gaining ground on the GMAT, earlier deadlines, several schools such as UCLA Anderson and Chicago Booth, are exploring and experimenting different methods of assessing applicants with or without the standard written application.

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Rose Martinelli clarified in her blog post that though the article in the business week covered the spirit of her conversation, it unfortunately missed providing the context.

She said," The PowerPoint presentation was designed to elicit a sense of fit with Booth culture. Essentially, it presented applicants with a unique and somewhat ambiguous opportunity to convey information of their choice. It allowed applicants to tell us what was important and relevant in their candidacy and helped us learn much more about who they are than can be prompted through standard essay questions. It also has helped us evaluate how candidates navigate ambiguity through various frameworks and strategies. As applicants and consultants became more familiar with this exercise, however, we began to see more and more presentations that felt standard, rote and predictable"

Rose mentioned that as the school approaches the new application year, the school has begun to think through each of the different application components. "While this may be the last year of the presentation requirement in itscurrent form, we have not yet made any final decisions as to what next year's application will look like. Again, our focus is not on creating a clever or “gimmicky” application, but one that provides candidates the opportunity to convey the most relevant information that helps us to assess fit in our selection process. " said Rose.

Finally Rose said that the Bottom-line is that the PowerPoint presentation has been incredibly successful in their evaluation process in identifying students who are great fit and match for Chicago. She added,"We have enjoyed this process of discovery and pioneering something new and different in MBA admissions, and are looking forward to continuing that trend in the future"