Bw-online; Stanford's Admissions

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BusinessWeek Online's guest on August 13, 2003, was Derrick Bolton, director of MBA admissions for Stanford's GraduateSchool of Business. Bolton joined Stanford in 2001, after working in mergers and strategic advisory and in corporatefinance for three years at investment banker Goldman Sachs. Prior to joining Goldman, Bolton spent two years studying atStanford. He graduated with his MBA, plus a master's in education in 1998

Before B-school, Bolton worked for consultants McKinsey & Co. and studied psychology and sociology at Southern MethodistUniversity. He spoke with BusinessWeek Online reporter Mica Schneiderabout Stanford's admissions process and offered some important advice for applicants. Here's an edited version of thatconversation:

Q: You joined Stanford exactly two years ago today. How have the school's admissions policies and procedures changedsince your arrival?
A: The underlying values we live by haven't changed. Those reflect the entire business-school community at Stanford --alumni, faculty, and students. We believe that you strive for excellence, treat others with respect, take ownership foryour actions, and live with integrity. Those values drive the entire Stanford community, and they remain a critical aspectof the admissions process.

I've tried to encourage everyone on the MBA admissions team to think of things from the applicant's perspective. Thebusiness-school application process is such an emotional, high-stress time for many applicants, and it's easy for them tolose perspective on the things that are important. We have an obligation to help applicants remain focused on what's trulyimportant: Their own values and experiences, their life and career aspirations, the role of management education insociety, and that there are many wonderful MBA programs [to choose from] around the world.

We now travel much more extensively than we used to, since we have alumni and applicants living and working globally. Lastyear, we offered about 200 off-campus events ranging from company and college visits to open houses and receptions. It'simportant to provide a bit of the Stanford experience to people who can't travel to campus. Last year a couple of oursecond-year MBA students hosted receptions in Delhi and Mumbai, and this year one of our admissions officers will visitthose cities.

For the past three years, we've offered MBA applicants the chance to interview, which is another way to provide a window onthe Stanford experience. Next year, we're offering interviews to everyone we admit. We'll invite a subset of the applicantpool, and it will be highly unlikely to be admitted without an interview.

We took several years to reach this point because we maintain strict quality controls: Applicants will have only one alumniinterview, and we have no admissions officers doing interviews. We're [now] extremely comfortable with the process and withthe alumni who are interviewing [the applicants].

We've also dramatically expanded our on-campus activities, offering [applicants] class visits, campus tours, and lunch withstudents. It's hard to give applicants a sense of what makes this place so special through a Web site or a publication.It's even hard to get that solely from a class visit. But you can get a glimpse from the way students interact or at lunch.

This year, we've also modified our recommendation form substantially. Most schools have a grid that asks for a relativerating [of the applicant]. We've moved to an assessment that's more behaviorally anchored. We're no longer asking therecommender to compare the applicant to a peer group. Instead, we're giving them examples of such qualities as initiative,resilience, trustworthiness, and respect for others that we think are important for successful leaders. Under each quality,we offer five behavioral examples, and the recommender chooses the example that best describes the applicant.

We're comfortable that we'll get better information than we did from the grid, but I'm still not satisfied that it'sperfect for everyone.

Q: More than 5,800 people applied to Stanford's full-time MBA program in 2002. The school accepted 8%. What set those 8%of applicants apart from those who were rejected or wait-listed?
A: I really struggle with how to articulate this. What it comes down to is that someone who views the applicationprocess as an experience that has value in and of itself typically produces the strongest application.

Structured reflection is important. But people -- and I'm guilty of this -- rarely dedicate time to it. So the applicationprocess is a rare opportunity in life. Applicants shouldn't just go through it with the goal of getting into a school butwith the mindset that they want to learn more about themselves -- learn more about their values, crystallize theiraspirations, and identify the experiences that they need to make an impact on the world. And those experiences may or maynot be business school.

That attitude manifests itself through the consonance of the application. By that, I mean that applicants are able torelate their values to their actions or see the connection between their aspirations and their responsibilities. There's asense of harmony in the application when we review it. In those cases, the person we get to know in the essays is theperson we expect to meet based on their activities, recommendations, and interview. That's extremely powerful.

Q: That process can result in someone not submitting a B-school application.
A: And that's a good outcome. Many people say: "I started applying [to B-school] in 2001 but realized that it wasn'tthe right time for me. So I worked for another year and then realized that now is the right time."

Q: Stanford's interviews are by invitation only. How should applicants prepare? What questions can they expect to beasked?
A: The interviews themselves aren't tricky. As a school, we believe that past behaviors are the best predictors offuture behaviors. So we focus on the experiences and interactions that applicants have had in their university activities, in their jobs, and in their communities. We give them the opportunity to express what they've learned about themselves. So my advice is, think through your experiences, what you've learned, and then how you've changed as a result, before you sit down for an interview.

Q: Stanford's application deadlines are October 28, 2003, January 6, 2004, and March 16, 2003. What's the best round toapply in?
A: I can honestly say there's no difference. We encourage people to apply when they're ready. For most people, it makessense to apply in round one or two, because it gives international students more time to apply for a U.S. visa. This year, we've had to write a lot of supporting letters to [U.S.] consulates abroad.

It's also helpful [to apply early] for financial aid and for students who want to live in Schwab Residential Center, whichhouses 200 people.

But I was a round-three applicant to Stanford. Good people apply in round three. As a school, we should make sure thatwe're not penalizing students for not being able to apply earlier.

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Q: Stanford's 2004 application asks MBA hopefuls to answer two essay questions. What makes for a bad essay?
A: They aren't bad because of content, tone, or grammar. To me, a bad essay stems from an effort to tell the admissionscommittee what you think we want to hear. By doing that, applicants lose the opportunity to convey who they are. A goodessay is one in which an applicant has demonstrated some introspection and in which a sense of self comes through. Again,it's the consonance of the application.

There's a book called Good Work: When Excellence and Ethics Meet, written by Howard Gardner, William Damon, andMihaly Csikzentmihaly. Bill Damon came in to talk to the admissions committee a week ago. We talked about how to identifypeople who are going to do good work -- that is, do well professionally and still do good for society. Damon's work linksvalues to behaviors and goals. And that's really what we're trying to do in the admissions process. Effectively, you canthink of the two essay questions as one essay: Who are you, and what do you want to be?

[Editor's Note: Stanford's 2004 essay questions are: "What matters most to you, and why?" and "What are your short-term andlong-term career aspirations? How will an MBA education further your development? Why does the academic experience offeredat the GSB appeal to you?"]

Q: Can you tell when applicants rely on admissions consultants to help them polish their application?
A: Sometimes. But oftentimes, no. I understand that [the consultants] are providing a service, especially to applicantswithout pools of alumni to answer their questions. But they can do a disservice by focusing an applicant on things thataren't important to the process or by reinforcing false stereotypes about a given school. I bet that the people who get in with [the help of] admissions consultants could have gotten in on their own.

When we do notice that they used a consultant, it's a clear violation of the honor code. Applicants state that all of thework submitted is their own work, exactly as if they were submitting an examination or project as a student at Stanford.It's a big deal.

The single issue that I worry about most in the admissions process is whether the person I'm meeting in the application isactually the person who's applying. An application consultant seems like a panacea. But applicants should use theadmissions process as a chance to learn. No one else can do that for you.

Q: Earlier, you mentioned the changes you've made to Stanford's recommendation form. How do you evaluate letters ofreference?
A: We use the letter of reference to assess the candidate's demonstrated leadership potential. The recommendationscomplement the applicant's essays and experiences because others often see things in us that we can't see in ourselves.Through discussions with recommenders, applicants get feedback that helps them better understand the impact that they'rehaving on those around them and on the organization they serve. And really, that's what leadership is about: Takingresponsibility for something and trying to change it for the better.

We require three letters of reference: Two from the workplace or from a professional perspective, and one from a peer orfrom a team perspective. At least one of the two professional references should be from your current, direct supervisor. Ifyou're unable to provide a recommendation from your direct supervisor, please attach a note of explanation.

Because working with a team is a critical part of the Stanford MBA experience, the third letter of reference is designed toelicit information from a peer or team member about your teamwork and leadership skills.

Academic recommendations are acceptable if you worked with the recommender as a teaching assistant or a researcher or in asimilar capacity. They're typically not helpful if they simply provide evidence that you were a strong student in theclassroom. For that, we look to your academic record. The letters of reference are really focused on leadership.

Q: What's an example of a bad recommendation?
A: It's a reference letter that doesn't provide specific examples of the applicant's behaviors and actions or thatdoesn't convey a sense of the impact that he or she has had on the organization. A degree of enthusiasm is also veryimportant, and that comes across in the letters, but it's not just words. "I've worked with Jane Doe for five years, andI've seen her grown in x, y, and z ways" is necessary, but not sufficient. The letter also needs to tell us where anapplicant still needs to grow. We want to know how the business school at Stanford can help you grow personally,intellectually, and professionally -- not just what you'll contribute.

Q: What should an applicant do who's placed on your wait-list?
A: We send [wait-listed applicants] a two-page FAQ. The most important thing is that it's not a consolation prize, andit's not a sign that we need more information from you. It means that we genuinely would like to see you in the class, butat this point we don't have room to make an offer.

We typically recommend that the applicant send us a letter if there are substantial updates in [the person's] job or life.We have people who send us seven letters and get admitted and some who send us nothing and get admitted.

Q: What broad advice do you offer to re-applicants to Stanford? [In 2002, 8% of Stanford applicants had applied in prior years, and of those re-applicants 11% were accepted.]
A: We do feedback for 10 to 15 people -- people who have been on our wait-list all summer and who haven't gotten offthe waitlist.

And we evaluate re-applicants on the merits of their new application, so it's not biased against them: Re-applicants areadmitted at a somewhat higher rate than new applicants.

Q: What are some final words of wisdom you can offer MBA applicants to Stanford?
A: If you ever have a question, just call or e-mail the school and ask. We answer every e-mail.

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Q: Not all Stanford applicants are currently employed. How do you view jobless applicants?
A: We understand that the economy has been difficult. In many cases, layoffs aren't because of [a person's]performance, so we rely heavily on letters of recommendation to ensure these applicants have been strong contributors totheir jobs

Candor is really important. So if you have been laid off, don't try to hide that fact. We're not passing judgment.

Q: Stanford is among the growing number of B-schools checking the facts submitted in MBA applications.
A: Oh yes. This is not a business I want to be in, but veracity is critical. During the summer, we do go through [theadmitted class' applications] and verify their employment and recommendations. There are always a handful of dubioussituations. It's very painful for the school and for the admitted student.

When we find discrepancies, we typically give the candidate a chance to explain the situation, and in many cases, it was asimple miscommunication -- perhaps the human-resource office had an incorrect final date of employment. In other cases,when we find out there was fraud, then we will withdraw our offer [of admission]. It's less than a handful [every year],and it's the worst part of my job.

Q: It's often said that Stanford MBAs have an elitist attitude. What's your reaction to that?
A: I wish that everyone who talked about Stanford MBA students had a chance to meet the students and alumni that Iknow.

Q: What are your students like?
A: They take their work and responsibilities very seriously, but they don't take themselves very seriously. They're willing to listen to new information and to change their minds. They have the ability to listen to others.

They're incredibly thoughtful and responsive to their classmates about the culture of the school and the experience that's Stanford. They want to ensure that future classes are going to benefit from same things that they benefited from.

Q: How much attention do you give to the transcripts submitted by MBA applicants? Will you question a low final gradereceived in an applicant's freshman year of college?
A: We're looking for trends in academic performance. We want to know what opportunities this person had and how he orshe took advantage of them. That may be demonstrated by their grades, volunteer activity, or internships. I never go courseby course. I focus on the trends. We tend to be more forgiving of a slow start than a slow finish.

Q: How does Stanford review applicants' GMAT scores? Which section carries the most weight?
A: We want to maximize a person's ability to flourish at Stanford, so academic rigor is important to us. The academictranscript tends to be more important [than the GMAT] because it's a record of the applicant's performance over time. Butwe look at academic aptitude in context.

Let's look at my own case. I was a psychology major and worked in consulting for two years before applying to Stanford. Ihad a strong academic record but hadn't had a lot of quantitative courses in college or experience afterward. So a strong quantitative score on the GMAT would, today, give Derrick the admissions director comfort about Derrick the applicant. I want someone who won't just survive but who will thrive here.

There's much too much focus on the GMAT. It's a threshold. Once we're comfortable that you can handle the workload, there'sno benefit to having a score that's 50 points higher.

Q: How are non-U.S. applicants evaluated, as their transcripts aren't as uniform as ones from U.S. universities?
A: We have a comprehensive understanding of the universities around the world, because the individuals, systems, and country experts at work in the office enable us to know all the universities in Brazil, for instance. So we're looking at their transcripts in context.

And even within a university, there's a broad range of rigor, depending on the school and the person's major within thatschool. Our challenge, even though we have a good understanding of the various programs, is never to make assumptions.

Q: What's considered the most rigorous undergraduate major?
A: It's not the major itself but what the applicant chose to do with it. I'd discourage a prospective applicant fromtaking actions solely with the goal of preparing for business school. Make yourself a better person, and you make yourselfa better applicant. About half of our MBAs come from liberal arts backgrounds, one-third are former engineering students,and the remaining one-sixth come from the applied sciences and from business and accounting.

Q: Among the class of 2005, some 36% of Stanford MBAs aren't from the U.S. Yet this year, as the U.S. Office of HomelandSecurity becomes more cautious, it's not as easy for the students to get to the U.S. or for companies to recruit them once they graduate from B-school. How has Stanford adjusted its admissions policy in the light of those developments?
A: We believe there are four pillars of a Stanford MBA education: Leadership -- taking complete responsibility formaking something better; entrepreneurship -- acting with the perspective of an owner; social awareness -- understandingthat business isn't just an economic institution but plays an increasingly critical role in society; and global management-- understanding what it means to compete across borders and work across cultures. So a global community is something thatwe feel is critical to every Stanford MBA, domestic or international.

We will continue to enroll the strongest students from around the world -- and to recruit the best faculty, about a thirdof whom hail from outside the U.S. We believe that diversity among students enriches the learning environment, and theinternational perspective is critical to that diversity. I think companies that aspire to be world-class recognize thattheir people must be the best in the world. I also know that the international students fare just as well in the careerprocess as domestic students at Stanford.

Logistically, we encourage international students to apply in our first or second round to allow time for financial aid,visa preparation, and other pre-enrollment tasks that may require extra time. Other than that, there's no difference in the admissions practices or policies for international students.

Given the global impact of business, we have the amazing responsibility and opportunity -- through the actions of ourgraduates and through the quality of our ideas -- to improve the world. That thought drives the entire business schoolcommunity at Stanford -- that the individuals who lead organizations are pursuing a noble calling.