HBS’ Case Method In Elementary Schools?

How to Handle Embarrassing Disclosures in Your Application

UCLA coach John Wooden once observed, “The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.” It makes you wonder if Wooden was ever involved in business school admissions.

Let’s face it: We’ve all made mistakes that haunt us. Sure, we may have been forgiven. And we may have even redeemed ourselves afterward. But the stain never goes away. Once we cross a line, it’s hard to go back and undo the damage. We may have learned our lessons and taken our punishment, but our lives never really revert to the way they were before.  The questions always linger: “Has he truly changed?” “Can we take the risk?” 

That’s the sentiment you’re up against when you have holes in your record. People automatically fill in the blanks. Chances are, they’ll get part of the story right. And it’s especially pronounced when you apply for business school. You’re going up against people who were generally top performers in school, sports, and business. You may have hard-won life experience, but their dirt is squeezed into the corners and edges. And it’s barely noticeable.

Your kindergarten teacher probably told you that “honesty is the best policy.” And that’s the same advice given by Matt Symonds, chief editor of www.mba50.com. In a recent Forbes column, Symonds warns about the dangers of lying on your application. Worst case scenario: You can get your acceptance (or degree) revoked. So how far should you go in admitting your past failures? And how can you mitigate their damage? Here are five rules to follow:

• 1) Be Transparent:  In Symonds words, “It is best to be upfront and address anything that an admissions officer would question, and a good explanation will help admissions understand the extenuating circumstances.”

• 2) Don’t Hide Anything: In his consulting experience, Symonds has worked with candidates who’ve beaten drinking or substance abuse problems. “[It] affected their studies or career at some stage. Their first instinct might be to brush it under the carpet … The problem is that the admissions officer will be left wondering: Why were her grades so bad that year? Why did he spend six months out of work?”

• 3) Share the Lesson: In the experience of Caroline Diarte Edwards, former director of admissions at INSEAD, “…it is much better for candidates to … demonstrate that they have learned from the experience and emerged as a wiser, more mature person. Schools are much more likely to be forgiving if candidates are upfront and humble about their mistakes.”

• 4) Accept Responsibility: According to Lisa Bevill, former director of admissions at IE Business School, “…it is never a good idea to put the blame for your failure on your former boss, business partner or colleagues. Take ownership yourself.”

• 5) When in Doubt, Share It: Judith Silverman Hodara, former admissions director at Wharton, believes it is better for students to be safe than sorry. “I generally advise students to address any issues that they think the admissions committees will want to know about–because if they somehow find out and you have NOT told them, the ‘sin’ of omission is much greater than the initial transgression.”

Source: Forbes