The Role of Authenticity in Business School and Beyond

Authenticity is one of the most sought-after traits that business schools look for in applicants. It’s so important that Stanford Graduate School of Business outlines it in their evaluation criteria.

Dr. Marlena Corcoran, Founder of Athena Mentor International University Admissions Counseling and contributor at Forbes, recently explored how authenticity looks in MBA applications and why it’s so important in the world of business.

ALIGN YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH YOUR GOALS

One of the best ways to demonstrate authenticity in your MBA application is to show that your past experiences match up with your future goals.

“Consider an applicant who claims that they are passionately committed to a post-MBA goal of addressing climate change,” Corcoran says. “It is easier for this claim to sound authentic if the applicant lists years of volunteer service using their skills in data analysis to bolster arguments by a community organization that lobbies for the protection of fish in nearby waters. Such correlation between alleged values and documented actions is a sign of authenticity.”

MAKE THE MOST OUT OF INTERVIEWS

Interviews are another opportunity to demonstrate authenticity in the admissions process.

“At Esade we evaluate authenticity in the interview more than any other part of the application process,” Mary Granger, Regional Director, Asia, at Esade Business School in Barcelona, says.

Granger says interviews offer an opportunity to see how applicants think on their feet.

“In recent years some applicants have tried to take advantage of the video interview to (theoretically clandestinely) read prepared answers,” Granger says. “However it is often quite clear when they are doing this, as the answer could be either too ’perfectly’ expressed, or not applicable to the actual question as it was asked. Personally I try to ask questions they cannot prepare ahead of time, but if it happens, I call them on this, cautioning them that we are looking to evaluate how they think on their feet in a live classroom, when they will not have prepared answers for every situation.”

WHY IS AUTHENTICITY SO IMPORTANT?

For one, authenticity helps ensure that business schools have a diverse cohort of students with varied interests and backgrounds. But, more importantly, business schools seek out authenticity because it plays an important role in the longevity of one’s business career.

“For us it is key because it will be key in the workplace,” Granger says. “Many of us have seen inauthentic people in personal or professional life – folks who are hypocritical or inconsistent. They might be successful in the short term, until they get called out; for long-term career progression, authenticity can be a key factor.”

Sources: Forbes, Stanford Graduate School of Business

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