Helpful for: MBA Applicants

Read Time: 7 minutes

Quick Facts:

  • A background check is conducted by admissions teams in spring around the time when deposits are starting to come in.
  • There is a rising trend in performing background checks for MBA applicants, although many schools still do not take part in this verification process.
  • Accepted students to Stanford Graduate School of Business go through verification tests which analyze every detail from their employment history to the anecdotes from their application essays.
  • The committee’s aim is to figure out whether the candidate is being honest in sharing their past education, achievements, and experience. Stacy gives another reason:

Selected Quote:

Sometimes applicants are screened because their profile is unusual or difficult to verify, such as if their work experience included time in a startup particularly in a failed one, in a small family firm or abroad, and the admissions office simply needs to clarify and confirm the details.

  • Some reasons an applicant may receive a rejection after a background check might be plagiarism in their essay, trying to brush aside a criminal conviction, dismissing being fired, exhibiting an unethical attitude or a general deceptive behavior. What do you think about lying in your application? 

Useful Information:

  • If you are unsure whether to include a certain experience in your application—poor academic or job performance for example—it is best not to hide it, but rather incorporate it into a story of learning from failure. Of course, if the uncomfortable detail is personal and unrelated to your future professional goals, keep it to yourself.

Check Out: Application Essay Tips from MBA Admissions Directors

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Source: US News