Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/161013
headlines Applicants for graduate business school expect to send off their transcripts, write essays about their passions, and take the GMAT or the GRE. But some of these traditions are changing as schools start tinkering with the time-honored formula for finding the best candidates: n The University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management has waived the GMAT test requirement for applicants to its full-time and part-time MBA programs who have passed all three levels of the Chartered Financial Analyst program. According to Niki da Silva, the director of recruitment and admissions for Rotman's full-time MBA, "We understand that taking the GMAT test can be a barrier stopping some who have passed all three levels of the CFA program from applying to business school." This change in the application process comes after last year's announcement that the school was introducing a video essay component for applicants to the full-time program. The video essay, which consists of two questions that applicants must answer without preparation, will "allow us to get to know the personality, interests, passions, and talents of our applicants much better than we could in a written essay format," da Silva notes in a blog post from 2012. She adds that too many candidates, relying on consultants and former students for advice on the "right" answers to essay questions, give responses that sound formulaic and similar. "We are hoping to take a big leap away from the essay-writing contest that has become the norm in the MBA admissions world, and actually use our essays to showcase what it is that makes candidates unique." n Harvard Business School in Boston, Massachusetts, is also shying away from the "essay-writing contest" pitfall by doing away with the word limit on its essays, as admissions director Dee Leopold announced in a May blog post. In lessening the focus on the essay, HBS joins the University of Michigan's Ross School 10 September/October 2013 BizEd of Business and Columbia Business School, both of which have shortened the essay portions of their applications. The 2013–2014 HBS application will include only this essay question, writes Leopold: "You're applying to Harvard Business School. We can see your résumé, school transcripts, extracurricular activities, awards, post-MBA career goals, test scores, and what your recommenders have to say about you. What else would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy?" HBS has also lowered the number of recommendations it requires from three to two. Writes Leopold, "I hope this may remove at least one hurdle for prospective candidates who come from organizations where there is not a tried-and-true path for talented folks to leave for business school." n For the 2012–2013 application cycle, the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia launched a new evaluation method: the team-based discussion. Applicants invited to interview were placed into small groups that discussed real-world scenarios. As the groups worked toward tangible solutions, admissions personnel could determine how individuals approached specific situations. In a blog post from last November, admissions director Ankur Kumar called the first round of team-based discussions a success. Not only did candidates report that they enjoyed the experience, she writes, but they connected with each other. "We saw you exchange contact information for future business endeavors, continue to discuss the question posed to your team far after the exercise came to a close, and we noticed a few groups that headed out for celebratory dinner or drinks after the interview was complete." More tweaks to the MBA process are probably in the works as business schools worldwide try to uncover the authentic student at the heart of the application process—and determine if that student is a good fit for the school. Di eg o Ce rvo/G low I mag es The New B-School Application