The report, “Trends in MBA Admissions: Perceptions of Admissions Officers at Top 30 Business Schools,” compiles the results of an eight-week online survey conducted during the 2008-9 admissions cycle of admissions officers at the top 30 business schools as ranked by BusinessWeek. Survey results revealed interesting trends in student applications, student evaluation criteria used by admissions officers and what admissions officers would like to see as part of the evolving application process.

Eighty-one percent of survey respondents cited careless errors as the top faux pas committed by prospective applicants as part of the application process. Next up in terms of mistakes made by applicants was inconsistency between the schools they chose to apply to and their stated educational objectives and ambitions. The submission of unrequested items and inappropriate interview conduct tied for third place.

Asked to rank the importance of student selection characteristics, 50 percent cited analytical skills, ranking them ahead of interpersonal skills (25 percent), leadership skills (19 percent) and maturity (6 percent). Where student selection criteria were concerned, 63 percent of respondents cited professional experience as the most important factor, followed by standardized test scores, extracurricular activities and community service. Also of note, 70 percent of admissions officers said that they feel that admissions consultants help students identify the MBA programs that best fit their career goals, and 92 percent report that they are aware that prospective applicants use admissions consultants more often than they did five years ago.

Admissions officers were also asked to name the top challenges they face and how they would like to see the admission process evolve over time. A third of respondents cited attracting more high-quality applicants as its greatest challenge, while another third named supporting cultural diversity as the top hurdle it faces. In terms of changes admissions officers hope to see in their applicant pools, greater diversity ranked number one, as cited by 87 percent of respondents. Meanwhile, 60 percent of surveyed admissions officers would like to see the application process include more face-to-face or telephone interviews over the next five years.