商学院MBA招生负责人访谈：我们真正期待的是什么？

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作者：Derrick Bolton

学校录取MBA学生时一般分为两个过程。一是评估，另一个是筛选。两者的区别不仅是语义上不同而已。

评估
评估相对而言较容易表达。当全球的招生办评估申请人时，我们会评审每份申请并在许多方面对申请人进行评估。我们通过学术优秀和职业成就两方面来发现最有前途的学生。我们的判断是基于信息的整体性的。单独某个因素——大学表现、申请文书、考试成绩、面试、推荐信或是工作经历，都不具有决定性意义。
当然每个学校都有不同的录取标准，但一些关键的主题要素在评估过程中是明确的。

事实上，几乎所有的MBA项目都希望招收能展现以下特点的学生：
智力——我们期待能够明确认识“学习”是商学院关键词的申请人。MBA项目首要是一种学习经历；职业与社交的益处是附带品。因此，我们需要具有好奇心，渴望学习和体验新事物的学生。你为同学们塑造不同的体验是通过你分享知识和经验而来的。 考试成绩和成绩单是基础，但你对待学习的方法与你的能力一样重要。

领导力——我们寻找的是已经展示出带来改变能力的申请人。我们通过评估你对周围的人和群体所形成的影响力、以及这些经历对你的影响力做出判断。你的成就的关键动机与和成就本身同样重要。你的领导力能通过以下方面体现出来，包括又不仅限于运动竞技、社区服务、课外活动、实习、研究项目以及兼职、全职工作等。

筛选
筛选是比较难以表达的。在评估每份申请以后，招生人员就要面对组成一届学生的艰难决定：在众多高质量并通过评估的申请人中确定哪些候选人值得录取。在招生时的实际情况是符合条件且受之无愧的候选人比MBA项目可供的录取人数要多出很多。
筛选的过程并不仅仅是选出那些具有弱势的学生后招收所有剩下的。如果我们这么做，那么现在的班级规模将是现在的几倍。仔细评估每份申请后，我们会参照整个申请人群体的状况再评审。为了创建一个充分互动的学生社区，我们选择的学生，从整体来看，能代表广泛不同的背景、才能和经历。一些学生相比其他人更出色的原因并不容易界定，因为卓越本身就不是能用整齐划一的标准来界定的。因此，在筛选的过程中需要一定的主观因素。最终的录取结果反映了我们所尽的最大努力。

总体建议
我们强烈建议你提交的申请是真实的。太多的申请人以为招生人员对合适申请人的评估有一套狭义的认知体系，并相应地为自己的申请定型。如果你不幸相信了这一谬论，那么最终受到伤害的将是你自己：你所丧失的不仅是在申请过程中认识自己的机会，而且你让你的申请看起来不像自己，而更像其他人。要对自己的成就有信心。忠实于自己的热情。坚信你能够成就理想。将申请过程看成是一个结构性回顾自己的机会——一个探索你的价值观，激发你的热情并发现你的潜力的少有机会。如果你这么做，那么你的申请就会有一个好的基础。  There are two separate processes happening as schools admit an MBA class.  One is evaluation, and the other is selection.  The difference is more than semantics. ;
Evaluation—Evaluation is relatively simple to convey.  As Admissions Offices around the world evaluate the applicant pool, we review each application and assess candidates in many areas. We look for the most promising students in terms of intellectual distinction and professional merit. We base this judgment on the totality of information available. No single factor —whether your college performance, essay, test score, interview, letter of reference, or work experience—is dispositive.
While every school has distinct admission criteria, some key themes emerge in evaluation. Virtually every MBA program looks for students who exhibit.
Intellect — We look for people who recognize that “school” is the key word in business school.  An MBA program is foremost an academic experience; the professional and social benefits are a lagniappe. As such, we need students who are curious, with a desire to learn and experience new things.  You shape your classmates’ experiences through your willingness to share your knowledge and experiences. Test scores and transcripts lay the foundation, but your approach toward your education is as important as your ability.
Leadership — We look for people who have demonstrated the ability to make a difference.  We assess your impact on the people and organizations around you, and the impact of those experiences on you. Your underlying motivation for your achievements is as important as the achievements themselves. Your leadership potential emerges through aspects including but not limited to athletics, community service, extracurricular activities, internships, research projects, and part-time and full-time employment.

Selection
Selection is much more difficult to convey.  Having evaluated each application, Admissions Offices then are faced with the difficult decisions of crafting a class: determining which candidates to admit among those evaluated as highly qualified.  The reality of selective admission is that there are many more qualified and deserving candidates than places available in an MBA program. .
The selection process is not one in which we merely separate out those candidates with weaknesses and admit all the rest.  Were we to do that, we would have a class several times its intended size.  Having carefully evaluated each individual file, we then review it in the context of the entire applicant pool.  In an effort to create an engaging student community, we select those applicants who, collectively, represent a breadth of background, talent, and experience. The reasons some applicants stand out more than others are not easily categorized, since excellence itself does not come in uniform dimensions.  As such, there is necessarily a subjective element to the selection process.  The final results merely reflect our best efforts.

Overall Advice
We urge you to complete your application authentically. Too many applicants assume that Admissions Offices have narrow views of an acceptable candidate, and then shape your applications accordingly.  If you fall victim to this fallacy, you do yourself a disservice: not only will you miss the opportunity to learn about yourself through the application, but also you make your application look less like you and more like everyone else.  Have confidence in what you have achieved. Be faithful to your passions. Trust in what you aspire to accomplish. Approach the application process as a chance for structured reflection—a rare opportunity to explore your values, spark your enthusiasm, and envision your potential. If you do so, you will have the foundation for a strong application.