As we noted the other day, with the launch of Darden Admissions Director Sara Neher’s video blog, b-schools are trying to become more interactive to attract top students. In a short video posted on Stanford’s Web site yesterday, students offer some very basic tips for applicants. The one that stands out, in our opinion, is quite simple (paraphrased): don’t try to be what you think the school wants. Indeed, trying to be what candidates believe the school wants is a fatal error—one that results in generic or insincere applications.
Interestingly, the video ends with candidates encouraging you to apply. Is it possible that Stanford is concerned in an ultracompetitive year that many candidates will be concerned by the school’s low admissions rate and self-select out of the pool?