This week’s GMAT challenge from PrepForTests.com is a problem solving question.

Have a go at answering this and then review your answer.

With incidents of cheating on the rise and the Scoretop.com scandal still on everyone’s minds, top business schools around the country will soon require a high-tech identity check for standardized admissions tests. The Wall Street Journal has reported that by May 2009, all B-school applicants taking the GMAT will have to undergo a “palm vein” scan, which takes an infrared picture of the blood coursing through their hands and is unique to every individual.

The GMAT will become the first global standardized exam to use palm vein recognition to provide positive identification for each test taker. The scans are used widely in Japan among users of automated teller machines but only recently have appeared in the United States. Palm-vein scanning on GMAT test takers will begin next month in Korea and India, with U.S. centers starting as early as this fall.

More effective than traditional finger-printing security measures, palm vein scanning will nip “proxy” test takers in the bud. The Wall Street Journal reports that five years ago, federal authorities broke up a ring of six fraudsters who took more than 590 exams, including GMATs, for customers who paid at least $3,000.

Donald L. McCabe, a Rutgers University professor of management, tells the Journal that it’s understandable that business schools are now “protecting the integrity of their test, whatever it takes.” Having polled more than 200,000 students over the past two decades, McCabe concludes that those in business school cheat more than their peers in other disciplines. He says business-school students often cite instances of corporations’ “bottom-line mentality” and ethical lapses to justify their own dishonesty.

Source: The Wall Street Journal, GMAC

When Chicago introduced the slide presentation last year, there was a ton of buzz.  WHAT was it all about?  What were they expecting to see?  How serious should it be?  How crazy? 

Chicago was happy enough with the results of the question to include it again this year.  Rose Martinelli, Chicago’s Associate Dean of Student Recruitment and Admissions, feels that the slide show helps to illicit information about a candidate’s value system.  She calls it a “boundary-less” question – there really is no right way to approach it – it’s just a unique way to help Chicago understand more about who you are.

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Wharton adcom values self awareness, leadership, teamwork and solid career goals.  When choosing topics for this set of essays, be sure to consider examples that highlight your ability to learn and grow.  Fit with the Wharton community is important, and researching the program thoroughly to answer “Why Wharton” will be crucial.

The Wharton admissions committee and current students are extremely open about the process and the program, so even if you are halfway around the world you can experience a bit of the “Wharton way” on the blogs or Student 2 Student chat room.

First-Time Applicant Questions

1. Describe your career progress to date and your future short-term and long-term career goals. How do you expect an MBA from Wharton to help you achieve these goals, and why is now the best time for you to join our program? (1,000 words)

Wharton’s career goals essay is the focal point of the application and the essay that provides you the most words to work with.  The essay question is fairly typical of an MBA career goals essay, yet Wharton uniquely focuses on “why now.”  Why now is a crucial part of the essay and needs to be addressed when you answer the question about Why MBA and Why Wharton.

Budget your words carefully on this essay and be sure to answer each sub question thoroughly.  When discussing your career progress, focus on building a path from your past to your future short- and long-term goals.  The adcom will be looking for evidence that you can achieve your career goals and your goals are a logical extension of your background and interests.  Do your homework on Wharton and provide very specific reasons why you want to pursue your MBA at UPenn.

2. Describe a setback or a failure that you have experienced. What role did you play, and what did you learn about yourself? (500 words)

This essay illuminates adcom’s interest in understanding how self aware you are.  You will want to choose a setback or failure that has an ultimately positive result, and use most of the words to describe your actions and learning.  Be candid and demonstrate that you are mature enough to see failure as an opportunity for growth.  A specific and easy to describe failure will be best, allowing you to concentrate on the real communication of the essay.

3. Where in your background would we find evidence of your leadership capacity and/or potential? (500 words)

This essay question allows flexibility to choose either a professional or extracurricular example.  The open ended nature of the question may tempt you to provide a laundry list of accomplishments.  Focus instead on one or two examples and thoroughly describe your actions and thoughts, demonstrating what kind of leader you are.  You can generalize on your leadership capacity and potential once you have provided the solid evidence through a specific example.

4. Please respond to one (1) of the following questions:

a. Describe an experience you have had innovating or initiating, your lessons learned, the results and impact of your efforts. (500 words)

Innovation is a popular catchphrase at Wharton and is integral to Wharton’s brand.  This essay allows you to demonstrate your fit with the Wharton community by describing your own experiences innovating or initiating.  Again, there is a strong focus on self reflection and understanding the lessons learned.  Describe the situation very succinctly and focus most of the essay on the learning, results and impact.

b. Is there anything about your background or experience that you feel you have not had the opportunity to share with the Admissions Committee in your application?  If yes, please explain. (500 words)

This is an extremely open ended question that allows you to fill in any gaps in your application strategy.  Avoid the temptation to recycle essays from another school (the attempt is transparent!) and focus on a topic that adds value to your communication, while remembering the Wharton approach and culture. 

OPTIONAL: If you feel there are extenuating circumstances of which the Committee should be aware, please explain them here (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, TOEFL waiver request, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, significant weaknesses in your application). (250 words, maximum)

This essay needs to address one of the items on the list.  If you do not have any extenuating circumstances, you should not answer this question.   If you are using this essay to explain a weakness in your application profile, focus on the positive and avoid the tendency to provide excuses.  For example, rather than providing a story to excuse your low GPA, take responsibility for the mistakes you made and focus on the evidence in your life since college that demonstrates your academic potential.

Read on for real stories from MBA applicants and students…

Veni, Vidi, Vici shares his surprise over the difficulty level of the TOEFL exam; studying for only two nights left him feeling unsettled by the GMAT-style essays in the reading section. Also, while reflecting on the HBS essay outlines, he wonders how much “dreaming” should figure in to a career vision essay.

Goneguru has an insightful post this week that stresses how critical it is to avoid becoming victim to your own insecurities when facing an admissions process that can frighten and intimidate many potential applicants.

Chandara offers some candid observations after attending a disappointing Minority HBS information session in San Francisco last week.

The final countdown to B-school has begun for Tinydancer, who starts Pre-Term at Wharton next week. While most folks are surprised to hear that she’s starting classes already, Tinydancer’s happy the program is so rigorous, since, as she explains, “I’m paying a lot of freakin money for this degree!”

Headed for LBS, (Out on a limb) Back in the Saddle has been quizzing his MBA friends about how to order from the a la carte menu that is B-school life. The consensus, he’s found, is that it’s not what you choose to do in B-school, but what you choose not to do.

Mission MBA is feeling relief now that his Stanford-Reliance application has been submitted. Some of the highlights include minor griping about miniature text fields and the limits of a one-page resume, as well as a 250-word essay on how he aspires to shape the future of India.

Stacy Blackman’s Weekly Roundup of B-School Intelligence

The credit crunch is taking a toll on student loans, the Financial Times reports. Aspiring overseas MBAs who plan to enroll in US programs later this year are now facing real difficulties in securing the loans they need to study in the country.

In this week’s newsletter, QS Top MBA breaks down what makes a good GMAT score, with the caveat that what you consider a good score should depend on your own expectations and goals. Their advice: research the average GMAT scores at the schools you are interested in, and remember that top business schools consider a score of at least 600 as competitive.

Dee Leopold, Managing Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at HBS, blogs about the stellar candidates applying for the 2+2 Program this year. The question on everyone’s mind, then, “Is Harvard Business School looking for a younger class?” Follow the link to read her take on the subject…

Yoga is making headway in B-schools, BusinessWeek reveals, with clubs and classes offering stretching, exercise, meditation and stress relief for high-pressure MBAs. This ancient practice is already on the radar at Chicago GSB, MIT-Sloan, HBS and Kellogg. “Business school is a unique experience,” says one student interviewed. “There are so many things you juggle at the same time…Yoga is something consistent that lets me calm down.”