Steer Clear of the MBA Rumor Mill

Did you hear that Stanford is no longer admitting anyone who scored lower than a 700 on the GMAT?

Or that HBS already filled up its entire class in Round 1 and won’t actually admit anyone they’re interviewing in Round 2?

Or that the way to ace the Wharton group interview is actually to stay silent the entire time?

What? You didn’t hear any of that?

That makes sense, since we completely made up all of the above in order to prove a point about gossip and rumors that can make even the most levelheaded MBA applicant start to fret.

We remember how anxiety inducing it is to wait to hear back from schools. And we’re all too familiar with how easy it is to get sucked into the many message boards there are for MBA hopefuls. Sometimes these online communities can be a great thing: it’s not unheard of for people to end up becoming friends with each other “in real life” after meeting on such a site. Plus, hearing that others are just as stressed out as you are can certainly be a source of comfort.

But please remember that the rumor mill is usually in overdrive on MBA forums, and it’s easy for gossip and hearsay to overshadow the truth. The reality is that no one except those on the AdCom for the schools you’re applying to really knows what’s going on with interview invites, acceptance rates, waitlists, or anything else of importance for prospective students.

In other words, keep this timeless advice in mind when you find yourself starting to worry about the latest MBA rumors:

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