Jay Bryant, director of graduate recruitment and admissions with the Rady School of Management at the University of California–San Diego, says LGBT B-school applicants are sometimes reluctant to reveal their sexual orientation or gender identity to MBA admissions officers.
When Bryant applied to business school more than a decade ago, he struggled to decide whether he should self-identify as a member of the LGBT community in his applications, and ultimately opted not to disclose that information.
[Read: Embrace LGBT Identity in Business School Applications.]
But nowadays business schools tend to be inclusive and accepting institutions, Bryant says, emphasizing that LGBT business school applicants can actually benefit from being out during the MBA admissions process.
“If you’re applying to a school where that [LGBT status] would be an issue, you don’t want to go there anyways,” he says. “But be yourself, because that’s truly who we are looking for in admissions.”
Bryant says most B-schools are eager to admit MBA applicants from a wide range of backgrounds, including people of differing races, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, gender identities, socioeconomic statuses and geographical origins.
MBA admissions officers say that B-schools strive to recruit MBA students from an eclectic array of industries, including finance, consulting and the tech sector. MBA programs also aim to recruit students from a variety of undergraduate institutions, including both private and public schools.
Why B-Schools Value Diversity
Because business professionals are expected to collaborate with co-workers of multiple cultural backgrounds, B-schools prepare MBA students by having them work in teams with a variety of people, Bryant says. “At business schools, we know that diversity is extremely important in the classroom to provide a real-world experience,” he adds.
Whitney Kestner, director of admissions with the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, says the case method — a teaching technique that includes discussions about business case studies — is effective when participants have distinct life experiences and unique viewpoints. “When these people come together and discuss these cases, just incredible learning opportunities abound,” Kestner says.
[Read: Boost B-School Applications by Attending Diversity Events.]
Kelly R. Wilson, executive director of masters admissions at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business in Pittsburgh, says one benefit of having a class with students of varied backgrounds is that when participants brainstorm, they tend to come up with different ideas. “Each person’s unique experience and background — their lifestyle — brings them to a place where they have a way that they think about things,” Wilson says.
How and When to Mention Diversity
There are many places in an MBA application where an applicant can self-identify as a minority, including in a required MBA admissions essay, short-answer question response or even an optional extra essay.
One effective approach for MBA applicants who want to include their minority identity in their application is mentioning their background within the context of explaining how they overcame adversity.
“It’s important to put their diversity in context of what makes them unique and makes them a better candidate and not just mention it as… checking a box,” says Shaun Carver, assistant dean of graduate programs with the Rady School of Management at UCSD.
Carver advises explaining how being a minority has shaped your perspective on life. He notes that MBA applicants who emphasize their minority identity should explain how it enhances their MBA candidacy.
According to MBA admissions officers, minority MBA applicants who have performed community service in minority communities can mention those activities on their resumes and ask recommendation letter writers to discuss these service projects. Carver suggests that minority applicants spotlight minority professional organization memberships on both their resumes and LinkedIn profiles.
Lyneir Richardson, executive director of the Center for Urban Entrepreneurship and Economic Development at Rutgers Business School in New Jersey, says that the admissions interview is an ideal time for MBA applicants to discuss diversity issues.
[Read: Build an Effective MBA Application as a Female Candidate.]
Richardson says that the interview helps MBA admissions officers decide whether an applicant is a good fit for their program.
“Therefore, you should express that you have a viewpoint and perspective that — if admitted — you will share with your classmates (and that you’re open to learning from others),” Richardson wrote in an email. “Make it clear, because of some element of your background, that you are confident and will be able to understand, survive and adjust to the environment and pace of the school.”
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How to Highlight Diversity in an MBA Application originally appeared on usnews.com
