Background Checks Are Front and Center

(page 2 of 2)

She adds that B-school candidates should think of this part of the process as another way that the school gets to know them. "It's a good thing for graduate schools to best assess and select candidates who will have a positive impact on the world around them," says Lewin.

The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania began working with Kroll in 2004 to conduct background checks on those who matriculate. Students pay $60 to $70 for the background check, and they're aware of this charge from the start of the application process.

The Honor System

The decision to conduct checks on employment history and recommendations came about "in the spirit of fairness and integrity in the process," says Thomas Caleel, director of MBA admissions & financial aid at Wharton. Caleel says the policy allows the staff two years to revoke admission if necessary. The admissions committee has only revoked the acceptance of a few applicants who falsified information, says Caleel, who adds that those candidates still would have been admitted if they had simply told the truth.

Nevertheless, a few B-schools are continuing to take applicants at their word. The admissions staff at Babcock Graduate School of Management at Wake Forest University, for example, considered formal background checks, and even talked to other schools about their process and policies. In the end, however, the administrators decided against it. However, applicants must sign the honor code before turning in their application.

"We try to give candidates the benefit of the doubt in the admissions process," says Admissions Director Stacy Poindexter Owen. "However, at the first sign of a 'red flag,' we follow up by contacting undergraduate institutions, recommenders, and employers. Any contradictory information results in denied admission."

Liars get caught even at schools that don't enlist a company like Kroll or have a formal policy about fact-checking. Most applicants don't have to worry, as long as they abide by the rules. "Follow the school's instructions and be honest about who you are and what you've done," advises Lapidus—or risk losing your spot in the next class. "There's no such thing as a little lie on an application," says Caleel. Honesty, obviously, remains the best policy.

Di Meglio is a reporter for BusinessWeek.com in Fort Lee, N.J.