To promote diversity, some b-schools host special campus visits for applicants, with all or most expenses paid.
[Read about the MBA tool box for minority applicants.]
Some applicants who attend the events, such as Rachael Waddell, report benefiting from incentives. At the Duke event Waddell attended, for example, the school covered room and board and waived application fees.
Other schools offer a range of programs and incentives. Texas A&M University—College Station's Mays Business School, for example, covered not only two nights of hotel accommodations but also up to $300 in travel expenses for participants in its November 9-10 Diversity Leadership Forum Weekend.
One-day events, such as an upcoming December 1 Focus on Diversity event and an annual Women in Business conference on November 30 at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business, often don't advertise covering students' expenses.
At Harvard Business School, for instance, applicants are invited to attend a Women's Student Association lunch—one of which was held on November 16 and another is planned for November 30—but attendees are expected to bring or purchase food provided by the school. Women considering applying to Harvard are also invited to a free Women's Q&A webinar on December 5.
[See how business school diversity comes in many colors.]
Some students who have attended diversity events, like Waddell, speak very highly of them and recommend them to others. "For those looking to gain every advantage when applying, these opportunities were something I wish I had known more about when I started the process," she says. "These weekends have provided so much meat to my applications and have been a determining factor in where I apply."
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