Harvard Business School Takes Credit for Egyptian Revolution
Boston, MA (Reuters) – While many pundits and political scientists have labeled social media services like Facebook and Twitter as key enablers in promoting democratic change in Egypt, one of the world’s most prestigious business schools has recently issued a press release offering a different take on the matter. The release, which comes from Harvard Business School, indicates that a group of HBS students from the Class of 2011 spent their Christmas break on a field project in Cairo, and that this trip sowed the seeds of democratic change in the country. While limited details on the nature of the project were given, sources within the university claim that this small cadre of students shipped thousands of copies of books like Capitalism and Freedom and The Coming of Managerial Capitalism for distribution among Egyptian citizens just weeks before the gatherings began taking place in Cairo’s Tahrir Square. Harvard Business School Publishing promised that a forthcoming case study will provide further details.
ETS Unveils New Strategy (and Name) for Graduate Record Exam
Princeton, NJ (Knight-Ridder) – ETS, the makers of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), have announced a new approach with regards to their marketing and administration of the test. Starting on June 1st, 2011, the GRE will be renamed the Graduate Masters Admissions Test Two (GMATT). While ETS claims that this change is designed to reflect the broad applicability of their exam and it’s wholly redesigned approach, senior leadership at rival test provider GMAC (makers of the Graduate Management Admissions Test – the GMAT) are crying foul. GMAC’s David Wilson offered the following: “We’ve filed a cease and desist letter with our counsel that calls for ETS to abandon their use of the new exam’s name”, Wilson said. “ETS is merely taking a cheap shot to gain traction in the MBA applicant market and are still smarting from their loss of the contract to produce our exam.” Officials at ETS could not be reached for comment.
Background Checks Conducted by Admissions Offices To Include Social Media Sites Like Facebook
Palo Alto, CA (Bloomberg) – In a somewhat controversial move, leading graduate business schools like Stanford, Columbia and Kellogg are including Facebook, mySpace and Twitter profiles in their routine background checks of admitted applicants. The schools, working in conjunction with Kroll Background Screening, have determined that data mined from applicant accounts with social media outlets can offer valuable insight into one’s readiness to join the MBA community. Leading MBA programs will explore photos, status postings and group memberships that candidates include in their social media profiles. Clayton Davis, a student planning to matriculate at Kellogg, expressed his concern: “On Facebook, my username is ‘Mr. Destruktor’ because that’s the handle I use in the online role-playing games I play. Now I’m concerned that this could seem inappropriate to the team-friendly Kellogg community.”
Wharton Leadership Trek Gets Lost
Repula, Nepal (AP) – A group of lost hikers has been found safe and sound just south of Repula, Nepal after search and rescue crews used night vision equipment. The group, comprised of faculty and students from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, began their walk towards Mt. Everest base camp nearly 10 days ago but had come off the trail a few days into their trek. The search for the group began on Tuesday night with a Kathmandu-based rescue helicopter was mobilized to help. Trek organizer, Michael Useem (Director of Wharton’s Center for Leadership) offered the following thoughts on this harrowing experience: “I’m incredibly relieved that the entire group has made it through this ordeal. I must admit that I am also somewhat embarrassed, as a professor of leadership I should have done a better job guiding the team towards our destination.”
Happy April Fools’!
The Clear Admit Team
(for more April Fools’ fun: 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004)
Read the full article: In the News…