GMAT might be the only hurdle that is devoid of any biases as the computer selects the next question according to your ability. While evaluating essays and interviews, human perception has a much bigger influence. Unfortunately, automatic biases are triggered by characteristics in the environment or stereotypes associated with a person (race, gender, age). AdCom members are reminded of their close network (friend, parents, partner) when the applicant’s words trigger the characteristics associated with the stereotype.
Studies by John A. Bargh and Erin L. Williams titled “The Automaticity of Social Life" covers some interesting areas of biases:
Minority Group
International applicants applying to US schools should highlight the differentiating factors of their profile from the minority group they represent. For example, there are two widespread perceptions about German applicants - attention to detail (positive) and a low sense of humor (negative). Although there is no conclusive evidence to prove the biases, cultural references through TV, movies & music, feed the stereotype.
For reviewers, low sense of humor means social ineptness. The AdCom will look for evidence to support this bias, once the stereotype becomes part of the sub-conscious. Don’t blame the admission team; this is not a mindful exercise. Unless computers start evaluating essays, biases intrinsic to human behavior will color the evaluation process.
Environment
The latest HBS class received 9,315 applications. Let us assume that a 10-member admission team is evaluating essays in three rounds with round one and round two, each receiving 40% of the total applications. Round three receives 20% of the applications. With 45 days to evaluate each round, the number of applications handled by the team is 3726 in both Round 1 and Round 2. Let us also assume that the work is equally divided with each essay reviewer reading 372 essays, or 8 Essays per day. While writing your essay, keep in mind that each reviewer has a volume goal. Write with conciseness, coherence, and clarity.
Self-Esteem
Apart from volume goal, selecting the crème de la crème from thousands of applications is not a mean task. Reviewers have to maintain the quality of the class with the traditional (GPA 3.5+ & GMAT 720+) high achieving candidate while risking a few seats for candidates from non-traditional backgrounds.
The balancing act is a delicate process and requires guessing the volume, and quality of applications in each round. The borderline applicants are waitlisted and reevaluated at a later stage. The admission team reviews each selection, and below par selection made known. With each risky selection, the reviewer is under pressure to perform.
Any event that undermines the self-esteem of the reviewer can magnify the biases. The 40-40% application volume distribution in first two rounds might not be a reality. The number of waitlisted applicants and the guilt of missing talented applicants in Round 1 will force the AdCom to overcompensate, or lower the standards of evaluation. This change in behavior depends on the application volume in Round 2. If the volume were higher than Round 1, a change in behavior is unlikely.
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About the Author
I am Atul Jose, Founding Consultant of F1GMAT, an MBA admissions consultancy that has worked with applicants since 2009.
For the past 15 years I have edited the application files of admits to the M7 programs: Harvard Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, the Wharton School, MIT Sloan, Chicago Booth, Kellogg School of Management, and Columbia Business School, together with admits to Berkeley Haas, Yale School of Management, NYU Stern, Michigan Ross, Duke Fuqua, Darden, Tuck, IMD, London Business School, INSEAD, SDA Bocconi, IESE Business School, HEC Paris, McCombs, and Tepper, plus other programs inside the global top 30.
My work covers the full MBA application deliverable: career planning and profile evaluation, application essay editing, recommendation letter editing, mock interviews and interview preparation, scholarship and fellowship essay editing, and cover letter editing for funding applications. Full bio with credentials and admit history is here.
I am the author of the Winning MBA Essay Guide, the best-selling essay guide covering M7 MBA programs. I have written and updated the guide annually since 2013, which makes the 2026 edition the thirteenth.
The reason I still write and edit essays every cycle: a good MBA essay carries a real applicant's voice. Writing essays for F1GMAT's Books and Editing essays weekly is how I stay calibrated to what current admissions committees respond to.
Contact me for school selection, career planning, essay strategy, narrative development, essay editing, interview preparation, scholarship essay editing, or guidance documents for recommendation letters.