NEW HERE? LEARN MORE
closeclose
Last visit was: 25 Apr 2024, 04:16 It is currently 25 Apr 2024, 04:16
Decision Tracker
My Rewards
New posts
New comers' posts

Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel

Schools that make you pay for your background check.

SORT BY:
Date
Kudos
User avatar
B
pelihu
SVP
SVP
Joined: 31 Jul 2006
Posts: 2209
Own Kudos [?]: 520 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Schools:Darden
 Q50  V51
Send PM
Schools that make you pay for your background check. [#permalink] New post   12 Jan 2007, 04:44
So, now that I'm finished with the bulk of the apps for this round, I've started reading up and thinking about some other things. I saw that Wharton makes you pay $73 (don't know if that is current for this year) to run a background check if you are admitted. It sure feels like they are nickel & diming with this fee, especially since they understated their application fee on their own website.

I was wondering which other schools make you pay for this. It seems like something they should just figure into the application fee. I also started wondering exactly what they look into. I've been an entrepreneur for the last 4+ years so my work history for that period is pretty informal. I don't operate an HR department here.

Any admitted students been asked to pony up yet? Do they say what they are checking?
User avatar
rhyme
GMAT Club Legend
GMAT Club Legend
Joined: 05 Apr 2006
Affiliations: HHonors Diamond, BGS Honor Society
Posts: 5916
Own Kudos [?]: 3083 [0]
Given Kudos: 7
Schools: Chicago (Booth) - Class of 2009
GMAT 1: 730 Q45 V45
WE:Business Development (Consumer Products)
Send PM
[#permalink] New post   Updated on: 12 Jan 2007, 04:59
Ugh, thats a real nickel and dimer there. Wouldn't all the other denied apps cover that expense?

As for me - hasn't happened yet, in fact I think the GSB doesn't charge me . The letter I got telling me what to do was pretty clean, and didn't include sending money for a background check. Generally speaking, people think of background checks as someone "confirming" all this stuff with someone else. Really, its more they confirm what isnt the case than what is.

Typically, background checks at companies will include the stuff below - I dont imagine its terribly different for schools

* A credit check
* A criminal background check (and before anyone asks, no, that drug misdemeanor charge you had in 1995 isn't an issue. They are looking for violent crimes that could place people at risk. Rape, assault, battery, etc.)
* Occasionally they'll run public records (eg are you being sued by someone for something? I doubt schools do this)
* Employment verification (this is actually fairly rare believe it or not)
* Education verification (duh)

Thats pretty much it.

Originally posted by rhyme on 12 Jan 2007, 04:55.
Last edited by rhyme on 12 Jan 2007, 04:59, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
3underscore
Current Student
Joined: 11 Dec 2006
Posts: 1428
Own Kudos [?]: 233 [0]
Given Kudos: 6
Location: New York, NY
Concentration: Finance (Corp Fin, Financial Instruments)
Schools:NYU Stern 2009
Send PM
[#permalink] New post   12 Jan 2007, 04:56
Sounds a bit rich in some cases (ie Fortune company employment history) as that is easy to do. For yourself they may well earn it - they want to verify you history, so maybe contact your clients and see your accounts reflect what you said.

Sadly, I would guess $73 is an outsourced fee, and it will be for an indemnity on your application.
User avatar
dukes
Director
Director
Joined: 07 Aug 2006
Posts: 572
Own Kudos [?]: 8 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
[#permalink] New post   12 Jan 2007, 06:16
What ryme said...everything I've read and heard about the background checks suggests that you have nothing to worry about unless you completely made stuff up on your app. People start freaking out about it because they rounded up their salary figures or guessed on the start date for some past job or a former company they worked for no longer exists. The background checks are meant to find the people who said they went to H/P/Y but really went to some community college, or people who hid their criminal record, or people who made up their employment history. It’s more of a deterrent than an effort to go out and bust you for some minor discrepancies.
User avatar
darren1010
Manager
Manager
Joined: 06 Feb 2006
Posts: 219
Own Kudos [?]: 5 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
uhm [#permalink] New post   12 Jan 2007, 06:31
I just wonder how they can run background check toward international applicants? Should I notify my bosses(also my recommenders in Vietnam) to prepare for a call from an English-speaking stranger?
User avatar
3underscore
Current Student
Joined: 11 Dec 2006
Posts: 1428
Own Kudos [?]: 233 [0]
Given Kudos: 6
Location: New York, NY
Concentration: Finance (Corp Fin, Financial Instruments)
Schools:NYU Stern 2009
Send PM
[#permalink] New post   12 Jan 2007, 06:38
I wouldn't worry about it - ultimately, if they have a problem with something on an international basis they will contact you for help (I would expect).

By the point they are doing this, the tables have turned somewhat. The school wants you to study there. They have no interest in it all going sour.
User avatar
B
GMATT73
CEO
CEO
Joined: 29 Jan 2005
Posts: 2887
Own Kudos [?]: 1117 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
[#permalink] New post   12 Jan 2007, 06:52
Running extensive background checks are prohibitively expensive. Imagine how much time and money it would take to verify every piece of data included in every applicant's file. As rhyme mentioned, they will probably run a perfunctory check at best. Rather surprised to hear that they are charging extra for it these days.
avatar
gmatclb
Director
Director
Joined: 09 Jan 2007
Posts: 707
Own Kudos [?]: 27 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
[#permalink] New post   12 Jan 2007, 08:25
I noticed that Chicago GSB didn't have a question that asked for your criminal history.

If an applicant turned out to have an extensive criminal history, they could just rescind the offer. It would make more sense just to ask the question.

Wonder why?

Do they expect applicants to freely give up the information if they don't explicitly ask for it?
GMAT Club Bot
gmatclubot
[#permalink]
12 Jan 2007, 08:25

Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group | Emoji artwork provided by EmojiOne
Main navigation
GMAT Resources
Partners
MBA Resources
www.gmac.com|www.mba.com | | GMAT Club Rules | Terms and Conditions