Posted by Dave Lorenzo - Business Coach

Many of you know that I am over educated.  I have Master’s degrees from two pretty good schools.  The time I spent in school was valuable to me because I enjoy learning,  but you don’t need to go to graduate school – or even college for that matter – to succeed in business or in life.  In fact, if you’re not careful, college can hurt your creativity and stifle your ability to make creative decisions.

As evidence, I submit the latest addition to the University of Chicago Business School application packet – a Power Point Presentation.  Wow.  That’s really cutting edge stuff.  

We are in an age most enlightened people HATE Power Point presentations.  In fact, truly good presenters take to the stage (or the front of the room) and make an engaging case without Power Point. 

I guess the University of Chicago wants kids to start off learning what will get them thrown out of most meetings, board rooms and executive offices – quickly. 

I have a better idea.  Why not have these prospective students market themselves the way they would market a product or service.  Have them develop a campaign and provide one specific execution from that campaign in with their school application.

Can you imagine a kid creating a video the demonstrates the value he brings to the program and them publishing that video on You Tube?  Let’s say the video has a call to action that asks people to write to the dean and request that the kid is admitted to the B-school.  If the video goes viral and the dean receives thousands of letters about this kid, hasn’t he demonstrated a more valuable skill than if he created a boring presentation?

This is just one example.  There are literally hundreds of executions kids could apply to this process. Even if the executions fail they will provide far more insight into the potential student than a lousy Power Point presentation.

University of Chicago – get with the times.  This type of thinking is what’s wrong with the academic environment today.  It’s just not applicable to real life.

Filed under: Career Commonsense
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