Required Questions vs. Non-Required Questions on Application

[MBALA2009]

I am in the process of completing the application forms and noticed that only certain questions are "required" to be answered. Should the general rule of thumb be to answer everything? Is it detrimental to leave some unanswered? Don't have anything to hide, just curious more than anything.

Thank you.

[Lisa Anderson]

Dear MBALA2009,

It is best to answer all the questions you can. If there is something you are not comfortable answering, like salary or ethnicity, then that is your choice and it won't hurt you to not answer. But schools don't generally ask questions just to ask--they ask because it is considered in the evaluation or because some publication/governing body asks for the schools to report the data.

Good question!
Lisa