Ask for a gimmick…
In interview questions, college applications and on a first date, it’s easy to ask a gimmicky question. U of Chicago business school now wants PowerPoint slides as part of the application (thanks Christina: Business school wants Power-ful applications)
The first batch will be gimmicky, no doubt. And gimmicky answers have their place, because they demonstrate a person’s willingness to do something trivial, stupid and creative, all at the same time. That’s a useful skill.
The second year is when it gets interesting. I’d challenge the school to publish the first year entries, eliminating most of the gimmicks from use. Just as blog entries and YouTube videos keep getting better, this gimmick will probably start to lead to useful contributions.