Calling all HBS 2011 Applicants!! (Including 2+2)

They can track you down with the MAC address, if they want to. :^P. Better do it with a different computer.

The essay question is: Tell us about a time in your professional experience when you were frustrated or disappointed.


How important do you think it is that the answer to this question involve an experience that is actually from your job as opposed to a different leadership position? I am a recent college graduated attempting to answer this question with a story that is from a leadership position during college.

Alternatively, I could use the same story to answer the "What would you like the MBA Admissions Board to know about your undergraduate academic experience?" question, but it just seems like a really good fit for the first one, minus the "professional" aspect.

To me it seems like it's not that important whether the story is from my actual job or another leadership role, since the qualities demonstrated would be the same. Thoughts?

I'd be careful and follow the directions completely. Don't want to give them the chance to ding you for not being able to read carefully and follow directions.

My $0.02

Edit: Sign me up for R1!

I am not sure what the leadership position you're referring to was based off of. If it was from an internship or something, that could qualify as a professional experience. But most college experiences would count as personal or academic I think. Like someone said above, you might not want to take a chance, because HBS can afford to be picky about really trivial things like this. Try shooting them an email if you really want to write about this or ask one of the HBS admits on the forum for more advice!

I'll be applying in Round 2. Please update the roll.

Hi,

I am applying to 2+2 in 2011 and would like an assessment of my application profile:

Program: Concurrently completing two degrees, one in Commerce and one in Life Sciences at top-tier Canadian University, Dean's List and National Millennium Scholar
GPA: 3.7 (approximate, school gives % rather than GPA)
GMAT: Scored 710 on Official GMAT practice, real thing next week
Business experience: Internship in Management Consulting, Internship at Boutique Investment Bank, Worked at Children's Hospital in Toronto
EC's: Internship at Hospital in Peru, Exchange to Singapore, Raised over $400,000 for United Way and received award for most successful campaign in Toronto, Executive for Finance Conference, Consulting Competition and Athletics Committee, Analyst on Investment Counsel, Board of Directors for Alzheimer's Society, Competitive Ski Racer and Coach, Winner of Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Contest, Served as a Page in Ontario Government, Participated on 17 varsity teams in high school (captain on three occasions)

Is it worth a shot? My marks/GMAT aren't in the stratosphere but I really love the teaching style and philosophy of HBS and hope that with some hard work I can develop a competitive application!

I actually asked them this question today. And it seems that the non profit expereice would be fine. The commincation below. I think they dont want us to talk about personal relationship which wharton allows us to do in their essay.


Mike,

Please be advised that this experience in non profit would be fine.

MBA Admissions
Harvard Business School
Boston, MA 02163
https://www.hbs.edu/mba


Mike Stan asks:

For the essay: Tell us about a time in your professional experience when you were frustrated or disappointed.
Will talking about my experience in my non-profit organization count as professional? Or does it have to be strictly from my full time job?

+1 Round 1.
good luck to everybody!

I'm also in for R1

HBS has three recommender questions they list on their website:


But, they also state that there are other types of questions on the form which I cant access (unless I create a dummy account). Any idea what those are? Are these questions that require a written response or a rating?

Great stuff -- thanks!

Anyone have an answer to the question above?

Targeting R1, but may push back depending on timing.

Just out of curiosity - How far back do we have to go for the "have you ever been suspended or placed on probation" question. Do they really care if we got into a fight in gym class freshman year of high school?

well that depends -- did you win the fight?

Of course not, but now we're getting into Wharton essays.

"Describe what you have learned from a failure".....

Applying Round 1:

Program: MBA FT
Area of interest in MBA: Finance
GMAT: 770 51Q/47V (I think?), 6.0 AWA
GPA: 3.8, Physics/Economics, Ivy, High Honors
Work experience: 2 years at IB (GS/MS), 2 years at MegaCap PE (worked in both Europe and the U.S., lots of HBS alumni), interned at M/B/B, board observer for a couple of our portfolio companies
Nationality: Asian
Age: 25 at matriculation
Gender: M
Languages: English
ECs: Kind of weak here. Couple of club presidencies in college, editorships at some newspapers, some involvement with tutoring etc, worked on a 5-6 different on-campus jobs, a ton of econ/finance research, thesis in Physics, study abroad in central Europe (do these count?), worked with a charity for a 7-8 months (nothing too great though). To be honest, work schedule is so brutal that I can't find time outside of work at all.... but I have some good work-related stuff though. Like, I am fairly active on our Company boards, interact with the CEO a lot etc. But I think that's common for PE applicants.

I think I can write some interesting essays (lots of travel, interesting experiences while working on campus in several different jobs etc.)

Not that I'm applying but I like Harvard's essay questions.

•What are your three most substantial accomplishments and why do you view them as such? (600-word limit)
•What have you learned from a mistake? (400-word limit)
•Please respond to two of the following (400-word limit each):
1.What would you like the MBA Admissions Board to know about your undergraduate academic experience?
2.What is your career vision and why is this choice meaningful to you?
3.Tell us about a time in your professional experience when you were frustrated or disappointed.
4.When you join the HBS Class of 2013, how will you introduce yourself to your new classmates?

Please add me to R1. Godd luck everyone!