jumsumtak wrote:
'Act beneficially' is somewhat strong. Because this process is so subjective, you can't say why you were dinged or why you were accepted. Having said that , they will definitely come to know that you are serious about that school and genuinely interested in going there. That's a big positive. So, it will surely add to your candidacy.
Thanks for the input. What you said is essentially what I thought may be the case. To me, visiting campus, attending a conference, etc. show great interest and dedication. However, do you know if/how they record the events you have attended? Does the Admissions Officer reading your application also read this information?
sarahrs wrote:
Yes
Some schools set up files for would be students. Have you had a chat with admissions, alumni, current students. Worst thing you can do is submit an app with no one being aware your interested.
Thanks, sarahrs. Do you know if HBS keeps such a file, and whether or not Admissions Officers read this file when assessing applications?
domotron wrote:
Scandy wrote:
Hey guys,
First-time poster, long-time lurker here. I was wondering if any of you think/know whether there is any value in networking with the Admissions Office for the pure sake of networking?
Obviously, attending various outreach events, visiting campus, etc. is very helpful in terms of learning more about the school and its program, and you may even find a discussion topic or two for your interview. But do you know if the Admissions Office look beneficially on applicants they have met and who gave them a good impression?
Thanks!
Since this is in the HBS section, I assume you are talking about Harvard admissions team. No it doesn't make any difference to them whatsoever because they receive so many applicants and their admissions is so large that it is unlikely they will remember. Also even if you made an impression, it is probable that your file will be assigned to a different reader.
Thanks for the input, Domotron, you are indeed assuming correctly. This is what I feared endless networking efforts might lead to - absolutely no impact at all. In Europe a lot of top schools hold/gather lists of strong applicants which they have met or heard about. Is this definitely not the case at HBS? Is the admissions decission taken as simply as one Admissions Officer reading the applicant's entire application (incl. interview feedback and post-interview essay), and nothing else, and then putting it in the accept or reject pile?