Harvard Business School (HBS) will send out Round 1 interview invitations today, October 1, at noon eastern standard time. Notably, HBS will send only one batch of invitation invites, along with notifications of “further consideration”—for candidates to be considered in Round 2—and “early release.” HBS’s managing director of MBA admissions and financial aid, Chad Losee, addressed the impending invitations in a September 25 blog post:
In the past, we sent out interviews in waves in order to better manage the interview sign-up process. We know that was hard to wait through multiple days. So we are doing it altogether this year, and we believe that we have a good process in place to manage the interview sign-ups all at once. But, may I ask for your patience if we need to work through any unanticipated challenges? Thank you!
If you are among the candidates who receive an interview invitation today, congratulations! You will be able to sign up for interview slots tomorrow, Wednesday, October 2, at 10:00 a.m. eastern standard time. Now is the time to get ready for this crucial step in your application process. Check out these important resources created by mbaMission specifically for HBS interview candidates.
FREE “DECODING THE HBS INTERVIEW” WORKSHOP
Predicting exactly what questions you will be asked in your HBS interview is impossible, given the dynamic nature of the meeting and the school’s individualized approach, but this does not mean you cannot prepare to navigate the interaction effectively and increase your chances of leaving your desired impression.
We hope you will join us for our new “Decoding the HBS Interview” workshop at 8:00 pm ET on Wednesday, October 2, 2019, hosted by mbaMission HBS Interviewer in Residence Devi Vallabhaneni (HBS Class of 1997, former HBS admissions board candidate interviewer).
In this 60-minute workshop, you will learn
- What makes the HBS interview so different from all other business school interviews
- The philosophy behind HBS’s approach
- How to prepare for the interview
Coming out of the session, you will have a much better sense of what to expect in your HBS interview and steps you can take to ready yourself for it so you can approach your interview with competence and confidence. Space is limited—enroll for free today!
INTENSIVE SIMULATION
Devi Vallabhaneni, a veteran admissions interviewer with years of experience interviewing hundreds of HBS candidates and mbaMission’s HBS Interviewer in Residence, is offering online via webcam to help applicants prepare for the real thing.
The live interview simulation includes the following components:
- Two or more 30-minute interview experiences customized to your application. Before your first session, Devi will spend several hours reviewing your written application, following the same process she used when conducting candidate interviews for HBS. This allows her to target her questions based on what she discovers about you from your application.
- Personalized feedback. After each interview session, Devi will provide you with targeted feedback, talking you through her impressions and offering strategic advice for improving your HBS interview skills.
- A reflection period. You will have time between your interview sessions with Devi to internalize the feedback and adjust accordingly before trying again.
For more information and to secure your spot, please visit our HBS Intensive Interview Simulation page.
MOCK INTERVIEW AND POST-INTERVIEW REFLECTION SUPPORT
Another resource to help you prepare is our HBS Mock Interview and Post-Interview Reflection Support service. Through it, you work with an experienced mbaMission Senior Consultant who will have read your entire HBS application and prepared customized questions based on your candidacy. Via Q&A, feedback, and thorough response planning, we will help you improve the content of your answers, your time management skills, and your overall presentation.
HBS asks all interviewed applicants to write a post-interview essay and submit it within 24 hours of their interview. This essay has no word limit, and HBS suggests that candidates think of it as an email they would write to a friend or colleague, rather than as a formal essay.
As part of our targeted HBS interview package, an mbaMission Senior Consultant will help you strategize your approach to this special essay. Your consultant will also review a draft of the essay and provide feedback intended to assist you in making it stronger and more effective. Please note that because the HBS Admissions Office explicitly states that applicants are not to write anything in advance or receive outside help with this essay, your mbaMission Senior Consultant will not edit your writing but will instead offer detailed strategic direction via comments only.
To purchase your HBS mock interview preparation session, click here!
HBS INTERVIEW GUIDE
Download your complimentary copy of mbaMission’s Harvard Business School Interview Primer today.
In creating our primers, we have drawn on countless communications with MBA students, alumni, admissions officers, and applicants, in addition to our vast library of interview reports submitted by current and past clients. Our HBS Interview Primer provides the following information:
- Insight into what the school is evaluating and hoping to gain from the interview
- An explanation of the school’s approach to interviewing (self-scheduled or invite only, blind versus comprehensive, etc.)
- Past applicants’ firsthand accounts of their interview experiences and multiple sample interview question sequences
- Tips on preparing for and responding to questions that most typically vex applicants
- Help in formulating compelling questions of your own
Good luck to all Round 1 applicants! If you believe you can benefit from one of our interview planning services—or simply would like some more information on the process—feel free to contact us anytime!
