{"id":18883,"date":"2013-06-04T12:59:17","date_gmt":"2013-06-04T19:59:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/?p=18883"},"modified":"2013-06-04T13:02:27","modified_gmt":"2013-06-04T20:02:27","slug":"some-thoughts-on-harvard-business-schools-new-application","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/some-thoughts-on-harvard-business-schools-new-application\/","title":{"rendered":"Some Thoughts on Harvard Business School\u2019s New Application"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Harvard<\/a>HBS has announced a new essay-optional application. But according to Businessweek<\/em><\/a>, this \u201coptional\u201d question will be optional in name only. In other words, if you\u2019re applying to Harvard, you\u2019d be silly to pass on this singular opportunity to give Harvard more reasons to admit you.<\/p>\n

To add to the buzz this radical step is generating, the question has no word limit and is a fairly open one:<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re applying to Harvard Business School<\/a>. We can see your resume, school transcripts, extra-curricular activities, awards, post-MBA career goals, test scores and what your recommenders have to say about you. What else would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy?\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Accepted\u2019s very own Linda Abraham (who is quoted in Businessweek<\/em>), \u201cIt would be a big mistake to say, \u2018This is how this essay should be written,\u2019 It should be personal. I\u2019ve consistently said Stanford\u2019s \u2018What matters most to you and why\u2019 is the toughest question. I think this may replace it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Linda is also quoted in a recent Poets & Quants<\/em> article<\/a> with the following: \u201cThe biggest impact will not be on the admissions consulting business. It will be on HBS application volume. Harvard is making the app easier and easier, and more applicants will say, \u2018Heck, just one more essay, I don\u2019t need a third recommender. I\u2019ll give it a shot.\u2019 It\u2019s great for application volume.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor our business,\u201d Linda continues in the P&Q<\/em> article, \u201cthere will be less editing-only for HBS, but more consulting on what to include. I also suspect that those essays will be longer than either one of the essays last year, but shorter than the two essays combined. A well-written essay still needs to be concise, and it\u2019s harder to write concisely than verbosely.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more info, please see our recent blog post, Harvard Business School: There is Only ONE Essay Question<\/a>.<\/p>\n