{"id":45600,"date":"2019-05-15T07:56:25","date_gmt":"2019-05-15T14:56:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/?p=45600"},"modified":"2019-05-15T07:56:27","modified_gmt":"2019-05-15T14:56:27","slug":"harvard-business-school-essay-analysis-2019-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/harvard-business-school-essay-analysis-2019-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Harvard Business School Essay Analysis, 2019-2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At last the 2019\u20132020 MBA admissions season has kicked off, with Harvard Business School (HBS) releasing (or shall we say rereleasing<\/em>) its single application essay prompt. Once again, HBS has made no changes to its question. HBS Managing Director of MBA Admissions Chad Losee, now entering his fourth application season, must feel the prompt is effective in eliciting the kind of information the admissions committee finds valuable in evaluating potential students. Our analysis of the prompt and advice on the best way to approach it therefore also remain constant\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be sure to join us on Wednesday, May 29 at 8 p.m. ET for a live \u201cWriting a Standout Harvard Business School Essay\u201d webinar, where we will help prospective MBAs learn to ensure their essay will grab the attention of the HBS admissions officer, including examples! Register for free today!<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs we review your application, what more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Harvard Business School MBA Program?\u201d (no word limit)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take special note of the word \u201cmore\u201d in this straightforward question. With it, the admissions committee is subtly acknowledging that it already has a lot of information about you that it can and will use to get to know you better, including your resume, extracurricular activities, recommendations, short-answer question responses, academic transcripts, and GMAT\/GRE score. You should therefore think first about what these portions of your application convey about who you are as an individual and candidate, so you can determine which parts of your profile still need presenting or could benefit from more detail. Now, some applicants may fret that this means they absolutely cannot touch on anything mentioned elsewhere in their application, for fear that the admissions committee will become annoyed and reject them. However, HBS is not asking only for fresh information\u2014it is asking for more<\/em>, and specifically, whatever \u201cmore\u201d you believe the committee needs to evaluate you thoroughly and fairly. So, even though a bullet on your resume may inform the school of a certain fact, if a profoundly important story lurks behind that fact that you feel effectively expresses a key part of your personality or skill set, you should not feel hesitant to share that story. That said, we are not advocating for you to explore your resume in depth, just trying to convey that \u201cmore\u201d here does not mean strictly \u201cthus far unmentioned.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before we discuss a few approaches you might take in framing this essay, we must note that your goal in writing it is sincerity<\/em>.<\/em> The admissions committee is not staffed by robots, seeking to detect a certain \u201ctype\u201d of applicant. These are human beings who are trying to get to know you and really want to end up liking you! With this essay, you essentially want to forge a meaningful connection with a complete stranger, and if you try to present yourself as something or someone you are not, you will fail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You, like many other applicants, may worry that your sincere stories will sound clich\u00e9d. For example, if you want to write about making a difference, you may wince simply thinking<\/em> those words: \u201cmaking a difference.\u201d But the power of your story does not lie in the theme you choose (if you choose to write thematically, that is) but in the manner in which you reveal your actions. If you have truly made a significant difference in the lives of others and can own<\/em> that angle by offering powerful anecdotes and demonstrating a deep emotional connection to others and profound purpose in your acts, you can write on this topic. Although more than a few candidates will undoubtedly submit clich\u00e9d pieces on making a difference, if you can capture your admissions reader\u2019s attention fully and make a strong enough impression, the clich\u00e9 aspect will disappear, and he or she will be impressed by your actions and character.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what approach might you take to this essay? The prompt is so open-ended that we cannot possibly capture all possible options, but here are a few:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Thematic approach:<\/strong> You could write about a characteristic or attribute that has woven its way throughout your life or that you have woven into your life. Do some self-exploration and see if you can identify a thread that is common to your greatest achievements, thereby illustrating its importance in bringing you to where you are today. Simply stating that theme is not enough\u2014you need to really guide your reader through the illustrative events in your life to show how and why this theme manifests. In the end, your values are what need to come to the fore in this essay, rather than just a series of discrete episodes. (Note that highlighting your values<\/em> is necessary with any approach you take to your HBS essay.)\u201d<\/li>
  2. Inflection points:<\/strong> Maybe the key events and aspects of your life cannot be neatly captured or categorized within a neat and tidy theme. People are complex, meaning that many are not able to identify a singular \u201cforce\u201d that unifies their life experience. If this is you, do not worry\u2014instead, consider discussing a few inflection points that were instrumental in shaping the individual you are today. This does not mean writing a very linear biography or regurgitating your resume in detail. The admissions committee does not need or want such a summary and is instead interested in your ability to reflect on the catalysts in and challenges to your world view and the manifestations thereof. Likewise, you do not need to offer a family history or an overarching explanation of your existence. Simply start with the first significant incident that shaped who you are as an adult, and again, ensure that your essay ultimately reveals your values.<\/li>
  3. Singular anecdote:<\/strong> Although this is rare, you may have had a single standout experience that could serve as a microcosm of who you are and what you stand for. If this experience or moment truly defines you and strikes at the essence of your being, you can discuss it and it alone. You do not need to worry that offering just one anecdote will make your essay seem \u201cskimpy\u201d or present you as one-dimensional, as long as the story has inherent strength and power. You will need to delve into the narrative and let the story tell itself; if you are choosing to write a singular anecdote, the story should be sufficiently compelling on its own, without a lot of explanation.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    You may have read through these three options and thought, \u201cWhat about a fourth option, in which I discuss my goals and why HBS? Certainly they want to know about that!\u201d The HBS admissions committee is a straight-shooting group\u2014if the school wanted candidates to write about their goals and why HBS, or wanted them not<\/em> to, the prompt would come right out and say so. The reality is that most people should not use this essay to discuss their career ambitions and interest in HBS, because doing so will not reveal that much \u201cmore\u201d about them. For example, if you are a consultant who plans to return to consulting after graduation, we cannot imagine a scenario in which addressing your goals and why an HBS MBA is critical would constitute an effective use of this essay. However, if you are a medic at a bush hospital in Uganda and are applying to HBS with the goal of commercializing low-cost technologies to fight infectious diseases, this may well be a fitting topic for your essay, as you seek to connect the dots between your unusual (in a positive sense) career path and your aspirations. In short, for most candidates, we would suggest eschewing a \u201cWhy MBA? Why HBS?\u201d approach, but in a few rare cases, it may be appropriate and compelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Finally, let us talk about word limits! HBS has not stipulated any particular parameters, but keep in mind that with each word, you are making a claim on someone else\u2019s time\u2014so you better make sure that what you have written is worth that additional time and effort. We expect that most of our clients will use approximately 1,000 words, with some using as few as 750 and a minority using as many as 1,500. We have difficulty imagining a scenario in which an applicant would truly need more than 1,500, but we certainly know of candidates who were accepted with essays that exceeded that high target. In short, take the space you need to tell your story properly and showcase your personality and experience, and then work to reduce your essay to its lowest possible word count, without sacrificing any impact or effectiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Have the Last Word: The Post-Interview Reflection (conditional on being interviewed)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    From the admissions committee: \u201cFollowing the interview, candidates are required to submit a written reflection using our online application system. This must be submitted within 24 hours following the completion of the interview. Detailed instructions will be provided to those applicants who are invited to the interview process.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Note: While the Post-Interview Reflection is yet to be officially announced for the 2019-2020 season, we anticipate that it will indeed be a part of the HBS application process. If this changes, we will amend our essay analysis\u2014please stay tuned.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For the past five years, HBS has asked candidates who are granted an interview to complete one more written task. Within 24 hours of interviewing, you must submit some final words of reflection, addressing the question \u201cHow well did we get to know you?\u201d As with the application essay, this post-interview reflection is open-ended; you can structure it however you wish and write about whatever you want to tell the committee. HBS urges interviewed applicants not to approach this reflection as a formal essay but instead \u201cas an email you might write to a colleague or supervisor after a meeting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Some candidates may find this additional submission intimidating, but we encourage you to view it as an opportunity to reveal new aspects of your profile to the admissions committee. Because your HBS interviewer will have read your entire application before your meeting, you will likely discuss information from your resume, essays, recommendations, etc., during your interview. This post-interview reflection, then, could provide an opening for you to integrate new and different elements of your profile, thereby adding depth to your candidacy. For example, if you could not find a way to include the story of a key life experience of yours into your essays, but your interviewer touches on a similar story or something connected with this experience in your meeting, you would now have license to share that anecdote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    As soon as your interview is over, jot down all the topics covered and stories you discussed. If you interview on campus, note also any observations about your time there. For example, sitting in on a class might have reminded you of a compelling past experience, or participating in the case method may have provided insight into an approach you could use in some way in the future. Maybe the people you met or a building you saw made a meaningful impression on you. Whatever these elements are, tie them to aspects of your background and profile while adding some new thoughts and information about yourself. This last part is key\u2014simply describing your visit will not teach the admissions committee anything about you<\/em>, and a flat statement like \u201cI loved the case method\u201d will not make you stand out. Similarly, offering a summary of everything the admissions committee already knows about you will not advance your candidacy and would constitute a lost opportunity to keep the committee learning about who you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    HBS offers some additional advice on the post-interview reflection that we strongly urge you to take seriously and follow:<\/p>\n\n\n\n