![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fortunaadmissions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Screen-Shot-2020-06-30-at-9.58.49-AM-300x188.png\")
<\/h2>\n<\/h2>\nFor many applicants, this question feels maddeningly open ended \u2013 paralyzing even \u2013 given the lack of word limit. Where do I begin? What do I share? As a Fortuna Admissions coach<\/a> and former Associate Director at HBS leading PhD admissions and supporting the MBA Interview Board, I spend a lot of time putting this essay into context for anxious candidates. Everyone wants to know, what is HBS looking for?<\/p>\n Beyond credentials, HBS is looking for character. The Admissions Committee seeks principled, passionate individuals who have the potential to fulfill the HBS mission to education leaders who make a difference in the world. While this aspect is readily understood, the process of how to do this effectively is far more complex.<\/p>\n Before I dive into your strategy, let me put a fine point on this: it\u2019s all about your essay. Indeed, the essay is often the make or break factor for HBS. Character doesn\u2019t show up on a resume, in your test scores, or through grades or your transcripts. Your opportunity to show them what you are made of, what drives you, is in the essay. The competition is fierce, so this is the place where you can convince them you have what it takes to be part of this incredible community.<\/p>\n Remember that the majority of applicants (9,228 apps last cycle, to be precise) will come with strong credentials. Those credentials get you to the threshold, but they won\u2019t get the interview, because Harvard has seen it all. Once you\u2019ve reached a certain level of exceptionalism in terms of being brilliant, driven and dedicated, it\u2019s all about your story. Think of it like drafting a \u201cmovie trailer\u201d for your life \u2013 your essay should be engaging, interesting, with a level of drama and a pace that keeps the story moving. A great essay will entice the reader to say wow, I cannot wait to meet this person and learn more.<\/p>\n 1. Do NOT display a highlights reel of professional achievements. The biggest temptation \u2013 and the biggest snooze \u2013\u00a0is a \u201cresume to prose\u201d essay, which will put your wearied admissions reader to sleep. And frankly, staying awake was the biggest challenge I faced when reading applications, from my time at INSEAD to HBS and even admissions work at Stanford. Too many applicants wrote essays that were boring, lifeless and dull. What really<\/em>made my eyes glaze over were narratives from candidates who sailed through life, having never failed or struggled, who always excelled at everything and then segued to the details of some deal or consulting project. This can\u2019t be overstated: Your essay must not read simply as a story of successes and accomplishments. It\u2019s a common pitfall, and it robs your story the potential for making an emotional connection. Above all, write an essay you yourself would want to read.<\/p>\n So, when HBS asks you, \u201cwhat else do you want us to know?\u201d the focus is on the \u201cwhat ELSE.\u201d\u00a0 You have already detailed your job experiences in the short answer section of the application along with your resume. Do not restate these same facts again, and again. Remember, they know what consultants and bankers do in the office, so unless you are introducing something new or connecting your work to a broader theme, avoid trying to \u201cshow off\u201d by writing at length about work achievements.<\/p>\n 2. Be open, imperfect and REAL.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n I find it disheartening that my strongest piece of advice, which is to tell the truth and be yourself, is also so difficult at times. Most people are afraid to be real, and they spend hours polishing and perfecting an \u201cimage\u201d or \u201cbrand\u201d that is an illusion. When you take the risk to be yourself, to be vulnerable, it inspires a human connection. It gives you credibility. What\u2019s more interesting to read \u2013\u00a0the story of someone who sailed through life and had everything work out perfectly, every single time? Or the story of someone who struggled, faced extraordinary challenges, and demonstrated the tenacity and resilience to not only survive but to thrive?<\/p>\n That\u2019s why the more personal and open you can be in terms of why you do what you do, the more memorable and appealing you\u2019ll be. Because so few people are. Few people are rigorously honest, and fewer are vulnerable in the process of storytelling. Some of the best essays I have ever read open with the story of a failure and how that shaped them. From my perspective, if you are never making mistakes, you aren\u2019t working hard enough. Besides, there is something so powerful about the truth when you read it \u2013 it hits you and tunes up your curiosity. And that\u2019s what you want to inspire \u2013 enough enthusiasm and curiosity for the admissions committee to want to meet you and learn more. Always remember \u2013 this is a search for authenticity.<\/p>\n 3. Show vs. tell.<\/strong><\/p>\n In the process of storytelling, the details are everything. Avoid the temptation to qualify your experience or tell the readers what they are supposed to think. Show them instead. For example, what is more powerful \u2013 someone saying, \u201cI had a horrible flight,\u201d or, \u201cWe pulled onto the runway, and I could see from my window the dark clouds above; the captain announced once cleared for takeoff, we were in for a bumpy ride. I could feel my pulse quickening.\u201d While you want to avoid detailing a terrible flight experience for the HBS adcom, this concept is critical for effective storytelling. Show them<\/em> what you have been through and the challenges you have faced through vivid recollection. A consultant can help you sift through your experience to help you identify what to focus on. Generally, experiences that shaped your values and attitude toward life are a great place to start. You might talk about a challenge, for example, or a time you fell and picked yourself back up. Underscore how it shaped you as a human being and what you learned from the experience and remember to SHOW them the impact vs. simply telling them.<\/p>\n 4. Connect the dots.<\/strong><\/p>\n Your essay should have what I refer to as the \u201cthread of continuity\u201d that will serve as a unifying theme. Perhaps, you can introduce an experience that was momentous or marked an important milestone in your opening paragraph. As you weave together stories that show the committee who you are and the twists and turns your life has taken, you will want to revisit this theme at different points in your story as a way to unify the narrative. The conclusion should serve to tie it all together. This may sound formulaic, but when in doubt, rest assured this is a tried and true model that allows you to connect the dots for your reader. Any great story or even speech \u2013 from Martin Luther King\u2019s\u00a0I Have A Dream<\/em>to the latest Hollywood blockbuster \u2013\u00a0have a cohesive flow and pace that keep the audience\u2019s attention. There is always an intangible driving force that builds, which is an essential ingredient to a winning essay.<\/p>\n 5. Respect the reader\u2019s time.<\/strong><\/p>\n While there\u2019s no given word count, try to keep your essay within 2,000 words, or three-to-four pages. This may surprise you if you\u2019ve been advised stay within 800 \u2013 1,000 words, but the truth is content is everything and some stories need more space. And if it\u2019s too short, admissions may assume you are being inauthentic or following misguided advice. And while there\u2019s no hard-and-fast rule, I don\u2019t recommend going over 2,000 words. Most of my clients land somewhere between 800 to 1,500 \u2013 being pithy and succinct also shows discipline and humility. That said, one of the most powerful essays I have ever worked on with a client was one word under 2,000, and the feedback he received in the interview was that his essay was one of the best the committee had ever read, and his interviewer thanked him for his openness and honesty.<\/p>\n Ultimately, HBS is looking for people who are ambitious and extraordinary, with a habit of leadership, a history of engaging the community, and the appetite and aptitude for success that separates them from the simply smart and hard working. Beyond a demonstrated professional track record and impressive credentials, they also want to see a proclivity for consistently exceeding goals. More than that, they\u2019re seeking mission-driven doers who are motivated by a deeper purpose and poised to make the institution proud. Your challenge with the essay \u2013 and opportunity \u2013 is to fuse that with a captivating story of who you are as an individual. And if that feels daunting, keep in mind that no one else has lived your story but you, which makes you uniquely qualified to tell it.<\/p>\n For more tips on applying to Harvard Business School, view my short\u00a0video strategy session<\/strong><\/a>, or read my related article on\u00a0Acing the HBS Interview<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n Fortuna Admissions Expert Coach Karla Cohen<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0is\u00a0former Harvard Business School associate director of doctoral programs and an MBA interview board member. She was also a manager of the PhD program at INSEAD.<\/p>\n Other of Karla’s related features include, \u00a05 Tops Tips: Reapply to Harvard Business School<\/a> and the video strategy session,\u00a0Harvard Business School Advice: A Strategy for Working with Your Recommenders<\/a>.<\/p>\nHere are five key tips for writing a powerful HBS essay:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n![\"Karla](\"https:\/\/fortunaadmissions.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/IMG_7751-1REV-768x1024.jpg\")
<\/p>\n