Harvard Business School - Class of 2015 (Matriculating 2013) https://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/10/1005_dschools/image/harvardbusinessschool.jpg HBS Applicant Summary (Real Time) Quick Glance: GMAT Club vs. Latest Intake (Class of 2015) GMAT Club's Real-time Admissions Statistics Latest GMAT Club Member Profile Updates Detailed Applicant List: Add Yourself to This List (add HBS to your profile) Add Your Profile to This List Questions about this Roll Call ? Round 1 Deadline: 9/24/2012 | Decision Date: 12/12/2012 Round 2 Deadline: 1/7/2013 | Decision Date: 3/27/2013 Round 3 Deadline: 4/8/2013 | Decision Date: 5/15/2013 Rankings (2012 GMAT Club Rankings Table) US News 2011 #1 Entrepreneurship #3 Finance #7 International #8 Management #1 Marketing #6 Nonprofit #3 Production/Operations #8 BusinessWeek 2010 #2 Historical GMAT Club Applicant Threads Fall 2012 - Calling All HBS Applicants Fall 2011 - Calling All HBS Applicants Fall 2010 - Calling All HBS Applicants Fall 2009 - Calling All HBS Applicants Fall 2008 - Calling All HBS Applicants Fall 2007 – Calling All HBS Applicants Popular Links Programs Offered at HBS HBS Employment Reports Notable Alumni Harvard Business School Guide ________________________________________________________________ HBS Webinar Slides - Applicant Information presented by Dee Leopold, Director of Admissions https://poetsandquants.com/2012/06/07/dee-leopolds-harvard-business-school-webinar-slides/ INFORMATION - APPLICATION FOR CLASS OF 2015 Essay Questions Essays required for all applicants: Tell us about something you did well. (400 words) Tell us about something you wish you had done better. (400 words) Joint degree applicants only: How do you expect the joint degree experience to benefit you on both a professional and a personal level? (400 words) Post Interview Reflection Following 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. Recommender Questions - Please comment on the context of your interaction with the applicant. If applicable, briefly describe the applicant's role in your organization. (250 words) - How does the candidate's performance compare to other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? (250 words) - Please describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant's response. (250 words) - Please make additional statements about the applicant's performance, potential, or personal qualities you believe would be helpful to the MBA Admissions Board. (250 words) Other Application Components (Information on Transcripts, TEOFL/PTE, Additional Information): https://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/writtenapplication.html Class of 2014 Total MBA Enrollment 925 Applications 8,963 (down from last year) % Admitted 13% (selectivity down from last year) Yield 90% Class Composition Women 40% (up by 1 %) - highest ever! US Ethnic Minorities 24% (up by 1%) International 32% (down by 2% - wow!) Average Age 27 - same as last year GMAT Score Range 570 - 790 (minima is up by 80 points) Median GMAT 730 - same as last year Undergraduate Majors Business Administration/Economics 43% Engineering/Natural Sciences/Technical Disciplines 34% (down by 2%) Humanities/Social Sciences 22% Other 1%

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Harvard 2013 (HBS) - Calling All Applicants

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Javoni

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13 Sep 2012, 11:21

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Ok, wow, some of you guys are going to be an MBA student at HBS one yer from now, that is huge! Godspeed to all of you!

psup

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Updated on: 12 Oct 2013, 15:35

Originally posted by psup on 14 Sep 2012, 13:10.
Last edited by psup on 12 Oct 2013, 15:35, edited 1 time in total.

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pike

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15 Sep 2012, 19:38

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KillerApp

Essays are done, just polishing/editing a few things. Need to start the short answers..

A question on the Employment section. For Job Responsibilities, are we just writing about the overall/generic things we do? E.g., if you are a consultant, what would you say (as your responsibilities vary by project).

Thoughts?

Yea its not the clearest, but I'm guessing they just want to make sure your job aligns with expectations. So if you say you are a consultant at McKinsey, you don't have to go overboard for them to know what you are about. I squeezed in a few more 'unique' responsibilities just to give a bit of colour.

I read members as total organisation. I found it a bit strange that the e/c section is so focused on being involved in organisations. So what, you can't have e/c involvement unless it is with a club or association that has [x] members?!

reservoir11

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Concentration: Entrepreneurship, General Management

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16 Sep 2012, 01:01

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Hello Everyone,
It's good to see the buzz on this thread.

I am having difficulty with the question to non-native english speakers "In what context are you currently reading, writing, and speaking English?" I understand the intent of the question and have things that I can put in but I am having difficulty in framing the answer. Are they just looking for a simple one liner or are they actually asking the specifics on material and situations?

I would really appreciate your help on this.

Thanks
Raj

olgasu

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16 Sep 2012, 02:02

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reservoir11

I think you are overthinking here. Just answer what you usually do in English - i.e. write emails, read news, books etc.

pike

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16 Sep 2012, 03:12

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Javoni

Ok, wow, some of you guys are going to be an MBA student at HBS one yer from now, that is huge! Godspeed to all of you!

That is a pretty nerve racking thought! Are you applying Javoni?

reservoir11

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16 Sep 2012, 03:17

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olgasu

reservoir11

I think you are overthinking here. Just answer what you usually do in English - i.e. write emails, read news, books etc.

Thanks a lot. Appreciate your help on this.

ttn7p

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16 Sep 2012, 16:44

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Hi Sandy,

After reading through several stats for HBS on poetsandquants and your "Assessing the Odds" for being accepted by HBS, I'm now wondering if I'd even have any slim chance of being considered / interviewed at all, and would greatly appreciate your feedback:

the negatives:
- undergrad from a state school (NJ)
- GPA 3.4 (was studying MIS/Comp Sci)
- 10+ years of experience
- GMAT 690 (will retake)

the other application considerables:
- works at famous tech/search company for the past 5.5 years, specializing in sourcing / outsourcing of operations
- first in the family to graduate from college
- parents had a family business in vietnam but immigrated to the US (now working for others in not-so-glamourous jobs)
- average extra curricular activities (spent 10 weeks teaching underprivileged 6th graders in an apprenticeship program last year, team captain for fundraising at a previous company, volunteering here and there)

Just by sheer percentages, it's probably .01% chance of being accepted, and thought with your expert familiarity of the HBS mold, it would be great if you could advise:

a) not to bother applying or
b) any suggestions on something i could highlight in my application to help with getting to the interview stage (and thus moving to a 50/50 odd of being accepted!)

Thanks for reading, and hope to hear back from you.

bulls011

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16 Sep 2012, 20:37

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This question is directed at Sandy or anyone else that has a strong view. - On the short answer questions regarding employment. How important are these eg your biggest challenge etc? Also should we try to make the bullet points for responsibility similar to what is on the resume? Trying to figure out if there is any value add in this section.

Thans.

Admissionado

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16 Sep 2012, 23:59

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bulls011

The best way to use this section is that for every available character space you are writing quick "silver bullet" points, which highlight the RESULTS of your greatest achievement.

So under greatest challenge you would write things like:

Overcame resistance of 30 board members to convince management to invest in investment xxxx. Investment was the most profitable of the decade.

and BAM!!!!! If every one of your bullets looks like this, then that is HBS materiel!!!

bulls011

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17 Sep 2012, 05:15

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Thanks this is really helpful. One more quick question on the awards section. I really haven't won anything recently. Does being ranked top-tier during an analyst program count for something like this?

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emmanuelle8

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18 Sep 2012, 18:01

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^same problem as bulls01. :S

anyway, how are you guys doing? I'm going insane. so nervous.

KillerApp

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18 Sep 2012, 21:49

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Ya, this is getting close! Any thoughts or guesses on # of R1 apps this year? Fewer due to earlier deadline or higher due to fewer essays?

pike

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18 Sep 2012, 23:00

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KillerApp

Ya, this is getting close! Any thoughts or guesses on # of R1 apps this year? Fewer due to earlier deadline or higher due to fewer essays?

Yea I was thinking about this... I reckon similar to last year.

Although, apps have been down at other schools. So my expectation is that it might increase more applications from the applicant pool, but not necessarily increase that pool itself, if you see what I am saying. So pool size is probably lower, countered by a higher % of the pool throwing their name in the hat for HBS = about the same.

Either way, I don't really see how more or less significantly changes my odds of getting in... still a slim chance I feel!

rbnmba

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19 Sep 2012, 00:29

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Hi guys, was hoping to get some expert opinions on the first essay question:

Tell us about something you did well. (400 words)

How recent should this experience be? I have a very good story from 6-7 years ago before I started university but would this be viewed negatively by adcom? Any insights would be much appreciated - thanks in advance.

str1der

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19 Sep 2012, 02:11

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rbnmba

I am not sure if including a story from that long ago is a good idea. Of course if the thing you did well is monumental (eg: founded a startup while in school, which you sold off in college, and it inspires you towards entrepreneurship today) then thats a different issue. Most schools want recent examples (3 years is a good guideline as MIT says), especially if the experience is a professional and not a personal one.

However this is only my opinion. Wait for others to chime in before you take a final call. Cheers!