Harvard 2013 (HBS) - Calling All Applicants

THIS WAS EMAIL SENT BY DEE LEOPOLD TO KIDS WHO INTERVIEWED IN NEW YORK THIS PAST WEEK-END. NOT SURE WHO ELSE GOT IT.

We look forward to meeting you at your upcoming interview. Given that it is unlikely that I will be your interviewer, I wanted to take a moment and share some thoughts with you.

First, thank you for being interested in Harvard Business School and engaged in this process. It means a lot to us.

Next, here's what you can expect from your interview. Your interviewer will be a member of the Admissions Board and will be very experienced in meeting with candidates. He/she will have read your application thoroughly. There is no formula for how an interview will be conducted or list of standard questions. Your written application will be a starting point but the conversation may not stay there very long. Your interviewer is trying to understand you and assess your ability to thrive in our case method classroom. All interviews will last thirty minutes - we try to ensure that all candidates receive an equal amount of attention. We find that the thirty minutes goes by very quickly - therefore we find it difficult to allocate time in the interview for you to ask questions. If you do have questions after your interview, you can always reach me at 617-495-6220. I don't want your questions to go unanswered.

Another thing - the post-interview reflection. Yes, this is new but it is not (not! not!) another essay or something that should cause you anxiety. Don't start multi-tasking in the interview by making a mental list of what you want to write about. My advice is to "be present" in the interview - I think you will enjoy it - and find a quiet place to sit down afterward and jot down your thoughts.

Interviews are not auditions for Harvard Business School. By this I mean that this one step in our evaluation/selection process does not supersede all other elements of your application. After your interview, the interviewer will write a report for your file and the entire application will be reviewed again. The way our model works is that slightly more than half of interviewed candidates will be offered admission.

Here's some advice:


Relax. We'll be nervous too but we will be working hard to make sure that you are comfortable and, at the end of thirty minutes, you feel understood. That is what matters.
You really can't prepare. although I know you will try! Try not to spend your time memorizing your written application or preparing a script for anticipated questions. Prior to your interview, listen to your music, take a walk. these suggestions may sound corny, but they are exactly the things I would tell you if we were meeting in person.
Also, because we will not have the opportunity to meet you on the HBS campus for your interview, Professor Rawi Abdelal, Chair of the First-year Required Curriculum, wanted a way to share his view on the distinctive HBS learning environment. As such, he recorded a video message for you.
https://video.hbs.edu/videotools/play?cl ... admissions


Let me close the way I began - thank you so much for applying to Harvard Business School. Our desire to meet you for an interview means that you are a strong applicant. I know how expensive and exhausting the application process can be. I hope that the opportunity to reflect and express yourself, both in writing and in the interview, will be seen as a valuable experience. I wish you well.



Sincerely,

Dee Leopold
Managing Director, MBA Admissions & Financial Aid
Harvard Business School