Harvard (HBS) Calling all applicants - Class of 2016

I have a quick question. I am an entrepreneur who lectured as a case protagonist at HBS a few years ago, will this be something that will be helpful to my application and if so how can i best leverage this experience? thanks

Now that's an interesting angle to be able to use in your HBS essay...

I would go with something along the lines of "I enjoyed listening to 90 pretty bright people dissect every decision I made with my company, and given all the insights I took away from that single class I can't imagine how much I'd be able to learn thru 2 years in that kind of environment etc. etc."

You'll be in a unique position to talk about the intellectual rigor, your feel for the culture, etc. and how you think they'll support your professional development.

Just out of curiosity, what case and class was it? You can PM me if you don't want to post it in the open.

For those who were dinged, what are your plans?

1. Stay put and reapply in 1+ years?
2. Switch jobs and reapply in 1 year?
3. Switch jobs and reapply in 2+ years?
4. Other?

@nikkiikkio My plan is to go to another top business school.

Yes, I was a bit gutted about HBS but life is too short to wait around for another year. And I think it would take quite an impressive update to make any real difference.

Any of the top 10 schools is going to give you a great education. If you can afford to wait, go for it! If not, or if you think you will have other opportunities in life's great lottery, don't waste your time waiting.

Keeping my fingers crossed for MIT Sloan, which was my joint first option (and then at least I have the option of attending some classes at HBS!)

I was rejected after an interview. I interviewed with a few other top programs that I really liked, so assuming I get in elsewhere, I'd probably happily enroll somewhere else this year. Harvard is an amazing school and maybe in your personal circumstances it would make sense to wait and try again, but I would also consider applying to some other top programs if there are any others that are suitable for you.

Congrats to those who were admitted!

Hi,

While filling out the form to add recommenders to the app, I encountered the following lines and couldn't understand what to make out of it:

"The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Buckley Amendment) allows you to access your educational records if you enroll at Harvard Business School. You may waive your right of access to this specific report if you so choose. Your decision to waive or not to waive your right of access will have no bearing on the evaluation of your application; however, once you submit this information it cannot be changed. Most applicants choose to waive their right to access."

Can anyone explain?

This means that you have a government-protected right to ask to see your recommendation letters if you are accepted and enroll at Harvard (or any other US university).

In general it is considered good practice to waive (turn down) the right, meaning you agree that you won't ask to see the letters. Your letter writers might feel more comfortable writing the letter if they know it is confidential. Also, although it says that whether you waive or not won't affect your admissions decision, if you waive your right, the admissions staff might be most confident that your recommenders wrote an honest letter without the writer being influenced by the possibility that you would read the letter.

Hello,
I have a query..

Im applying for R2 of applications..

I had submitted my recommender email id to application portal 4 days back.. but my recommender tells me he hasnt received any link..
I tried the 'send reminder' button also but still no success!!

Is there so much time lag between submission and receiving of email?
should i wait or should contact the admissions office or some other help?

1. Ask your recommender to check his or her spam folder

2. If problem persists, contact the admissions office.

Has anyone received the print copy of the admissions letter yet? I'm waiting to get that before I submit my resignation at my work place!

Hey guys.. I am working on my Harvard essay.. Wondering what to write about. The question specifically asks what we have not mentioned in the application. Our Resume says our achievements and work ex, the online application asks extra curricular, education, why mba & goals, achievements again, challenges, etc. WHAT is it that we can actually write about without repeating info? (except probably Why HBS)

Suggestions from fellow admits and R2 applicants will be helpful.
Thanks

I'm an R2 applicant, so you need to view my approach with that perspective. I cannot guarantee that it will be a winning formula but at least, it might give you an idea as a starting point.

I viewed the essay as a motivational prompt. How did you get to where you are? Why did you choose your undergraduate course of study and how did it impact your life? Do you have some personal demons you are fighting? You can spice it up by adding some personal touch.

All the best.



Posted from my mobile device

anybody know how many people are on the waitlist and what are the chances of getting off the list?

Congrats to everyone that got in! Anyone admitted students willing to post their profiles? and any comments on what you think made you stand out?

I agree. Right now they have a bunch of stats and knowledge of your academic and work experience and achievements. They have no idea who you are as a person, why you are who you are, what you're really passionate about, why you've made the decisions you have, etc. I think the essay should be more personal. Maybe it's about an achievement or decision they already know about, but in the essay you write about all the personal factors that went in to making that decision, or what motivated you to earn that achievement, or what you've learned from some experience. I think the essay basically is adding the color, context, and story behind the more factual information they have about you.

FROM HBS Admissions Blog: Holiday Coverage - With Special Information for Round 2 Applicants

‘Tis the season around here for HBS to close for the Holiday Season.  We are feeling very jolly about Round 1 admits and getting ready for 2014 and the January 6 Round 2 deadline. Our office - and all offices at HBS - will be CLOSED from Tuesday, December 24 through Wednesday, January 1. We’ll re-open at 9:00am EST on Thursday, January 2. If you are a Round 2 applicant and have questions during our break, please contact us via email: ·        For general application questions, please contact us via admissions@hbs.edu ·        If you need technical support for the online application, please contact us at slatesupport@hbs.edu We’ll be responding to email only during the break. Response time may be longer than during normal business hours. We will have additional telephone support the weekend prior to the Round 2 application deadline. We will be available from 10:00am to 2:00pm (EST) on Saturday, January 4 and 3:00pm to 7:00pm (EST) on Sunday, January 5. Let me repeat the answers to (truly) the most frequently asked questions: ·        GMAT/GRE TEST SCORES MAY NOT BE SUBMITTED AFTER JAN 6. If you do so, you will be moved to Round 3. ·        PLEASE READ THE TOEFL/IELTS/PTE SECTION ON THE WRITTEN APPLICATION PAGE OF OUR WEBSITE. ·        WE DON’T OFFER APPLICATION FEE WAIVERS OF ANY KIND. Sorry for the upper case - I’m not shouting - but need to get your attention. Wishing all of you a happy and safe winter break…and see you in 2014!

FROM HBS Admissions Blog: Visiting HBS in December/January

I just want to make sure you all know what to expect if you want to visit HBS over the next few weeks. You will see snow. You will not see students. They are all taking off for their winter break and some well-deserved rest. So are we. The campus - all buildings and departments - will be closed from end of day, December 23 through January 1. We'll be back in the office on January 2, 2014 at 9 am. Until January 27, all tours and info sessions will be led by MBA admissions staff. There will not be student participants, so if you want to meet our students and see them in action, this is not the best time to come (although in the admissions department, we like the company). The tours and info sessions will be on Mondays and Fridays with the tour starting at 1:15 and the info session starting at 2:00. No signup is necessary – you can just come by our office here in Dillon House. Students will be back to leading the tours starting on January 27th and class visits will also resume at the end of January. You will need to sign up to visit a class and you can do that now. As always, please be sure to check our events calendar for an updated schedule of what's happening. Wishing you all a happy and safe winter holiday. Peace on earth. Dee