Harvard 2013 (HBS) - Calling All Applicants

Have been reading the forums, but have never posted until now. Not to be arrogant, but for certain reasons was confident I'd get an invite (now pretty surprised I didn't). What are the typical reasons that people with the right HBS profile don't get invites? Can give more info on myself if anyone wants to venture a guess why I didn't get the invite.

If you share your stats and we can certainly try to venture a guess.

And again, there is still next week.

Not to say you did this, but one potential reason is resting on one's laurels and expecting pedigree to carry the day without tight essays and proper positioning.

Hi Equestrian,

Thank you very much for the advice! That should solve the problem, indeed!

Congrats for your invitation!

Congrats to everyone who got an invite today!! Please don't forget to update your profile, so it shows on the front page.

Understood. But had significant help (incl paid consultants), and spent a ton of time on them.

@hunterashmore thanks for your offer. I have a 3.65 from Notre Dame/Northwestern/Emory type school,710 (q45, v41). Worked in investment banking for two years at a top bank (gs/ms/jp morgan), then did my third year -- this year -- in a special assistant type role to a sr person at the firm (think coo/cfo/head of investment banking type level). Also had nationally recognized nonprofit leadership, etc. Also an hbs legacy. Any thoughts? Trying to figure out what I should be doing differently. For when I apply again in 2-3 years. Thank you. Sorry for the essay, just crushed about it.

Posted from my mobile device

Should add I realize a 710/3.65 isn't off the charts, but felt that my extracurricular stuff was what would really separate me. Thanks.

Posted from my mobile device

NOT SAYING THIS IS YOU BUT IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE

1 you actually have an unclear+ incorrect idea of what a typical "should get interview" profile is.
2. your recs were sub-par (compared to recs fr. peer group) and also hinted at
deal-breaker reasons which were in your app, e.g. smart but not team player, wld not be good in
case method setting for lotsa intangible reasons--all of this real, real subtle, but one small fart can kill you in this setting
3. you are in a disliked or over-crowded sector (finance) and again lots of small things in app got adcom lady's nose bent out of joint
4. bad luck or unfair outcome --e.g. you are right.
5 Of the above, number 1 is MOST freq.

Again, this is generic, don't know much about you except this odd and un-self-aware post, so good luck and write back next week and
tell us all to jump in a lake.
Real easy question for you: what is record of your current firm of placing kids at HBS or getting interviews, if over 50 pct, then
number 1 above is prob. not the case. If firm has no track record or little success, well, it could be No 1 above.

If you have met with someone from HBS, maybe you could let them know informally. I wouldn't send HBS your contract or an official letter saying "BY THE WAY - I have a job"

I mean, where in the 2+2 application did you even say "I don't have a job". You're a college senior no? So...

Don't stress. People DO get interview invites in the second wave. Seems like you are a pretty strong candidate. Also, why wait 2-3 years? Why not consider another school?

I believe this post from R1 is relevant:

Congrats Big Red! HBS here you come.

Any updates for Asia, esp China? Thanks guys.

Well I'm definitely on the old end of the spectrum but I got an invitation to interview. Pretty stoked! Now I gotta wait and see for Stanford and Haas.

Hi, I just got the invite today, kind of surprised as I was told that I was too old for HBS (I'm 31).

I live in Brazil and while I know that HBS says that interviewing off-campus doesn't hurt your chances, do you guys think that doing an on-campus interview might in some way increase the odds of being accepted?

Thanks!

out of curiosity, who told you that you were too old (I'm also 31, btw).

I don't think it hurts your chances per se, but I felt being on campus helped. Not just from an interview standpoint - you can do a class visit, tour campus and Boston, and get a feel for the type of people you will be surrounded by for the next two years. That whole experience made me even more sure that HBS is where I want to be, and I honestly think that kind of excitement helps when you interview.

I don't think so at all. Schools that are sensitive about their yield rates will look at an interview on campus as a sign that the candidate is really interested. 90% of accepted students attend Harvard, so they're not worried that you *really* want to go there. Since the admissions team does the vast majority of interviews, I believe they also travel around the world to convenient locations on each (populous) continent. Others may disagree, but I really don't think you need to head to Cambridge.

Whoever told you that you were too old was foolish. Averages are just that, an average.