Calling all Harvard MBA Applicants: (2019 Intake) Class of 2021!

I am prepping a couple of hours a day. My interview is on 11/8 so I still have some time.

The common themes in most advice I've received or found is to:

1. Know your application inside and out
2. Keep up to date with current news
3. Know the "whys" of your path thus far

My interview date is less than two weeks out and I've done minimal prep because of work/family obligations... probably time to step it up.

Nugget22 bondtradercu legendkillaz Nugget22 congrats on moving on to interviews.

R2 applicant here.

Looking back:

1) did you all feel pretty good when you submitted that you'd move on? if so, what about your profile made you feel this way?
2) GMAT - were you over or under indexing? what is your final opinion how b-schools treat the #
3) was anyone doing the test and applications at the same time? how did you balance?
4) Essays in parallel or one at a time? which school overall took the most time?
5) any other tips?

Thank you!

Hey!

1. Honestly, I feel like I did not have time to reflect after I hit "Submit". HBS was the first school I applied to so after I submitted my application, I was busy with other application items including retaking the GMAT in hopes for a higher score. If I were to reflect now.. I was very worried about the amount of time I spent on my essays. I had spent a lot of time "career soul-searching" (including reading about my industry, listening to podcasts, and figuring out what else is out there) and then drafted three complete submit-ready essays. At the time it seemed like such an inefficient way to go about it. Now, however, I'm glad I did the intensive ground work. I think my final essay spoke passionately and coherently about who I am and how I want to make an impact.

2. My GMAT score is a smidge below the median. Having said that, my undergrad GPA is higher than the HBS average, so I think that may have helped. I think they use applicants' GPAs and test scores in tandem to assess academic ability so when you apply, think about what those two in combination say.

3. HAHA yes, that was me. I was doing my full time job, consulting on the side, training for a triathlon, studying for the GMAT, and writing my essays at the same time. Let's just say there was a lot of 2 am bedtimes and 6:30am wake up calls. I'd say be intentional about your time and realistic about who you are, how you work, and what you want. I retook the GMAT once and got the same exact score. Leaving the testing center, I was slightly annoyed and very amused thinking about how much time I put into studying and how much downtime/sleep I could have had instead. I considered retaking the test a third time but decided that my body would be physically unable to open the GMAT prep book again and I could use my time tackling another aspect of my application instead.

4. In parallel.. and then I kept redrafting each up until the very end.


I don't know much about the application process other than what I've experienced and I'm only an n of 1, but I hope this helps.
Let me know if you have further questions.

For women - are you going with a pant / skirt suit or a dress + blazer?

I am just prepping at the moment by reviewing my resume and my written application and my story!

How prepared do you guys feel a few weeks out at this moment?

I feel pretty prepared. Been going through questions with friends and family each day to ensure I have general guideleines for my answers and don't feel scripted. I did a mock interview with a consultant and also have had interviews with Tepper, Northwestern and Jones.




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One major thing I heard from people is that don't sound too scripted. How can we make sure that we are not scripted - mostly feedback from people we do interviews with right? Since if we are preparing, we will know the stories we would like to say, so they are all scripted to a certain extent. Nothing is actually thought out on the spot.

Congratulations to everyone who received an admissions interview! At HBS, that's a real achievement -- so take a minute to congratulate yourself and enjoy the moment.

As you prepare for your interview, you might want to consider these two posts my team and I wrote. HBS is notorious for having the most rigorous interview process, so there is no such thing as over-preparation in this case:
- I Received an MBA Interview Invite...Now What?
- How to Ace the HBS Interview

Assuming all goes well and you gain that coveted offer of admission, you can then read up on these other topics!:
- How to become a Baker Scholar
- How to improve classroom comments with a Feedback Buddy
- Case Captains: the key to working smarter in discussion group
- How to read and prepare an HBS-style MBA Case
- How to make the most of your MBA discussion group

I think when they say "Scripted" I feel like its a catch all for everything they don't like. Such as trying to get your point across when it doesnt make sense in the context of the question, being too long winded or getting lost in your answer and saying an obviously rehearsed answer. When you come up with stories have general progression for the story or answer but don't aim to say the same exact thing everytime you practice. That's how I take it. Overall be natural and know your resume and experiences very well, which at this point shouldn't be too much work. Hope this helps, have gotten this from research and my own experiences with the interviews I have done so far.

I agree with the below. There is such a thing as OVER-preparing for this scenario. That's bad because, like Stephen said below -- it makes you want to force an already-practiced answer in where it doesn't make sense. It also could bring you MORE anxiety when a question you hadn't prepared for or that is just different enough from the ones you DO have a response for is asked.

They aren't trying to trick you with their questions. They won't be asking about anything you don't know. But they do want to ensure that you have clear stances on certain issues, that you can explain things clearly to those outside of your industry, and that you remain poised if pushed out of your comfort zone.

My advice is to have a few stories/anecdotes that you know inside and out but that you don't rehearse in a certain way -- stories that could be used in multiple different ways to show a certain quality of yours. But other than that I don't think there's a ton to prepare for. Be yourself! That's what they're truly wanting you to do.

Good luck to all!


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How is everyone doing with their interview prep? How are you guys feeling? Prepared? Anxious?

Anyone has their interviews yet and want to spill on how it went?

Okay I am going to aim to apply by the R2 deadline. Just out of curiosity, what exactly does this refer to? I know it's your complete application but are you okay to send your GMAT score just (e.g.) 3 days before the R2 deadline?

bz08

Following is taken from HBS website. I guess sending scores 3 days before the R2 deadline is sufficient. Please also drop an email to Harvard admission committe just to make sure.


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Thanks Erica - so it sounds like the keys are to practice and knowing the resume inside and out. And one of the most important questions are why MBA/ HBS and why now correct?

Also, do you have any advice for random oddball questions? These are just to test our ability to think quickly on our feet correct?

Did anyone receive a Harvard pen during their interview? Especially those who interviewed with Sarah Lucas.

Traditionally, everyone who interviews at HBS is given a pen as a token of gratitude for sharing your story with them. People hang onto them -- I have a few friends that took all their notes in business school with those pens!

We've had a few clients interview so far and are going to compile their interview reports here, including a selection of the specific questions they were asked here: https://www.ivyadmissionsgroup.com/blog ... -2018-2019

In general we are finding that this year HBS is much more interested in measuring each candidate’s industry knowledge and ability to represent their industry in section. The entire time, the interviewer and their scribe will be evaluating your communication skills to see if you’d crack under the pressure of the case classroom. They will want to see that you are able to clearly articulate your thoughts with logical structure and that your answers are persuasive. They will also probe to test the depth of your professional knowledge to see if you will be able to serve as an appropriate representative for your industry to the rest of your section. We recommend that candidates prepare by researching the latest trends in their industry and be able to speak to the recent performance of their own company.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

I did not interview with her, and I did not receive a pen! No fair!

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