Calling all the Harvard Gurus - Fall'08

Added to the pants pooping thread

I'll be applying R2. Its too early of a R1 deadline for me to be able to visit this year. My odds aren't good, but what the heck, I'll give it a shot.

Out of all the schools I am looking at, I believe I have the best stories & experiences for the Harvard essays. Too bad that R1 deadline is so early. Right now I am deciding between having HBS be my first set of completed essays, which are usually the worst, and submitting them for R2. I don't think it applying in R2 will hurt my chances anymore, its just the wait to hear back from them would kill me.

I agree, R2 won't hurt your chances, but the wait is tough. I think this year they will have a deadline for interview invites (as Chicago and Wharton have), so the wait should be a little shorter.

L.

I am in INDIA, so might not be able to visit the campus.............I have gone through the website properly.

Need some information about the job scene post MBA. Do you have some info other than the info in the employment reports?

Not much, at least yet. That's a good question for an info session or for some local alumni.

My view on the subject is that if you get into HBS there won't be many closed doors, so the job scene can be considered to be as good as or better than that at any other school.

L.

Do y'all recommend I apply for R1 or R2? If I apply for R2 I will be able to do a full class & campus visit as well as put together better essays. My heart was initially set on R1 but I am starting to lean towards R2. I did visit the campus about a month ago for an info session but it did not include class visits, tours, or meeting with students.

Why is an HBS visit a prereq to applying? I just don't see anywhere in the application or essays where that would be of enough benefit to DELAY submitting the application to another round.

Although I think visiting the school is important, for the essays I am writing not once have I thought my essay would be enhanced by visiting. Maybe I am missing something though.

Thoughts?

Many people here have mentioned that after a visit you have a much better feel for the overall culture. That way you could better tailor your essays to emphasize your fit with said school.

Agreed...But HBS is different. There is no 'WHY HBS' essay question.

In other words, what essay question would this help you address?

Although there is no explicit "Why HBS" essay, you still want to tailor your career goals essay to the specific school. You want to show how HBS in particular will help you reach your goals and why no other school would do. It is also a good idea to have your other essays emphasize characteristics that are a good fit with HBS.

One plus is that all R1 applicants will have the same predicament, formal class visits don't start until Oct 9th, 7 days after the R1 deadline. During my visit for an info session an Adcom mentioned that some students do visit schools a year in advance. The adcom thought that was a little ridiculous though and didn't expect that much planning out of prospective students.

I find the below rather contradictory -

Candidates who received their bachelor's degree from an English-speaking university are not required to take the TOEFL/TWE or IELTS (i.e., they are exempt).


Candidates who received a master's or Ph.D. degree from an English-speaking university are strongly encouraged to submit the TOEFL and/or IELTS.

So - an under graduate from an english speaking Univ / followed by a Masters in the United States still warrants TOEFL ?!

I am missing the logic here ..

I would see that mostly being applicable to foreign students who had received a masters in the US, but not their bachelors. Otherwise, you are correct, it would make no sense!

Umm .. so students who recieved their UG (outside US) from an English speaking university should turn in TOEFL scores if they had continued with their masters in the US but those students who stopped with their UG needn bother about TOEFL ?! weird .. !

i am in for R1

for everybody out there who is wondering whether to visit or not, i have one piece of advise... do it!... whoever said it wasn't kidding when they said that a hbs class is like a meeting at the united nations... and all the flags in the classroom only add to this

i was in two minds about hbs before i visited... i have no doubts now... i still don't think i stand a chance of getting in, but i just cannot resist trying!

I don't think of it as a prereq. I think that if you have any concerns about the culture or any other doubts, it should put your mind at ease (or not). Either way, you would not want to be admitted to a school you loathe, no matter how prestigious it may be.

My advice: visit all schools to which you apply, or at least the schools to which you are admitted before comitting 2 years and 150+ k.

L.

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