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Harvard Business School on a beautiful spring day in 2016
In a swan song of sorts to Harvard Business School MBA applicants, Dee Leopold released her final essay prompt and deadlines for the 2016-2017 application season. The managing director of admissions and financial aid changed it up again, with a new essay question with no word limit.
The new prompt: “As we review your application, what more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Harvard Business School MBA program?”
The round one deadline was set for Sept. 7, two days earlier than last year’s cutoff date, and well before the Sept. 21st round one deadline at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. HBS’ round two deadline is Jan. 4, while the round three and final deadline date is set for April 3.
SAME RULES APPLY FOR APPLICANTS DOING THE NEW ESSAY
The immediate reaction to the new essay from MBA admission consultants was mixed. “It’s not as interesting as the one HBS had been using for the last several years,” says Sandy Kreisberg, founder of HBSGuru.com. “Last year’s essay, ’Introduce yourself to your classmates,’ is more of an invite to be friendly and down to earth. But the same rules apply. And being friendly and down to earth are two good pieces of advice to start with.”
Betsy Massar, founder of Master Admissions, views the new question as a bit of non-news. “Looks like for now, there are no real changes,” she says. “It was probably a good idea to get rid of the “introduce yourself” idea. It just added to, rather than reduced, the stress. This prompt that should be a relief to all those who have been worrying about what to tell the HBS admissions committee for entry into the class of 2019.”
Leopold, who will soon be succeeded by Bain consultant Chad Losee, said the new HBS application will go live in early June. In addition, HBS said that applicants under its 2+2 admissions policy—for college seniors and master’s degree students without full-time work experience—will now have only one deadline—April 3—with one decision notification in mid-May.
BIGGER CHANGES AFOOT FOR 2+2 ADMISSIONS
As director of admissions at HBS since May of 2006, Leopold has led major changes in the field, causing many other schools to add admission interviews and reduce the number of essays required to apply.,
“That means no more picking rounds for college seniors,” wrote Leopold in a blog post. “No more worry about ‘which round is best?’ You will all be reviewed together in April. Why? This way we get to see fall term grades and activities. And we can review the entire pool at once – a luxury we don’t have in the (much larger) work-experienced pool.”
The 2+2 applicants who want to submit before the April deadline are invited to do so, but HBS said it will not treat those applications on a rolling basis so they won’t be considered until the April deadline.
“The positive outcome for a 2+2 applicant is a guaranteed spot in a future class contingent upon gaining employment for at least two years before matriculation,” explained Leopold. “Many participants elect to work for three years and some for four. You’ve heard us say this before and we’ll say it again: 2+2 probably should be re-named “Flex+2”. Maybe we’ll do that. Your plans for employment need to be approved by us but we encourage a wide range of career exploration.”
RULE NO. 1: DO NO HARM
As to the new question, Massar says “They are continuing to leave the door open for students to tell their own story in their own voice without limits. Candidates will have to remember that in this essay, they are having a conversation with a very intelligent admissions committee composed of people who are really hoping you win. If there is any secret at all, it’s to assume that they are excited about your candidacy, and also holding you to your very highest standard. Remember, real, imperfect humans are admitted regularly — I encourage students to celebrate those imperfections, in themselves and in others.”
Kreisberg’s advice?
“First, do no harm. This is most important because the awful truth is that these open HBS essays more often do damage, by being annoying, pedantic, braggy, odd or humor fails than they do good.
“So do not adopt a persona or voice that is annoying or irritating. Do not
go into some robo essay about your greatest accomplishments and why, DO NOT OVERTLY talk about leadership and teamwork, although other essay experts might disagree, and do not do some jive about how x and y of the HBS program can help you.
“You can talk about your goals, in some natural way, that talk grows out of something else, or your goals are helpful in understanding your non-trad resume.
Do not, for the most part, list courses, profs, treks, and etc that you want to take.
“OK, so what should you do. First, figure out if there is anything the adcom really needs to know. Very often the answer to that is NO THERE IS NOT. I would say that is the case in over 70 percent of the applications. Things they need to know are why MBA if you are from a very non-trad background, what oddball job or company X was, and why you are applying if really old, really young, etc.
“A low GMAT/GRE should be addressed and what to say is a topic for another essay. But the golden rule is, if first GMAT was low, you really should show good faith and take it again.
“Beyond that, what do regular schmucks say who wind up getting in. Most often, nothing much, but it is not harmful. Just some tepid jive about jobs and all the things I told you not to say, but not in any stupid or obnoxious way. Those people get in based on GPA, GMAT, work history and identity politics. All the stuff they already know about you. “
The post Harvard’s New Essay For MBA Applicants appeared first on Poets and Quants.
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