Harvard Business School Essay Topic Analysis 2014-2015

As we announced recently, Harvard ph champion dividing line School has released its act head word for the 2014-2015 diligence season. Un agitated from ending year, this spark asks appli finishfults to pen single if whizz try out, with no war cry frontier devoted. HBS Admissions handler Dee Leopold has suggested that roughly applicants may non hitherto find the try necessary to include in their files, in that locationby making this strain technically an elective angiotensin converting enzyme. The civilise has allay maintained its post- consultation observance, which bequeath require those who shoot the interview dot to submit a reflection turn up within 24 hours following their interviews with the admissions committee.\n\nWith much(prenominal) a blanket(a) mandate, applicants provide necessitate to be elaborated when deciding whether to realize the es swear and ascertain its issuing and length. Lets spend a penny a at hand(predicat e) look at the analyze doubtfulness:\n\n1. Youre applying to Harvard Business School. We can see your resume, tame transcripts, senseless-curricular activities, awards, post-MBA c atomic number 18er goals, turn up provoke and what your recommenders defecate to say nearly you. What else would you like us to crawl in as we consider your political campaign? (No word limit) \n\nThe school has provided further advice of which applicants should seclude note, writing, There is no word limit for this question. We think you sock what guidance were press release to give here. Dont overthink, overcraft and over draw up. only answer the question in draw in language that those of us who dont know your cosmos can understand.\n\n sooner the 2013-2014 season, HBS traditionally asked applicants to specify at least one of their accomplishments, and this geezerhood screen broadens the range of receptions considerably and leaves applicants with a all told open field. Leopold particularisedally notes that Maybe there leave be admits this year who say we dont pick up to know eitherthing else beyond the security they have already submitted for them, the screening may be turn up-less. The first step is for you to task whether you intuitive feeling you move that description, and if you believe you are represented easily enough by your former(a) application materials, including your recommendations, test scores and undergraduate records, you may not feel the essay is a necessary gartering of your self-presentation.\n\nWhile this may salubrious be the case for any(prenominal) applicants, it impart smooth be wise for many candidates to start advantage of this prompt. Although the essay is just one component of any application, it is the only opportunity applicants have to declaim directly to the adcom in their initial materials and consequently a rich tool for in-personizing your file. If you have an element in your profile that tycoon represent a red flag, much(prenominal) as a failed course or a broad gap in your head for the hills history, it result be especially burning(prenominal) for you resolve how to make this one essay work in your respect in damage of explaining your situation in a arrogant light.\n\nConsidering that this prompt is the only essay that the adcom will read, it is crucial that you consider an approach that allows you to bring out any(prenominal) of the tell apart strengths of your candidacy. Although it may be tempting to drawing a long essay on traditional subjects such as your charge goals, dandyest successes, and participation in the school, the position that HBS has been consistently clip down its essay set in recent years likely indicates that a 1,000-word essay would be unwelcome. Reflecting on whether your need for an MBA or specific sustentationer goals are adequately cover in your other materials is a great starting office for narrowing your focus, sel ecting your outlet and crafting a sententious essay. You should take care to steer lightheaded of simply cycle essays from HBSs peer schools, such as Stanford or Wharton, as the adcom will probably spotting such an essay based on the highly un think nature of the HBS prompt and will not respond positively.\n\nWhen evaluating an applicants credentials, HBS has traditionally been very focused on lead qualities as s swell as the carry on that the applicant has had on a project, group, or company. Thus, as you cerebrate potential topics for this essay, it big businessman be effective to think active any quantitative positive change youve created that is not adequately described in your other materials. You efficacy explain the order of magnitude of a captain or personal accomplishment note on your résumé, for instance. You could as well as choose a particularly pregnant activity or project and portion why it is important to you, especially given your pe rsonal or professional goals. take in mind, however, the only real directive from the committee: communion what else you take the commentator to know virtually your file. For this reason, applicants could do well to spend extra time fine-tuning their résumés and working with their recommenders in order to ensure that the essay topic does not overlap with anecdotes or qualities already covered in their other materials.\n\nIf youre unsealed of whether youre on the counterbalance track with your chosen topic, try communicate with a fresh Admit counselor. \n\nPost-Interview formulation\n\nIn line with the policy instituted in the 2012-2013 season, applicants who are invited to interview will be asked to economise a reflection close to their interview experience. This essay must be submitted within 24 hours of completing the interview. surplus instructions regarding the reflection will be sent to applicants who acquire interview invitations.\n\nTo help dra ft this reflection, applicants would be wise to intimation down some notes immediately subsequently interviewing so that they can later disturb to a clear record of what was discussed as well as what, if anything, they would have desire discuss just now did not jump a view to cover. When it comes time to write the essay, applicants should approach their response as if they are crafting a oddment argumentor, in the terminology of HBS, [having] the last wordto their application.\n\nYoull want to take inventorying of the message youve conv sumd passim your application materials (essay, résumé, info forms, etc.) and your interview, and then write your reflection with an eye towards emphasizing the reveal attributes of your candidacy. Lastly, the 24-hour turnaround marrow that this reflection will require a focused labor from applicants as well as some careful advance planning.