HBS Honest Question
Look, ik im probably too retarded for this to ever be a problem for me, but ill ask anyways because im a dumbass and like to plan ahead.
I've read that HBS alumni are often less responsive to HBS students than other schools like GSB or (ik not in the same league, but Tuck or Kellogg). From what ive gathered, the reasoning seems to be that there's a really big class size and HBS cohorts aren't tight across the school but rather their own section. So is it true that emails to alumni largely result in lower response rates?
My question is, is this cope, or is this actually a known thing for recruiting from HBS?
Would be a very big factor for me in picking a school (again not that id get in).
A simple yay or nay, with some details would be helpful (if you have first hand experience).
I politely and respectfully discourage speculation if you're not sure.
Based on the most helpful WSO content, HBS alumni are generally known for their strong network and high degree of reciprocity when it comes to responding to outreach, especially if the email comes from someone with an HBS email address. However, there are nuances to consider:
Response Rates: The response rate for cold emails to alumni is not as high as when there is a common connection or introduction. For example, response rates for cold emails to alumni are often cited around 50%, but this can increase significantly (close to 100%) when there is a shared connection or introduction.
Class Size and Cohorts: The large class size at HBS and the section-based structure might contribute to a perception of less tight-knit alumni relationships compared to smaller schools like Tuck or Kellogg. This could potentially impact the responsiveness of alumni who may not feel as personally connected to the broader HBS community.
Alumni Reciprocity: Despite the above, HBS alumni are still known for their willingness to help, particularly because of the prestige and shared identity of the institution. Tools like the proprietary HBS alumni app, which provides access to contact information and locations of alumni, further facilitate networking.
In summary, while there might be some truth to the perception that HBS alumni are less responsive compared to smaller schools, the overall strength and resources of the HBS alumni network remain a significant advantage.
Sources: Which PE firms still require an MBA?, MBA – Invaluable experience or incredibly overrated?, Q&A: Recent Columbia Business School grad that went to a HF after school, Finished 1st Year at HBS - Ask Me Anything (Q&A), Q&A: About to graduate from HBS - Ask Me Anything
Over the years, we have received hundreds of updates from former clients attending top MBA programs and see the opposite of what you report. On average, HBS students report getting better responses from alumni than GSB students by a significant margin.
It's impossible to say exactly why, but I'd cite factors such as:
Your other comment is true: Tuck has one of the most responsive alumni networks of any program. The small class size and remote location contribute to close social ties between classmates, and (in a positive way) the program may have a chip on its shoulder: "Our alumni network may not be the largest, but we can at least make it the most responsive one."
Thank you Dave. Obviously very case and industry dependent (and I know there's no hard data), but if you had to make a guess (just based on your gut/experience), if the response rates for Tuck and HBS is like 80% and 60%, do you reckon Stanford would be like 40%?
I know there's no objective data, but asking you to make (even an unfounded) guess.
Are there any other schools besides these three, and perhaps even Yale, that have more than a 30% response rates to cold outreach (from alums to current students)?
My unfounded sense is that regionals like Rice and USC would be up here too, but obviously have less total alum planted in Finance/Tech/Industrials
I know im asking for a lot but appreciate just your gut feeling
It isn't possible to give a % response rate because this depends on:
Factors that would correlate with high response rates are:
I got my MBA from HBS. Obviously n = 1, so I am not representative of all alums, but I'm generally quite responsive to current students. There's just something about seeing that hbs.edu email that makes me want to respond...! Having some kind of shared affinity greatly helps. I don't have any data to back this up, but anecdotally I would say that HBS alums who are ex-military are 80%-99% likely to respond to the cold outreach of a current student who is also ex-military. The same probably goes for other shared affinities such as being ex-Goldman, ex-McKinsey, etc.
Cool, thanks for adding the perspective. Military i think has a very special comraderie that drives the response rates. Maybe McK and the Trojan/Blues thing works too, but at least for GS alum havent been responsive on my end (im probably just doing something wrong)
It’s purely a person by person thing. I went to an Ivy for ug and HBS for my MBA and I am generally pretty responsive to anyone who went to an Ivy for any degree (and random people in general, time permitting). People are busy but this kinda stuff really doesn’t take long nor does it require that much effort.
I would say most successful people in the industry are pretty extroverted and outgoing, so they wouldn’t mind hopping on the phone quickly.
Est et dolores tenetur aliquam. Praesentium cupiditate veritatis ratione sit itaque optio mollitia. Est vel debitis nihil nobis debitis. Et et voluptatem facere molestiae. Cum quidem sit aspernatur illum quas cumque. Quibusdam officia voluptatem neque saepe. Quia animi voluptas nulla neque eum.
Earum aut provident quos ea libero. Odit dolore dignissimos unde. Ut occaecati aut architecto rem et nihil. Quis ipsum sapiente aut et. Omnis voluptatum sunt facilis qui veritatis. Sit repudiandae temporibus mollitia asperiores non. Ex sit est dolorem omnis odit.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...