Is this the best approach to Harvards MBA essay?
As you know, Harvard has only one optional essay question at the moment:
"You’re applying to Harvard Business School. We can see your resume, school transcripts, extra-curricular activities, awards, post-MBA career goals, test scores and what your recommenders have to say about you. What else would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy?"
Currently, I am thinking about answering it by detailing selected elements of my written application that I feel could not be presented in necessary detail due to character length restrictions, e.g. concrete responsibilities and outcomes of an extracurricular.
However, this would break with the "traditional" approach to answering MBA essays by telling a coherent story about oneself such as in Stanfords "What matters most to you and why" essay. But I am not sure if this would really fit Harvards question.
What do you think - what is the best way to ace Harvards essay?
There's no real way to "ace" it. You have to think of your essay in terms of the entire application package. Your essay should complement the other pieces and fill in any holes or missing pieces. It's also the one place where you can truly let your personality shine through. Harvard more than any other school is looking at what kind of person you are in making the determination of whether or not to invite you for an interview. The essay is where you can let that shine through. Just as an example, I recently read one essay that was about a guy that took care of his disabled brother until he died, and all the lessons he learned in doing so. My cousin in her essay actually wrote that she was considering being a stay at home mom eventually, and they still admitted her. There's no right answer.
Yes, I agree! @Khayembii says it all. I also think that you might want to look at the interview with Dee Leopold in Poets & Quants, where she talks about the range of essays. http://poetsandquants.com/2014/06/17/a-revealing-interview-with-harvard… As for talking more about your current responsibilities, that sounds a bit dull unless you talk about an outcome -- some of which may be included in your recommendations. They are not looking, by the way, for the specific home run, but in fact, how you made something happen, and you that may add to the many voices they are putting together in a classroom. Having said that, I might go so far to say that the essay may not be the most important part of the first phase of your application. It could be, but maybe not.
Also, may I direct you to the P&Q video on filling out the application, perhaps the most important form you will ever fill out? You may find that good answers in those text boxes help you present your entire candidacy well. Oh, and yes, I'm the one in the video. http://poetsandquants.com/2014/08/12/navigating-harvards-mba-applicatio…
when I applied to HBS a long time ago (disclosure: interviewed but got dinged), I felt I put together a really strong collection of essays. They all told my "story", so to speak, and I even interjected parts of my personal life (importance of education, growing up less well off, importance of family) without making it sound like a sappy sob-fest. I think this optional essay would be a good opportunity to do something along those lines - IF you can do it right. The last thing you want is to come off as insincere with a tear-jerker story that will surely get your app thrown into the "no" pile.
did you apply with the optional open-ended essay? Or did you apply with the specific questions?
I applied with the specific essays. However, since the essays might change from year to year, I figured at least the open ended one might be a good way to express your story.
Why didn't you get past the interview?
Because I don't interview well? Don't know
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