What kind of person gets into HBS?

I'm guessing by getting work experience where you can talk about how you dramatically helped the company or showed how great of a leader you are.

People like me get into HBS. I'm not going to reveal my story at this time.

You definitely need a compelling story. This isn't Wharton where you can just be a cookie cutter [GPA x GMAT>minimal threshold] +Buyside/IB/Consulting experience.

Just be like me and you will get into HBS.

GPA is fairly insignificant for b-school admits (at a certain point). It's not like law school where most applicants don't have much to offer beyond 2 key metrics.

I have a friend at HBS...he is a URM, West Point, 750 GMAT.

That right there is the trifecta of mba admissions.

HBS is people will stellar academics and golden resumes/work exp, amazing volunteer/entrepreneurial/etc achievements, and military folk who do well on the GMAT and have compelling "why mba". At least that's my anecdotal impression.

Each of the above also had great essays and recs.

The black, latino, and native american kind as of late.

not familiar with MBA recruiting experience, but do you go for Face to face interviews with them? or typically it's just the normal application process with reference letters...

^hehehehe, funny, but true.

you have face to face interviews after you get past the first round which is a written application that includes a ton of different factors, most importantly: Work experience, GMAT, grades, undergrad school, EC's, etc.

Ballers get into HBS. Kemba will graduate top of his class.

The poor international student who grew up in a war-torn country. Came to America to excel in school, started a business at age 13, Triple majored in physics, math, and engineering. Got a 4.0 at a top-Ivy. Builds houses in Haiti and spends his spare time circumcising Filipino youth.

people like me with megafund offers from a top shop.

i turned down HBS though for MEGAFUND AW YEA

I think you have to have some unique story, like others said something that is not cookie cut. I heard a story about this one guy who graduated and managed a farm for a couple of years and got it. I don't know the validity of the story, but I believe it.

Visit the schools and you'll see. over the past year I visited classes at the top east coast schools and most students were pretty sharp and had different experiences. a couple of students that stick out in terms of experience: consulting at one of the name brand firms and then consulted for the Iraqi government. teacher who went into social enterprise and had a hand in starting a charter school. you also have your typical banking, pe or hf guy or gal. most went to top schools, though you'll find a random school in there. Some students, on the surface, you have to ask yourself how in the world did this person get into x school, but then you hear that person's background /story and then it kind of makes sense.

According to HBS Guru, the best way in is to "be a victim or help victims".

I read on a post here once that all bankers are bunched into one group when it comes to admissions. So they limit the number of bankers they pick from that group, and you are competing against other bankers. I don't know how true this is so maybe somebody else can provide insight.

a rhodes scholarship on the resume never hurt anybody

I've been wanting to start a charity/nonprofit for a lil bit now... don't know how hard it is though

HBS is increasingly lookifng to admit a diverse class. Therefore yes, all the consultants, bankers, pe guys are grouped among themselves. This is actually creating a new paradigm - this year, a lot of megafund associates found themselves shut out.

The admissions dean Deirdre wrote a post articulating that a candidate was admitted on how well that person con contribute to the rest of the class. Therefore, undoubtedly there are those superstar Blackstone KKR guys who are individually perhaps the best candidates, but HBS may and does admit the analyst from BAML with a good story over them.

Important criteria Gmat, gpa Undergrad school (can't hurt you, but if you were ivy I'm sure it helps) Work experience International experience Demonstration of leadership/social consciousness

Does anyone think HBS will be trumped by Wharton soon for finance placement, given HBS' hippie admission policies?

Hopefully... considering I'm a middle class white boy who is more than likely not getting an MBA til I'm 28-30

@leveredarb

The differences between finance recruiting at H/W/S/Booth are negligible. If you don't have a shot at a megafund from HBS (i.e. you didnt do megafund before HBS), you're not gonna get it after. Same holds true for the other B-school finance powerhouses.

I think a more important question is whether finance will be able to retain its luster in the years to come. Financial analysts are commodities, and they're priced way above what they need to be at this point. Would not be surprised at all if finance compensation goes down the drain the long run.

I, for one, am glad HBS has "hippie" policies - these "hippies" are the one who are filled with the talent and ability to change the world. I would choose HBS over Wharton for this reason alone - does anyone really think its enjoyable to go to a school filled with countless other gunners who've done the same exact thing as yourselves?

the people they admit are not hippies(well some I guess), and them admitting someone thats been building schools in africa, someone that found a company revolutionizing water filtering in africa, and god knows what else there is to safe in africa, is all good and fine

buuuuut:

Admitting a black/hispanic ibd dude with a 2.0 gpa from the bumblefuck idaho advisory for minisculy small companies with a 200 GMAT (this is a hyperbole btw) over an azn KKR guy isn't really gonna contribute to getting a class full of people changing the world.

Neither for that matter is admitting all the non profit guys that wanna go into IBD as associates afterwards.

or people who lied on their applications, as most know who got it

Between the recommendation letters, the application essay, the interview, and the pre-enrollment professional background check, it's pretty hard to lie about anything relevant.

Making up something like a college EC aint gonna get anyone in, and embellishing it to the point where it might make a difference will automatically raise red flags if the candidate cant reproduce evidence of it through the aforementioned application components.

(HBS also asks to list EC contact info... scary)

Does anyone know if CompBanker is going to HBS?

the "perfect" HBS candidate:

3.9+ GPA (physics/engineering) from HYP Varsity athlete, preferably captain 780+ GMAT college Internships at top firms, including top non-finance places like Google and NASA 2 years in the Navy SEALs, served as lieutenant commander (promoted early), led 16-person team in anti-terrorism assaults 2 year at top PE fund (KKR/TPG) volunteering: Head of Habitat Humanity new york Board of Project Smile (cleft lip surgery)

Recommendations from PE Partner, Navy SEAL commander (3-stars, rank just below general), and national head of Habitat for Humanity

That person would not and should not go to HBS

^yea seriously man. Why the hell would the described candidate wants to go to b-school, a waste of time and money.

Any luck with Wharton?

(I think I remember you applied to more than one)

Friend of mine just got in. Undergrad from top tech school in engineering, Masters from Stanford, fantastic grades, then a couple years at one of the big-name consulting firms.

I find HBS grads fall into two major categories: superstars, there is also a surprising number of articulate mediocrities... Go figure... Overall less impressive than I would have thought... And no I didn't get in

cuz he is not at a megafund. O U JELLY

If you're a white or asian male in finance, getting into HBS, Stanford, Wharton this year was nearly impossible. The top schools in general are gunning HARD for diversity, not just in terms of demographics but also their work and life experiences.

A good friend of mine recently went to an admit reception in his home city for a top 5 MBA program. He said not a single white male he met at that event was in finance. One guy has a startup focused on travelling, another guy runs a non-profit that raises music awareness.

Music awareness?

True ballers don't need to go to business school, they just "get it".

Now think... How would a physics/engineering grad without medschool be on a board of cleft lip surgery organization?

What stood out to you?

there's another category of people you're all forgetting about... solid (but not exceptional) people who's dads went to HBS

IMO from most desirable/easiest to get in:

Female URM (black, Hispanic, Native American) Male URM (black, Hispanic, Native American) Female non-URM (whites, Asians) Male non-URM (whites, Asians)

If you have stellar extracurriculars and a solid background (work experience, GMAT, GPA, undergrad reputation), you're on the top of the pile.

That said I know some people who went to HBS (male non-URM) and had some so-so prior work experience (engineering). So it can be done.

what has been the "shift" in acceptance patterns this year at HBS that people have been talking about?

Is being Pakistani in finance a big deal? I've met many Indians in finance, but I'm the only Paki I know. (Yes, it's a serious question)