HBS

Just some stats I found online and would like to share for those who are interested: HBS Class 2020 Undergrad and Company representation: https://fortunaadmissions.com/wp-content/uploads/… 37% of the HBS class of 2020 came from 14 institutions, out of a total of 254 schools: Harvard (46) Penn (39) Stanford (35) Yale (31) Princeton (24) Duke (23) Dartmouth (20) Cornell (18) Notre Dame (18) Brown (15) MIT (15) UTexas (15) Columbia (14) Georgetown (14) 21% of the class worked at some point for MBB: (the first number stands

04 Oct 2021

Wondering if this has ever happened? (barring something like a full ride to Wharton) When I was applying, H didn't even rank in my top 3 choices. I loved Stanford, Wharton and MIT, HBS just seemed very uptight and outdated to me. The other 3 schools are pushing innovation while HBS cases still seem to revolve around outdated companies. Understand H has the marginal prestige, but if I'm not trying to go to elite PE/VC, hate the case method, is there any point? My heart is saying that I will thrive more in the Wharton environment (the SF campus seems awesome, the flexible curriculum and no

16 Mar 2021

Hey all, been through an extremely fortunate R2. Was originally just aiming for a few of the M7s (Kellogg, Sloan), but somehow got into H and W. My post MBA goals aren't anything crazy, going to MBB and then startup. Definitely not interested in anything finance related (PE/VC). I come from a non-traditional background so I like Wharton's quant rigorous curriculum in teaching me the business basics. I also like the curriculum flexibility, mix of teaching methods, as well as no classes on Friday allows me to easily commute to NYC to see my SO/friends. I know some people say you don't say no to

18 Apr 2021

Was very lucky to have gotten into W. However, I was hoping for a H/S outcome. Should I re-apply? Basic info: ORM (770 GMAT, 3.4 from T10 school). WE: Startup (3 promotions in 3 years). First employee that helped build the company to 150 people. What would change if I re-apply? - Startup getting acquired for $$$$ since application - Another promotion (so 4 promotions in 4 years). Would be VP/Director level. My goals are entrepreneurship/working at a seed startup. I think H would provide marginal benefits to my career choices, but S is my dream school. Crazy to take another shot at these 2?

23 Mar 2021

I am currently in the process of applying to business school via the deferred admission route, and would like to give my $0.02 on the decision of whether to take the GMAT or GRE. When I first decided on whether to really focus on the GRE or GMAT for business school I looked at a bunch of posts on here as well as read articles online and saw (assumed) that the GMAT was pretty much the norm and - being strong in math - I opted to vigorously start studying for the GMAT. However, the plan to take the GMAT kinda blew up when (1) my in-person test got cancelled because of freaking COVID and (2) the

18 May 2020

I would like to extend a warm welcome to myself, Prestigious Pete. I am a jealousy amalgam, created from combining all the conceited, self-assured finance super douches into one man called Prestigious Pete. After finishing up at Andover, I went on to attend Yale University, where I majored in Sociology, played Varsity Golf, and was president of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. I then marched over to Blackstone M&A upon graduating, because Goldman Sachs was not prestigious enough. After my brief stint at Blackstone, I went swiftly to Harvard Business School, where I spent two years going to

06 Apr 2017

Mod Note (Andy): Each day we'll be posting the top WSO forum posts of 2014. This one was originally posted on 10/1/2014 and ranks #23 for the year by total silver banana count. You can see all our top ranked content here. I'm just about a month and a half or so into my first year ("RC year") at Harvard Business School, and I wanted to write a bit about what it's been like so far. Since I'm still new to the place, take my experiences with the requisite grain of salt, but I've realized that various parts of what my "earlier self" thought this place was going to be like (the pros/cons) are pretty

17 Dec 2014

Approximately one year ago I did this Q&A about being accepted and attending HBS. A week ago I finished my last final exam of my RC year (1st year) at Harvard Business School. I have had some time to reflect on the experience (and some spare time before I start my internship this summer) and I thought it might be interesting to some in the community if I shared my experiences (I suppose you can call this "Part 2," if you will). I am happy to answer anything about the 1st year MBA experience at HBS (e.g. academics, career resources, social scene, etc.) No question (within reason...) is off

04 Jun 2017

Interested in hearing peoples views on the value of HBS / a Wharton MBA for those who plan on ending up in continental Europe / London over the long term. Recently discovered the HBS 2+2 program, and before I commit to preparing for the GMAT etc., I was wondering if anyone on this forum has been in a similar position and could share their experience. Clearly, it would require a significant investment of time and effort to put together a competitive application, and before doing so it would be good to hear if anyone who was successful in the process feels it was worthwhile. More broadly, how

24 Apr 2020

About one year ago, I did this Q&A about finishing my first year at HBS. Two years ago, I did this Q&A about being accepted and attending HBS. Seems only appropriate that I close this series out with Part 3... I will be busy with graduation-related activities (we just finished this thing today called "Class Day" and the actual commencement ceremony is tomorrow May 24), but I will do my best to respond to questions. Happy to

02 Jun 2018

2 years at tier 1 investment banking in NY (GS, MS, JPM, Moelis, Lazard, Evercore, PJT etc..) Now at tier 1 Hedge Fund in NY on the investing side (Think Citadel, Mill, P72, DK, Silverpoint, Anchorage, Renaissance etc) Non-target ~3.0+ GPA (I don't like sharing personal stories but as a brief background story...my mother passed away freshman year who was single mother, and I had to support my younger brother financially by working full time while going to school) Have not taken the GMAT but I will try to get 740+ Expecting good letters of rec from previous employers EC geared towards my

08 Sep 2021

Just graduated college and was fortunate to be accepted to the 2+2 program at HBS. When I was going through the application process there was a noticeable lack of business school info on WSO geared towards college seniors, so I figured I'd do a Q&A to help future monkeys. Some basic info on my profile, applications, and outcomes: School: Non-target state flagship (ranked 40-60 in USNWR) Major: Finance GPA: 3.9+ GMAT: 740 (49Q, 42V) Extracurriculars: President of multiple business clubs Internship: MBB, will be starting at the same MBB in a couple weeks I applied early to three schools: HBS

05 Aug 2018

All - Some of you might be knee-deep in the MBA application process (currently Round 2), and others might be considering applying next year. I was in your shoes about a year ago and know how convoluted the process can be - it's about as "black box" as it gets. Before I get any further - a bit about myself. I'm currently a first-year student (RC) at HBS. I've been a WSO reader and poster for over 10+ years now, and the community single-handedly got me through investment banking recruiting as an undergrad, and private equity recruiting pre-MBA. A couple of HBS / GSB / Wharton friends and I

20 Feb 2018

I was just talking to a current HBS student who told me that after starting classes in person, they're going back to at least a week of Zoom classes because while HBS only accounts for 9% of the student body at Harvard, they have 80% of the active Covid cases! Can anyone confirm?

27 Sep 2021

25, Asian M. Humanities background from a Russell Group uni in London (strong 2:1) and strong a-levels (AAA). I work in a global FTSE 15 listed financial institution. In the space of two years I've been promoted from executive, associate to senior associate in various market analytics/ trading analysis roles. Completed a coveted government internship prior. I would like to pivot to a more business development role within my existing firm or similar, and feel applying for an MBA in 2 to 3 years will help. Noting my limited quantitative background, I expect to probably end up scoring in the

29 Nov 2020

As some celebrate the end of the grueling admission process (short,compbanker etc) others are just beginning (class of 2016) I will be applying to the usual suspects this fall, came across this post and thought to myself "the new formula for getting into HBS" goes something like this; found a start up (no matter how boring) + found/be highly active in an NGO = $$$$ What are your thoughts on this new trendfrom blue chip/BB+PE experience to start up and NGO experience. **Management consultants still seem to get some love. [quote] Harvard Business School is one of the most exclusive institutions

08 May 2013

Ok. I'm going to get sht on REAL hard for making this thread but whatever. I just got an e-mail from a friend who just started HBS. I'm pasting the contents below verbatim, except for names of course. "Sup Brady! It's great hearing from you. Hope chi-town is treating you well. But yeah, HBS just started, still going through orientation. Man, I'm having a fcking blast so far. Tons of parties, people getting blasted every night. Of course once classes start, we will calm down just a little bit. Lol. But i've been going out to tons of spots in boston and meeting chicks left and right. You're

28 Aug 2012

I was fortunate to be accepted into HBS round 1, and am now weighing my options. I was also accepted to Booth(w/ 70K), Kellogg(w/ 90K), Tuck (full tuition), Yale SOM (full tuition), and McCombs (full tuition). Although HBS was my top choice, I am having a tough time coming to grips with the debt load that I would likely have to take to attend the school (won't know what scholarship award is from HBS until next month). I currently work for a major oil company and my immediate post-MBA goal is to transition to energy banking in Houston, and maybe PE following that if possible. Energy banking is

03 Jan 2015

I got accepted into both HBS and GSB for the Class of 2020. I see several pro's and con's with each school for my particular situation, and I'm having a hard time deciding between the two. I'm interested in tech and want to live around the San Francisco Bay Area longterm, which I think would - under regular circumstances - lean in GSB's favor. However, I already have both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from Stanford, so I think it would be valuable to get a different perspective for the MBA by attending Harvard instead of getting a third degree from Stanford, even if its focus area

05 Apr 2018

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13 Apr 2021

This is consistent with what I've been hearing from inside sources for a number of years. That dual admits long used to split about 50/50 but that recently (for a few years now) it is heavily in Stanford's favor to the tune of 3:1. [quote]"These choices are closely guarded secrets in the world of MBA admissions, but for the first time Bloomberg Businessweek today (Jan. 28) sorted through its most recent survey data to find answers to these often agonizing decisions... "...When it comes to Harvard and Stanford, the results give the West Coast school a big edge-mainly due to the increasing

03 Feb 2015

Each year, every first-year student at Harvard Business School spends a semester building a startup in teams of five or six. In total, 180 teams work to gain traction and prove a viable business model in less than six months. I learned a lot from starting cleverlayover with my team as part of this Harvard experiment and from watching the other teams tackle incredible challenges. It was definitely inspiring to see some of the innovative ideas developed by our peers. I'd like to share some of the insights we learned through all the hard work; after all, rarely do you get the chance to observe

11 Jul 2015

Venture Capital and Private Equity has surpassed Consulting as the top industry experience at HBS class of 2017, accounting for 17% of incoming students. [quote] For the first time ever, Harvard Business School is enrolling more students with backgrounds in venture capital and private equity than those in consulting or any other field. For this fall's incoming group of MBA students, 17% of the entire class–or 166 out of the 940 first years–will hail from VC and PE firms versus just 16% from consulting, down two percentage points from last year. That's an even more significant decline in

02 Sep 2015

Last night I met a recent HBS alum through a mutual friend. We were just relaxing at a bar and talked about a bunch of stuff. I of course asked him about his experiences at HBS and his thoughts on it. Some choice quotes from that conversation: "HBS completely transformed my life. Anyone who gets in has to go." "My classmates were easily the most impressive and interesting group of people I've met." "It's shallow, but girls absolutely love HBS guys. My confidence went through the roof while I was there." "I didn't really learn anything at HBS, aside from knowing how to hold my liquor, knowing the best hotels to stay at, and just being a douchebag in general."

09 Dec 2011

I was fortunate enough to be accepted into HBS in Round 2 and will be heading there this Fall. I have never done a Q&A on this site before and I feel that now might be a good time to do so. I hope that sharing my experience with the MBA application process might be somewhat useful to the WSO community. Vital stats: Male Caucasian Education: AB from Harvard (Economics) GMAT: 730 (HBS median, e.g. nothing special) GPA: Slightly below HBS median (never came up during the interview as an issue)

03 May 2016

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/10/education/harvard-business-students-s… Does anyone else thing this article is kind of stupid and non-news? To summarize: There is a select group of international, very wealthy, ostentatious and cliche-y students at HBS. Big fucking deal. That's the case in every single higher-education institution in this country. News flash, there is much more wealth disparity in the RoW than in the US, and the US... having the most developed, best regarded, and most fun higher education institutions tends to attract the well off international crowd. Its really has nothing to do with HBS. In fact, if this phenomena wasn't present at HBS, I would actually find that much more interesting and noteworthy.

09 Sep 2013

My boyfriend is going to HBS next year (he got admission for this academic year, but deferred till next year because of work) and we're saving up for b-school now. I'm going to transfer to my firm's Boston office. On my income and his savings we could live very comfortably, but since b-school is so expensive most of the money is going into that. Where do HBS students live to save money but get decent apartments? Most of the people I've spoken to live on campus in dorms, or they live in university housing on Western Ave. But from what I've heard, it's a very "campus" feel and it's not like you have interesting restaurants or music venues right on your doorstep. We're moving from New York, so we definitely don't want to constantly be in a campus environment.

08 Sep 2012

A HBS student indulges in self-righteous whining about the "excessive" partying scene at HBS and the lack of an intellectual culture. Is this guy freaking kidding? First, he doesn't have the courage to reveal his name since he knows his classmates will rightfully make fun of him. Second, did this guy not do his research on what b-school is about and specifically, what goes on at HBS? B-school is ultimately very little about grades and classes. Not saying that you shouldn't learn, but most MBA classes are quite frankly worthless. Spending so much time prepping for them is a huge waste. If this guy can't afford to party with the rich HBS ballers, he can still attend other social events, network, establish lifelong bonds, and improve his social skills.

26 Nov 2014

Only about 100 people in the world each year actually turn down Harvard Business. Do the vast majority of them end up at Stanford, or do some of them just stay at their current jobs because they are making a lot of money?

26 May 2010

*Please note that no client details are ever shared in SBC Scoop or otherwise without complete sign off from client. Samita engaged with Stacy Blackman knowing that her undergraduate GPA of 45% from a well-known engineering program in India was one of the largest challenges in her application strategy. Samita was only slightly interested in engineering, and as the program continued she started to spend less and less time studying, and more and more time volunteering. The result was an unimpressive GPA, but quite a lot of extracurricular leadership.

07 Feb 2012

Straight from poets&quants. I mean we've always known that HBS is selective, but the profiles of the people who got dinged this year is just insane. HBS admissions used to be kind of straightforward, but as the best students from the top schools gravitate to MBA rather than MD or JD, competition has become brutal. I don't think there's any doubt that HBS is more selective than any other professional grad school in the world. http://poetsandquants.com/2015/02/17/you-wont-believe-who-harvard-busin…

20 Feb 2015

I'm in the process of exiting Bain (I'll refer to it as MBB from now on so that others searching can see the keywords) have a few questions about moving from MBB to MM/LMM that I haven't been able to find clear answers to, and I was hoping you monkeys could help me. Don't feel obligated to answer everything if you don't have the information on each piece--semi answers are helpful here as well. 1a) How difficult is it to get into HSB/GSB from an MBB and MM or LMM background, and if it's harder, why? I know that MBB has ~3x the chances of getting into B School at any given MBA program (Nearly

16 Dec 2020

Hi guys - I'm going to begin my MBA application process for the class of 2020 soon (will be applying round 1), and I am trying to decide which of the MBA admissions consultants to engage with for my apps As background, I have a classic IBD / PE background (GS TMT / MS M&A --> Megafund like KKR / Carlyle / Apollo), and am aiming for HBS, Wharton, Columbia, and Stanford (will likely apply to at least 2 of these schools in Round 1). HBS is my 1st choice, and my research seems to suggest that HBSGuru is apparently really good for people with my type of background. However, many of my friends have

21 Apr 2017

I'm in the very fortunate position of having been admitted to both HBS 2+2 and the Stanford GSB deferral program for seniors on Wednesday. I've been really struggling with the decision - Harvard's brand is unparalleled, but the Stanford GSB seems like a unique environment and culture, especially given the small size and entrepreneurial slant. In May I'll be graduating from Harvard undergrad (working in PE post-graduation), so that slightly has me leaning towards the GSB. Any advice or ideas would be greatly appreciated, and I'm happy to answer questions re: my background or other things

12 Dec 2014

Admissions to top MBA programs the past few years has been downright insane. Just some anecdotes of people i know who have gotten rejected at HBS and stanford 1. VP at TPG who got rejected at HBS, now at wharton 2. summa at wharton undergrad, BCG consulting, international experience, 750+ GMAT, rejected at HBS and stanford 3. engineering undergrad at a top program (MIT, Stanford, berkeley), McKinsey consulting, 770 GMAT, rejected at HBS, stanford, wharton, kellogg, columbia

06 Apr 2010

Who in their right mind would get accepted to Harvard Business School and turn it down? Turns out the answer is: someone who also got into Stanford.

01 Feb 2015

Hi, i am 23 yo and just started working as a consultant for McKinsey in Germany and would like to do a Harvard MBA during my leave in about two years. There is still some time to go but I would like figure out my chances and also already try to use the next two years to maximise my odds of getting in. My background so far: > Undergrad: B.Sc. Business Administration and B.A. Politics - both from University of Munich (two independent degrees) > Graduate: M.Sc. Accounting and Finance - from London School of Economics (LSE) GMAT: 710 (unfortunately Extracurriculars: Funded a non-profit charity organisation a year ago, tangible success story My questions are:

13 Jun 2013

Hi, I'm currently 5 years into a career working in trading at a top prop trading firm (SIG, Jane Street etc) as part of a growing and successful team. The pay is now pretty decent ($400-600k) and the hours are manageable (~50 per week) but I feel that I might be more interested in a more qualitative field such as PE or consulting. As such I've considered applying to a top business school, but am concerned that I'd be taking a massive pay cut. Is it true that coming out of HBS I can expect to make no more than $200k? Are the compensation figures posted by the school (~$170k median salary)

19 Oct 2019

A bit of background: I interned at a BB in S&T last summer and took the return offer. My desk placement isn't done until the summer. I'm apprehensive as to whether I should ask an MD whose desk I interned on for a letter of recommendation to HBS's 2+2 deferred admission program. (It's deferred up to four years.) He knows that I am seriously considering joining his desk long-term and believes that I am talented, etc. I want to ask because I think he knows me well enough to write something really great, but I don't want to seem like I am looking to leave the firm. I just want to have the option

27 Jan 2020

Hey All, Just want to know if I have any shot at the 2-2 program. Stats: target school in northeast graduating in May 2012 3.5 cum; 3.9 major gpa in interdisciplinary social sciences with senior project averaging about 660-690 on gmat practice. Not very good test taker, prob will max at top 600s. SAT's went same way. Experience: S&T top BB SA - will do this summer Spring 2011- now: Associate of major international business strategy/research organization... had research project I worked on about social enterprise investment funds presented at world economic forum, recognized and acknowledged by number of top international non-profits. Fall 2010 - study abroad

13 May 2011

So I was recently admitted to a top 3 MBA school, but the idea of being more than $100k in debt terrifies me. What if I want to take time off to write a novel? Or to go to China to learn Mandarin? Or try a variety of careers that don't have to do with business? You could say that I should have figured this out before I applied, but I thought I'd have a shot and I wanted to take it. And I got in. I'm not planning to have a family, so there really isn't any time limit to my dreams. I could go to bschool and then do these things later, I suppose. But I'm afraid of getting trapped in those golden

26 Dec 2008

I've read multiple assessments of HBS vs. GSB vs. Wharton across exit opportunities, school culture, brand, etc. Aiming for future in Asia, so increased brand name of HBS does come into play. Never experienced the west coast. Highly interested in VC and finance environment, but limited previous experience. Consulting-bound after college in MBB in US, though not likely for more than 5 years. Original long term plan was to facilitate growth for company in China, but have often been told, "don't close doors [to entrepreneurship, finance, options in US], you're just a college senior."

14 Dec 2012

I am currently finishing up my training for teach for america. Education and education reform are passions of mine but ultimately my goal would be to work in finance (preferably ibd). Would I have a shot at hbs or other top 5 schools coming straight out of tfa? I'd only have two years work experience. I had a pwm internship at a top firm in college and plan on interning in ibd next summer in between my first and second year of teaching.

04 Jul 2011

Hi guys, I am having two offers: 1 is for a Google sale support function in Asia, and 1 is for junior analyst gig at a PE fund in London (~200M). My goal is to get into HBS in 3-4 years, and I have already got pretty good leadership experience. The PE pays very low (~ $50k) and they do more public deals than PE deals, but I'll get a lot of exposure (they also sponsor CFA/CIMA). Google is Google. So, what offer do you think I should take, given my goal? I'm indifferent between finance and tech. Thanks a lot.

11 Jun 2013

Hey, So I'm getting prepped to apply this fall for 2018 admission, and wanted to get an assessment on my chances of getting into HBS or Stanford and how realistic that is. I would love to go there but also don't want to get my hopes up to high as I've just started the application process. My Stats are as follows: Ethnicity: Hispanic, Dual Citizen, but European last name (don't know how much that matters) Undergrad: Top 5 University (varies between top 3 and top 7 depending on the ranking website), 3.6 GPA Work Experience: Restructuring and Turnaround out of college, was promoted

05 Apr 2017

I signed up to have my HBS interview in mid-Feb and have been trying to prepare by talking to as many alums as I can get to listen to me. Many are a few years removed and have advised me to try to get as fresh a perspective as possible since the school "changes their interview style often." Despite the possibility of them being outdated, I have a couple of mock interviews lined up. Much of the content on this site and the web in general has been useful, though new and recent advice/perspectives are always helpful. Have any of you been in touch with current/recent alums and/or have any words of

01 Feb 2015

How much harder is it to go to business school after 2 years as opposed to three for top schools H/S? What about for Wharton, Kellog, MIT, Columbia? Would it be possible for me? (I would rather not take a third year in some senior analyst role at another company, which is the typical MBB route to B-school, due to personal reasons) BACKGROUND After School: -Planned 2 years at MBB (so a little over 1 when i apply and 2 when i enter) Stuff during school: -Heavily involved in non-profit consulting as undergrad -6 month long internship (extended at tier 2 consulting firm) -6 month long internship in tech company in business dev -Computer Science and Business at target school (not HYP though) -750+ GMAT, high GPA for undergrad

17 Jul 2011

"Absurdly profitable company seeks journalist with ten years' experience and a Harvard MBA for extremely highly paid, low stress job in which he can wear nice suits and loaf around in air-conditioned splendor making the very occasional executive decision. Requirements: an acute discomfort in the presence of spreadsheets, inability to play golf, poorly concealed loathing of corporate life, knowledge of ancient Greek." – The Help Wanted Ad I Sought But Never Found

09 Mar 2013

In light of the post with student loan horror stories, here's a success story of someone who paid off 90k in debt from his HBS MBA in 7 months with a good but not great job. Some of the stuff isn't that smart, but it's an interesting story and a good contrast to the "models and bottles" school of thought. What do you guys think? Have any ridiculous frugality stories? http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2012/05/17/wiping-… Link to his blog: http://nomoreharvarddebt.com/

17 May 2012

Hi guys, I am facing an important decision for my career and I like to share it with you. Background: • Italian Management Consultant, I've been working for almost 3 years now for Second Tier Consulting firm (Top 4/5 in Europe according to most rankings , way below in US) • Planning to apply to MBA (2nd round, starting date August 2017), targeting HBS/Wharton/Columbia in USA or LBS/Insead in Europe • My firm is willing to finance (partly) my MBA but this will theoretically imply a lock-in period of 2 years • Short / medium-term career goal: switch to PE I know that it will sound pretty

27 Sep 2016