7. Interviews are designed to make you feel confused and defensive; you can avoid the traps if you prepare with experts
8. Why HBS added a post-interview self-reflection, and how Vince can help you prepare for it
Who am I?
Vince Ricci, VincePrep.com
· Stanford BA, History 1992
· NYU MA, Design for Education, 2001
· Admissions Advisor since 2002
· AIGAC Member since 2007
What do I know about HBS?
· 10 comprehensive clients admitted since 2007 (on my website)
· More than 15 total since 2002
· These numbers do not include clients who only use my interview training services
How do I help my clients get admitted to Harvard?
· By teaching critical thinking and storytelling skills, as I have done since 1990
I help clients understand the relationship between three aspects of the admissions process
1. Criteria (HBS has 3)
2. Contents (tell the right story at the right time in the right way)
3. Culture (can you contribute to the academic, student, and alumni communities?)
"A habit of leadership"
· You demonstrate leadership ability and leadership potential
· Essay 1 shows both, if it is good
· Essay 2 shows leadership potential: your ability to admit failure and learn from mistakes
· Effective post-MBA goals utilize your leadership ability and stretch your leadership potential
"Capacity for intellectual growth"
· Can you do the work, and enjoy the process?
· Undergraduate academic performance not only GPA but the courses you took
· Harvard requires you to think and talk at the same time
· Schools that emphasize case method (HBS) and group work (Kellogg) care more about TOEFL
· HBS asks, “How many times have you taken TOEFL?”
o There is a drop-down menu asking you to select a number from 1 to 10 or more than 10
o If you select 10 ore more, you may be called by the admissions board for an spontaneous phone call to confirm your English skills
"Engaged community citizenship"
· How do you contribute to the communities that matter most to you?
· How do you relate to people from different cultural and functional backgrounds?
· Will you be engaged at Harvard?
o Three extracurricular activities
o Awards and recognition
· Do you fit HBS academic, student, and alumni culture?
What is fit?
· My story – why I turned down a chance to attend Harvard… twice
· Undergrad – history. I wanted to join the up and coming program, not the established leader
· Grad school – design for education. I wanted action-based learning, not only educational theory
What type of contents will help you gain admission?
Application data forms
They matter more than you think, so register now!
· Show interest
· Get updates and event invitations
· Begin gathering your materials
· Analyze how their admissions criteria relate to their requests for certain types of information
Past Employment
· Company/Organization Information:
· Nature of Business: (200 characters)
· Company/Organization Classification:
o Industry:
o Function:
· Dates and Salary Information: (check online)
· Job Description:
o Job Title: (Please do not use all uppercase letters.)
o Your Responsibilities: (200 characters only)
o Key Accomplishments: (200 characters)
o Most Significant Challenge: (200 characters)
o Reason for Leaving: (200 characters)
Future Employment
· HBS asks to you to identify FUTURE job before they ask about your CURRENT and PAST jobs
· Why?
Screenshot 1
Post-MBA Industry
Screenshot 2
Post-MBA Function
Does HBS care about your post-MBA goals?
2014 essay
o "Why do you want an MBA? (400 words)"
2015 application data form short answer question (NOT an essay)
o Intended Post-MBA Industry and Function:
o How does pursuing an MBA support your choices above? (500 characters ≈ 100 words)
What is a “good” post-MBA goal?
o Believable and ambitious
All goals fit one of these two general categories
1. Advance pre-MBA career (vertical move)
2. Change pre-MBA career (lateral move)
· Join consulting
· Join finance
· Join industry
· Join or launch a start-up
Why MBA?
· Avoid the food court analogy
· Focus on the new technical, analytical, and interpersonal skills you need to achieve YOUR goals
· NO: "I need to expose myself to various viewpoints."
· YES: "I need to learn to motivate system engineers and sales managers so we can make my new venture successful."
Essays
Essays required for all applicants:
· Tell us about something you did well. (400 words)
· Tell us about something you wish you had done better. (400 words)
Joint degree applicants only:
· How do you expect the joint degree experience to benefit you on both a professional and a personal level? (400 words)
Dee Leopold says, “Don't overthink, overcraft and overwrite. Just answer the question in clear language that those of us who don't know your world can understand.”
Essay 1
Tell us about something you did well. (400 words)
1. Something you did well could be
· accomplishment (individual achievement) or a
· leadership story (influencing and motivating others to achieve a common goal)
2. Most importantly, tell a story that supports your goals
· my silly and fake example: Vinnie’s Pizza
As you brainstorm possible stories, remember and write down all of the times when you
o Made something better (qualitative or quantitative turnaround)
o Started something new (new idea or start-up)
o Went beyond expectations (taking initiative, adding value)
o Convinced others to support your idea (persuasion)
o Put your ideas or knowledge into action (ideation)
o Developed a team whose performance exceeded expectations (motivating others)
o Made a difficult professional decision (critical thinking, judgment, involving others, asking for help)
As you revise and edit, ask yourself
· Does my leadership or accomplishment story support my goals?
· Can I add more details to emphasize results (quantitative) and impact (qualitative)?
· Details prove impact
o quantify (profit, savings)
o qualify (first, youngest, only, best)
· Are my turning points clear and interesting?
o Biggest mistake – skip the turning points because you think you do not have enough words to show what really happened
o Solution – tell the whole story, and leave time to cut words
· Are my lessons and "takeaways" too flat and obvious?
o I learned that communication is important. (You did not know that already?)
o I learned HOW to communicate with seniors, juniors, engineers, or cross-cultural peers. (OK, I see. How exactly did you do it?)
Essay 2
Tell us about something you wish you had done better. (400 words)
Why do they ask the question?
· Setback stories demonstrate self-awareness and interpersonal skills
· Show that you are humble, flexible, and resilient
Admissions officers wear many hats
· Marketing is the fun part
· Gatekeeping is the hard part
o They do their best to avoid admitting students who cannot do the work
o Easy to deny based on the numbers (GPA, GMAT, TOEFL)
o Subjective judgment is harder
§ Do you fit the academic and student culture?
§ Will your cohort peers be able to learn from you?
§ Will your cohort peers like you?
§ Like families, HBS cohorts self-regulate, but AdCom does it’s best to deny over-confident candidates before they get admitted
o Essay 2 is one of their filters
Failure, mistake, and setback stories should demonstrate
1. Damage to others (lost time, money, reputation)
2. Some amount of personal responsibility for outcomes
3. Persistent struggle and slow growth, rather than sudden breakthroughs
4. (Proof of learning)
Time for an example?
As you brainstorm your possible stories, ask yourself, “Do I wish I had done better when …”
· working as a team member?
· working cross-culturally?
· working cross-functionally?
· managing my time, or the time of others?
· handling details? For instance, did I let the "small stuff" overwhelm me?
· considering the larger context of my actions?
· I was afraid to present bad news to others?
· I was afraid to confront others about some important issue?
· I procrastinated beginning new tasks?
· I lost energy in the middle of an important project?
· I was impatient with myself or others?
· I was unable to persuade subordinates?
· I lost valuable time or failed to achieve a desired result because I could not influence my seniors?
· I failed to close an important project or deal because I lacked the necessary technical, analytical or interpersonal skills, and I was too busy or too proud to ask for help?
When you show your failure or setback essay to friends and advisors, ask them
· Do you understand what happened?
· Would you want me on your team, based on how I appear in this essay? Why or why not?
· Do you believe that I learned a lesson from this experience?
· If you were my supervisor of mentor, what other lessons would you suggest I learn next?
o What types of activities and behaviors should I purse to ensure that I learn those lessons?
Additional Information
Additional information is NOT desired, but it might be necessary
HBS says, “Response length limited to 500 characters
· Use this section to include any additional information that you believe is important for the MBA Admissions Board to have in evaluating your application, but that you were unable to include because of the constraints of the online application.
· Please limit your additional information to the space in this section. Do not send HBS any additional materials (e.g., additional recommendations, work portfolios, etc.), as they will not be considered in your application and will delay processing of your application.”
I encourage you to leave this section blank unless you need to explain issues like
Extenuating circumstances affecting academic or work performance
Explanation of why you do not have a Letter of Reference from your current direct supervisor
Explanation of criminal conviction, criminal charges sustained against you in a juvenile proceeding, and/or court-supervised probation
Explanation of academic suspension or expulsion
Recommendations
Use the questions to help you decide whom to ask
1. Please comment on the context of your interaction with the applicant. If applicable, briefly describe the applicant's role in your organization. (250 words)
2. How does the candidate's performance compare to other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? (250 words)
3. Please describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant's response. (250 words)
· Use this question to decide whom to ask for references
· If a recommender never showed "tough love," he or she is not qualified to recommend you to HBS
· This question reflects HBS culture. Other schools use it, too, but I feel that it is particularly relevant given the fast paced, discussion-driven environment that exists at HBS
4. Please make additional statements about the applicant's performance, potential, or personal qualities you believe would be helpful to the MBA Admissions Board. (250 words)
Do recommendations matter more than essays?
1. Recommendations are longer than essays
· 3 recommendations
· 4 recommender questions
· 12 “essays” about you, told by others
· max 250 words per answer
· = 1,000 words per recommender
· x 3 recommendation letters
· = up to 3,000 words for LoRs
· vs. 800 words for required essays
2. The questions are unchanged from last year, unlike the essays, which were cut by 50%
Interviews
· Mandatory for admission
· By invitation only after review of written application
· At HBS or in TBD hub city locations, or in some cases, Skype
· 30 minutes
· Conducted by an Admissions Board member
Rapid-fire questions
· As many as 20 questions in 30 minutes
· As short as 40 to 60 seconds per answer (most interviewers ask follow-up questions when they want more information)
o Prepare 10 core stories you want to tell
o Identify 3 to 4 strengths across your entire life (high school, college, every career phase)
o Be ready to articulate 3 weaknesses that appear in different ways in different situations
§ Vince example: time and expectation management
§ How I have improved, and where I still need growth
Self-awareness questions
· Something you should stop doing, keep doing, and start doing
· Constructive feedback that you agreed with and constructive feedback that you disagreed with
· What preconceived notions did you have about [X] - one which turned out to be true and one that turned out to be not true.
· Assess every major choice you made in your life
o Why did I make each decision?
o What was I thinking at the time?
o How have my thoughts changed since then, and why?
Some HBS AdCom interviewers try to make you defensive
· HBS: "Some of my colleagues think you have an easy job. Would you agree?"
· Applicant: "I can see how some people might get that impression. Here is what I find challenging and interesting about my job…”
Post-interview self-reflection ("NOT AN ESSAY")
· Following the interview, candidates are required to submit a written reflection using our online application system.
· All interviewees will be asked: "You've just had your HBS interview. Tell us about it. How well did we get to know you?" (no word limit) (found at http://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/blog.html#post-2012-06-29; accessed 2012/06)
· This must be submitted within 24 hours following the completion of the interview.
· Why did HBS add this post-interview self-reflection, and how can Vince help you prepare for it?
My offer
· HBS interview training you share your feedback in writing, then I send you mine
· It works like this:
· You send me your application
· I prepare 20 customized questions based on what I would ask if I were your HBS Admissions Board interviewer
· You send me an email after our HBS mock interview session answering this question
o "You've just had your HBS mock interview. Tell us about it. How well did Vince get to know you?" (no word limit)
§ What did you forget to mention?
§ What misperception do you think Vince might have about you, and how do you plan to minimize the chance that your HBS interviewer might share that misperception?
§ How do you plan to improve your answers and your performance before the real interview?
§ How can Vince help you improve?
· I will provide written feedback based on your self-assessment
· Why am I making this offer?
o I agree with Dee Leopold that you should NOT write your answer before the real interview
o But that doesn't mean you cannot practice using one of our mock sessions as the basis for your self-reflection
· By teaching critical thinking and storytelling skills, as I have done since 1990
· My mission: "Change your story, change your life"
o Change your story by building your critical thinking and storytelling skills
o Change your life by getting admitted to HBS
1. What is critical thinking?
· Analytic training to break problems down to their roots
o I hope my website and video channel serve this function for you. Do they?
· Mastering detachment to question conventional wisdom
o I am trying to alter your negative perceptions of yourself
o I also want to expand your perceptions of the schools you hope to attend
Why do critical thinking for HBS admissions?
· Do you fit HBS' profile and do you match their stated admissions criteria?
· Are you applying for the right reasons, and with the right contents?
2. What do I mean by storytelling?
· The oldest and most effective art form that enables us to convey messages, truths, information, and knowledge to our audience
o Who is your audience?
o What messages are you trying to convey?
How did I learn storytelling?
· "Improv Wisdom" from Stanford's Patricia Ryan Madson
What does storytelling have to do with admissions?
· 80% of applicants meet admissions criteria
· Only 13% were admitted to HBS in 2012
· Effective storytelling is the art that moves you from the admitable pile to the admitted pile
How do I use storytelling to help clients get admitted to HBS?
· Are you showing good judgment in your choice of essay topics and your choice of recommenders?
· Are you conveying consistent, interesting, and authentic messages about who you are now, who you want to become in the future, and how an MBA helps you get there?
· Are you under-explaining, or over-explaining, issues that might be of concern to AdCom readers?
Summary
1. Application data forms matter more than you think
2. HBS wants to see believable and ambitious post-MBA goals
3. Accomplishment and leadership stories support goals
All applicants must submit answers to two essay questions listed below. Joint program applicants for the Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Harvard Law School, and Harvard Kennedy School must provide an additional essay which can be found below.
Essays required for all applicants:
Tell us about something you did well. (400 words)
Tell us about something you wish you had done better. (400 words)
Joint degree applicants only:
How do you expect the joint degree experience to benefit you on both a professional and a personal level? (400 words)
(found at http://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/writtenapplication.html#essays; accessed 2012/06)
I have added application form questions about professional background as well as future goals.
Class of 2015 including 2+2)
We are thinking of the Class of 2015 application process as three stages:
1) Introduce Yourself
This is the written application. These are the components:
All the demographic data gathering you expect, including
Employment
Months of Work Experience
Calculate total months of anticipated work experience as of September 1, 2013. Fill in each of the following three boxes as accurately as possible enter 0 if applicable).
Full-Time Work Experience Since College
Number of months college seniors may likely enter 0 here)
Intended Post-MBA:
Industry:
Function:
How does pursuing an MBA support your choices above?
Characters left in your response 500
Employment History
Indicate each employment position you have held in reverse chronological order i.e., most recent first).
If you have had more than three employers, please include this information in your resume.
Please list each employer only once. If you have held multiple positions with the same company, please provide details in your resume.
If admitted, HBS will verify your full-time employment information or your part-time employment information if you have no full-time experience. To aid in verification, please be as accurate as possible when filling in this data.
It is strongly recommended that you confirm your title, starting and ending salaries, and dates of employment with your Human Resources office or its equivalent) before completing this section. The MBA Admissions Board reserves the right to withdraw an offer of admission already made if any discrepancy is found.
a. Company/Organization Information:
Company/Organization Size:
Number of Employees
Annual Revenue:
in U.S. dollars)
Nature of Business:
200 characters
Dates and Salary Information:
Dates of Employment From
Month
Year
yyyy)
To If you are currently employed and do not know your end date, please leave the Month and Year fields blank.)
Month
Year
yyyy)
Salary Information
In U.S. dollars; please enter only numbers, e.g. 50000)
Annual Salary Bonus or Commission
Starting $ $
Current or Ending $ $
Job Description:
Job Title:
Your Responsibilities:
200 characters
Key Accomplishments:
200 characters
Most Significant Challenge:
200 characters
Reason for Leaving:
200 characters
b. Company/Organization Information:
c. Company/Organization Information:
Resume
Upload a copy of your most recent resume. Please limit your resume to 2 pages maximum.
Transcripts of academic work
GMAT/GRE test scores
Joint degree applicants only:
How do you expect the joint degree experience to benefit you on both a professional and a personal level? 400 words)
Please note: Do not send an extra copy of your essays to our office, as this will complicate the processing of your application.
Additional Information
Use this section to include any additional information that you believe is important for the MBA Admissions Board to have in evaluating your application, but that you were unable to include because of the constraints of the online application.
Please limit your additional information to the space in this section. Do not send HBS any additional materials e.g., additional recommendations, work portfolios, etc.), as they will not be considered in your application and will delay processing of your application.
Additional Information:
Response length limited to 500 characters - , as this may truncate your answers and prevent them from being viewed by the Admissions Board)
Statement of Application Integrity
I hereby certify that the information presented in my application is accurate, complete, and honestly presented. I authorize all persons and entities herein named to provide information to Harvard Business School HBS) or its agent to verify any aspect of my application and/or my credentials for admission. I understand and agree that any inaccurate information, misleading information, or omission will be cause for the rescission of any offer of admission, or for discipline, dismissal, or revocation of degree if discovered at a later date.
Offers of Admission: HBS Policy
Admissions decisions are communicated to candidates online; admitted candidates also receive a hard copy letter with signature. The hard copy letter is the only official offer of admission.
Admissions decisions are communicated only to applicants.
The MBA Admissions Office reserves the right to rescind offers of admission of any candidate between the time of admission and matriculation if we become aware of any conduct that we reasonably determine to be inconsistent with the values of HBS.
The MBA Admissions Board does not provide individualized feedback to candidates who are denied admission.
I have read the above statement of application integrity and HBS policy regarding offers of admission and, in submitting my application, accept these terms.
Signature
Date
3 recommendations
Recommender Questions
Recommendations must be completed online. The recommendation form includes the following four essay questions, along with other types of questions.
Please comment on the context of your interaction with the applicant. If applicable, briefly describe the applicant's role in your organization. 250 words)
How does the candidate's performance compare to other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? 250 words)
Please describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant's response. 250 words)
Please make additional statements about the applicant's performance, potential, or personal qualities you believe would be helpful to the MBA Admissions Board. 250 words)
2) Tell Us More
This is the interview process. Interviews are:
By invitation only after review of written application
On our campus or in TBD hub city locations, or in some cases, Skype
30 minutes
Conducted by members of our Admissions Board
After your written application has been submitted and reviewed, you may be invited to an interview. The interview is a positive indicator of interest, but is not a guarantee of admission; it serves as one element among many that are considered as we complete a final review your candidacy. All interviews are conducted by invitation only, at the discretion of the Admissions Board. If invited, however, you must participate in order to complete the application process.
Interviews may be scheduled on campus, in domestic or international hub cities or via Skype. Neither the timing of your interview invitation nor its format, whether in-person or via Skype, implies anything about the status of your application or affects your candidacy. Interviews are 30 minutes and are conducted by an MBA Admissions Board member who has reviewed your application. Your interview will be tailored to you and is designed for us to learn more about you in the context of a conversation.
3) Have the Last Word
This is new. AFTER the interview, candidates are asked to do a written reflection on the interview experience which will be submitted via the online application system. This is a chance for you to have the "last word," so to speak.
Candidates will be required to submit a written reflection after their interview.
Final essay: Post-Interview Reflection
Following the interview, candidates are required to submit a written reflection using our online application system. This must be submitted within 24 hours following the completion of the interview. Detailed instructions will be provided to those applicants who are invited to the interview process.
(found at http://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/blog.html; accessed 2012/05)
9 important decisions that will determine your HBS admission result
Understand your audience – how certain pieces of information influence admissions decisions
Should you apply? (2 of my admitted clients would not have applied if I had not encouraged them to do so; if you want to apply but lack confidence to do so, remember my “no regrets” rule)
When to apply? Which year? (Sometimes tell someone to wait a year, or to consider other schools. 2+2 gives clear guidance); Which round? R1 is not better if you are not ready to show your best material, including tests scores, application data, essays, and references)
The numbers (GPA, scores, age) – power to change the things you can change and mitigate the things you cannot – maximize your scores in as few test sittings as possible. Take TOEFL and GMAT as few times as possible (10 or less for TOEFL – 109 is not strictly enforced); “send scores” to 5 schools every time you take the test You cannot change your undergraduate academic performance. But you might want to enroll in pre-MBA quant courses if GPA and/or GMAT is low; HBS sometimes extends conditional admission offers, requiring pre-MBA English courses if they are worried about your communication skills and/or courses like accounting and finance if they are worried about your quant skills)
Once you submit your application, you may not change the scores that will be considered. Scores more than two years old will not be accepted
How many times have you taking the TOEFL? There is a drop-down menu asking you to select a number from 1 to 10 or more than 10
Vince's note: from my discussion with admissions board members I understand that if you select more than 10, you may be called by the admissions board to confirm your English skills
Application data forms and resume (employment history, intended post-MBA industry + function, aka short-term goal, plus up to three extracurricular activities, what you did and how you were selected; and up to three awards and recognitions, including basis of selection)
Extracurricular Activities
Up to three allowed
List the most important first
Please indicate whether the role was
Elected
Appointed
Volunteer
Participant
Member
If desired, you may also include a brief description of the activity and your responsibilities (up to 250 characters)
Awards and Recognition
Include as many as three
Title
Date
Basis of selection (200 characters)
Required essays (two behavioral essay questions – “one thing you did well, and one thing you wish you had done better”, plus a standard statement of purpose for joint degree applicants – how the joint degree will benefit you personally and professionally)
Additional information (up to 500 chars in the online application data form – use discretion; most of my admitted clients leave this blank for HBS; depends on the school.)
Additional Information: (500 characters)
Use this section to include any additional information that you believe is important for the MBA Admissions Board to have in evaluating your application, but that you were unable to include because of the constraints of the online application.
Please limit your additional information to the space in this section. Do not send HBS any additional materials (e.g., additional recommendations, work portfolios, etc.), as they will not be considered in your application and will delay processing of your application.
References (show good judgment about who you ask and what they write - which 3 to ask? how to support them in providing new insights on your candidacy; choose referees who have shown “tough love,” not just unqualified praise; mentors challenge us and help us grow; never pick someone only because he or she went to Harvard)
3 recommendations
Recommendations must be completed online. The recommendation form includes the following four essay questions, along with other types of questions.
4 Recommender Questions
Please comment on the context of your interaction with the applicant. If applicable, briefly describe the applicant's role in your organization. (250 words)
How does the candidate's performance compare to other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? (250 words)
Please describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant's response. (250 words)
Please make additional statements about the applicant's performance, potential, or personal qualities you believe would be helpful to the MBA Admissions Board. (250 words)
Interview (where? attend the hub if invited; visit campus at another time; how to prepare)
Final essay - post-interview reflection (show 1. gratitude, 2. self-awareness, 3. humility, 4. confidence, and 5. commitment to attend HBS if admitted)
Final essay: Post-Interview Reflection
Candidates will be required to submit a written reflection after their interview.
Following the interview, candidates are required to submit a written reflection using our online application system. This must be submitted within 24 hours following the completion of the interview. Detailed instructions will be provided to those applicants who are invited to the interview process.
Yes, we are getting lots of questions. And your questions have actually been helpful as we put the finishing touches on this exercise. Here's where we are now - and some thinking behind it.
This is the question that all interviewees will be asked: "You've just had your HBS interview. Tell us about it. How well did we get to know you?"
There will be no word limit.
We think the instruction memo will look something like this: "This is not an essay. Think of this as an email you might write after a meeting. We will be much more generous in our reaction to typos and grammatical errors than we will be with pre-packaged responses. Emails that give any indication that they were produced BEFORE you had the interview will raise a flag for us. We do not expect you to solicit or receive any outside assistance with this exercise."
Here's what we're thinking:
This is NOT another essay. We want your response to be much more like an email. Why? In the Real World, it is unlikely that you will be given months and months to craft essays of any sort. It just doesn't happen. In the Real World, it is almost a sure thing that you will be asked to write emails summarizing meetings and giving your opinion in a short time frame. Since HBS tries to be as "close to practice" as possible, this shift from essays to more real time writing feels appropriate.
I know this is hard to hear but this should NOT be a cause for anxiety. We want your genuine reaction to the interview experience. As is always the case in the Real World, this means there is no right answer to the question. There is no formula, no template. But, we can tell you what the WRONG approach is: to get lots of coaching and prepare the response in September for an interview in November. To have lots of people edit and tweak it. To avoid answering the question but instead jam in six more accomplishments or copy and paste an essay from another school. Please understand that we really do plan to be very generous and kind about typos and grammar. We're not looking for a polished response.
We'll continue to have our webinars which are about the application process in general. We welcome your questions and will do our absolute best to be as clear as possible as we get closer to interview season.
(found at http://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/blog.html#post-2012-06-29; accessed 2012/06)
One possible strategy
Thank them for the opportunity
Reflect on your performance
Clarify anything you failed to mention or any misperceptions you may have given about your candidacy
Perhaps confirm your commitment to attending HBS if admitted
If you plan to apply to Tuck, I suggest you write those essays first because the essay topics will apply to other schools, including HBS. Tuck also allows flexible word limits, which helps since it is often easier to write a long essay than a short one.
Kellogg is another good first essay set because the essays are typical (except for essay 3) and the word limits for goals and leadership essays are more generous than HBS.
If you are not considering Tuck or Kellogg, you might consider brainstorming, outlining and drafting Harvard essays now.
Aside from the strict word limits, which you should ignore for now, HBS offers a decent mix of stories to tackle for your first essay set.
The HBS set requires you to share at least seven stories about the past, plus your future goals / why you need an MBA.
three accomplishments, which can include stories that show your leadership and teamwork skills, as well as your technical and analytical skills
three setbacks, which demonstrate your perseverance and ability to learn valuable life lessons
one balance topic (“Answer a question you wish we'd asked”) that allows you to highlight a story that demonstrates a unique selling point
why you need an MBA
How will you identify the ideal mix of seven or eight stories to include? Please read my tips below to learn more about my counseling style and approach to HBS essays.
Please note, HBS does not number their essays. To help you follow my analysis, I will number them as follows:
Essay 1: Tell us about three of your accomplishments. (600 words)
Essay 2: Tell us three setbacks you have faced. (600 words)
Essay 3: Why do you want an MBA? (400 words)
Essay 4: Answer a question you wish we'd asked. (400 words)
First of all, please note that HBS adcoms now require all applicants to answer the same four essay questions. This is a significant change. For the past few years, you were asked to select several questions from a list of options. By removing this step, the Board now sends a clear message about what types of stories they want you to tell. Next, I assume that HBS adcoms might have wanted all you to answer the same questions in order to standardize their admissions criteria since they can now compare the same four essays across the entire applicant pool. This strategy mirrors Stanford GSB and MIT Sloan.
Next, a word on essay order. I advise my clients to answer “Why MBA?” first, followed by “three accomplishments”, then “three setbacks.” Save the “choice” essay for last.
Here is my suggested order for answering the 2014 HBS Essay Questions:
Essay 3: Why do you want an MBA? (400 words)
Essay 1: Tell us about three of your accomplishments. (600 words)
Essay 2: Tell us three setbacks you have faced. (600 words)
Essay 4: Answer a question you wish we'd asked. (400 words)
Start with your goals ("Why MBA?") story. Why? Two reasons. First, it will set the tone for your entire essay set. the process of answering the question will clarify your motivations. By assessing your skills and identifying gaps in your personal and professional development, you can set the stage for the other essays in the HBS essay set. That said, you should ignore the 400-word limit for now. Just write.
Second, I advise my clients to answer "Why MBA?" questions first because all other essays are logically dependent on them. In other words, you cannot decide what accomplishments and setbacks to highlight until you know your purpose in applying to school. Accomplishments make your goals sound believable. Setbacks make you human and allow the reader to want to root for your continued success.
Here are my methods for answering HBS Essay 3: "Why do you want an MBA?”
Essay 3
"Why do you want an MBA? (400 words)"
I love helping clients write HBS goals essays because they require self-reflection. I am somewhat introverted myself, so I enjoy helping others get in touch with their inner voice and guiding principles.
At the risk of over-simplifying, I would say that HBS adcoms look for applicants that can lead their current industries. Stanford might prefer applicants that want to create new industries. How can you combine existing best practices from different disciplines to impact lives and change communities for the better?
A good goals essay should be both believable and exciting.
Here is how I help my clients write 400-word “Why MBA?” HBS essays that get results.
First, a bit of history. HBS made goals essays optional when they introduced the 2+2 program in 2006. Now, they are required, but the question has been simplified.
My clients answer the “Why MBA?” through a series of dialogs.
I ask my clients to tell me
What are you good at now?
What do you want to do right after earning your MBA?
What do you want to do after that?
Why are you not able to achieve these short and long term goals now?
What skills do you need to develop to achieve your goals? In other words, what critical weak points do you need to overcome before realizing your leadership potential?
Why is MBA the best place to develop the skills that you need?
Why is this school your best fit?
Why you? What is your deeper motivation?
Send Vince several options for your short and long term goals.
After discussing your ideas, you can choose and focus on one set of short and long term goals. Ideally, your long term goal represents the next logical step after completing your short term goal.
Why MBA?
First, identify what skills you need from your MBA.
I need technical skills such as: finance and accounting
I need analytical skills: corporate strategy, strategic planning (long term thinking)
I need interpersonal skills: to lead cross-cultural and cross-functional team (organizational behavior) to motivate experts in finance, accounting, sales, marketing, engineering, and operations....
Still, I need an MBA from HBS to create the right partnership model, secure and manage the JV funding and scale my new venture to cover demand in Japan and eventually other parts of Asia. To capitalize on my idea, I plan to use my time at HBS to explore the right JV partnership, funding and profit sharing schemes, and develop supply-demand optimizing models.
Why now?
Why do you need an MBA now? Why is this the ideal timing to pursue formal management training in a full-time program? Why is this the right time to study management in a two-year, full-time graduate school program?
You need to answer this question directly, but your answer can be short (two sentences). Think about:
Internal factors (pushing you to get an MBA now): I have mastered certain technical, analytical and/or interpersonal skills; I am now ready to develop my skills and knowledge in new (specific) areas as stated above
External factors (pulling you to get an MBA now): what makes this the ideal market timing for implementing your great business idea after you earn your MBA from this particular school?
Outline your short term goal (STG). Your readers (admissions committee members, aka adcoms) want to confirm the following:
Are you qualified (credible)?
Are you competitive (ambitious)?
Are you a good fit for their program (aware of how your own strengths and weaknesses relate to those of their program)?
Start with your direct goal on graduation. Adcoms want to see a goal that is both believable and ambitious. If your goal is simply to continue what you are doing now, that is too realistic. It is a waste of a Harvard MBA. If your goal, however, is to do something radically different from what you are doing now, and there is not a clear sense of how you are going to get there, that is too ambitious. Many of my clients use MBA to change careers. Others want to lead their current industry.
Having a detailed short term goal is also crucial to explain how this school best prepares you to achieve your goals.
Long term goal
Outline your long term goal. This is your mission in life. Try to show that you are confident to achieve these goals with or without business school (though earning your MBA from their school certainly increases the scale and scope of your future success)
Your long term goal can be general, but should still express your visions and insights about the industry you would like to work in, perhaps in 10 years
A good LTG = the logical next step after your STG
For example
After growing Tokyo operations to 200-300 staff within 5-10 years, I will expand my service into other parts of Asia.
Why HBS?
Adcoms do not ask you why they want a MBA from HBS, but I still advise you to write a few concise and salient reasons why they feel Harvard is the best fit.
Start by making a complete list of all the things that can help you achieve your short and long term goals.
1. Curriculum / professor (1 or 2)
2. Special programs (1 or 2)
3. Network / student culture (1 or 2)
Use "BEST / ONLY" logic: "I could confirm my interest in School X through my ongoing conversations with Mr. FirstName LastName (Class of '07), who told me about (specific aspect of school). This perfectly fits my (specific goal / learning objective) because..."
Use a combination of logic and emotion to convince them of your “fit” with the school
Passion is SHOWN through detailed examples that prove you have done your homework.
HBS’s unique combination of
Curriculum / professor(s)
Special programs
People
...best prepares me to (restate goals)...
I suggest you focus on “people", such as a particular professor, current students and/or alumni. For example: "I have known Mr. A before, during, and after he attending School X's MBA program. I saw how it impacted him in terms of (specific hard and soft skills). I have also seen how he applied those new skills and perspectives in his career. I hope to have a similar transformative experience that only (this program) can provide."
Next, be sure to show that you have done your homework by reaching out to current students and alumni. Just be careful not to waste their time. They are busy and receive many such inquiries. Instead, ask if they agree with an idea you have, and ask for any suggestions or tips to help you make your idea better.
Finally, synthesize your findings into a few sentences that prove your “fit” with HBS.
For example
(SAMPLE A)
I could confirm my interest in HBS through my ongoing conversations with Mr. FirstName LastName (Class of '07), who told me about (specific aspect of school). This perfectly fits my (specific goal / learning objective) because...
(SAMPLE B)
Through my recent campus visit and ongoing networking with X (‘09) and Y (‘11), I am convinced that only Harvard gives me the skills necessary to break through my company’s silo-based organizational structure. To persuade 40,000 professionals across different functions and cultures, I need to introduce new goal-based teamwork models to persuade entrenched opinion leaders to embrace changes that will yield new opportunities. I also recently participated in HBS Club of Japan’s Business Awards Ceremony, where I felt strong alumni bonds that extended across generations. After graduating from HBS, I plan to work with the executive director of The HBS Japan Research Center to transform my company into the world’s most innovative SCM service provider.
"Tell us about three of your accomplishments. (600 words)"
For nearly ten years, I have helped clients write about their accomplishments in HBS MBA essays.
Even the successful ones get stuck. Clients often ask me the following questions:
A. How do I identify the three best accomplishments to include?
B. How do I explain each accomplishment in a way that is clear and interesting for my readers?
C. How do I present the most impressive mix of achievements and personal characteristics?
D. How can I persuade adcoms that I will succeed at their school, and achieve my future goals?
I will answer each concern below, one by one.
A. How do I identify the three best accomplishments to include?
First, ask yourself some thought provoking questions as you begin brainstorming which stories to include in your answer to HBS’ “three accomplishments” question:
1. What moments in your life made you feel truly proud?
2. What are the most pivotal decisions you have made in your life? Think about the turning points that made you who you are today. These could include academic, personal and professional successes.
3. How have you helped others? You can emphasize accomplishments earned you praise and awards, but adcoms also like to read accomplishment stories that involve mentoring, training and supporting others. After all, you are getting an MBA in order to learn how to lead organizations. You might want to select a story that shows your current leadership ability.
Make a list of eight to ten options, with a brief explanation of each one (beginning, middle and end).
Then, share your ideas with Vince ASAP. Vince will provide feedback based on what the Admissions Board wants to hear. Through a series of conversations, Vince will help you determine which stories present the best balance of personal and professional, growth and mastery.
B. How do I explain each accomplishment in a way that is clear and interesting for my readers?
When you tell a leadership story, be sure not to skip the turning point. How did you convince others to do something that they did not want to do? Show the step-by-step details. It is never easy to change someone’s mind. How did you get your boss, coworker or client to agree with your idea? What obstacles did you face, and how did you overcome them? Show tension. Build drama. It keeps your reader interested, and it makes your accomplishment sound significant.
C. How do I balance my accomplishments to convince adcoms of my ability to succeed at their school and to achieve my future goals?
Try to include at least one accomplishment that demonstrates your leadership ability. You might also find an accomplishment that highlights your teamwork skills.
Accomplishments can emphasize concrete, quantifiable results. They can also show impact, how you changed yourself or others.
Impact stories can include stories that display leadership and teamwork.
Clients often ask me to help them differentiate between leadership and teamwork. I believe that accomplishment stories should emphasize results (quantitative) and impact (qualitative). Next, leadership stories prove your future management potential, and your ability to achieve your goals. Finally, teamwork stories demonstrate your ability to get along with peers and to contribute to MBA life.
What is leadership?
I believe that leaders display some combination of integrity, self-awareness, courage, responsibility, intellectual curiosity and tolerance for ambiguity. They motivate and develop others, create and articulate a vision, and communicate effectively. They also balance multiple constituencies, identify and capture opportunities, and envision new approaches and possibilities.
We study great leaders in business, politics, literature and popular culture. Think of leaders from classic films like "Saving Private Ryan", "The Godfather", ""Dead Poet's Society", "Lord of Rings", "Schindler's List", “Star Wars”, and "Erin Brockovich". (Add your own favorite title here.)
One dictionary defines teamwork as "a joint action by a group of people, in which each person subordinates his or her individual interests and opinions to the unity and efficiency of the group."
I often discuss movies with my clients. I ask them to think of a favorite sports movie, like “Slap Shot”, “The Bad News Bears”, “Miracle”, or my personal favorite, “Remember the Titans.”
Since I have a young son, I spend a lot of time watching children’s movies. Many of them include themes of teamwork. I am thinking of “A Bug’s Life”, “Finding Nemo”, and “Toy Story”.
HBS adcoms used to ask applicants, “What are your three most substantial accomplishments and why do you view them as such?” They longer ask you to explain why you view each accomplishment as "most significant", but I encourage you to explain the logic behind each selection.
Essay 2
"Tell us three setbacks you have faced. (600 words)"
“Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
'You have learned something. That always feels at first as if you have lost something.' - George Bernard Shaw
Did you lose a job, a business deal, an important competition, or a loved one? How did you regain your confidence?
Failure, mistake, and setback stories are among the hardest admissions essays to write. My clients struggle to find the right stories that showcase their ability to survive and thrive in the face of obstacles and frustration. They also wonder how much responsibility to take for what happened, and how to prove that they have learned their lessons well.
In past years, the HBS Admissions Board (adcoms) required you to discuss what they have learned from a (single) mistake. Now, you must explain three setbacks in only 600 words. As always, ignore the word limits when you begin brainstorming and drafting your answers.
Why did HBS adcoms change the keyword from “mistake” to “setback” and increase the number of required examples from one to three? I have a few ideas.
In general, adcoms ask about failures, mistakes, and setbacks in order to assess the applicant's maturity and teamwork skills. The Harvard MBA experience requires you to work alongside the same 90 peers for an entire year. Your cohort becomes your family. The group self-regulates. If you are rude or inconsiderate to others, the group will ostracize you.
Adcoms act as gatekeepers. They need to select students who will contribute their ideas without intimidating others. Fifty percent of HBS grades are based on class participation. Adcoms work hard to ensure that they admit students who will make meaningful contributions to class discussions. For this reason, HBS adcom interviewers sometimes ask questions that are designed to make you defensive. They want to see if you can clarify your ideas without overreacting. In a similar way, in this year's essay questions, HBS adcoms are asking you to share three setback stories because they want to understand:
How do you react when you do not get what you want?
Can you remain flexible and optimistic when you face unexpected obstacles?
Can you maintain a gracious attitude as you watch your best laid plans come to nothing?
What is a setback? Some dictionaries define a setback as an unanticipated or sudden reversal or check in progress. The word “setback” implies a change from better to worse. It usually involves an unfortunate happening that hinders or impedes. Setbacks often cause us to feel frustrated or defeated.
Is a setback your fault? Not always. We encounter setbacks at the hands forces beyond our control: disease, natural disasters, and acts of war. Other times, we are intentionally or unintentionally blocked by others. Worst of all, we sometimes get in our own way. Did you hinder your progress due to your own misjudgment, carelessness, or forgetfulness? Did you fail to consider some outcome that others could have seen? Were you overly optimistic about your ability, or the ability of others?
Whether the setback was due to your error, or whether it was no one’s fault, your outlook matters most. Can you view setbacks as opportunities for learning? If you view setbacks as insurmountable failures, you can become paralyzed. Can you change your mind set? Are you ready to move forward?
When I read a failure, setback or mistake essays, I ask myself:
1. Do I believe? Did this example truly cause pain to the writer? Is she sharing a real setback story, or using an accomplishment story she wrote for some other school?
2. Do I care? Were others affected? Was something damaged? (loss of money, loss of time, loss of reputation, loss of business)
3. Do I want to work with this person on a project or study team? Did she learn something real about herself because of this experience? Did she deepen her understanding about herself, or others? In the process of recovering from this setback, did she gain new hard or soft skills? Is she resilient? Can she prove her learning by sharing another example to show how she applied the lessons she learned from this setback?
Many good setback stories involve personal transformation. Did you change your role (external change) and/or your attitude toward people or problems (internal change)? Did you become more aware of your self-limiting tendencies or bad habits that hold you back from achieving your full potential? Are you now more able to recognize and compensate for personal limitations that might otherwise lead to future mistakes or setbacks?
To show personal transformation, try adding details that display a clear "before" and "after".
BEFORE - how you were
AFTER - how you changed
IMPACT - how does this accomplishment prepare to contribute to MBA life and achieve your career goals?
Here are some questions to get you started.
Did you face setbacks when working as a team member?
Did you encounter significant challenges when working cross-functionally?
Did you face setbacks when working cross-culturally?
Did you struggle to manage your time, or the time of others?
Did details overwhelm you?
Did you fail to consider the larger context of your actions?
Did you face a setback because you were afraid to present bad news to others?
Did you face a setback because you were afraid to confront others about some important issue?
Did you procrastinate beginning new tasks?
Did you lose energy in the middle of an important project?
Did you face a setback because you were impatient?
Did you encounter a setback because you were unable to persuade your subordinates?
Did you lose valuable time or fail to achieve a desired result because you could not influence your seniors?
Did you fail to close an important project or deal because of your lack of technical, analytical or interpersonal skills?
Business and self-help books are full of other cliches, like “Winners never quit and quitters never win”, and “If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.” While they seem over-used, these aphorisms contain wisdom.
A popular motivational speaker named Willie Jolley recently wrote a best-selling book called “A setback is a setup for a comeback.” He emphasizes “faith, focus, and follow-through." Here is an edited excerpt that might help you organize your ideas and write your “three setbacks” essay for HBS.
How to Survive and Thrive Through any Business Setback: The four-step Process of Turning a Setback into a Comeback by Willie Jolley
Has your business ever had a setback? Of course it has. Perhaps your right-hand person left to work for your biggest competitor. Maybe your top sales person quit without notice and took a few key accounts away. Even worse, perhaps you lost everything because of a bad business decision.
Whatever happened, whether it was a large or small setback, how you dealt with the issue most likely determined where you are today. Those who realize the setbacks are simply part of the business process usually thrive, while those who dwell on the problems of setbacks routinely falter.
A setback is a change that needs to occur in order to move forward. No matter what industry you're in, you're bound to have things change. The key is to remember that these temporary setbacks can empower you to reach greater levels of future business success. No matter what obstacle has plagued your business, following this four-step process can help you survive and thrive.
1. Focus Your Vision
Where you focus your energy determines where you will go. If you focus on the setbacks and challenges it brought you, your business can't move forward. However, when you focus on what you want your business to become, then you are using the setback as a transition.
2. Make a Decision
Both success and failure are decisions. Once your vision is in place, you have to decide you're going to win despite the setback. The truth is, successful business people choose to be successful. They understand that decision and choice are integral parts of the success formula.
3. Take Action
A decision without action is simply an illusion, and an action without a vision is mere confusion. Yet, a vision plus decisive action can change the world.
Unfortunately, many business people never act on their decisions. While they have the best of intentions, they lack the determination and persistence that comes with taking action.
By taking action on a decision, you're also taking responsibility for the setback. Once you take responsibility for your actions, you're ready to move forward and attain your next goal.
4. Keep the Desire
Desire is the degree of energy you're willing to exert in order to reach your goal. Many business people give up because their desire falters. Either a new idea strikes them and they lose focus, or they encounter another minor setback and become discouraged. In order to reach the new business goal you have set for yourself, you must have the desire to follow through with every action, even if it involves a degree of risk. While taking a risk might be intimidating, especially after a setback, it's a necessary ingredient to reaching your new business goal.
All successful business people have had setbacks. If you view a setback as a chance for future growth, you can bring every challenge to a positive outcome, and make a stunning comeback.
(found at http://www.allbusiness.com/management/786751-1.html; accessed 2011/07)
Need a break? If you get stuck while brainstorming, outlining, drafting, revising, or editing your setback essay, you might find it helpful to watch one of these famous “setback” movies.
Rocky I (1976) and Rocky II (1979)
Chariots of Fire (1981)
Cars (2006)
In each of these films, the characters encounter and overcome significant setbacks, and emerge stronger.
"Answer a question you wish we'd asked. (400 words)"
HBS ends their set of four required essays by asking you to make a choice. What story best balances your overall application? You might re-use a favorite essay from another school's application, but be sure to chose the one that best represents your selling points.
Stories related to accomplishments and setbacks would add little value.
Try to include a story that only you can tell. It can cover an ordinary topic, but be sure to demonstrate your ability to go above and beyond expectations to add value to your community, and society as a whole.
Many of you will write about personal topics, but be sure to balance the contents of this essay with the personal accomplishments and setbacks presented in essays one and two.
Some of you might decide to write 400 words about why they wish to attend HBS, or how they plan to contribute to the school. Does such a story represent you at your best? Does the Admissions Board want to read about Harvard? They work there. Why do they want to read about their employer? HBS essays are not reviewed by current students, and the adcom members we have met are quite confident about the quality of the HBS MBA degree. Be careful.
Depending on what stories and examples you have told in other essays, you might consider answering a question like, “What do you do outside of work?” "What is your personal credo or motto?" or “How do you add value to your community?”
The Harvard Business School Admissions Board wants Class of 2014 applicants to, "Answer a question you wish we'd asked" in 400 words.
As one of my clients recently asked, "What is this? What do they want?"
If you play poker, it is a "wild card." You are free to ask and answer any question that will add value to your application.
HBS ends their set of four required essays by asking you to make a choice. What story best balances your overall application? You might re-use a favorite essay from another school's application, but be sure to chose the one that best represents your selling points.
Stories related to accomplishments and setbacks would add little value.
Try to include a story that only you can tell. It can cover an ordinary topic, but be sure to demonstrate your ability to go above and beyond expectations.
To help you brainstorm possible questions to ask yourself, then answer in Essay 4, I collected previous HBS essay questions from 2005-2010 that the Admissions Board did NOT ask this year.
Perhaps one of them could form the basis for your answer. Just be sure you are not repeating anything you already said in your previous answers.
QUESTIONS LISTED BY THEME
First, I grouped the 14 questions into six themes:
ACADEMICS
What would you like the MBA Admissions Board to know about your undergraduate academic experience?
ETHICS
In your career, you will have to deal with many ethical issues. What are likely to be the most challenging and what is your plan for developing the competencies you will need to handle these issues effectively?
SELF-INTRODUCTION / SELF-AWARENESS
When you join the HBS Class of 2013, how will you introduce yourself to your new classmates?
Write a cover letter to your application introducing yourself to the Admissions Board.
Provide a candid assessment of your strengths and weaknesses.
INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE
What global issue is most important to you and why?
What area of the world are you most curious about and why?
How have you experienced culture shock?
LEADERSHIP
Discuss how you have engaged with a community or organization.
Discuss a defining experience in your development as a leader.
Discuss a defining experience in your leadership development. How did this experience highlight your strengths and weaknesses?
What are your strengths and weaknesses as a leader?
Tell us about a time when you made a difficult decision.
SETBACK
Tell us about a time in your professional experience when you were frustrated or disappointed.
QUESTIONS LISTED BY YEAR
Here are the same 14 questions with the year that they were asked by the HBS Admissions Board:
HBS MBA Class of 2013
Tell us about a time in your professional experience when you were frustrated or disappointed.
When you join the HBS Class of 2013, how will you introduce yourself to your new classmates?
HBS MBA Class of 2012
What would you like the MBA Admissions Board to know about your undergraduate academic experience?
Tell us about a time when you made a difficult decision.
Write a cover letter to your application introducing yourself to the Admissions Board.
HBS MBA Class of 2011
Discuss how you have engaged with a community or organization.
What area of the world are you most curious about and why?
HBS 2+2 Class of 2011
How have you experienced culture shock?
Discuss a defining experience in your leadership development. How did this experience highlight your strengths and weaknesses?
What global issue is most important to you and why?
HBS MBA Class of 2008
Discuss a defining experience in your development as a leader.
In your career, you will have to deal with many ethical issues. What are likely to be the most challenging and what is your plan for developing the competencies you will need to handle these issues effectively?
What are your strengths and weaknesses as a leader?
HBS MBA Class of 2007
Provide a candid assessment of your strengths and weaknesses.
[VINCE HINTS]
Of the 14 questions listed above, these are the five that I feel provide the best opportunities to add value to your essay set:
What would you like the MBA Admissions Board to know about your undergraduate academic experience?
In your career, you will have to deal with many ethical issues. What are likely to be the most challenging and what is your plan for developing the competencies you will need to handle these issues effectively?
What area of the world are you most curious about and why?
Discuss how you have engaged with a community or organization.
Tell us about a time when you made a difficult decision.
NOTE: I almost included the "culture shock" question, but I think that if you experienced culture shock in a significant way, you could write about it as a setback.
"GMAT scores are self-reported, and we do NOT need to have received your official score before the deadline - an unofficial score is fine. We verify scores for all accepted candidates later in the season."
LINKS
Are you preparing for an HBS interview? Please read Vince's latest HBS Interview Tips and watch sample interviews here ▸ http://www.vinceprep.com/interviews/hbs
Preparing admissions essays for MBA programs can be a lonely process, involving much introspection and contemplation. Throughout this process, Vince was an invaluable partner to me, providing objective and professional advice that was critical to my success; ultimately, I gained admissions to 5 top programs in the US, including HBS, Wharton and Northwestern’s JD-MBA program.
Initially, I was somewhat skeptical of receiving advice from essay counselors. I had been educated in the US through college and had confidence that I could pull it off all by myself. Yet, once I started working with Vince, my initial doubt quickly dissipated, as I realized the importance of having a good listener and thinker give objective feedback and advice. I could not have integrated my myriad of ideas into coherent essay portfolios without Vince’s support.
I was also impressed by Vince’s professionalism. He gave tremendous personal attention (almost to a fault!) and usually worked outside of designated time slots; I believe this separates him from other commercially-minded essay counselors.
Having advised many successful, top-notch Japanese clients in the past, Vince has an excellent understanding of the MBA application process and a keen insight into what admissions officers from top programs look for in candidates. Such intelligence could be hard to gather in Japan, where only several hundred people apply to MBA programs each year.
Last but not least, Vince possesses a dry sense of humor that made every one of my twice-a-week face-to-face sessions enjoyable.
Harvard Business School Class of 2012
(also admitted to Wharton)
In short, Vince Ricci:
knows what admission committees think and feel: he said, "Essay is an art as well as a science."
leverages technologies as a Stanford alum: non-Tokyo based applicants can work with him without stress.
is a nice guy: he has a broad network which helps applicants learn about target schools.
Overall, by working with Vince, I experienced great results, good ideas for essays and strategies for interview, and a lot of networking opportunities.
Harvard Business School MBA Class of 2009
The two greatest aspects of Vince and his counseling are his capabilities to push the client to his/her best potential and his abilities to listen and cheer for the best results.
My first confident essay draft was so easily referred to by Vince as “a mess”. This pure shock hit me hard to realize that he was not there to help and support me no matter what, but was there for me to convince him (later myself and the admissions) that I could make it into business schools. The difficulty of business school preparation is fundamentally changing the mindset to think deep in who you are and what makes you valuable to an admit, and Vince was capable to push me each time I tried to slack off the process. Not to mention that without him convincing me, I would have not applied to Harvard Business School/third round, where I am now today.
Also, business school prep move forward by multiple waves. I could not always execute what I had promised Vince the week before whether it was due to work, or emotional fluctuations. Within each one hour counseling session, I sometimes spent the time just talking with Vince about what was going on in my life in general. This helped me through the tough times and kept me from completely falling apart. Vince is truly a great listener and the best cheerleader I had during my prep period.
Vinceをカウンセラーとして起用して良かった点 は、私の魅力を最大限に引き出してくれた事と、私の話をいつも聞いてくれ、励ましてくれた点です。彼の 所に最初に持っていったエッセイは自信作であった割には「it’s a mess」とコメントされ、沈没でした。駄作であったとしても、よいものに直してくれるであろうと気楽に構えていたのですが、ビジネススクール合格はそん なに簡単ではありません。まずは、Vinceを乗り越えなければ合格にたどり着かないのだなと、その時強く思いました。ビジネススクール受験の辛さは今ま でのマインドセットを変え、自分の経験と将来像を深く考え、いかにビジネススクールに進学する事が自分にとって重要なのかを合理的に追求していく事です が、ちょっと手を抜くたびにVinceが後ろから押してくれていました。HBSへ3rdでも出したほうがよいと、彼にしつこく説得してくれなければ私は今 日HBSで勉強をする事ができなかったでしょう。
"Preparing admissions essays for MBA programs can be a lonely process, involving much introspection and contemplation. Throughout this process, Vince was an invaluable partner to me, providing objective and professional advice that was critical to my success; ultimately, I gained admissions to 5 top programs in the US, including HBS, Wharton and Northwestern’s JD-MBA program."
