Of course we're thinking a lot about Round 1. And all of us have been on the road doing info sessions so I know that I have panel-itis. I try (very hard) to do continual reality-checks about what I'm saying out there to both groups and individuals. My challenge is to explain this process as best I can - and, just as important, to dispel myths. But it's also to stay real and to not shy away from saying that the answer to most questions asked is it depends - because it's true. There is a lot of noise out there about what are the right answers, the right backgrounds, and right time. Strong opinions voiced with authority can be seductive - sort of along the lines of often wrong but never in doubt. Most of the time I know better than give out prescriptive advice to candidates just to hear myself talk. Every so often - like today - I try to capture some of our bigger picture advice. So here you have it. As always, the intent is to be helpful.
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- Try to resist the urge to make standing out your primary goal in the admissions process. If you have made traditional choices all along (college, extra-curriculars, major field of study, jobs), own it. You'll look silly if you try to portray yourself as a rogue daredevil. There are plenty of people at HBS who come from traditional backgrounds.
- Do your homework about the case method. It's our signature pedagogy and it is nothing like traditional academia. Watch Inside the Case Method (link below) on our website and ask yourself if you find this method of learning intriguing and exciting. If it's not for you, choose another school now vs. later.
- When choosing recommenders, determine whether or not they can answer the question we pose: what piece of constructive advice have you given to the candidate? If they can't answer, they probably don't know you well enough to write a helpful recommendation.
- Realize that we're serious when we say that our challenge is selection vs. evaluation. Our promise to our faculty and to every student is to deliver the most diverse class - on multiple dimensions - as we possibly can. I've never heard an HBS student say: I wish there were more students just like me in my section. Selection can look mysterious to the outside world because not all of the elements of diversity can be captured in metrics. Some, like leadership style, are subtle and communicated more obliquely.
- Stay curious. It's so easy to stay heads down during the application process and become so introspective that you lose sight of the larger world. Keep reading. Keep listening. We're looking for people who can dig into a case about a company they have never heard of, in an industry they don't think they care about - and be 100% engaged.
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