This post has been marked as OLD. However, it's still relevant. The Harvard essay questions have slimmed down significantly over the years, but the advice on what goes into a good HBS MBA essay remains the same. Here's the current Harvard MBA essays. The post below should still serve you well.
>For some reason, we’re seeing LOTS of BSers who’re having trouble articulating situations that fit the “setback” essay question that HBS has asked this year. In case you don’t have it memorized already, the question goes like this: Tell us three setbacks you have faced. Not so difficult, eh? Apparently, it is. We’ve seen drafts…
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Manoj says
I read this post and went back and read my 2+2 essay for setbacks. (I finished them all a while back and haven't looked at them since) I honestly didn't know if I got them right but they seemed similar to the framework you've given. It needs some work but the idea is good. Thanks ES 🙂
jen says
thanks for this post. i was struggling with this one.
essaysnark says
@jen, yeah it's not an easy one.
@Manoj, good to hear!
Good luck to both of you on HBS!
Dave says
I think the key this one is taking the word setback literally: something happened that set you back.
I've been thinking about it as setting a scenario of a project i was working on, made some solid progress, only to have something happen (outside of my control), that set me back a few steps. In the instance i'm thinking of it set me back to square 1, where i had to rethink the project and develop a whole new approach, however i don't think it needs to be that big of an event to be an effective example.
Then the real focus of the essay is on how i reacted and managed through the setback to get back on track.
essaysnark says
Thank you, Dave! Yes exactly: "something happened that set you back." Not everyone seems to be grasping this. 😉
Only comment to add to what you wrote is that it does not necessarily need to be an outside force that sets you back – it can be a mistake of one's own making. (Thus, "mistake" or "failure" topics can often work for this essay too.)
How you react, how you get back on track (how you turned it into a success!) is EXACTLY what the core of these stories should be.
Manoj says
@ES- Is it okay to use a setback (one of the three stories) that one turned around but not into a complete success for this essay? As in can the setback+lacuna of knowledge to completely turn it around into a success be shown as a reason for wanting to pursue an MBA? Especially for a 2+2 candidate who doesn't have any real work experience.
I ask this because, after talking to a few alums from HBS and reading through the website I get a sense that HBS wants candidates who are works in progress to mould them further.
essaysnark says
@Manoj – on your strategy question re HBS essay 2 – *maybe* what you've described is fine, but we can't say definitively without seeing it obviously. We are unable to rubber-stamp an idea like this when it can be executed so many different ways!! Sounds like it may be just fine, but nervous about greenlighting it sight-unseen.
On the other question: We disagree quite a bit. Yes, HBS is a "transformative" experience (their term) and they expect you'll get spit out the other side a completely different person. They DO NOT want "works in progress" – they need to see clear and distinctive evidence of heavyhitter ACCOMPLISHMENT. Nothing wishy-washy or semi-sputtering-about.
Now, as a 2+2 candidate, the evidence of accomplishment will take a different form than a regular applicant. But HBS 2 is *not* like Kellogg 2 or Tuck 2 where you talk about what you want to develop further.
HTH
Manoj says
@ES- Sigh! Its at times like these that I wish you could go all Liono with Sight Beyond Sight!!!! (Sorry to nerd out like this btw ;))
But yes, that helped. Thanks very much. If nothing else, it told me what not to do.
essaysnark says
@Manoj: An additional reaction, which hopefully doesn't seem contradictory to our first answer to you:
Anywhere you can, you should be seeking to highlight why you need an MBA (and why you want to go to School X to get it). The technique you described, of using one of the HBS 2's stories to establish why an MBA will help you, is actually a good idea. Don't do that with all three stories, obviously. And make sure that the 'setback' was really and truly overcome – the actual setback story must be complete and well-rounded before you'd seek to add that additional element.
The main source of Snark nervousness in what you wrote stemmed from the latter comment about WIPs… so, wanted to backtrack and clarify, and reiterate that your thinking on this seems spot-on.
Manoj says
@ES- Thanks for clarification. It involves my startup and how I had myself bought when my partner and I were at a stalemate regarding the future of the firm. I think I should ideally have convinced him of my view (leadership, negotiation, managerial skills etc) but didn't happen. I rather chose to get myself bought after ensuring a smooth transition and attaining a huge growth margin. That's one of the bigger reasons I want to pursue an MBA- to develop and hone real world skills regardless of my experience as a student entrepreneur.
There's a mix of personal, professional (this story) and extra-curricular in the essay but I want to use this to show why MBA and why 2+2 in addition to HBS 3.
And as far as the WIP thing goes, it was just something I felt and had little to do with WHY I chose this strategy. Also what I wanted to say by WIPs was that the candidates for 2+2 (more so than the regular track candidates) have been heavyhitters but not quite there yet in terms of real experiences and so on the other side will be completely transformed.