EssaySnark

($) The most important point to remember with your HBS essay.

by EssaySnark - Discusses

This post was written in 2014 for the Class of 2017 essay question - but the advice applies anew for the Class of 2019 (2016 applications).

You know when you’re digging in with a new topic and doing a lot of research on it and trying to ferret it out, when you don’t really know what it’s about? Not this applying to bschool stuff; we mean more like in your job, or maybe when you start to explore a new hobby…

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Here's what others have said about this:

  1. Wait. Are you saying my Mom was wrong when she told me I was the most handsome boy in the world? I put that in my resume under “professional qualifications”.
    I think I came to a similar conclusion about Harvard after talking to some fellow vets there. Two Navy nuclear engineers, one Navy supply officer who was working for an investment bank before she joined the service, and a Marine infantry officer with a great record who was Harvard undergrad. You don’t just cruise in there by being special in one aspect, all these folks had multiple facets to their pitch. They were smart, patriotic, and unique. Tough crowd to compete with! I’ve pushed my application in, so hopefully Marine/prosectutor/fingerpainter will get some traction.

  2. Is it the case that a super well written, interesting story won’t make an impact? This makes it seem even more like you either have it or you don’t and there really isn’t much of an opportunity to improve your profile, just a chance to give context to the amazing things on your resume…

    • We’re not going to discount out of a hand a “super well written, interesting story” – but as Dee loves to say, it’s not an essay writing contest. If you’re writing interesting stories then maybe you need to be applying for a CFA in Creative Writing. Remember, the essay to HBS is ***optional***. You can’t “improve your profile” through the essay; the profile is standalone.

      The essay is indeed an opportunity – but what we’re seeing from some people this year that the essays they’ve written could actually interfere with their chances.

      • Hmmmm how come more information seems to lead me to more questions not conclusions……this advice aligns well with your HBS strategy guide (it’s excellent!).

        Here’s my dilemma (can I get more free advice?); I wrote my first HBS draft with 3 stories of leadership/accomplishments that basically only said what happened. There was little info on why it was important and I stripped out a lot of ‘interesting writing’ so that I could give 3 examples. When my wife read it, she hated it! Thought it was super boring compared to say my Kellogg essays that told similar stories but with ‘interesting writing’. Should I attempt to get the adcom to enjoy the essay and see who i am, or stick to the facts and attempt to prove I’m HBS material through more blunt examples of my impact.

        Wow that was long.

        • @goinggolfing, we have no problem with some free advice but unfortunately we’d be doing you a disservice in this case to attempt to answer this sight-unseen. 🙁

          The main reaction we have is some skepticism: We don’t see how you could have had MORE in the Kellogg essays (2x 450 words) compared to HBS = unlimited. We know, we’re pretty clear in the HBS guide on what makes for a good-sized HBS essay, so we understand if that’s what you were going for – but 900 words for HBS would not be unreasonable. So on the one hand, we can see how stripping down might have done damage – we definitely have seen that happen with other people.

          So your wife must be right (isn’t she always?).

          At the same time we cannot resist the opportunity of sharing this because it should be shared constantly at this time of year.

          To the reader, the best essays don’t feel like essays; they are means of communication of something real and relevant. However, making it a goal to “attempt to get the adcom to enjoy the essay” is probably misguided. We’re betting that even J K Rowling doesn’t sit down with a goal of having people enjoy her stories; she just writes stories.

          So don’t overthink stuff.

          If you stick to the facts and answer the question, you should be well more than halfway there.

          But without seeing what you’ve actually done, then it’s unfair for us to try to give actual direction on what is effective or not.

  3. Do you expect the number of applicants who choose not to write an HBS essay to grow this year? (I think there were 10 last year)

    • No way to know, but most people are not nearly so confident enough as to apply with no essay. Yes there were 10 last year, with 1 accepted. Would be more interested to know which rounds those apps came in at. A no-essay app in Round 1 says something very different than (potentially) what a no-essay app in Round 2 might. (In other words: If you aren’t ready to apply in Round 1, you just don’t apply; if you aren’t ready in Round 2 then you still apply anyway – and “Hey look! HBS doesn’t even require an essay! I’ll play that lottery ticket, why not!”.)

  4. Snark-squadron.
    I was wondering, does the essay just help to separate you from your “pool”? Like do they sort the apps into piles like “finance guys”, “consulting guys” etc., then find the statistically most impressive, then sort through those based on their essays or how interesting/differentiated they might be? Or is it not that scientific…

    • The “sorting” part does happen, at least at HBS; they assign reviewers to cover groups of applications based largely on current profession/industry. The rest of it doesn’t. They read all the apps, they don’t sort through stats first, there is no cut-off or whatever. They just start reading the piles (virtual piles these days, but piles nonetheless).

      But to try and answer the question we think you’re asking, and also to dovetail back to what goinggolfing was saying:

      Yes, totally, an essay can help you stand out from the crowd. The reason that HBS still allows the essay instead of ditching it completely is because while the resume and the rest of the app says a lot about you, it can’t say everything – so to go back to goinggolfing’s comment, it is an opportunity.

      With great opportunity comes great responsibility (or something like that). Yes, you wield the power, Brave Supplicant! 😀

      • I think that quote is what Uncle Ben said to Spiderman, but then he was gunned down by a burglar…. that Spidey didn’t stop. So if I’m following you, I need to write a good essay so my uncle isn’t murdered.
        Copy all!
        Seriously though, thanks for the knowledge.

        • Uh… yes! That’s exactly what we had in mind! 😀

          And thanks for helping us keep it light around here – you have no idea how much that’s appreciated.

  5. Snarkster: Could you comment on the idea of covering career goals and school fit exclusively in the 500-character box in the app, and not referencing them at all in the essay? If Harvard isn’t obsessed with goals and “why HBS,” this could make it easier for a relatively standard applicant with standard goals to focus on standing out with the essay rather than spending words on “HBS is awesome/case method rocks.”