What does it really take to successfully apply to Harvard Business School?
Get insider access to the culture and uniqueness of Harvard Business School’s MBA program. Siddharth provides advice on writing great Harvard Business School MBA essays that’ll appeal to HBS adcom, and the career options for internationals applying to HBS.
Key lessons from this interview:
Why MBA and the uniqueness required for Indian applicants to get into Harvard Business School?
- [0:15] Lighter side of business school life – watch Siddharth perform stand-up comedy at HBS Comedy Night
- [3:15] Why Siddharth choose to get an MBA degree?
- [4:45] Siddharth’s incredible unique journey to MBA and what it takes for Indians to join Harvard Business School?
- [7:10] How Siddharth leveraged mentorship and advice from a HBS alumnus to present his best self to Harvard
- [8:14] Detailed advice on the MBA application process and what to focus on to get an HBS admit
- [11:00] How to write essays and why you should do this one thing when writing your essays
- [12:54] The key to storytelling and writing essays that help the admissions committee connect with you
Researching MBA Programs and getting accepted to HBS
- [13:20] Siddharth’s framework for researching top MBA programs
- [15:00] Practical advice on how to learn more about the MBA programs
- [17:00] What it felt like when Siddharth received an admit email from Harvard Business School
- [18:10] The first 90 days of the MBA and how to prepare for success once you receive an MBA admit
Culture of Harvard Business School – you must listen to this if you want to get into Harvard Business School
- [22:30] Why cultural fit is very important and how Siddharth realised he was a better fit for Harvard than Stanford
- [24:10] Insider details of Harvard Business School’s culture and the behavioural norms Harvard sets for its students
- [25:00] The emphasis of leadership and leaving a legacy that Harvard Business School instills in its students
- [26:40] What are the peers at Harvard Business School like? And how helpful is the Harvard community?
Life & Career options as a Harvard Business School student
- [29:15] Recruitment process at HBS and other top MBA programs
- [30:30] The realities of international recruiting at HBS – if you are worried about US work visa, read Siddharth’s article “You are not eligible” in the Harbus
- [33:00] Why Harvard encourages original and bold thinking, as long as it is respectful and factual, and how this relates to the case study method taught at HBS
Advice for students applying to Harvard Business School
- [35:40] Common mistakes applicants make when applying to top business schools, and advice from Siddharth to future applicants
- [39:42] What Siddharth wrote in his short-term and long-term goals essays at HBS and the thought process behind his essays
- [41:40] Three things Siddharth would do differently if he were to go back to Harvard Business School again
One last thing before you go…
If you’ve been rejected by an MBA program, we specialize in helping people reapply. The first thing we do is a DING analysis to help you figure out what you can do better next time. If that’s you, start by accessing the self-assessment here.