6
Gen. Trading
General Mgmt
Sponsored
Harvard
MBA
Admitted School: Harvard Business School
TOEFL: 270
GMAT: 620
No matter which school’s admissions office you ask, the answer is always the same: “Essays are the most important factor.” In reality, however, many applicants spend the bulk of their time studying for the GMAT and TOEFL, and end up completing the application process without giving essays the attention they deserve. Yet the purpose of attending an MBA program is not to “score well on tests,” but to build one’s network, skills, and practical know-how. Essays are where you can fully express who you have been—and who you aim to become. I strongly encourage you to devote the greatest amount of time to this part of the process. Working through the essay process with Round One Admissions is something you will find meaningful even after the admissions cycle is over.
When trying to express yourself—much like plotting points on a radar chart—the key question is how to optimize that shape. This is the core consideration when building an application. If we extract the most obvious variables, they would be TOEFL, GMAT, ESSAY, and INTERVIEW. In reality, however, admissions committees evaluate applicants across far more granular dimensions, such as leadership potential, experience, and motivation. This required “fit for an MBA program” is primarily assessed through the essays. Optimizing this element is, in my view, the single most important objective of the essay development process. This is precisely where counseling plays a crucial role—providing objective guidance and helping tailor your application to each target school. Once again, I strongly recommend allocating the greatest amount of time to essay writing and the associated counseling process.
For both exams, I recommend tackling them “as early as possible” and “with maximum effort.” Regardless of the final score, if you have truly done your best, you will be able to accept the result. In my case, I took the GMAT five times between August and December. Because my score did not improve significantly, I debated whether to take the exam again late in December, but ultimately chose to do so in early December. Some people continue studying until the very last moment in January or February and gamble on one final attempt, but I recommend shifting your focus fully to essays by December. As I have emphasized repeatedly, essays deserve the largest share of your time.
(In my case, I applied in the second round.)
With the exception of Tuck and UCLA, most schools operate on an invitation-only basis after application submission. In other words, if no invitation arrives, the admissions process ends without any further opportunity. While test scores do play a screening role, I believe interview invitations are better understood as being determined by the overall “size” of one’s radar chart. In my case, I received interview invitations from nearly every school I applied to, including HBS, Wharton, UCB, LBS, Chicago, and Johnson. I believe this was the result of focusing on essays.
I ultimately completed a total of eight interviews, and what I felt each time was that I was being asked to verbally explain what I had written in my essays. Being invited to interviews was itself a hurdle, but in hindsight, I realized that interviews must already be anticipated and built into the essay development stage. The applications I created through counseling naturally satisfied this requirement.
Advance interview preparation also helped me become comfortable with the process and organize how I spoke. Rather than relying on a single, high-stakes performance, it is far better to prepare thoroughly. (Interestingly, many interviewers are women—be sure to work with Ms. Round.)
Everyone approaches application preparation and the MBA process differently. While writing essays, it is easy to suddenly feel anxious or to want to change direction after hearing others’ opinions. I recommend finding something you can confidently say, “This is right for me,” as early as possible—and then deepening it. That is the essence of the counseling process. When you feel uncertain, consult your counselor immediately. I even discussed the timing of my GMAT attempts with mine. And when you receive advice, learn to truly “accept” it—meaning, act on it immediately. The application process involves constant thinking, but above all, it requires action. Take the next step and keep moving forward. I am confident that Round One Admissions will guide you along the way.
At the same time, while balancing work and applications, do not forget to continue investing in yourself. Do your best, and move forward on your chosen path.
