Experience during the program

HBS has exceeded my very high expectations. Although it has many strengths, I really cannot overstate the power of the case method to solidify learnings and build soft skills. The other students at HBS are remarkable people, but are also deeply committed to one another - a quality that is amplified by the first year section experience.

In terms of advice for future applicants: be authentic. HBS aims to create a diverse class in every way possible, and therefore there is no such thing as a typical admit. The things that set you apart are your greatest strengths at HBS.

Overall BSchool experience (5.0)
Schools contribution (5.0)
Classmates rating (5.0)

Strengths of the program:

Curriculum, Classes, Professors
Student body, diversity
Alumni Network

Best fit at this program:

Consulting
Entrepreneurship
Management

Can be improved:

Specialization in a particular area (e.g. Finance, Consulting, Healthcare, etc)

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Experience during the program

Overall I got a lot out of attending HBS. The first year was really regimented which was a bit frustrating for me but second year was a lot of fun as I dove into subjects that I was passionate about. The faculty are world class and readily accessible to students, alumni answer your emails, and despite the reputation, most everyone is friendly and willing to help you out. I am friends with many HBSers to this very day and I still remember them taking the time to work with me on financial models or accounting principles outside of class when they could otherwise have been doing more fun things.

The biggest surprise for me was the sheer amount of work involved. Between case prep, study groups, and classes, HBS seems to have the heaviest academic workload of the top b-school programs despite the fact that it has a reputation of being filled with people only focused on networking (probably true for some but not most).

I went into HBS to either do a startup or try to transition into tech. I started a tech startup during school and leveraged their many resources available to entrepreneurs. The relationships we developed with the school, faculty, and the broader Boston startup scene really helped a great deal. I've since transitioned to a large tech company in product marketing and I still leverage many of the things I learned at b-school every day.

For future applicants, I highly recommend looking beyond the name and the prestige to the actual experience. I chose HBS because I genuinely wanted a more academic experience and the HBS faculty impressed me the most. I also was on the hunt for jerks during admit weekend and I was pleasantly surprised not to find very many.

Overall BSchool experience (4.0)
Schools contribution (4.0)
Classmates rating (4.0)

Strengths of the program:

Curriculum, Classes, Professors
Student body, diversity
Alumni Network

Best fit at this program:

Consulting
Finance
Marketing
Investment Banking
Tech
Entrepreneurship
Management

Can be improved:

Culture & Student Support
FIELD

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Experience during the program

I came to HBS to make a pivot in my career. Though I did make a pivot, it definitely wasn't the one I expected.

The plan was to go from being an engineer and product manager at a big tech company, to being a product marketer at a big tech company. I had a clear sense of who I was, what I wanted to do, and why I wanted to do it. I believe this is a large part of why I got accepted into HBS (and only HBS). Ultimately, I ended up founding my own tech startup instead. I never expected that to happen.

The HBS program challenged me in ways I didn't expect. It wasn't academically challenging, but personally challenging. I was pushed to try everything, to explore, and to learn more about myself in the process. It was that exploration that led to my ultimate career choice.

The student body still leans towards management, finance, and consulting, but academically you can't really specialize like you can at other schools. HBS teaches you just enough about every topic to be a competent manager, and nothing more. This is not the right experience for everyone.

Future applicants: have a story ready that described who you are, what you've done, and what you want to do. Incorporate different elements of that overarching narrative into components of your application.

About professors, classes and curriculum

Things at HBS might feel hokey or "kumbaya" at times. Don't become cynical. Embrace all the weird and oddball activities. Get everything you can out of every experience, even ones that you think are completely outside of your interests.

About job placement process

If you start a company right after school you can get $10,000 of your student debt forgiven by the HBS Rock Center. This is a great deal.

Overall BSchool experience (4.0)
Schools contribution (3.0)
Classmates rating (4.0)

Strengths of the program:

Student body, diversity
Alumni Network
Brand/Ranking

Best fit at this program:

Consulting
Finance
Investment Banking
Management

Can be improved:

Location
Culture & Student Support

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