The Perfect HBS Interview Prep (Re-applicant HBS Admit)

Background: 28-year old; URM male in NYC; Economics and Psychology double major from Ivy
Professional: IB + Corp Dev
Stats: GPA: 3.70; GMAT: 750

Working with Liza was absolutely a game changer for my interview. I was a re-applicant for HBS and was interviewed in round 1 and waitlisted a few years ago. When I received a round 1 interview invite this time around, I knew I needed to prep differently so I would excel. I had not previously worked with Gatehouse but was drawn to their bespoke HBS interview package. Although I was originally looking for someone who had experience in HBS admissions, after directly hearing from Liza about her extensive experience doing HBS mock interviews and quite frankly, feeling her genuine enthusiasm to help me, I was excited to move forward with her.
 
Our prep started with her providing HBS specific interview materials as well as three tutorial interview videos which were all very helpful. The following week, we had our mock interview that tracked the cadence of the real thing followed by a post-interview analysis and a deeper dive on my profile to explore areas, such as my desired career transition to VC - Liza thought I would likely get questioned on this (and she was right). Liza was gracious enough to not only go through all of my latest application materials before our session, but also take a look at my materials from the first time I applied and was waitlisted. As a reapplicant Liza helped me to think through communicating how my story and goals had evolved since last time. Prepping with Liza helped to give me the confidence in my interview to walk through my story and become comfortable with the deeper probing of responses that is typical of an HBS interview. Although the questions from my mock and the real thing were not exactly the same, the topic areas we focused on were! Furthermore, Liza’s transferable and versatile approach helped me answer the unexpected questions typical of an HBS interview.
 
I was fortunate enough to be admitted to and will be attending HBS in the fall. I truly believe the difference maker this second time around was Liza. Although I only worked with her on the HBS mock-interview package, she had an understanding of my story as if we had worked together on the whole application process, which is a testament to how heavily she invests herself into her clients. If I had to summarize Liza’s approach in a few words, they would be thorough, thoughtful and encouraging. For those who want to maximize their chances of “crushing” the HBS interview (which can be quite tricky), even if you think you are familiar with the format, I would highly recommend Liza for her expertise and support!