The Application Process

How should one approach these questions?

Essays required for all applicants:

Tell us about something you did well. (400 words)
Tell us about something you wish you had done better. (400 words)

How should one approach these questions?

Essays required for all applicants:

Tell us about something you did well. (400 words)
Tell us about something you wish you had done better. (400 words)


Q.1. Tell us about something you did well. (400 words)

Harvard has reworded its accomplishment essay this year. Until last year Harvard had asked multi-accomplishment essay ( three accomplishments), so you had the freedom to choose one professional, one community, and one personal accomplishment to showcase multi-faceted personality. This year, however, they have shrunk it to 'one accomplishment', so instead of three you have to choose just one greatest accomplishment of yours that you want them to remember about your career . Please make sure that your story should demonstrate your leadership skills, teamwork, innovation, integrity, analytical abilities and maturity etc..

Please do not begin your story with . "My greatest accomplishment is" or "one thing I did well was... "Let your story/ experience speak for you.

Never tell the whole story in the first sentence itself. It is like telling the climax of the story in the first sentence itself.

Make sure your story has the following four components:

a. the challenge
b. the action (how you dealt with it)
c. the outcome/ result
d. the significance ( what you learned from it or how it was meaningful to you)

Q. 2 Tell us about something you wish you had done better. (400 words)

Like the question 3 1, Harvard has slimmed down its question # 2 as well. Instead of three setbacks, you only have to discuss one . Also, like question # 1, they have reworded question # 2 . Last year they had asked, "Tell us three setbacks you have faced." which meant setbacks that were not necessarily your fault. But now they are explicitly asking," Tell us about something you wish you had done better." This means now they are asking about failures or mistakes. In either case, you need to do some introspection and look for an experience when you could not achieve what you had deserved or expected.

When choosing your setback/ failure story, make sure to discuss an experience when you feel things could have been better if you had dealt with the situation differently . Also ,explain what that experience taught you which you later used for self improvement .

Since you have to share just one story, it should preferably come from your work life. The most important aspect of your experience should be what you learned from it, and how you applied that lesson later to improve yourself .
I hope it helped. Good luck with your application. If you find my post helpful, please let me know by pushing the thank button.
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Only 2 questions? only 800 words? what is happening to HBS?

Hey Poonam

Thanks a bunch for your insight. Have you got any ideas as to how do we fit it all in 400 words. The challenge, leadership innovation and everything is all good but when it comes with a small word limit, I feel our true writing style can get cramped, or trying to fit in everything may make the essay sound like news headlines

Would appreciate any suggestions
Shashank

Hi Shashank,

You are right- saying it all in 400 words is indeed a challenge.Harvard aims to evaluate you not only on your accomplishments or set backs but also on your skill in communicating your story within the prescribed word limit.Brevity is the key here. I still believe that Harvard has allotted you more words this year than they did last year. Last year, you had to fit three accomplishments/setbacks into 600 words, thereby allowing roughly 200 words for discussing each accomplishment/setback .( You still had to cram all the four components of each story in 200 words )This year,they have been generous in granting you 400 words for ONE accomplishment /setback ONLY. So that calls for a celebration. Be happy and begin brainstorming ideas for your essays.

As for your concern about short essay read like news headlines , I feel it is your choice of words/ expressions that makes your writing style effective, and not the number of words you use.

I hope it helped. Let me know if you have any more questions.

Thanks,

Poonam

What about their new post-interview reflection? any idea what would it be like? what do they want to see there?

Since you have to submit your final post-interview reflection within 24 hours of interviewing, you should do some ground work for this question in advance in order to avoid panic at the last moment.
Here is what I think you can do to approach this question:
1. First, before the interview note down any aspects of your profile that you could not cover in your application package: essays, resume, and recommendation letters.In case the interviewer brings that up (e.g. your life changing experience, or any other accomplishment you would want to share) you will get an opportunity to share that experience.
2. Next, during the interview, pay extra attention to the interview's questions so you can use those questions to formulate your post -reflection response.
3. Finally, after the interview, note down all of your responses to interview questions as soon as you can . Now piece together all of your information /ideas and begin formulating your response.

If you find my post helpful, please let me know by pushing the thank button.

Thanks,

Poonam