Author Archives: Kyle Watkins

Submitting Your MBA Application (MIT Sloan)

By Kyle Watkins (last updated: October 15, 2019)

A few days ago, we blogged about Harvard Business School’s first round application and the checks applicants should perform before pressing the “submit” button.

MIT Sloan School Building E62

As the MIT first-round deadline is approaching, we thought that a refresher would be useful for MBA applicants to the Sloan School of Management.

In the last few hours leading up to the dreaded deadline, here are the 5 essential steps you should take to ensure that you are submitting a solid and comprehensive application package:
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HBS Round One Interviews

By Kyle Watkins (last updated: December 12, 2013)

[Note] For the latest information regarding HBS round one decisions, please check out our December 9 update.

According to the HBS admissions director, first round “interview invitations will be sent out via email on October 9 and October 16. Candidates invited to interview will receive detailed instructions about the sign-up procedure. The interview scheduler will go live the following day.

On October 16, candidates who will not be invited to interview will be notified of their release. A group of Round One applicants, possibly 100-150, will be placed under “further consideration.” These candidates will be re-viewed in Round Two and either be invited to interview or released on the Round Two timetable.

Round One interviews will be conducted between October 21 and November 22.. (…) In addition to on-campus interviews, we will be interviewing in New York City, Palo Alto, London, Paris, Shanghai, Dubai, Mumbai, Sao Paulo, and Santiago. Candidates who cannot travel may be accommodated via Skype.”

According to Mrs. Leopold: “Interviewing on campus is a great opportunity to get to see life at HBS, but the location of an interview is not a factor in the selection process.”

As a final note, your odds of receiving an invitation are actually fairly high (we’ve estimated that 20% of applicants receive an invitation to interview with HBS). If you are interviewed, you then statistically stand a 60% chance of being admitted. Know your story inside out, and make sure to start reading the Wall Street Journal daily to avoid being caught off guard by a question about a recent piece of news during your interview. Preparation will be key if you do not want to be among the 40% of interviewed applicants who end up having regrets.

Good luck!

Submitting your MBA application (Harvard Business School)

By Kyle Watkins (last updated: October 14, 2019)

Just a few hours before the first application deadline for Harvard Business School, we thought that MBA applicants could use a checklist for items to review before hitting the “Submit” button.

View of Harvard University and the Charles River

View of Harvard University and the Charles River

[Author’s Note] Although we initially wrote this article with HBS in mind, it has now been edited to meet the needs of applicants to most MBA programs. Please let us know if you disagree with its content or think we missed anything. Thank you!

1. Thoughts About The Introduce Yourself Essay (Specific to HBS)

We recently covered the new application essay and overall HBS application process in several posts. Make sure to check them out. Continue reading →

Darden MBA Application Is Now Live (Class of 2016)

By Kyle Watkins (last updated: December 17, 2013)

The University of Virginia Darden School of Business just released its application for the 2013 / 2014 season. Application deadlines for the Darden MBA program are the following:

  • Round 1: October 15, 2013
  • Round 2: January 7, 2014 (expect that week to be very busy, as several top schools have second round application deadlines due on January 6 or January 7)
  • Round 3: March 27, 2014

As for many other schools this year, the application only requires a single essay. Darden’s essay question seems to be pretty straight forward to tackle, even in just 500 words. Try to stick to that word count as much as possible. Although there is often a 5-10% tolerance above the official limit, are you sure you want to test the adcom’s patience?

“Share your thought process as you encountered a challenging work situation or complex problem. What did you learn about yourself?”

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Are You Too Old For HBS?

By Kyle Watkins (last updated: December 17, 2013)

As a 32 year old MBA applicant, I was extremely concerned that my age would prevent me from attending a top business school. Although my stats were quite strong, several admissions “experts” almost convinced me that a candidate well into his 30s had almost no chance of getting into a top MBA program in the US.

Baker Library at night

Harvard Business School – Baker Library at night

Not only did I prove these people wrong by getting into HBS, but many other students entered the program with 8+ years of professional experience (47 students to be precise, close to 5% of our class). Some of them had served in the military, but many others had worked for more traditional employers. Our most senior student was a former university professor, well into his fifties.

A few days ago, the admissions director at HBS released some stats about the last 3 incoming classes (2013 to 2015). It turns out that the class of 2015 will welcome 64 students with more than 8 years of work experience. 23 of them completed their undergrad education 10 or more years ago. These numbers are significant, as we’re not talking about just a couple of exceptions.

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Getting into IMD, An Elite 1-Year MBA Program at the Heart of Europe

By Kyle Watkins (last updated: July 28, 2013)
IMD Campus

IMD is one of the leading MBA programs in Europe.

While recruiting season is just starting in North America for the class of 2016, several European schools are still recruiting candidates for their class of 2014. This is the case of IMD (International Institute for Management Development), arguably one of the best European business schools along with London Business School and INSEAD. The Swiss school has 5 application deadlines every year (February 1, April 1, June 1, August 1, and September 1).

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