HBS: Adcom versus alum interviews
adcom vs. alum interviews, HBS and other places:
just want to make sure i won’t be stepping on my own foot if I reject the on-campus/hub interviews for an alumni one. it seems that most people want adcom interviews (adcom people more likely to fight for you etc)
As a rule, adcom interviews are more standard, it is not a matter of them fighting for you, that does not happen, it is a matter of the downside, during the actual interview, when at times, alums are odd, ask unusual questions, are at times distracted by that day’s business set back, are jerks, are acting out their own feeling about the school, only inter. 2 kids a year and have non-normative ‘grading’ etc. That is the real risk of alum int. It may not make a dif. but all things equal, I always reco the adcom–to protect the downside. Kids do not get IN because of great interviews, if int. is solid, and app is solid you get in. THEY GET DINGED W. BAD ONES. THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. THE THING TO WORRY ABOUT IN HBS INTERVIEW IS NOT SCREWING UP. Don’t worry about hitting a home run, worrry about not making errors. You dont need any ‘hits’ at all, you just need to hit the ball hard when at bat, and not drop it when fielding. Sorry for stupid sports imagery, but WORLD SERIES FEVER here in Boston, not that this ol Brooklyn Dodger fan cares all that much.
October 31st, 2007 at 12:07 pm
“Kids do not get IN because of great interviews, if int. is solid, and app is solid you get in. THEY GET DINGED W. BAD ONES.”
If HBS only accepts 55-60% of those applicants who are interviewed, does that mean 40-45% of applicants screw up their interview? Seems awfully high, especially given that the stronger applicants will need to have good core interview skills to have gained the work experience that strengthened their app and landed them an interview. Am I missing something?