dead meat at HBS interviews: how often and what does it mean
This may not have been directly addressed… how often are HBS interviewees dinged even after good interviews (ie didn’t even have a shot walking in)? What are the typical reasons for why this happens?
WELL, ALL PEOPLE DO NOT WALK INTO INTERVIEWS THE SAME, AND IF YOU ARE GOLDEN TYPE ALL AROUND, IN TERMS OF GPA, GMAT, EMPLOYMENT, EXTRAS, ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS NOT SCREW UP AT INTERVIEW. IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE THAT RING, YOU STILL NEED TO DO WELL IN INTERVIEW, AND THEN GO BACK AND SURVIVE HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY W.IN YOUR GENERAL STORY–E.G. COLORFUL INTERNATIONAL, PE/IB GUY, MINORITY STAR, MCK-BAIN-BCG CLONE, ETC. ETC. THEN–WITHIN THOSE BUCKETS, GPA (ESPEC!!!!) AND GMAT ETC GET SALTED ON THE DISH, AND THEY TAKE A BITE. IF YOU GET DINGED AFTER INTERVIEW, AND YOU DID NOT SCREW UP, YOU WERE PROB. MARGINAL INTERVIEW CHOICE IN FIRST PLACE [OBVIOUSLY] AND INTERVIEW DID NOT ADD VALUE (OR MAYBE COULD NOT HAVE–). I HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO SAY INT. AT HBS WENT VERY WELL, AND THEN THEY GET DINGED. I GUESS THAT’S TECH. DEAD MEAT. BUT I’D SAY DEAD MEAT CASES AT HBS ARE WAY LESS THAN AT W. JUST GIVEN CORE FACT THAT WHARTON TAKES ONLY 40 PERCENT POST INTERVIEW, WHILE HBS TAKE 60 PERCENT POST INTERVIEW.
