HBS Waitlist– having friends to HBS????
That said I’ve heard that there is an option for a candidate to try to reach out to the “Fan Club” of other people who are not bound by HBS rules of not reaching out to them because I am waitlisted. My question is – if i do reach out to the fan club would HBS see that negatively – is this fairly transparent that I asked someone to write a letter on my behalf.
Like everything else at HBS, it depends,and use your judgment. There is not much value a current student/co-worker or even boss can add, in a typical letter, unless there is something deeply substantive that needs stating, e.g. THIS APPLICANT is really going to be impt in field X and reasons why, or something dramatic has happened since you applied (real rare). Whether in light of that it is still worth the trouble, dunno, downside seems slight–unless you bug them, or confirm and lingering issues they had about you. What the hell does that mean? Many kids solid kids (esp. those who have been interviewed) get dinged or WL b.c. of some sense that they are pushy, arrogant, not HBS “type” etc. sooooooooo, if that is YOU and keep pushing harder, that could be a downside. ON the other hand, some post interview kids are branded as not fit for case method back and forth, so in that case, pushing back a bit might help. Of course in the vast majority of cases, things are not that overt and clear, and reasons for WL vs. Accept are murky, subjective, odd, or just wrong, in those cases no down side, andwho knows, any fan club action could help.
As noted before, what really helps is finding anyone of the 300 people in the world who can really make an impact, and they KNOW WHO THEY ARE, and having them put personal capital on the line in your behalf, via some type of communication (phone, fax, email ) etc. But that is also rare. Many get off WL by just waiting, but, of course, it is also true that the majority of people on WL, the VAST majority, to wit, 80-95 percent, just get dinged no matter what they do.
Soooooooooo, it is mostly a grim business, w. just enuf success stories to make it annoying and agonizing. And what makes it worse, is once you get dinged on WL, even from the last man standing super short WL of like Mid July, you are just the same trash as any new applicant, it is as if your personal drama, and nano-space close call NEVER HAPPENED.
You do not begin next year’s app w.   HEY, REMEMBER ME, ONE OF THE LAST 25 KIDS ON LAST SUMMER’ S WAITLIST. I’m not one of the random 7568 goons applying, I already came sooooooooooooo close, and things this year are even better!!!! Remember those oh-so cozy and warm emails w. WL Lady in May, June, July, etc. It’s me, the WL Kid,
But, of course, you are one of those random 7568 goons.
And people complain about Civil War in Congo, and Iraq etc. when ther real unspoken tragedy in the world is the plight of the reapplying Wait Lister, soooo very sad, and the world just turns the page. TRAGIC!!!!
February 14th, 2008 at 1:59 am
I have heard instances where people on the waitlist have written letters to the AdCom (despite the Adcom’s statement not to send addition communications) updating what they have been doing since their application, and have eventually gotten in off the waitlist.
I was thinking of writing such a letter, but another idea is to have my recommender, who is a fairly senior alum (although not one of the 300 people you mention) write a supplementary letter instead, detailing what I have been up to since applying and reiterating my fit. Any thoughts as to which would be better – writing myself or having my recommender write a letter?
Thanks very much,
James
January 20th, 2009 at 2:08 am
Please let me know your positive
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