I have another question – for HBS, do some optional essays carry more weight than others? As I am starting my app essays, I have trouble deciding which optional essays to choose. Would really appreciate your advice.

Thanks again.

————–

bottom line: NO, BUT read this b.c. reasons are impt.

hmmmm, career vision essay rarely gains you any points, but most peeps answer it–and my guess is, of admitted class, sorta 80-90 pct will answr that Q, altho it rarely adds value, since it is just just made up fluff.

Engagement w. a commmunity essay is exactly what they are looking for in essays–how you have impacted group trhu leadership, outcomes, working w. others, etc. innovation. 

It is pzzble to do cover letter as sorta carer vision plus a bit of self-selling, and alhto I advised against that when Q’s came out, I have since (after reading about 100+ apps of interw’d kids, perhaps more than any single HBS adcom person at this pt, or cert as many ) seen in cases that Q being effective,altho reg. career vision wld have been as effective IMHO, if done ‘correctly’ e..g saying why vision is sig., in some personal and smart way,  and not just wasting 80-100 wds on generic why HBS slag–altho again, many admitted kids have that slag.

Diff decision only works if it explains something impt and adds to your life story.

Undergrad exp is effective if you use it to do Stanford sorta DISCOVERED WHAT IS IMPT rathter than generic and silly victory lap –also suggested if you actually need to explain odd grades etc. altho that can be done in 500 character box they give you.

BOTTOM LINE: the vast maj. of both applicants and admitted kids do 1.Engage w. Comm and Career Vision. That being said (a la Larry David), in the immortal words of HBS adcom (I dont recall who) THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A WRONG ANSWER. Meaning if you answer Undergrad Acad. Exp Q,and spend all your time telling life story and goals –w. barely a thin connection to college, and info in that answer is valuable to adcom, well, they dont care, they are just reading along in some open-minded way trying to find out info–and fact that your val. info is not responsive to the Q, who cares. 

BTW, after reading 100+ HBS apps of interviewed kids, including the detailed, mantra full, and authentic ones of my own clients, and the lazy and off point and often unclear ones of otherwise superstars, I get the feeling that: 1. not all readers have the same response to tech essay quality (alas); 2. profile, pedigree, and age and stats count WAY MORE than any essay jive (alas) 3. If there were NO ESSAYS and class were selected on just app and recs w. out essays, outcome wld be sorta 80-90 pct the same (and maybe higher). Altho that 20 pct, plus applicants and conspiring adcoms, who push essay importance, keep a whole industry (my industry) afloat.

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