{"id":27518,"date":"2020-04-09T07:00:04","date_gmt":"2020-04-09T01:30:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/?p=27518"},"modified":"2022-10-10T00:11:05","modified_gmt":"2022-10-09T18:41:05","slug":"pedro-guide-to-getting-into-harvard-kennedy-school-and-stanford-gsb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/pedro-guide-to-getting-into-harvard-kennedy-school-and-stanford-gsb\/","title":{"rendered":"Pedro&#8217;s guide to getting into Harvard Kennedy School and Stanford GSB?"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">A <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\">8<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">min read <\/span><\/span><p>Getting into top schools such as Stanford GSB and Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) requires 10-12 months of continuous effort. During this time you have to score at least a <a href=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/how-to-score-700-on-gmat-7-steps\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">700 on the GMAT<\/a>, research the schools to assess your &#8216;fit&#8217;, introspect and write authentic essays describing your &#8216;fit&#8217; for the program, get perfect letters of recommendation, and prepare for the interviews. Pedro went through this exact journey and came out with admission offers from HKS and Stanford GSB.<\/p>\n<p>We had a chat with Pedro to understand his journey so that other aspirants could learn how to approach their MBA applications.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Pedro\u2019s story is of grit and determination. Learning from his daily struggles as a public sector employee and motivated to improve the policymaking in Colombia he decided to target programs where he could learn both management and public policy to fulfill his goal of someday becoming a Minister of Commerce. This need led him to apply to 4 top US schools and after loads of hard work he received admits from two of those top schools: Harvard Kennedy School and Stanford Graduate School of Business.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-27529\" src=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Pedro-gets-into-stanford-gsb-harvard-kennedy-school-mba-admission.png\" alt=\"Pedro gets into Stanford GSB and HKS\" width=\"735\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Pedro-gets-into-stanford-gsb-harvard-kennedy-school-mba-admission.png 735w, https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Pedro-gets-into-stanford-gsb-harvard-kennedy-school-mba-admission-300x196.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 735px) 100vw, 735px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Below is his video interview with Rajat. You can also read this article to understand the gist of his MBA journey which includes preparing for the GMAT, conveying his motivation for the program through essay questions, tips on getting Letters of Recommendation, preparing for interviews and much more.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kUx9uULJ79Q\" width=\"750\" height=\"421\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>The below text is based on the Q&amp;A webinar with Pedro. His tips have been divided into 3 categories. Click on each link to scroll to the respective section.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#gmat-journey\">GMAT Journey<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#motivation\">Motivation for MPP\/MBA<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#application-experience\">MBA application experience<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"gmat-journey\">GMAT Journey<\/h2>\n<h3>Rajat &#8211; You finished your GMAT preparation in 6 weeks. Quant was your strength and you approached it\u00a0very differently from how you approached Verbal. Can you shed some light about how you approached Quant and\u00a0Verbal?<\/h3>\n<p>Pedro \u2013 I <a href=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/how-to-focus-on-gmat-preparation-and-overcome-procrastination\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">procrastinated<\/a> for about 4-6 months. But, after my birthday, I realized that I need to start as I was already late to apply in the Round 1\u00a0of MBA admissions cycle. Also, I realized that acing GMAT required consistency. If I study for a week and don\u2019t come back to it for a week then I won\u2019t be at the same preparation level.<\/p>\n<p>I started by mid-September. I was good at Quant and started with it. I identified gaps in a few topics and fixed those gaps in the first 8-10 days. In the Verbal section I struggled with the CR section and started with it first. I completed the whole e-gmat verbal course and took customized quizzes so as to fix those topics where I lagged behind. I was able to complete the prep and take the test by Halloween.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-27522\" src=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/pedro-gets-in-harvard-kennedy-school-stanfird-gsb-1.jpg\" alt=\"Pedro gets into Stanford GSB and HKS\" width=\"500\" height=\"334\" srcset=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/pedro-gets-in-harvard-kennedy-school-stanfird-gsb-1.jpg 500w, https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/pedro-gets-in-harvard-kennedy-school-stanfird-gsb-1-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Rajat &#8211; Now for your GMAT, you\u00a0studied 4\u00a0hours\u00a0every day \u2013 two in the morning and two in the evening. How did you take this time out?<\/h3>\n<p>Pedro \u2013 I had a full-time job at the Economic Development Office at Cali, Colombia. I woke up at 5 am and studied for 2 hours, went for my job, and studied for 2 hours after coming back from work.<\/p>\n<p>But, the number of hours depended on how hectic my day was. I even tried studying at night and I saw a dip in my performance and I realized it\u2019s better to stick to my schedule. I stopped eating outside, reduced my work out session and it gave me more time to study but I kept dancing (Pedro is a professional Salsa dancer)<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><em>We can help you with a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/personalized-study-planner-gmat-planning-made-easy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">personalized study plan<\/a>\u00a0and give you access to quality online content to prepare. Write to us at\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:acethegmat@e-gmat.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">acethegmat@e-gmat.com<\/a>. We are the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/reviews\/e-gmat-6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer external\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">most reviewed GMAT prep company on gmatClub<\/a> with more than 1870 reviews. Why don\u2019t you <a href=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/ft-gmat\/?channel=blogsin_article&amp;utm_source=blogs&amp;utm_medium=in_article&amp;utm_campaign=free_trial&amp;utm_term=blogs_in_article_suheb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer external\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">take a free trial<\/a>\u00a0and judge for yourself?<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2 id=\"motivation\">Motivation for MPP\/MBA<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-27523\" src=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/pedro-gets-in-harvard-kennedy-school-stanfird-gsb-2.jpg\" alt=\"Pedro gets into Stanford GSB and HKS\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" srcset=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/pedro-gets-in-harvard-kennedy-school-stanfird-gsb-2.jpg 500w, https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/pedro-gets-in-harvard-kennedy-school-stanfird-gsb-2-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Rajat &#8211; What motivated you to go for an MBA\/MPP program. Tell us a bit about your current work and the circumstances that led to this decision.<\/h3>\n<p>Pedro \u2013 I want to work for the citizens of Colombia. Therefore, I transitioned from my job at Colgate Palmolive to public sector. What I realized was that Public officials don\u2019t know how private sector works. We also created a platform where Private Sector, Public Sector, and Academia could interact and talk about their needs.<\/p>\n<p>There I understood that it won\u2019t be always possible to bring all three together. So, we need policy makers who knows both the sectors so that the work becomes more efficient. That\u2019s when I realized that MBA\/MPP combination would be something I should target to fulfill my goal to help develop my city and country.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Rajat &#8211; How did your goals influence the choice of schools you applied to?<\/h3>\n<p>Pedro \u2013 I wanted a course where I could learn public policy and business. Therefore, my first choice was MPP (Master in Public Policy) program of the Harvard Kennedy School. But, I also considered 4 other business schools i.e., Harvard Business School, Stanford GSB, Wharton, and MIT Sloan.<\/p>\n<p>Initially, HKS and HBS looked a good fit for me. But, as I did more research on the programs, I realized Stanford GSB is the most suitable program for me considering my career goals. But, that being said, it\u2019s highly challenging to <a href=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/how-to-get-into-stanford-gsb-mba-program-india-us\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">get into Stanford GSB<\/a>.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Learn more about <a href=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/stanford-gsb-mba-class-profile-employment-report-notable-alumni\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Stanford GSB<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3>Rajat \u2013 How did you do your research?<\/h3>\n<p>Pedro \u2013 I did my research through 3 channels<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>The business school\u2019s website<\/li>\n<li>Attending their online webinars<\/li>\n<li>Talking to current students<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"application-experience\">Pedro\u2019s MBA application experience<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-27524\" src=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/pedro-gets-in-harvard-kennedy-school-stanfird-gsb-3.jpg\" alt=\"Pedro gets into Stanford GSB and HKS\" width=\"500\" height=\"339\" srcset=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/pedro-gets-in-harvard-kennedy-school-stanfird-gsb-3.jpg 500w, https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/pedro-gets-in-harvard-kennedy-school-stanfird-gsb-3-300x203.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Rajat &#8211; Now let\u2019s talk about the MBA application process. Let\u2019s starts with essays. First let\u2019s discuss what you wrote for the HKS\u2019 essay?<\/h3>\n<blockquote><p><em>The Harvard Kennedy School motto, echoing the President for whom the School is named, is \u201cAsk what you can do.\u201d Please share with the Admissions Committee your plans to create positive change through your public leadership and service.\u202f(600 word\u00a0limit)<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The is the famous line from JFK\u2019s inaugural address on Jan 20, 1961. These are huge shoes to\u00a0fill..\u00a0how did you approach this\u00a0question?<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-27525\" src=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Harvard-Kennedy-School.jpeg\" alt=\"Pedro gets into Stanford GSB and HKS\" width=\"768\" height=\"384\" srcset=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Harvard-Kennedy-School.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Harvard-Kennedy-School-300x150.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Pedro \u2013 I told them my story. I had a challenging life. My grandparents were displaced and kidnapped and we saw them again. But, what I suffered is very little as compared to the sufferings of a lot of Colombians. That\u2019s what motivated me to work in Public Policy. I already have 4 years of work experience in public policy but I don\u2019t have enough experience in the private sector. Therefore, I conveyed that I first want to work in Consulting and learn the government side of things of Consulting as much as possible and go back to Colombia and shape public policy as best as I can.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Rajat &#8211; At this time, I would also like you to walk through your approach to Stanford\u2019s essay \u2013 \u201cWhat matters most to you, help us understand and why?\u201d<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-27526\" src=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/stanford-gsb.jpeg\" alt=\"Pedro gets into Stanford GSB and HKS\" width=\"296\" height=\"170\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Pedro \u2013 To introspect I spoke to my family and friends. I asked them what they thought what matters to me the most. What matters the most to me is \u2018helping people.\u2019 So, I explained how I helped people in my family achieve their goals. I helped people with crowdfunding initiatives, and mentoring. The biggest thing here is that in this essay I didn\u2019t talk anything related to business. I shared with them my true story and I believe \u2018authenticity\u2019 is the key to answering such types of essays.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Here are a few tips on how to tackle <a href=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/2019-2020-stanford-mba-essays-analysis-tips\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Stanford&#8217;s MBA essay<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3>Rajat &#8211; Who did you approach for your Letters Of Recommendation (LOR)? How did you ensure that they were aware of your goals?<\/h3>\n<p>Pedro \u2013 HKS asked for 3 letters of recommendation and business schools asked for two.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-27528\" src=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/pedro-gets-in-harvard-kennedy-school-stanfird-gsb-5.jpg\" alt=\"Pedro gets into Stanford GSB and HKS\" width=\"500\" height=\"318\" srcset=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/pedro-gets-in-harvard-kennedy-school-stanfird-gsb-5.jpg 500w, https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/pedro-gets-in-harvard-kennedy-school-stanfird-gsb-5-300x191.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The first LOR I asked from my thesis guide from my university. She really knows me well from an academic point of view and therefore, her letter was very relevant for HKS. For business schools, I asked LORs from my supervisor at the Economic Development Office. He was an advisor and I worked with him for 8 months. My other LOR came from the Head of the Economic Development Office.<\/p>\n<p>The common thing among all three LORs was that they all knew me very well. We all are tempted to ask for LOR from top people, but It\u2019s really important to get LOR from people who really know you. In the end, it\u2019s not about \u2018who\u2019 but \u2018what\u2019 they say in your letter of recommendation.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><a href=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/mba-recommendation-letter-tips-who-when-how-to-ask\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Here is how you should select the right people for your Letter of Recommendation<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3>Rajat &#8211; How did you prepare for interviews at Stanford and Wharton?<\/h3>\n<p>Pedro \u2013 I worked with a consultant. They helped me with questions and I also did my research. But, I didn\u2019t over practice, because the business schools want to know you not some trained robot. I introspected and collected stories from my life to demonstrate my skills. I practiced with my friends to make sure that they were coming out right and I timed myself so that I remain on point.<\/p>\n<h3>Rajat \u2013 How did you handle the HBS rejection?<\/h3>\n<p>Pedro \u2013 It was February 4<sup>th<\/sup>. I was disappointed because I reached the interview stage and got rejected. And I thought I might not get an interview invite from Stanford GSB as well. Because Stanford sends out interview invites starting Feb 10<sup>th<\/sup> till March 11<sup>th<\/sup> and I thought I will have to deal with one month of uncertainty.<\/p>\n<p>So, I focused on preparing for the financial aid letter to HKS. I remained positive. Luckily, Stanford sent the interview invite on the 11<sup>th<\/sup> Feb and I started focusing on preparing for the interview.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>How do you compare Harvard Business School and Stanford GSB? <a href=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/stanford-vs-harvard\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Learn in this article.<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2>Few Other questions asked by attendees of the Webinar<\/h2>\n<p>Question 1 \u2013 Did you work on your GMAT and application one after the other or simultaneously?<\/p>\n<p>Pedro \u2013 I first prepared for the GMAT and took the test. After getting a 710, I focused on the application. Focusing on both simultaneously would break the consistency needed for acing the GMAT.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Here is how you can <a href=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/how-to-score-700-on-gmat-7-steps\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">score 700+ on the GMAT<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Question 2 \u2013 How much impact did your GPA had on your application?<\/p>\n<p>Pedro \u2013 I had a GPA of 4.78 on a 5-point scale. So, it did help me in my application, but the <a href=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/importance-of-gpa-mba-admissions\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">role of GPA<\/a> and GMAT is to convey that you can handle the rigorous program. Your GMAT and GPA will give you a chance to get to the interview.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Question 3 \u2013 What did you do the night before the GMAT?<\/p>\n<p>Pedro \u2013 I remained cool despite being nervous. I reviewed my notes in a relaxed manner. e-GMAT\u2019s instructions really helped me the night before the GMAT.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Question 4 \u2013 Did you practice questions more or mainly focused on concepts part in Quant?<\/p>\n<p>Pedro \u2013 I did some sub-sections where I didn\u2019t need to go through concepts and I focused only on application files. There were a few sub-sections where I had to go through the concepts first and then practice questions. The prep was highly personalized according to my strengths and weaknesses.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Question 5 \u2013 GMAT is one criterion to get into a business school. What are the other important criteria to get there?<\/p>\n<p>Take a look at <a href=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/mba-application-process-gmat-score-evaluation-factors-importance\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">this article<\/a> to understand the different components of an MBA application and how to boost your application.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Question 6 \u2013 It is believed that Stanford prefers an <a href=\"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/best-business-schools-for-entrepreneurship\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">entrepreneurship<\/a> story. What is your view on that? How does social sector experience fare at GSB?<\/p>\n<p>Pedro \u2013 Stanford wants you to show how you can change the world. My background is not entrepreneurial but, if you can show how you can change the world and how you have changed things around you then it\u2019s good enough.<\/p>\n<h6>*Logos are properties of respective institutions<\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Getting into top schools such as Stanford GSB and Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) requires 10-12 months of continuous effort. During this time you have to score at least a 700 on the GMAT, research the schools to assess your &#8216;fit&#8217;, introspect and write authentic essays describing your &#8216;fit&#8217; for the program, get perfect letters of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":102406,"featured_media":27531,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","ub_ctt_via":""},"categories":[28,113,11700],"tags":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Pedro-gets-into-Stanford-GSB-and-Harvard-.png","author_info":{"display_name":"Suheb Hussain","author_link":"https:\/\/e-gmat.com\/blogs\/author\/syede-gmat-com\/"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v17.1.1 (Yoast SEO v17.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Pedro&#039;s guide to getting into Harvard Kennedy School and Stanford GSB?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Pedro&#039;s dream is to make Colombia a more socially equitable country. 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