Hey Sandy, I'm not so sure you can relate Harvard to state or federal government related issues.  Harvard is a private institution it has no obligations to the media. 

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no, it's not, it's a tax-emempt non-profit, and in Harvard's case, actually chartered and founded ($$$) by the government of Mass (John Harvard only gave them the books),  with a mission statement to support the public good, of which the press is a recognized player-- sure the press is a business too (and  full of grease balls, and so is the government etc) , we are all businesses,  but you cannot just use that banality to stupidly say other historically recognized refinements do not apply. I never said that barring the press was illegal, I said it was hypocritical, big dif.   Harvard is part of a community of tax-empt,  educationally oriented orgs  which includes to varying degrees, the gov'mnt, the press, other charities, and in certain formations, private enterprise in some ways, and not to recognize that on HBS's part, by saying, well, "we don't allow commerical enterprises, we wont allow the press,"  is reductionist, hypocritical,  stupid,  infuriating, and glib.  

How would they like it if their case study companies said, "Well, we don't allow our competition to study us, why should we allow you, what's the difference, you are both businesses?" And believe me, I am sure many companies HAVE said that to HBS, and no doubt, HBS slapped themselves on the forehead and silently called those companies  cretins and know-nothings-- well, same here.  An HBS team doing a case study IS JOURNALISM of a very specialized kind, and they get co-operation for the same reasons most folks co-operate w. journalists, including self-serving and public good reasons.  The press is different, altho sure, it has many attributes of regular businesses.  So does the Church. Laws, regulations, customs, common sense, and daily practice recognize that difference, altho sure, there are no bright lines, this being a fluid culture, but not (yet)  one that is totally bereft of distinctions, legal and ethical.  

After thought

(John Harvard only gave them the books),  ...

IN WHAT HAS BECAME THE GREATEST "NAMING RIGHTS/ BRANDING DEAL"  IN RECORDED HISTORY. 

Hey Sandy, I think the issue here is pretty simple.  And it's not taxes or the media.  As the top dogg, Harvard thinks it has leverage to push its point of view and its agenda.  Right or wrong, it is in a position of power and can get away with a lot of things.  Things might change in the future, but for now, Harvard can get away with not playing with other schools or other people's rules.

Applicants want to go to Harvard to get a little piece of that leverage for themselves.  I wonder how many of the applyyourself scandal rejects would accept if Harvard extended them an offer after jerking them around and rejecting them last year.  My guess would be a whooole lot of them.

I'm a reapplicant for HBS.My recommenders would like to submit the same recos.Is it advisable to do so.I applied to hbs last yr in R3.

Thanks,

Fin

Hi Sandy,

Can you share your views on tackling Columbia essays for Fall 06? BTW, I tried searching the archive for any message where you have already done so; couldn't find it.
For saving you some time, here are the essays:

1. What are your short-term and long-term post-MBA goals? How will Columbia Business School help you achieve these goals?
2. What has been the greatest challenge to your value system that you've faced and how did you handle it?
3. In discussing Columbia Business School, Dean R. Glenn Hubbard remarked, "We have established the mind-set that entrepreneurship is about everything you do." Please discuss a time in your own life when you have identified and captured an opportunity.
4. Please select and answer one of the following essay questions. (Recommended 250 word limit)
a. Please tell us what you feel most passionate about in life.
b. If you were given a free day and could spend it anywhere, in any way you choose, what would you do?

What is it that CBS is looking for in these essays, individually? It would be great to hear from you on these.

Thanks,
Buntea

Princeton Review Annual Law and B-School Rankings Now Out in "Best 159 Law Schools" & "Best 237 Business Schools"
Monday October 3, 10:01 am ET

Source: The Princeton Review

Hey Sandy,

Does HBS wait till the close of r1 to review apps or have people started getting interview calls already?

Alex.

Hi Sandy,

Since you seem to be the expert in this area, I was hoping you could comment on the strength of my application. I am looking to apply R1 or R2 to H/W/S/Columbia/Chicago, with Harvard and Stanford as my top choices. I am interested in both finance and general management, that's why I'm applying to schools with different strengths. Also, because I am looking to start an investment business, or enter VC, the school's prestige is important. I'd like your thoughts on my application please. Given my weak GPA, is there significant advantage to applying in R1 as opposed to R2, or should I really work on my essays and submit in R2? Here are my details:

White American male, 26 years old

Undergrad: 3.09 from Boston U, business major, started IT consulting business freshman year to pay for a significant portion of school expense (worked 25+ hours/week), closed shop in sophomore year and got investment internship because grades were suffering, averaged 3.4 for rest of school, and was on dean's list for 4 of 8 semesters. Invented new product junior year as part of team project. Played intramural soccer for 4 years, co-captain for 3 of those.

Work experience: 5 years by matriculation. I’m currently a credit derivatives trader at a hedge fund. I joined the fund as an operations associate straight from college, when the fund had only 15 employees, and have worked here since. I've had two promotions, first to a high yield analyst job and then to my current position. I was able to make a major improvement in the HY group's operations, the kind of solution that is offered commercially. The products I trade are quantitatively complex, so I think that should help my case.

GMAT: 720 (96%), Q 81%, V 93% I'm signed up to take this again.

Extracurricular: marathon runner, soccer, cycling, planned and led 3 week backpacking trip, CFA level 3 candidate, have played musical instruments since I was 3, have been taking singing lessons for 2 years

Travel: Paris, Italy, spent summer in Japan even though I didn't know the language, was able to learn a small bit of Japanese and spent time traveling the country

Goals: I would like to become a portfolio manager at a multinational firm, and eventually start my own macro-strategy hedge fund offering services to mutual funds. I've reached what I believe to be a pre-MBA ceiling, and I need more management skills, so that's my "why now" answer. My entrepreneurial interest also extends to start-up businesses, so I may want to get involved with VC work.

I'm 27/M/Indian. I'm applying for Fall '06 and aiming for some of the 8-15 schools.

I'll have 7 years of Work experience by mid-next year. I'm working with one of the TOP MNC software companies in India with around 25000 employees as a software project lead. In my last project I managed a team of 10 people.

Mainly worked on Product development.

I have a total international workex of 2 years in the Asia Pacific Region ( Australia, Singapore). I worked in an international start up for one year which was eventually taken over.

I have also been involved in Lots of presales efforts some of which have been converted.

 My GMAT score is 760 (Verbal 48 99%, Quant 48 86%, Total 760 99%).

I did my B.Tech in Elect Engg. from one of the TOP NON IIT engg. Colleges and graduated with a gpa of around 3.1

 My career objective is to stay within the tech industry and get into firms such as Google or Microsoft as a Business Development Manager.

I've got medium Extra Curriculars and have shown leadership in 2 of my activities

What are my chances at the likes of Darden, Duke, Berkeley, Kelley and Michigan. Which amongst these fit my profile? Any other schools I should be looking at ? Rotman maybe

If these schools are a stretch what can I do to increase my chances of candidacy at these schools what kind of activities should I do ???