Get into Harvard with an UNFAIR advantage!!

Graduate School Business School - MBA
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<p>The following is NOT an advertisement in any way shape or form. I am not suggesting the validity or effectiveness of the following service, but, if you don't pick that up from my post, ridiculing it in every way possible.</p>

<p>Like you, I am patiently working my way towards a shot at a top business school. I've recently stumbled upon this:</p>

<p>Getting</a> Into Harvard Business School</p>

<p>This product promises the bring the client to Harvard for a mere $97. What gets me is the approach the product takes. The seller claims to be a lucky HBS grad himself. While that is not very believable, what I find most curious is that the methods he is pushing...</p>

<p>... seem to go against everything Harvard stands for.</p>

<p>The phrase "and even gain an UNFAIR advantage" appears in the article in its various forms a whopping NINE times. Overlooking the obvious "no-no, no cheating your way into HBS," the best I can think of is that this slogan is just a terrible, terrible attempt at branding. I've yet to go to business school, but I don't think "unfair advantage" would ring well with perspective Harvard grads. Maybe a plumber trying to cheat his neighbors, but I'd like to think better of us. Know your audience much?</p>

<p>"It's a story about the SECRET FORMULA a former UPS package handler with mediocre grades and an average background used to get into Harvard Business School... shocking his friends in the process.</p>

<p>He had a 2.9 GPA when he attended Idaho State University and started off his career as a $8/hour UPS package handler . </p>

<p>[this is the part that got me:]
At the time, this applicant was not very familiar with Harvard Business School.</p>

<p>Yet, by sheer dumb luck he ended up following the same proven principles and strategies used by hundreds of other successful Harvard Business School applicants..."</p>

<p>Comments? I get advertising for magical sex pills this way, but this is just offensive.</p>

<p>Reactions?</p>

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<p>there is a sucker born every minute.</p>

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<p>That’s what she said.</p>

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<p>Ummm… there’s nothing really “unfair” about it actually. The only reason he says it’s “unfair” is because the majority of applicants (i.e. these IT people with 760+ GMAT scores) to these schools don’t know how to write any essays that captivate human emotion well and he’s going to tell you how to do it. A lot of kids nowadays get SAT prep courses funded by their rich parents and they get an “unfair” advantage for example. It’s only “unfair” because it’s something that others simply cannot get. </p>

<p>Well, there isn’t only one way to get into Harvard Business School or any other good schools there are tons and that’s why these applicants at these schools are diverse. So if you don’t have some edge, you’ll have another that your competition probably won’t have. Is there a way to “fairly” make it so so that everyone has the same “edges”? It’s not possible actually. One can argue that all the people who got accepted had “unfair” advantages.</p>

<p>It’s “unfair” because the relative value of receiving that is HUGE and not that many people can receive a huge boost in anything (the world is “unfair” to those who don’t get SAT prep courses, to those who aren’t born with good looks, to those who aren’t charismatic etc.).</p>

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<p>Hell. Sometimes the advantage isn’t enough.</p>

<p>There are certain techniques that do work in your advantage. Whether this is one of them is open to suckerpunch.</p>

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<p>Tiberius, you’re right. I was just ridiculing the overall approach, the advertising. It’s ridiculous to try and sell Harvard like they sell sex pills.</p>