<p>12% Acceptance rate for HBS and it is around 7% for Harvard University.</p>
<p>But then you have to look at how many people apply to Harvard University for undergraduate. But for #1 Business in the country, 12% is still kind of high.</p>
<p>The B school candidates are self selecting. Every naive kid and his brother applies to Harvard College. The admit rate for qualified candidates is much higher.</p>
<p>What she said...</p>
<p>'cause less people want to go to HBS, become executives of an Ibank, and destroy the economy</p>
<p>Because getting an MBA is way more specialized and is in less demand than simply going to UG. Plus, Harvard is the oldest school for UG and the most famous but for MBA I always thought Stanford was #1 and it always has a lower acceptance rate/higher GMAT than Harvard.</p>
<p>gellino, Stanford GSB is more technically more 'selective' because they have a really low admit rate. However, when you consider their size, you realize that they are not much more selective than other top schools. In other words, simply put, Stanford GSB is "more selective" in a strict technical sense because they take less people; they, however, have one of the smallest class sizes from all b-schools. So, it's neither surprising not to be taken as a serious indicator of being "selective" or "better". I mean, compare an incoming class at HBS of ~900 people with one at Stanford GSB of ~300 people. It makes sense they take less people, they have less room.</p>
<p>And let's be serious, how do you think most parents would prefer to introduce their kid to their friends? My 'kid who goes to Harvard' or 'my kid who goes to Stanford'? In business, perception is reality; and I believe this to be the case in every day life as well. Very few people would honestly say/take Stanford GSB (esp. if they actually have Harvard as a option, too). And their decision would likely be based, primarily, on personal preference. </p>
<p>I mean, seriously, if you want to measure the 'selectivity' of a school by how many people they accept then go to Europe and look at IMD. It only admits 90 people to their class, which is tiny! Consequently, they have to reject many people. Now IMD is a fantastic school, but I wouldn't say they are any better than Stanford GSB or HBS simply because they admit less people.</p>
<p>By the way, how in the world did hmom5 post (post#3) end up after mine (post#2)? I replied agreeing to what "she said". </p>
<p>The logic of this forum sometimes defies me...</p>
<p>Wildflower, I could not disagree more. Of those I've known over thirty years who had the choice between HBS and Stanford, the vast majority have chosen Stanford.</p>
<p>This is for many reasons. The more laid back atmosphere, it's small size, the 4 days weeks, the unsurpassed access to CEOs of growth companies.</p>
<p>Anyone who matters in terms of an MBA's future knows Stanford is more selective.</p>
<p>
[quote]
And let's be serious, how do you think most parents would prefer to introduce their kid to their friends? My 'kid who goes to Harvard' or 'my kid who goes to Stanford'?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>This kind of thinking relates to UG, not MBA. Presumably, by the time their kid is attending an MBA school, he isn't under his parents' domain any more. Most "parents' friends" also wouldn't realize that Yale JD is considered better than Harvard JD but that still doesn't change the fact it's true. Like hmom5 states, of the common admits to HBS and Stanford I have known, the vast majority have gone to Stanford. I was certainly more drawn to Stanford, although never have been guided that much by namedropping. Unfortunately, I wasn't good enough to go. Plus, at least when I was applying, Stanford was closer to 400 a class than 300 and I'm talking the acceptance rate; not the absolute number they take. I don't know anything about IMD. Are you saying their acceptance rate is below 6%?</p>
<p>Disagreein is fine, hmom5.</p>
<p>
[quote]
This is for many reasons. The more laid back atmosphere, it's small size, the 4 days weeks, the unsurpassed access to CEOs of growth companies.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>But are these not personal preferences? There is nothing a Stanford MBA can do that an HBS MBA won't...</p>
<p>
[quote]
This kind of thinking relates to UG, not MBA. Presumably, by the time their kid is attending an MBA school, he isn't under his parents' domain any more.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>No. That 'kind of thinking' is simply a hypothetical scenario to drive a point across; the Harvard name is the stronger brand, period. (esp. if you get out of the business context). No need to interpret literally, gellino.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Are you saying their acceptance rate is below 6%?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>No. I am saying they have a class of 90 people. They probably accept more than that, just like you mentioned Stanford accepts more people than enrolls. </p>
<p>I am actually curious: what's the yield for HBS/Stanford?</p>
<p>You must live on the E. Coast. Stanford is a pretty powerful brand name in most of the world because they have better sports than Harvard and sports drives fame of universities.</p>
<p>And for MBA's, who cares what anyone outside of business circles think anyway?</p>
<p>
[quote]
No. That 'kind of thinking' is simply a hypothetical scenario to drive a point across; the Harvard name is the stronger brand, period. (esp. if you get out of the business context). No need to interpret literally, gellino.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>If you're trying to impress your neighbor, then yeah sure. However, if you are talking about people in the know who will be judging your candidacy for employment and are trying to advance your career, then you should be more sophisticated in your approach. </p>
<p>I think the last numbers I had seen had Stanford with a yield in the low 80% range and Harvard in the mid 80% range.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Of those I've known over thirty years who had the choice between HBS and Stanford, the vast majority have chosen Stanford.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>
[quote]
Like hmom5 states, of the common admits to HBS and Stanford I have known, the vast majority have gone to Stanford.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Actually, I believe the cross-yield data strongly favors Harvard, I believe by a 2:1 basis. That is also evidenced by the raw yield ratings: about 90% of HBS admits choose to go, whereas only 78% of the Stanford GSB admits will go.</p>
<p>Thank you for the stats, Sakky. (Perhaps it's just me, but I'd think that just about settles this...)</p>
<p>But in any case, I have a couple minutes...</p>
<p>
[quote]
Stanford is a pretty powerful brand name in most of the world because they have better sports than Harvard and sports drives fame of universities.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I must admit: that was a low blow, hmom5. :)</p>
<p>And while I sort of agree with what you are saying (insofar as sports helped build the Stanford brand), I still find hard to believe that simply having better sports would give Stanford an edge over Harvard. The fact is, though, that by then (by the time Stanford came into the picture) everybody knew of Harvard already.</p>
<p>
[quote]
And for MBA's, who cares what anyone outside of business circles think anyway?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Some people might, hmom5. I do.</p>
<p>
[quote]
If you're trying to impress your neighbor, then yeah sure. However, if you are talking about people in the know who will be judging your candidacy for employment and are trying to advance your career, then you should be more sophisticated in your approach.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Seriously, gellino... could you blame someone for going to HBS over Stanford GSB? Let's be real. I don't think lack of "sophistication" in one's "approach" would be a problem one would encounter after going to HBS. I would be quite interested in your response to this, if you have a sensible one.</p>
<p>And, moreover, in any case, after HBS many students are bound to start their own companies sooner than later. (The same probably applies to Stanford, but the bottom line is Stanford doesn't have any real edge over Harvard. Nice weather, Wednesdays off and all the other perks are, frankly, just that inconsequential perks that make life more comfortable.)</p>
<p>I'd go to Stanford GSB over HBS -- and it wouldn't be a hard decision. It's much more exclusive, in a great setting and if I were coming out of b-school today I'd definitely want to be plugged into the tech industry -- it would actually be a pretty easy choice. But then again quality of life is a huge factor for me and if I had to live in the US again, I wouldn't want to live outside of Cali -- with San Diego being my no. 1 choice.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Seriously, gellino... could you blame someone for going to HBS over Stanford GSB?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yes, because you implied the reason to go to Harvard over Stanford because the person's parent's friends (the common man on the street) are more likely to have heard of it, which is a ridiculous and totally superficial reason to pick a school. I would like to think (maybe erroneously) that someone who is good enough to choose between the two schools is not so mindless in their approach to the decision and goes by what would be better for what they're looking for and hope to get out of the experience rather than trying to impress people who know nothing about either program. Like the_prestige and hmom, I have always considered the Stanford MBA to be more impressive to attain and also it seems like a much more enjoyable, collegial experience. Harvard seems much more cutthroat and confrontational while Stanford seems much more laid back.</p>
<p>I wasn't saying Stanford has an edge because of sports, I'm saying they have a big brand name because of it.</p>
<p>Stanford GSB and HBS wouldn't be a close choice for me or most I know either. I had no clue when I was 24 though. My kids didn't make use of their Wharton legacy, none even applied, but all 3 thank their dad for making them a GSB legacy!</p>
<p>It's not about impressive for me. It's about the intimacy of the small class and the participation of many amazing entrepreneurs. It's a whole different animal than HBS. The laid back environment is conducive to real friendships and real network building. I have a network from Wharton, my husband has a network of friends from Stanford.</p>
<p>Here is a timely article about the recent reputation hit HBS has taken during the current financial crises which just hit my Bloomberg screen:
Harvard</a> Begins Case Study as Tainted MBAs Reveal Damaged Brand - Bloomberg.com</p>
<p>Here is another take on HBS (given it is celebrating its century mark) in the Economist:
<a href="http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10999448%5B/url%5D">http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10999448</a></p>
<p><a href="gellino:%20note%20the%20nod%20to%20INSEAD%20in%20this%20article">I</a>*</p>
<p>Sorry, sports drive fame of universities only in the US. In the rest of the world, Harvard beats Stanford any day and twice on Fridays.</p>
<p>I would go to Stanford over HBS but because I love Palo Alto and the VCs around there are more my desire than the east coast snobbery I associate with Boston. HBS has a great brand name because of prestige and a long history. Stanford has a great brand name because of sports programs and a powerful, albeit shorter, history.</p>