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The Iconic HBS Essay is Gone. How to Master the New Prompts.

June 2024 marked a significant shift in Harvard Business School’s MBA admissions process, with the first major update to the essay component of the application since 2016.

That is, the 900-word, open-ended HBS essay— As we review your application, what more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Harvard Business School MBA program? —has been discontinued in lieu of three shorter prompts. 

In this article, we’ll cover the new HBS essays, speculate on why the changes were made, and give our best advice on how Harvard Business School applicants should tackle the new essay themes.

The Harvard Business School Essay Is Now “Essays”

Harvard Business School’s MBA essay prompts for 2024 appeal to “business-minded”, “leadership-focused”, and “growth-oriented” individuals.  

The prompts are:

Business Minded

• Please reflect on how your experiences have influenced your career choices and aspirations and the impact you strive to make on the businesses, organizations, and communities you plan to serve. (up to 300 words)

Leadership-Focused

• What experiences have shaped who you are, how you invest in others, and what kind of leader you want to become? (up to 250 words)

Growth-Oriented

• Curiosity can be seen in many ways. Please share an example of how you have demonstrated curiosity and how that has influenced your growth. (up to 250 words)

At first glance, MBA applicants might feel some relief when reading the requirements for these new prompts. Yes, they’re 100 words shorter, but there’s also much more guidance about what to write about—it would seem. 

However, the narrower the focus, the easier it is for you to “lose the thread” and get bogged down in the language of the prompt.

Increased specificity can also lead to formulaic responses, which lack the personal storytelling that helps your essays standout. (It also increases the chances of applicants turning to ChatGPT or other LLMs for assistance).

As a result, we feel that you’re going to have to work a little harder to distinguish yourself when responding to these prompts—and you’re going to have to resist the temptation to use ChatGPT for your HBS application .

How to Approach the New HBS Essay Prompts

The biggest pitfall MBA applicants fall into with specific, shorter essays like these is to respond too directly to the prompt without considering the bigger picture.

When approaching the essay writing process, don’t worry too much about the exact themes in each prompt. Instead, reflect on the reasons you feel you should be admitted to HBS in general. 

Think through your answers to the following questions:

• Why are you qualified?
• What do you hope to do post-MBA?
• How has your background shaped this motivation?
• What in your background provides evidence that you will be successful in your goal or goals?
• What impact will your success have on the wider community, career path, and so on?

By orienting yourself to the bigger picture, you can avoid focusing too narrowly on “curiosity” or “leadership qualities.” 

Next, think about the topics you don’t need to address in your essays. Factors such as academic ability and career experience will be covered separately in the application or the resume. 

Decide what hasn’t been addressed elsewhere, and strategize on how to work this information into the prompts provided.

This is where a consultant can mean the difference between a generic essay and a memorable and highly impactful response. An MBA admissions consultant can help you think through your motivations and craft MBA essays that seamlessly complement your application while showcasing your personality.

If you’re looking for even more insight about how to tackle the three HBS prompts, consider our advice on writing a strong MBA personal statement—including 4 common mistakes you’ll want to avoid . 

Why was the Harvard Business School Essay Changed?

We don’t have any insider information on why the original HBS essay prompt was replaced, but we can speculate generally on some factors that might have led to this moment.

New Director of Admissions, New Essays

In October 2023, Rupal Gadhia joined Harvard Business School as the Managing Director of Admissions and Financial Aid. These changes coincide with her tenure, and we can safely assume that this is not a coincidence. 

Typically, when admissions essays shift from longer, open-ended prompts to shorter, more focused ones, it’s because many applicants were not effectively addressing the essay’s purpose and were using the space ineffectively.

Perhaps the regime change paved the way for this update—perhaps it was even in the works for some time.

In addition to a new Director of Admissions, the HBS essay updates also seem to align with a change in the types of candidates HBS is seeking to admit.

A culture shift in the Harvard Business School Admissions Committee?

In previous cycles, Harvard Business School has been quite direct about its interest in individuals with a “habit” of leadership and an analytical aptitude and appetite.

However, this cycle sees a shift towards a broader, softer set of qualities, potentially setting the runway for a minor increase in non-traditional MBA admits. 

These qualities directly correspond to the new HBS essays, and Harvard Business School gives some guidance as to how certain candidates should interpret the purpose of the new prompts.

As stated on the “ Who Are We Looking For ?” page, the HBS admissions team will look for individuals who…

• Business-Minded: “are passionate about using business as a force for good – who strive to improve and transform companies, industries, and the world.”
• Leadership-Focused: “aspire to lead others toward making a difference in the world, and those who recognize that to build and sustain successful organizations, they must develop and nurture diverse teams.”
• Growth-Oriented: “desire to broaden their perspectives through creative problem solving, active listening, and lively discussion.”

Now, it is important to remember that Harvard Business School relies heavily on its donors and its reputation with recruiters, who in turn depend on the MBA class composition as it stands today. So we are not likely to see a large shake-up of the school’s MBA class profile overnight.

Further, it’s impossible to predict what industries and profiles are likely to benefit from these changes in admissions criteria. 

But if the essay prompts and changes to admissions criteria are genuine and indicative of a broader shift in admissions committee thinking, then we can expect to see individuals who invest in others (especially those who are different from themselves) fare quite well. 

Wrapping Up

These changes to the HBS application essays coincide with the appointment of a new Managing Director of Admissions and Financial Aid and a subtle broadening of the admissions criteria for HBS’s MBA class. 

While these shifts may not lead to a dramatic change in the class profile overnight, they do signal an evolving approach to assessing candidates.

For applicants, the key takeaway is to pay close attention to the new essay prompts without getting bogged down by the specific themes. 

It’s essential to maintain a holistic view of your MBA applications, emphasizing your overall qualifications, goals, and the unique experiences that align with each program’s values.

Engaging an MBA admissions consultant can be a strategic move, offering you tailored insights and helping you craft Harvard MBA essays that stand out. By focusing on the bigger picture and strategically addressing the prompts, you can present a strong, authentic application that highlights your readiness for the HBS MBA program.

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• The Harvard Business School MBA Program Overview
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• How One HBS Alum Leveraged Her MBA for Entrepreneurship

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Sample Essays from Admitted HBS Students

• Sample HBS Essay [2020]: Vulnerable But Invincible
• Sample HBS Essay [2016]: The Mechanical Engineer
• Sample HBS Essay [2015]: The Author

I read the new 2020 Harbus MBA Essay Guide wondering what I was going to gain from it. I’ve been reading HBS MBA application essays for 26 years. I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t. I also had read the previous Harbus MBA Essay Guide , and the question Harvard is asking hasn’t changed since that one was published. However, while I started The Essay Guide a skeptic, I quickly saw its value, and can whole-heartedly recommend it to HBS applicants. 

Even after having read hundreds of HBS essays, I still found it worthwhile to read The Essay Guide . For applicants who have preconceived notions of what an admissible essay should be, The Essay Guide will open your eyes to 22 successful and different responses. For applicants who are wondering how on earth they should approach their essay, the guide will give them 22 different answers. 

For me it reinforced several valuable lessons:

• There really is no template for a successful HBS essay. The diversity of essays that are acceptable — no pun intended, well maybe a little intended — to Harvard Business School is striking.  
• The commitment of most of the authors to telling their story is also noteworthy. Several said they asked friends to confirm that the essay really mirrors them. Others wrote that they were determined that the essay present an authentic portrait of them.
• Most of the students wrote the essay over the course of months. Give yourself time to draft a persuasive, introspective, and authentic essay. 

Harvard’s question is a fantastic one. It is a probing one. And it requires you to probe yourself so that you can provide a profound reflection of you as you tell the HBS admissions committee what you really want them to know.

A successful Harvard Business School application essay [2020]

This sample essay is from The Harbus MBA Essay Guide and is reprinted with permission from Harbus .  

Essay: Vulnerable But Invincible 

Home country: USA

Previous industry: Consulting

Analysis: The author takes a rather bold approach here. She uses the essay to point to the times when she showed vulnerability in the workplace. This essay presents a strong example of how an essay can be used to complement different aspects of your personality – while resume and application can be used to highlight accomplishments, the essay has been intelligently used to show author’s capacity to be strong enough to talk about situations when she broke down in a professional capacity, but took lessons from each of these situations and employed them to her strength.

I have cried exactly four times at work.

The first time was early in my career. It was 2AM and I was lying in bed struggling with an Excel model. An overachiever my whole life, I was wholly unused to the feelings of inadequacy and incompetence bubbling up inside me. After clicking through dozens of Excel forums with still no right answer, I gave up and cried myself to sleep, vowing to never let myself feel so incapable again.

The second time was a year and a half later. I was unsatisfied with my project and role, and questioning my decision to be a consultant. That uncertainty must have been apparent to everyone, because my manager pulled me aside and bluntly told me that my attitude was affecting the entire team. I cried in front of him, devastated that I had let my doubts bleed into my work.

The third time was just a year ago. I was overseeing a process redesign and struggling to balance the many changes needed. The Partner called me into his office to say, “I’m worried our process is not as sound as it needs to be. I need to know that you care about this as much as I do.” I nodded, say that I do, then ran to the bathroom to cry, overwhelmed by how much change I knew was coming.

Each of the first three times was driven by frustration and anger. I had tamped down my emotions to the point where they overwhelmed me. Particularly as a young woman in business, I never wanted to be viewed as a stereotype or incapable. I was ashamed of my tears and terrified at how others would perceive me.

However, each of those experiences proved to be a turning point. My tears motivated me to ask for help when I needed it, pushed me to restructure my mindset and approach, and gave me a moment to breathe, rebalance, and reprioritize. In each case, my work was better for it. I have also used each experience as a learning moment. Each time I asked myself what decisions led me to the point of tears, and what I could have done differently. I could have raised my hand earlier for help, initiated a conversation with my manager about my uncertainty and dissatisfaction, or involved the Partner more actively in the planning and prioritization. While I can’t change the past, I can learn from it, and am more considerate of such outcomes when I make these decisions today.

Emotions are an inevitable part of the human experience, and as such, an inevitable part of the office. Rather than keeping them at bay, I have begun embracing my emotions to be a better manager and leader, and build more authentic connections. As a manager, I understand my team as people, not just colleagues. I have regular conversations with each of my team members to understand their individual goals and motivations, so I can take those into consideration when building the team structure and delegating responsibilities. As a leader, I invest in traditions and events that foster camaraderie and high morale. I am the proud founder of [NAME OF OFFICE PROGRAM] in the office, a beloved tradition that is now an integral part of the office and that I hope will continue even after I leave.

The fourth time I cried was at the rollout of a process redesign I oversaw. This was our first time demo-ing the new process end-to-end for the rest of the team. As the demo progressed, I felt the team’s energy turn from nervous anticipation to dawning excitement, and finally to sheer awe and amazement. As the demo ended, one of my teammates turned to me, and asked in a hushed voice, “Are you crying?” And I was. This time, I cried not with frustration or anger. This time, I cried with joy for our success and with pride for my team. Embracing my emotions allowed me to show that tears are not shameful and don’t need to be hidden in the workplace. I am no longer ashamed of my tears, and I am proud to demonstrate that a strong leader can be pragmatic and emotional all at once.

Word count: 705

Author’s comment: “I started early on my essay (~ 3 months before the submission deadline) because it was important to me to iterate and be thoughtful. I started by laying out potential themes and stories for my essay, and while there are a lot of similarities, the core message changed quite a bit. Don’t get too attached to any one story or theme and allow yourself to let go of a draft if it’s not the right one. What I found most helpful was having 2-3 close friends that I trust wholeheartedly review multiple drafts, because they were able to provide continuous feedback and help me combine pieces from multiple drafts. None of them had ever gone to or applied to business school, but were experienced in writing and communication (e.g. one is a screenwriter) which helped me focus on communicating MY story more so than what is the story that HBS Admissions would most like.”

A successful Harvard Business School application essay [2016]

This sample essay is from  The Harbus MBA Essay Guide  and is reprinted with permission from Harbus. 

Essay: The Mechanical Engineer

Author’s home country: United States of America Author’s previous industry/profession: Operations consulting, operations management  Author gender: Male

Analysis:   The author focuses his essay on two themes – his professional experience as an operations consultant and an experience which motivated him to go for an MBA. Through the essay, the author is able to highlight his professional skills, achievement as well as give a clear picture of his long-term career plans and his reasons for doing an MBA.

I’m [APPLICANT’S FIRST NAME] and I have journeyed here from the hallowed grounds of [APPLICANT’S U.S. NEW ENGLAND HOMETOWN], where I spent my formative years amid wild dreams of achieving greatness by setting world records and winning the Olympics. As I’ve hung up my [OLYMPIC SPORT’S TRADITIONAL SHOES] in favor of business shoes, those dreams have evolved into a desire to achieve greatness in a different arena. Today, my dream centers on helping companies leverage technology to propel their operations into the future, providing unparalleled customer service and delivery, with an operational efficiency to match.

I graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering in [GRADUATION YEAR] and spent my first 3 years out of college working as an operations consultant. It was my job to walk into a manufacturing plant and drive significant operational change – for example, I once spent 3 months walking the sticky floors of a milk plant in [MID-SIZED U.S. SOUTHEASTERN CITY] helping plant management boost throughput by 30% in order to take on a new customer. We accomplished this goal with zero capital spend, a feat many had believed was impossible. In our projects, the biggest challenge was almost always convincing managers to reach for that extra tad of unseen opportunity hiding within the operation, because oftentimes it was very difficult to look beyond the daily struggles that plagued their operations. I worked directly with 5-8 person “rapid results teams,” coaching them on how to think about operational improvement, motivating them to sprint towards it, and leading them through the analysis required to capture it. I left those milk, water and oil sands plants with many enduring friendships and inspiring operational victories borne from our journey from ambitious goals to concrete results.

<< READ: What is HBS Looking For? >>

I’ve spent the past two years working in supply chain management at a private industrial goods supplier. I chose direct management because I wanted to drive these same inspirational improvements in an operation I owned. My role was to manage and improve the operation, and through my experience, I learned the nuts and bolts of the supply chain industry. However, my dream of innovating supply chain operations pushed me to consider transitioning to an organization with an ambitious, transformative purpose. In fact, last year I had a unique opportunity to reflect on what type of impact matters to me. This opportunity was my first ever trip to [NORTHWEST AFRICAN REGION], the place of my family’s origin.

On the second day of the trip, I journeyed to [LOCAL NORTHEASTERN AFRICAN TOWN], a small town nestled next an enormous active volcano that is surrounded by a wide expanse of rich volcanic soil, which is used to make wine. This wine is sipped by adventure-seeking tourists relaxing after a long day on the volcano, and thus the town’s two major industries, wine and tourism, are sustained. When we arrived at the town, I was shocked to see it buried by an avalanche of volcanic rock from an eruption [A FEW YEARS PRIOR]. As our guide lamented on the dreary prospects of the Page 2 of 2 town, I was amazed to see just how important these two industries had been to its development.

Through this real world example, I was able to clearly visualize the impact businesses can have on their broader environment, an understanding that had not been as evident to me while working in the larger, more complex American economy. For example, I had spent hours walking among the dilapidated buildings speckling the warehouse district in Cleveland, but only after my trip did I connect them to the decline of the Midwestern manufacturing industry. Upon my return, armed with this broader perspective, I decided my next step would be to attend business school. There I would gain the technical, operational and leadership skills to make my transition to an organization whose goal was to drive change in its broader industry and community, as those wine and tourism companies had done in [LOCAL NORTHEASTERN AFRICAN TOWN OF FAMILY’S ORIGIN].

So, that is how I arrived in front of you today. My goal is to humbly learn as much as I can from our section, our professors, and our experiences. I am excited to get to know you, and will always do my best to support our section intellectually and athletically (we will be the future section Olympics champions!).

How about yourself?

Word Count: 711

Author’s comment:   While the initial draft of my essay did not take more than an hour or two, it was the revision process that I spent a significant amount of time on. I think the most important part of the essay writing process is to ensure that your story and personality come through – and this is perhaps the most difficult part! To help with this, I had individuals who were not as familiar with my story and why I wanted to go to business school provide me with feedback in addition to those with whom I worked closely.

Linda’s comment:

I would hate for any of you to read this essay or any of the other essays in  The Harbus MBA Essay Guide , which I recommend, and think “This is a great template. I’m going to tell a story just like this one!” Bad idea. Wrong response.

The one take-away from this essay and the other successful essays in this book is that the reader feels a little like s/he is meeting the author – not someone else and not some masked being.  Individuality is the common thread in those essays; it isn’t brilliant prose or incredible writing. It’s authenticity and humanity. And yes, the author is accomplished too.

I chose this essay from the Harbus collection because I know there are many engineers applying. Some — both in and out of their field — think of the profession as boring or common. But this essay is neither boring nor common. I loved it because the writer comes to life, and  his passion  and personality shine through. He doesn’t get bogged down in technicalities, industrial jargon, or an alphabet soup of acronyms. He tells his story with energy and clarity, from his perspective, and with a focus on his impact.

Now that’s an example you can follow: Tell  your  story with energy and clarity, from  your  perspective, and with a focus on  your  impact.

Check out what recent applicants have to say about working with Accepted:

A successful harvard business school application essay [2015], the 2014-15 harvard business school essay question:.

You’re applying to Harvard Business School. We can see your resume, academic transcripts, extracurricular activities, awards, post-MBA career goals, test scores, and what your recommenders have to say about you. What else would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy?

This sample essay is from The Harbus MBA Essay Guide and is reprinted with permission from Harbus.  

Essay: The Author

Author’s Background: Finance & Media

The author sets the stage for the remainder of the essay by first presenting a notable accomplishment of hers and then explicitly illustrating the entrepreneurial drive and diligence she used to see it through. More importantly, the author’s opening introduces a theme – storytelling – that is consistently interwoven through different stages of her life. The reader is lead through the author’s childhood, professional and extracurricular experiences, along with accomplishments, all the while being reminded of the integral role storytelling has played. Beyond highlighting her gift, or passion for the art of storytelling, the author goes on to connect this theme with her future career ambitions, as well as describe how this could also serve the HBS community.

In 2012, I realized a life ambition – I completed my first novel, all while working full time at [Top U.S. Investment Bank]. I could not wait to share it with the world and eagerly went in search of a literary agent. But each agent I contacted declined to represent my novel.

Storytelling is my lifelong passion; it saw me through a difficult childhood. After my father left, my mother raised me as a single parent in [U.S. City/State], a rural Bible Belt town two hours south of [U.S. State]. We did not have much money and that coupled with my bookishness made me a target for bullies. Books and writing were an escape; they gave me an avenue to articulate the feelings of abandonment and powerlessness I otherwise did not want to express. Writing made me happy and the more I wrote, the more my talent blossomed. I began to win awards and my work was published in youth literary journals. These experiences made me more confident, a key part of my success later in life. It all started with a pen, a notebook, and my imagination. Nevertheless, I was passionate about my work and was determined to put it into readers’ hands. In true entrepreneurial fashion, I self-published my novel through the digital platforms Smashwords and Createspace. I worked with a promotional expert to organize a month-long book tour to promote the book to prominent book bloggers and their readers. The result? My novel has received multiple 5-star reader reviews, from Amazon to Goodreads, and was a semifinalist for the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.

Stories are an integral part of the human experience. They uplift and inspire, give us permission to dream and to visualize what could be. Storytelling has been an integral part of my career, from building financial models at [Top U.S. Investment Bank] that illustrated my expectations for the companies that I covered to delivering a presentation to [International Daily Newspaper] ’s chief revenue officer explaining why reducing ad prices for tender house advertisers would not lead to an increase in revenue.

My passion has also informed my growth as a leader; I believe my most impactful expressions of leadership have been my efforts to help others write the narratives of their own lives and careers. At [Top U.S. Investment Bank], I created an informal mentorship program for female and minority interns and first-year analysts in the research division and led a “soft skills” class to help new analysts handle difficult interpersonal situations. For four years, I’ve mentored a young Hispanic woman through Student Sponsor Partners, a nonprofit that gives low-income students scholarships to private high schools. Being a mentor gave me the privilege of guiding another first generation college student along what I know can be a lonely, difficult path. This fall, she started college with a full scholarship.

Storytelling will be a part of my future career path; as an MBA graduate, my goal is to obtain a position in strategy and business development at an entertainment company that specializes in film or television. Long term, I want to start a multimedia and merchandising company with a publishing arm (books and magazines) as well as film, TV, and digital operations. Using strong, fictional heroines and informative lifestyle content, my company’s goal will be to educate and inspire women to become their best selves. My particular focus is creating compelling, multidimensional characters to inspire young women of color, who are constantly bombarded by negative images of women who look like them in media.

I’m pursuing a Harvard MBA because I want to become a better business strategist and strong general manager. Also, I want to further develop my leadership and presentation skills as I will manage professionals on the content and business side; it will be my task to unite them behind a shared strategic vision. Specifically, I want to learn how to motivate teams and individuals to perform at their highest level, and to become more adept at persuasion and generating “buy-in” from others. Harvard’s unique approach using the case method and emphasis on leadership development will challenge me to grow in both these areas. I also feel that I have much to contribute to Harvard’s community. My varied background in finance and media has given me a unique perspective that will be valuable in classroom discussions and team projects. I want to share my passion for the entertainment industry with my classmates by chairing the Entertainment & Media club and planning conferences, career treks, and other opportunities.

My background gives me the capacity for fearless thinking that is needed to meet the challenges of the entertainment industry’s shifting landscape. A Harvard MBA will strengthen that foundation and help me to become the kind of dynamic leader who can bring the vision for my own company to life and be at the forefront of entertainment’s structural shift.

Time & Effort: “It was about 6 or 7 drafts. Not sure on the hours.”

Word Count: 805

This sample essay is from The Harbus MBA Essay Guide and is reprinted with permission from Harbus . We highly recommend the book!

If you would like advice on responding to this year’s HBS essay question, (which is different from the 2014-15 prompt) please read our Harvard Business School essay tips .

Linda’s comments:

Bottom line: You want your readers to feel like that they are meeting you — not someone else, not a scripted piece of shallow PR devoid of personality and humanity, and not some phony combo of you and the author of an essay in a guidebook or on a website. They really and truly want to meet you!

So think about your story. 

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Related Resources:

• Get Accepted to Harvard Business School , a free webinar • Harvard Business School MBA Essay Tips & Deadlines • What is HBS Looking For:   Analytical Aptitude and Appetite , The Habit of Leadership , Engaged Community Citizenship • M7 MBA Programs: Everything You Need to Know in 2022 • More sample MBA application essays

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An Extraordinary Collection Of MBA Essays From Successful Stanford & Harvard Applicants

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Two of the most challenging questions asked of MBA applicants who aspire to the most highly selective business schools in the world are probably given more thought than a marriage proposal or the purchase of a house.

“What matters most to you and why?” is the intriguing query Stanford Graduate School of Business poses to candidates.

“What more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy?” asks Harvard Business School of its applicants.

The former question must be answered with a 650-word limit, while Harvard imposes no limit on the size or scope of the answer to its essay prompt.

ACTUAL EXAMPLES OF HARVARD & STANFORD MBA ESSAYS FROM SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS

Now, for the first time ever, they will have a chance to see how successful candidates at both schools, including applicants who won dual admits to Harvard and Stanford, tackled those questions. What Matters? and What More? is a 188-page book filled with 50 different essays shared by successful applicants to those schools. ( You can immediately download the entire book for $60 here instantly .)  Everyone knows that each year a large number of people apply to both schools so among the 50 actual examples are ten “pairs” of essays for HBS and the GSB, showing how the same candidate approached the two schools’ differing essay prompts.

Written by Jeremy Shinewald, founder of mbaMission, and Liza Weale, founder of Gatehouse Admissions, and published in partnership with Poets&Quants , the book promises to be a must-read for all elite MBA applicants, whether they apply to Harvard, Stanford or any other highly selective business school.

More than a collection of the essays, however, the book features thoughtful critiques written by Shinewald and Weale on every aspect of each of the essays that explore what worked and what didn’t. They not only make general statements about each of the essays in the book; they literally tear apart paragraphs, commenting on the strengths and weaknesses of an applicant’s approach and offering savvy advice on how not to make a mistake. The guidance, samples, and critiques in What Matters? and What More? will help applicants determine the best approach for sharing their strongest stories with these programs—and help to swing the formidable odds in their favor for a cherished admit.

A FAVORITE ESSAY WRITTEN FOR HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL

As Shinewald notes in What Matters? and What More? , “Many applicants have preconceived notions about how a great HBS essay should read. A candidate could be forgiven for thinking something along the lines of ‘HBS wants to see ferocious, unyielding leaders who achieve the impossible,’ but the idea that most applicants would fit this mold is unrealistic. Reading this guide should prove that point!”

One of his favorite essays is the book is from an applicant to Harvard who uses 1,213 words in his essay, including a rather dramatic start:

Despite all we had been through in recent years, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I asked my mother one summer evening in Singapore, “What role did I play during those tough times?” In 2014, a pulmonologist in Singapore, where my parents live, told my father he had three months to live. The only solution was to undergo a complete double lung transplant in America—a precarious, logistically complex, and financially burdensome procedure. Despite the daunting news, I sprang into action and spent weeks researching options. I channeled my inner Product Manager and delegated aspects of the research and planning to different family members, creating dozens of spreadsheets detailing our to-dos. We then waited patiently for the call.

THE NIGHT THIS STANFORD CANDIDATE GOT AN UNUSUAL CALL FROM HER FATHER

The essay goes on from there. “In managing a complicated family dynamic,” adds Shinewald, “he realizes the importance of truly paying attention to what someone is saying, and he adroitly hones this skill through challenging community work, which itself equips him to solve personal and professional problems. Throughout, the applicant creates a narrative that is deeply thoughtful and calming. His voice in the essay gives the reader the sense that he is a fundamentally introspective person who draws power from reflection. But do not try to simply replicate his voice in your essay. What is critical is finding your own.”

Or, how about this compelling story written by Helena, a successful candidate to Stanford GSB. The opening is equally dramatic and gripping, too.

Six months into joining JP Morgan, I got a call from my dad close to midnight. The call itself wasn’t unusual—my parents liked to check in on me—but the discussion was. He needed me to keep this conversation between the two of us. He needed money.

“Helena’s story of financially helping her father—and subsequently her entire family—is a moving one,” notes Weale. “Taking on that responsibility as a recent college graduate must have filled Helena with both stress and concern. Yet the story of her father’s plight accounts for only a small portion of the essay, and a meaningful theme emerges: Helena is fueled to grow, learn, and achieve for herself, then apply her growth, learnings, and achievements to help others.”

Just how Helena navigates these themes into an essay of 751 words is something of a work of art. But she clearly pulled it off. The candidate draws from a number of stories and moments from her life to make her point. “As she moves from one time period to another, the consistent element (beyond her theme) is her use of specific details to make each story stand out,” adds Weale. “Yes, we say it time and time again—such precise particulars make your story one that only you can tell; moreover, they enable the reader to better envision your world. She also dots the essay with a few asides that give the reader more insight into who she is, even beyond her core thesis. Throughout, we see a strong, optimistic, and caring leader, one who is willing to contribute however she can to improve the circumstances of those around her.”

GET YOUR COPY OF WHAT MATTERS? AND WHAT MORE? NOW

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2024-2025 Harvard Business School MBA Essay Tips and Example Essays

Jul 1, 2024

• Who is Harvard looking for?
• How should I answer Harvard essay questions?
• Struggling to Make Your MBA Application Stand Out?

UPDATE : This article was originally posted on July 23, 2018. It has been updated with new information and tips below. 

When many people think “business school,” the first MBA that pops into their mind is Harvard Business School. Established in 1908, HBS has been at the forefront of business education for more than a century. 

However, receiving more than 8,000 applications per year, Harvard Business School is one of the most difficult MBA programs to enter. 

That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to help you use your Harvard admissions essays to stand out. We’ve rounded up our best tips and links to Harvard Business School MBA sample essays to ensure you give your HBS application your best shot. 

1. Who is Harvard looking for?

Every year, Harvard Business School admits the largest single MBA class in the world, with around 1000 students starting each year. In general, Harvard tends to admit applicants with 5 years of work experience and outstanding test scores. The median GMAT for the Class of 2025 was 740, and the median GRE was 163Q, 163V.   

Harvard also places a strong emphasis on diversity, with the Class of 2025 containing 45% women and 39% international students. 

In addition,  some of the key characteristics HBS looks for in applicants are:

If this sounds like a community in which you’d be right at home, you’ll first have to prove you’ve got what it takes by successfully answering Harvard’s brand new essay questions. 

2. How should I answer Harvard essay questions?

Writing any admissions essay is a tough task, however, Harvard raises the bar. Keep reading for a more in-depth look at how to turn this rather open-ended task into standout essays! 

2.1 Goals short answer tips

Briefly, tell us more about your career aspirations (500 characters, including spaces) . 

Then, you’ll see a box where you have 500 characters to share your goals. In the box, directly state your short-term and long-term goals in simple, clear terms. You have a whole essay to talk about the impact and motivation behind your goals, so you don’t need to focus on that here. 

If you’re struggling to define your goals for the MBA, check out this post ! 

2.2 Essay 1 tips

Business-Minded: Please reflect on how your experiences have influenced your career choices and aspirations and the impact you strive to make on the businesses, organizations, and communities you plan to serve. (up to 300 words)

A MAJOR change, HBS has introduced three short essays, including this goals-type essay , to replace the long, open-ended question it favored for years. 

However, with only 300 words , HBS forces you to clearly state some of the most fundamental — and important! — information in your MBA application . 

First, we suggest that you review how HBS defines “business-minded” and how they expect to see this in your application. 

You have a 500-character short answer in the application form itself where you need to state your short and long-term goals, so there is no need to restate them here. You can just jump right into the experiences that have influenced your career choices. 

We do suggest that you start off the essay with context into why the goals you’re pursuing are right for you. This might be a STAR-format story (or 2 mini STAR stories) that is related to your goals or part of your personal track record that motivated you to pursue the goals you stated. Make sure that the story or stories that you choose are all directly related to your career goals and that you can make a clear link between them and your career path both now and in the future. 

If it helps you to briefly mention your goals ( think a few words here) to help transition your essay from past to future, you can briefly mention your career aspirations on a high level. For example, you might use something like, “Looking ahead, as a leader in the healthcare space…” and then continue on with the second part of the essay. 

In the second part of the essay, the focus is all on impact. Here, you want to be crystal clear about the legacy you hope to leave behind with your goals. 

The question asks you to think about impact beyond just your own career and prompts you to consider the impact your goals will have on businesses, organizations, and communities. We always encourage our clients not just to think about the direct impact their goals will have but also how their goals will make the world a better place. 

For example, if you want to launch a startup that offers services to SMBs, which are currently underserved in your country, make sure to show how this will impact the business landscape, as well as how it will make the lives of those your company will improve as a result of using your service. 

Additionally, we often encourage clients to think about the concept of a “parallel goal.” For example, if your main goal is to move up the ranks in the private equity industry, perhaps your parallel goal is to continue the work you’ve done to break down gender barriers in the male-dominated finance industry. Or, if you’re planning to become an operations-focused consulting partner, perhaps your parallel goal is to serve as an example for other LGBTQ+ leaders in your firm and continue mentoring younger professionals in your industry. 

If you do have a parallel goal, make sure that it connects with your previous track record. You don’t want to mention how you’re dedicated to mentoring others in your future career if you’ve never mentored anyone before, as this will come across as inauthentic. If you do mention this type of goal in addition to your “main” goal , make sure you also show the impact you hope it has. 

In short, make sure you consider the wide-reaching impact of your goals and clearly state it. It’s also a great idea to back this impact up with why you’re passionate about pursuing these goals at some point in this section since your passion for your future is what makes your career plans come alive!

2.3 Essay 2 tips

Leadership-Focused: What experiences have shaped who you are, how you invest in others, and what kind of leader you want to become? (up to 250 words)

This question is challenging because it asks you to cover so much ground in just 250 words. 

First, we suggest that you review how HBS defines “leadership-focused” and how they expect to see this in your application. 

Then, start with a reflection on your leadership style. You need a clear definition of your leadership approach here for this essay to work effectively. It’s short, so bringing in stream-of-consciousness explorations of leadership or examples that are all over the place will demonstrate a lack of coherence and focus that won’t impress the adcom. 

Once you’ve thought about this, work on developing a list of your best leadership examples. We suggest one personal/extracurricular and one professional story if you can and if it’s aligned with your leadership theme. This shows a great range of leadership and demonstrates that you’re a leader not just because it’s required of you at work but also because you seek to lead and make an impact wherever you find yourself. 

After choosing your examples, it’s time to start writing. We suggest you start with a hook intro that brings in some type of wording that directly states your overall leadership style or focus. This will give the essay the organization and coherence we’re looking for while also grabbing the adcom’s attention. 

Then, bring in your two leadership examples. You won’t have space for long STAR-format stories here, so you want to summarize them in a few sentences. Make sure you still cover what happened, how you demonstrated leadership, and the results/what you learned in the end. Considering the word count of the essay, we suggest you spend ~75 words for each example. 

Finally, end your essay by exploring the leader you want to become. Be specific about how you want to improve and how you want to continue to make an impact as a leader. You want to connect this with the definition of leadership HBS gives above, but don’t dedicate word count to talking about HBS’ specific curriculum and leadership classes you want to take during your MBA. 

Instead, focus on the bigger picture and make sure the growth you say you want to pursue directly aligns with the stories and theme you mentioned above. We suggest you spend ~75 words on this section before ending with a killer conclusion sentence that ties it all together.  

Need more guidance? 

Our MBA Resource Center has dozens of successful HBS MBA essays that worked to get our clients admitted to help you plan out a winning Harvard Business School essay. Our library also includes guides for all top global MBA programs, detailed essay brainstorms, interview tips and mocks, CV templates, and recommendation letter guides. Click to join ! 

2.4 Essay 3 tips

Growth-Oriented: Curiosity can be seen in many ways. Please share an example of how you have demonstrated curiosity and how that has influenced your growth. (up to 250 words)

First, we suggest that you review how HBS defines “growth-oriented” and how they expect to see this in your application. 

Though you may be tempted to cram in as many examples of curiosity as you can in this question, HBS clearly asks you for a single experience, though they do not dictate that you must draw this example from your professional experience. 

As such, considering the fact that you want to show growth in this example, brainstorm a list of examples in which you faced a clear challenge and were able to overcome it using curiosity.

Does the question say there has to be a challenge? No. 

Do essays where applicants use overcoming challenges as a platform for demonstrating skills tend to work better than others? Yep!  

So, we suggest focusing on examples where your curiosity was key in solving the problem you faced. As such, an example where applying your already expert programming skills was what helped you face down the challenge won’t work well here. 

Instead, think of examples rich in creative problem solving, like learning a new skill to ensure a solution was reached or even demonstrating active listening and understanding both sides of an argument to resolve conflict.

Finally, make sure your story has a clear outcome or resolution and that it impacted your growth as a leader or person in some way.

When you start writing your essay, begin with a hook introduction that sets the stage and makes your reader want to keep reading to find out what happens. 

Then, show the challenge you were facing. When writing this essay, do not skim over the conflict part of your story . Though we work hard to avoid conflict in real life, a bit of conflict in your story here demonstrates your curiosity applied to real life.  Finally, we truly feel you should stick to the STAR framework to ensure you deliver a winning answer. 

Continue by showing what you did (this is the part in which you’re actively demonstrating your capacity to lead). During this section, focus on showing how you accomplished what you did and why you felt the actions you took were appropriate for the challenge. 

End your essay by showing the result you were able to achieve (we suggest you focus on examples with positive outcomes), what you learned, and specifically how you grew in some concrete way as a result of the experience. 

TOP TIP : It’s important to specifically call out “curiosity” in this essay. This will ensure that you fully and clearly answer all aspects of the prompt. Make sure, however, that you are specific about your curiosity – how you applied it, what you learned, etc. Don’t just name-drop curiosity and keep going. Make sure it’s an integral part of the story. 

2.5 Optional Essay tips

Please share additional information here if you need to clarify any information provided in the other sections of your application. This is not meant to be used as an additional essay. Please limit your additional information to the space in this section.

We know you’ll be tempted, but please don’t send us any additional materials (e.g., additional recommendations, work portfolios). To be fair to all applicants, extra materials won’t be considered.

This section should only be used to convey information not addressed elsewhere in your application, for example, completion of supplemental coursework, employment gaps, academic issues, etc. Feel free to use bullet points where appropriate. 

Though with such a short application you may be tempted to use this response to add additional stories and information you couldn’t quite squeeze in elsewhere, restraint is necessary here. Make sure you focus on explaining gaps in your application only, though you can use these explanations to highlight related achievements. 

You only have 75 words, so you’re only going to be able to state the facts!

We have written extensively on the issue of optional essays, giving tips and tricks for how to address issues like low GMAT scores or poor academic performance here . 

2.6 Reapplicant Essay tips

Please use this space to share with the Admissions Committee how you have reflected and grown since your previous application and discuss any relevant updates to your candidacy (e.g., changes in your professional life, additional coursework, and extracurricular/volunteer engagements). (250 word limit)

We have written a separate post on the topic of reapplying to business school , including insider tips and tricks to help make sure your second shot at your dream school is successful

3. Struggling to Make Your MBA Application Stand Out?

The MBA application process can be overwhelming . Between deciding your profile strategy, writing multiple essays, tailoring your resume, and preparing for interviews, it’s easy to feel like your application isn’t capturing the true strength of your profile. The reality is that many applications fail to stand out, and the competition is fiercer than ever . Without the right guidance, you could miss out on your dream school.

But you don’t have to do this alone. With a 98.9% success rate , our expert MBA consultants know exactly how to make your application shine. From crafting compelling stories that showcase your unique experiences to helping you fine-tune every detail, we provide personalized, 1:1 support at every step of the process that ensures you get into your top choice schools. 

If you’re ready to turn your MBA dreams into reality, learn more about working with us here . Let’s work together to craft an application that gets you noticed and accepted into your dream schools!

4. Deadlines

The HBS MBA deadlines for the 2024-2025 season are below. You can access the HBS application here .

HBS MBA Round 1 Deadlines

Application Deadline : September 4, 2024

Interview Notification : TBD

Decisions Released : December 10, 2024

HBS MBA Round 2 Deadlines

Application Deadline : January 6, 2025

Decisions Released : March 26, 2025

HBS MBA 2+2 Deadlines

Application Deadline : April 25, 2025

Decisions Released : June 27, 2025

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The NEW HBS Essays: Why They Changed & How to Answer Them

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Table of Contents

Years ago, when I first started working as an admissions coach , business schools were in the habit of changing their essay questions regularly, as in every year. Oftentimes they would tweak their questions ever so slightly to nudge them one way or another, but it wasn’t uncommon for the schools to completely revamp what they were asking. Coaches like us took it in our strides and advised our clients accordingly.

It wasn’t until Stanford created their “What matters most to you and why?” and stuck to it, that schools started to see the value of having (some) consistency in their essay questions. However, consistency allowed applicants to game the system; there were always examples out there that worked, giving those who had them and read them an advantage. So it was always a tricky path (for the schools) to tread between consistency and offering a fresh challenge to would-be students.

HBS created brand new essays for those applying in 2024/25. It remains to be seen if these questions will stick, but it is helpful to see how we got here, to truly understand what the school is looking for. The following retrospect gives us a sense of what the school is about and will offer you guidance in the absence of existing winning examples.

HBS Essays 2011-2012

Coming in at a total of 2000 words, this was what you had to contend with if you were applying in 2011:

• Tell us about three of your accomplishments (600 words)
• Tell us three setbacks you have faced (600 words)
• Why do you want an MBA? (400 words)
• Answer a question you wish we’d asked (400 words)

These caused a lot of heartache for applicants, especially the first two questions because you had to cram each example into an average of two hundred words, which wasn’t a lot of space. The final question was also a head-scratcher, and ended up being an opportunity for applicants to shamelessly boast about something they had done, something that wasn’t already covered in essay one.

Despite this, it was clear what HBS was looking for – evidence of leadership, grit, and ingenuity. Maybe the questions weren’t the best way to gauge those qualities, but I think on the whole they got the work done.

HBS Essays 2012-2013

In 2012, brand new essays appeared:

• Tell us about something you did well (400 words)
• Tell us something you wish you had done better (400 words)
• How does pursuing an MBA support your choices above? (500 characters )

Clearly, 2011 resulted in a lot of verbiage for the AdCom to read. It couldn’t have been fun, which was probably why the total of 2000 words got slashed to 800 plus 500 characters (equivalent to approximately 100 words). This resulted in a less onerous task for the gatekeepers, but it meant applicants had fewer words to distinguish themselves. Sure, instead of getting only 200 words per example, they were now allowed 400 words. But it was quite the challenge.

Still, what HBS was looking for hadn’t changed – they still wanted evidence of leadership, grit, and ingenuity.

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HBS Essays 2013-2024

Again, a change. This time only one prompt:

• You’re applying to Harvard Business School. We can see your resume, school transcripts, extra-curricular activities, awards, post-MBA career goals, test scores and what your recommenders have to say about you. What else would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy?

No word limit was given, and this was as open-ended as it could get. Further, it wasn’t clear what HBS was looking for, other than, “What else would you like us to know?”

This caused much grievance at the time. Applicants were up in arms, not knowing what they should write or how long the essay needed to be. Coaches like us were somewhat blindsided too. But knowing what HBS had been up to prior to this, I advised accordingly. I told my clients: highlight leadership examples, showcase evidence of grit and ingenuity, and maybe throw in a failure as well, showing what you learned. Essays written using my prompt ended up being around 1000 words, which I thought was optimal for Harvard to make a determination.

Of course, I knew of applicants who either wrote too much or merely cut and pasted their essays from Stanford. Clearly, these resulted in dings. On the other hand, there were candidates who wrote very little or (apparently) nothing and got through. How did this happen? Well, the truth was that this time, it wasn’t just about the content. HBS was also gauging how much ingenuity the candidate was exercising by choosing how they approached the question. You get the picture.

This essay question stuck around for a long time, with little tweaks along the way. Compare the above to the question for 2023:

• “As we review your application, what more would you like us to know as we consider your candidacy for the Harvard Business School MBA program?”

Clearly HBS was getting what they wanted. Of course, as the years went by, admissions coaching became ubiquitous, and undoubtedly some (good) candidates started to get bad advice from bad coaches. The feeling was building up at adcom that they needed to offer more guidance to applicants.

In truth, it wasn’t too difficult to cobble together an HBS essay from other schools’ essays – copy the “why MBA” and “what’s your career goal” bits from, well, take your pick of any number of schools, include some leadership examples, and if you were feeling a little touch-feely, add a soupcon of Stanford’s “what matters most” and you were there. On the whole, these franken-essays weren’t that bad. But did HBS really wanted to review the equivalent of warmed-up seconds that were often just lukewarm?

HBS Essays 2024: NEW Prompts

So, a change:

• Business-Minded Essay: Please reflect on how your experiences have influenced your career choices and aspirations and the impact you will have on the businesses, organizations, and communities you plan to serve. (up to 300 words)
• Leadership-Focused Essay: What experiences have shaped who you are, how you invest in others, and what kind of leader you want to become? (up to 250 words)
• Growth-Oriented Essay: Curiosity can be seen in many ways. Please share an example of how you have demonstrated curiosity and how that has influenced your growth. (up to 250 words)

The second and third questions reflect what HBS has always been interested in: examples of leadership bolstered by claims of grit and ingenuity. But the first question is something quite different.

While couched as a “business-minded” essay, it enquires about “your experiences” and the “communities you plan to serve.” Note the use of the word “communities;” it isn’t “market segment” or “industry” or some such. I think, post-BLM and post-DEI, seeing where global business is headed and underscoring the importance of diversity, HBS is acknowledging it has a social conscience after all. But, and this is a big “but,” the essay has to be written from a “business-minded” angle. HBS wants to have its cake and eat it too, and why not?

In a sense, with this essay question, HBS is moving closer to Stanford’s “What matters most to you, and why?”, even with the “business-minded” caveat. I think it is a good thing, for the school and applicants alike. Candidates can now write unabashedly about their passion, as long as it is done with a business mindset.

The key to success for this question is threefold. First, outline how your life experiences have given rise to a passion for a specific business initiative. Secondly, show how that business serve one or more communities you belong to or have true insights into; and thirdly, underscore the likely impact you will make. This impact has to be substantive and must make adcom excited about your prospects (read my article about Stanford for more discussion of “impact”).

It is trite to say HBS is looking for people who wish to change the world for the better, but they do. Modesty won’t get you anywhere; but a vision, supported by passion and tempered by economic realities (or not) will take you a long way.

What is HBS Looking for in its Essays?

As mentioned, the second and third essay questions reinforce what Harvard Business School has always been looking for – leadership as evidenced by grit and ingenuity. But the first essay (with the highest word count) seeks, explicitly for the first time, to understand how your passion aligns with any future business impact you will make. HBS is asking for a lot, all within a total word limit of 800.

It is not an easy task. And having worked with clients who have already applied, I have seen how these essays have tripped up even the best applicants. Whatever you do, seek help. HBS has set the challenge. It is now up to you to meet the challenge and show them your true colors.

For personalized coaching on your MBA essays and the rest of your application, you can book a free intro on my coach profile here . I’d love to help you present the most authentic, unique, and high-potential version of yourself.

• Harvard Business School — MBA Program & Application Overview
• How to Ace Your HBS MBA Interview
• Harvard MBA Application Deadlines (2024-2025)
• How I Got Into Harvard Business School With Low Test Scores
• Applying to Harvard Business School: Story of a Current Student

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