Essay Guide 2024-2025: Harvard Business School

HBS has released its updated application requirements and deadlines for their full-time MBA. 

Round       Application Deadline           Decision Notification

Round 1       04 September 2024             10 December 2024

Round 2       06 January 2025                26 March 2025

This year’s application features significant updates from previous years, asking applicants to respond to three short essay prompts on business, leadership, and growth rather than submitting one open-ended personal essay.

At HBS the essays are a critical component of your application and provide an opportunity for you to show those character traits that Harvard values. HBS puts a strong emphasis on character and service, with a longstanding mission “to educate leaders who make a difference in the world.” The program also expressly calls out community values including, “trust and mutual respect, free expression and inquiry, and a commitment to truth, excellence, and lifelong learning.” Dean Srikant Datar describes one of his aspirations for the school as “...stretching HBS and its learners beyond notions of merely personal success toward becoming, collectively and individually, driving forces in redefining the role of business in society around the world—addressing inequality, exclusion, climate change, and other intractable problems.” 

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)

You will want to anchor this essay in the past to show the admissions committee what you’ve already done, learned, and achieved and how those experiences have prepared you to do what you say you want to do in the future. To fully satisfy the objective of this prompt, go into your backstory and detail the key moments that influenced you and the formation of your goals. Your resume will provide a general overview of your professional path to date, but this is your chance to provide a deep dive into your most pivotal experiences. Once the reader has taken this trip to your past, your proposed path forward, which will include your career goals and the impact you plan to make, will make much more sense.  

Take a look at our writing process to help you craft a strong narrative.

See also: Anatomy of a Successful MBA Application: Show Meaningful Professional Experience

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)

This essay asks you to share how experiences from your past have influenced your current views on leadership, but you only have 250 words, so it will be more impactful to focus on just one. Which experience prompted the most significant evolution in your perspective on leadership? How did your views change as a result? What have you determined matters most when empowering and inspiring others? 

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)

Don’t be afraid to show a little personality as you respond to this prompt. While you can focus on an aspect of your professional life, this is also an opportunity to discuss a topic you feel passionately about outside of work. 

To get started, think about instances when you have entered a flow state or gone very deeply into a subject matter. Keep in mind that the topic or activity itself matters less than the personal growth that has resulted from your experiences. So choose something you feel authentically passionate about rather than what you believe the Admissions Committee wants to see.

Once you feel confident with what you want to write about, take a deep dive into one specific instance in the topic or activity. Then explain its role in your life. What has it taught you about yourself, about others, about the world? How does your ongoing curiosity and exploration in this area continue to inspire your growth? 

Related:

Essay Guide 2024-2025: The Writing Process

Essay Guide 2024-2025: Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley

Women’s Enrollment in MBA Programs Continues to Climb

MBA matriculation is inching closer to gender parity. According to new data released by the Forte Foundation and reported by the Wall Street Journal, women make up 42 percent of 2023 MBA enrollees. This is up slightly from last year’s 41 percent and up significantly from 34 percent in 2013.

Five MBA programs did achieve gender parity: George Washington University’s School of Business, Oxford Said, Johns Hopkins Carey, U Penn Wharton, and Penn State Smeal. An additional 15 programs came close with women making up at least 44 percent of total enrollees. Among this group are some of the world’s most prestigious MBA programs. They include Northwestern Kellogg (48 percent), Stanford GSB (46 percent), MIT Sloan (46 percent), and Harvard Business School (45 percent).

Notably, two of the five programs that achieved gender parity, Oxford Said and Penn State Smeal, are one-year programs. Administrators from both schools told the WSJ that this shorter time commitment appeals to women, particularly those who carry family responsibilities.

Programs with the Highest Percentage of Female Matriculants (Fall 2023):

• George Washington University (65 percent)

• Oxford University-Saïd (51 percent)

• Johns Hopkins University-Carey (51 percent)

• University of Pennsylvania-Wharton (50 percent)

• Penn State University-Smeal (50 percent)

• University of Rochester-Simon (49 percent)

• University of Toronto-Rotman (49 percent)

• Northwestern University-Kellogg (48 percent)

• University of Washington-Foster (47 percent)

• Stanford Graduate School of Business (46 percent)

• Queen's University-Smith (46 percent)

• MIT-Sloan (46 percent)

• Duke University-Fuqua (45 percent)

• Harvard Business School (45 percent)

• Alliance Manchester School of Business (45 percent)

• Arizona State University-W. P. Carey (44 percent)

• Columbia Business School (44 percent)

• Dartmouth-Tuck (44 percent)

• ESADE (44 percent)

• Michigan State University-Broad (44 percent)

Harvard Business School: Writing Your Post-Interview Reflections

Were you invited to interview at Harvard Business School? If so, congratulations! Once you feel confident in your interview preparation, you will need to start thinking about your post-interview reflection, which should be submitted within 24 hours of your interview. The submission is not a formal essay. Harvard’s Admissions Blog describes the exercise as a chance to both get students’ opinions regarding their interviews, as well as provide them with a real-world practicum. Professionals routinely need to send emails summarizing meetings and offering assessments, and their ability to do this well is critical for workplace success.

Here is our advice for creating your memo:

• Immediately after your interview, take down some notes about the topics you covered, including some specific details and points of connection. You’ll want to ensure that your content reflects back details from the day.

• Take time to reflect before you begin drafting. Think critically about the interview. This submission is an opportunity for you to demonstrate real-world strategic thinking and writing skills, as well as offer any information that you feel you did not adequately explain. Some points to consider:

  • What were the highlights?

  • What could have gone better?

  • Did anything about the interview, or your time on campus, surprise or excite you?

  • Were there any remaining “gaps” after your interview, and if so, how would you have addressed these?

  • Did you make it clear to your interviewer(s) what unique experiences, skills, or perspectives you would offer to your MBA class?

• Strike a tone similar to that of a post-meeting summary you would write to a colleague or supervisor at work.

• After you’ve drafted the piece, walk away. Come back later to review content, style, grammar, and flow with fresh eyes. Keep in mind that Harvard is looking for both a well-written and thoughtful assessment of your interview.

• This piece should not be crafted prior to the interview, adapted from another essay, or used as additional resume space. You’ll want to make the most of this final opportunity to show the admissions committee who you are and how you think.

Essay Tips: Harvard Business School

The Harvard Business School just posted the submission deadlines for applicants to the MBA Class of 2026, and confirmed the required essay.

Round Application Deadline Decision Notification

Round 1 September 6 2023* December 6 2023

Round 2 January 3 2024* March 27 2024

*Submitted by 12PM ET

The essay prompt, which remains unchanged from last year, asks: “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?” It’s never too early to start planning your narrative response.

At HBS, as with other elite programs, the essay is a critical component of your application. Not only does it allow you to differentiate yourself among a large pool of highly-qualified applicants, but it provides an opportunity to show the character traits that Harvard values. HBS puts a strong emphasis on character and service, with a longstanding mission “to educate leaders who make a difference in the world.” The program also expressly calls out community values including, “trust and mutual respect, free expression and inquiry, and a commitment to truth, excellence, and lifelong learning.” Dean Srikant Datar describes one of his aspirations for the school as “...stretching HBS and its learners beyond notions of merely personal success toward becoming, collectively and individually, driving forces in redefining the role of business in society around the world—addressing inequality, exclusion, climate change, and other intractable problems.”

Begin with a brainstorm. Do not underestimate the importance of this step. Document your experiences, positive and negative, that prompted an evolution in your perspective—you know, those “ah-ha!” moments without which you would be a different student, professional, and/or person today. Then, record those experiences that will show the reader your abilities in innovation (critical/creative thinking and problem solving), leadership, and teamwork, as well as those experiences that reinforced your interest in an MBA program. Capture as many details as possible, paying particular attention to what you thought, felt, said, and did in each situation. Your focus should be on adult experiences (from the start of college and later), though stories from your youth could comprise up to 20 percent of this brainstorm.

During your time spent brainstorming, don’t limit yourself by worrying about a cohesive narrative, the quality of your writing, or the number/length of your stories. Simply focus on collecting those situations that helped to guide your path to this point and impacted your decision to apply to the Harvard MBA program.

Once you have these thoughts on paper, look again at all of your experiences. Start to think about the story you want to tell, and also how you can use your experiences to best position yourself with the admissions committee.

The Outline. As you start to consider how you will anchor and organize your essay, you’ll want to think about your application as a whole—MBA Admissions committees are looking for you to demonstrate MBA-readiness with high potential in the areas of innovation, leadership, and teamwork—so you can use your essay strategically to show those qualities that may not be covered in your other materials. For example, if you have a perfect score on the analytical section of your GMAT and fantastic work experience in an analytical career on your resume, you may wish to use your essay to take the reader on a deep dive into your most meaningful leadership and/or community engagement experience.

Create a draft. Now it is time to start writing. Keep in mind that your essay is memoir, not autobiography. A memoir requires more than a recounting of events from your life. Rather, you must show the reader that you’ve experienced transcendence. Marion Roach Smith calls it the “golden rule” of memoir. She writes, “Memoir is not about what you did. Memoir is about what you did with it.” The experience is not the focus or the reason for the writing, just the vessel for sharing a more universal learning with your audience.

As you write, keep the lessons that you garnered from your experiences as the primary focus. Highlight how you’ve struggled and triumphed and how these experiences have developed you into the person you are now.

And don’t neglect to make it clear why a Harvard MBA is your next step. The question is asking about you (rather than “Why Harvard?”), but you’ll want to write it so that the reader finishes with a clear understanding of why a Harvard MBA is your next logical step.

Review. Revise. Repeat. While there is no limitation on length, we recommend that you target about 1300 to 1500 words. Read your essay aloud noting where you stumble. Make revisions as necessary. Once it reads smoothly, set it down and walk away for at least 24 hours. Then re-read it. Is it you? Is it personal and authentic? You want the reader to see the real person behind the applicant number. While we caution against “oversharing,” being appropriately vulnerable will create connection.

Related:

Essay Tips: The Stanford Graduate School of Business

Essay Tips: Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley

Essay Tips: The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

Essay Tips: Columbia Business School

Essay Tips: The University of Chicago Booth School of Business

Essay Tips: NYU Stern School of Business

Essay Tips: The Yale School of Management

Essay Tips: The University of Michigan Ross School of Business

Chicago Schools Come Out on Top in U.S. News’ Best MBA Rankings

University of Chicago Booth took the top spot in the newly released U.S. News and World Report’s “Best MBA” ranking. Booth was followed by Northwestern Kellogg at number two. University of Pennsylvania Wharton dropped to number three after sharing the top rank with Booth last year. This year’s rankings utilized an updated methodology with a greater emphasis on outcomes, which caused some shifts within the top 15. Highlights include:

• Dartmouth Tuck saw the largest uptick, moving from the 11th rank in 2022 to share the 6th rank with Stanford. 

• USC Marshall climbed four spots to the 15th rank, which it holds alongside Cornell Johnson.

• Harvard maintained its 5th rank position for the third consecutive year.

• Stanford, Columbia, and Berkeley Haas all dropped three spots from their positions last year. Columbia and Berkeley fell out of the top 10 into a three-way tie for the 11th rank with Duke Fuqua.

Along with the rankings, U.S. News shared key updates to its methodology, which increased the weight for “Placement Success,” to 50 percent of the overall rank. This is up significantly from 35 percent last year and includes two employment metrics as well as the mean starting salary and bonus for graduates. The overall rank de-emphasized the “Quality Assessment” to 25 percent of the total, down from 40 percent, and includes a peer and recruiter assessment score. “Student Selectivity” makes up the final 25 percent of the rank. It includes undergraduate GPA and acceptance rate, weighted slightly more than in previous years, and standardized test scores, weighted slightly less. 

Rank/School

1 University of Chicago (Booth)

2 Northwestern University (Kellogg)

3 University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)

4 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan)

5 Harvard University

6 Dartmouth College (Tuck)

6 Stanford University

8 University of Michigan--Ann Arbor (Ross)

8 Yale University

10 New York University (Stern)

11 Columbia University

11 Duke University (Fuqua)

11 University of California, Berkeley (Haas)

14 University of Virginia (Darden)

15 Cornell University (Johnson)

15 University of Southern California (Marshall)

17 Emory University (Goizueta)

18 Carnegie Mellon University (Tepper)

19 University of California--Los Angeles (Anderson)

20 University of Texas--Austin (McCombs)

20 University of Washington (Foster)

22 Indiana University (Kelley)

22 University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill (Kenan-Flagler)

24 Georgetown University (McDonough)

24 Rice University (Jones)

Trends in Business School: Happiness, Purpose, and Self-Awareness

MIT Sloan recently announced that it will offer their MBA students a course on happiness. It’s good timing. Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2022 report found that only 21 percent of employees feel engaged at work and, while just a third of employees reported to be thriving, a full 19 percent said they were “miserable.” MIT’s course, titled Pursuing Happiness and a Meaningful Life, will explore research findings on happiness and purpose, and provide students with self-assessment surveys, introspective weekly exercises, and guest speakers. Robert Pozen, MIT Sloan Senior Lecturer, says it will teach students to, “enhance their own happiness by changing their behaviors.”

MIT is the latest among prestigious MBA programs to offer courses focused on soft skills and emotional-awareness. Earlier this year, the Wall Street Journal published a profile of Harvard’s in-demand course offering titled Leadership and Happiness. The course, pitched and designed by Arthur Brooks, an HBS Professor, social scientist, and writer behind The Atlantic’s “How to Build a Life” series, contends that happiness is a byproduct of decision-making, not of chance. That good leaders must know how to cultivate happiness for themselves and their teams. His ideas resonate. Although the class has doubled in size from its original 72 students over the past two years, it still has a waiting list.  

At Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, students can take Organizational Behavior 374: Interpersonal Dynamics, better known as “touchy feely.” The course focuses on self-awareness as a key to effective and productive communications and relationships. Yale’s School of Management offers students a course titled Mastering Influence and Persuasion, which provides them with the means to more authentically persuade and motivate others. University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School allows students to apply for a six-week program, “P3: Purpose Passion and Principles,” in which participants take a structured approach to considering and defining what success and happiness looks like for them. 

The wide-spread existence of these courses within the most prestigious MBA programs is a clear indication that the business world’s valuation of soft skills and emotional intelligence is increasing. There is real value in learning to find purpose and joy, and helping others to find it too.

MBA Interviews: When the Interview Requires More than an Interview

To get to know applicants better, MBA programs such as Harvard and MIT will ask interview participants to submit additional materials.

Harvard Business School—Post-Interview Reflections

Within 24 hours of the interview, candidates are required to submit a written reflection through Harvard Business School’s online application system. The submission is not a formal essay. Rather, it should be written similarly to a post-meeting summary one would write to a colleague or supervisor at work.

Shortly after instituting the Post-Interview Reflection, Harvard’s Admissions Blog described the exercise as a real-world practicum, as well as a chance to get students’ opinions regarding their interviews. Professionals routinely need to send emails summarizing meetings and offering assessments. Their ability to do this well is critical for workplace success.

Your Strategy: Be genuine and think critically about the interview. What were the highlights? What could have gone better? Were there remaining “gaps” after your interview, and if so, how do you wish you could have addressed those? The post-interview reflection is an opportunity for you to demonstrate real-world critical thinking and writing skills, as well as offer any information that you feel you did not adequately explain in the interview. In other words, Harvard is not expecting your most polished product, but rather a thoughtful assessment of your interview coupled with a compelling communication. As such, this piece should not be crafted prior to the interview, adapted from another essay, or used as additional resume space. You may, however, want to take some time immediately after your interview to make notes on areas that you’ll want to include in your submission. Then give yourself a bit of reflection time prior to producing your final product. You’ll want to make the most of this final opportunity to show the admissions committee who you are and how you think.

MIT Sloan—Pre-Interview Essay Submission

Those invited to interview at Sloan will be asked to answer the following questions:

• The mission of the MIT Sloan School of Management is to develop principled, innovative leaders who improve the world and to generate ideas that advance management practice. We believe that a commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, and well-being is a key component of both principled leadership and sound management practice. In 250 words or less, please describe a time when you contributed toward making a work environment or organization more welcoming, inclusive, and diverse.

• We are interested in learning more about how you use data to make decisions and analyze results. Please select one of the following prompts to respond to:

  • Please select an existing data visualization and in 250 words or less explain why it matters to you. The data visualization should be uploaded as a PDF. Examples may come from current events, a business analysis, or personal research.

  • In 250 words or less, please describe a recent data driven decision you had to make, and include one slide presenting your analysis. The slide may include a data visualization example and should present data used in a professional context. Your slide must be uploaded as a PDF.

The interview process is about getting to know applicants more thoroughly. The first question provides you with an opportunity to not only demonstrate that your values match those of MIT Sloan, but that you are willing to proactively work to put those values into action during your business school tenure. The second question allows you to submit proof of your analytical skills and showcase your comfort working with data and using it to drive decision-making.

Your Strategy: Your response to the first question should examine how you will demonstrate leadership in creating a diverse environment and promoting wellbeing among your peers. Focus on a specific example from your past professional experience to demonstrate your ability to cultivate a positive culture. Use the SAR (Situation, Action, Response) model. Spend about 20 percent of your response on the situation, and the remaining 80 percent on the actions you took and what resulted/what you learned. And be sure to clearly link the perspective you gained from this experience to what you hope to accomplish at Sloan.

In the second question, you will want to demonstrate your comfort with using data to tell a story, draw conclusions, and make decisions. If you opt to share a data visualization, clearly state the reasoning for the data visualization, the story or hypothesis you are looking to understand via the data, and why it is meaningful to you. You may want to visit the MIT Data Visualization project page to see current research projects, and gather inspiration. If you opt to submit a professional power point slide showing a data-based decision, ensure that your slide is simple, easy to read, and clearly describes your analysis, assumptions, and conclusions. Then, use your supplemental essay to expand upon each of these areas including the sources of the data, why you analyzed it in the way that you did (and, if applicable, why you did not use other analysis methods), the basis for your assumptions, and how you came to the conclusion that you did (including additional data that would help you to confirm your decision).

New Report Examines Changing Costs of an MBA

The cost of obtaining an MBA from a global top 20 program has increased 6.3 percent in 2022, according to the recently published Business Because Cost of MBA Report 2022. The estimated average cost now totals $189,000, including tuition, fees, living costs, healthcare, and materials. This continues the steady upward trend of the last few years; costs averaged $176,000 last year and $168,000 in 2020. 

The report’s 2022 analysis includes only the FT top 20 schools, while last year the analysis included the FT top 20 plus six other top-ranked U.S.-based schools (who had opted out of the 2021 rankings due to the covid-19 pandemic). 

Some of the key findings include:

• NYU Stern is the most expensive MBA program within the top 20 with a total cost of $246,506. It is followed by MIT Sloan ($239,990) and Wharton ($237,160). On the other end of the scale, CEIBS comes in as the least expensive in the top 20 at $84,500, followed closely by SDA Bocconi ($85,525). These are the only two schools on the list with totals falling under $100K. 

• Within the top 20, tuition for the U.S. programs average $225,605, significantly higher than the averages for Europe ($121,583) and Asia ($104,881). 

• Differences in cost between the U.S., Europe, and Asia are magnified by both the strong dollar (making it more cost effective for Americans to study abroad and increasing the expense for international students to study domestically), and differences in average program lengths. MBA programs in the U.S. typically last two years. Those in Europe and Asia run for 12 to 18 months. 

• Between 2021 and 2022, expenses increased the most at Cornell Johnson (+11.4 percent) and Berkeley Haas (+8.6 percent). The most significant decreases, which are enhanced by fluctuations in the currency markets, were reported by the London Business School (-21.1), CEIBS (-15.1), and HEC Paris (-10.5). 

• Tuition expenses, which make up the greatest proportion of costs, are the highest at Wharton ($165,748), NYU Stern ($164,652), Columbia ($160,944), and MIT Sloan ($160,800). They are the lowest at CEIBS ($68,300) and SDA Bocconi ($64,800). 

• Living costs vary considerably based on the school’s location. Within the U.S. schools, the estimated cost of living was highest for Stanford ($72,396), followed by NYU Stern ($67,792), and Harvard ($62,780). Cost of living was the lowest at Duke ($40,608). 

• Healthcare costs are considerably higher in the U.S. than in Europe or Asia. Domestically, the Yale School of Management offers the least expensive healthcare coverage at $5,512. It is important to note that some schools bundle healthcare costs with other personal student costs, making it difficult to compare schools directly. 

While the price of an MBA is significant and prospective students should carefully consider each of the underlying cost components, data shows that the degree positions students well to pay off loans. This is especially true for graduates of elite programs. Prospective students should also keep in mind that all applicants are considered for merit-based scholarships (through Round 2), which are more likely with a competitive application package.  

How to Approach the Harvard Business School Essay

Last week, the Harvard Business School posted the submission deadlines for applicants to the MBA Class of 2025, and confirmed the required essay. The essay prompt, consistent with last year, asks: “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?” Although the application does not open until June, it’s never too early to start planning your narrative response. 

At HBS, as with other elite programs, the essay is a critical component of your application. Not only does it allow you to differentiate yourself among a large pool of highly-qualified applicants, but it provides an opportunity to show the character traits that Harvard values. HBS puts a strong emphasis on character and service, with a longstanding mission “to educate leaders who make a difference in the world.” The program also expressly calls out community values including, “trust and mutual respect, free expression and inquiry, and a commitment to truth, excellence, and lifelong learning.” Dean Srikant Datar describes one of his aspirations for the school as “...stretching HBS and its learners beyond notions of merely personal success toward becoming, collectively and individually, driving forces in redefining the role of business in society around the world—addressing inequality, exclusion, climate change, and other intractable problems.” 

Begin with a Brainstorm. Do not underestimate the importance of this step. Document your experiences, positive and negative, that prompted an evolution in your perspective—you know, those “ah-ha!” moments without which you would be a different student, professional, and/or person today. Then, record those experiences that will show the reader your abilities in innovation (critical/creative thinking and problem solving), leadership, and teamwork, as well as those experiences that reinforced your interest in an MBA program. Capture as many details as possible, paying particular attention to what you thought, felt, said, and did in each situation. Your focus should be on adult experiences (from the start of college and later), though stories from your youth could comprise up to 20 percent of this brainstorm.

During your brainstorm, don’t limit yourself by worrying about a cohesive narrative, the quality of your writing, or the number/length of your stories. Simply focus on collecting those situations that helped to guide your path to this point and impacted your decision to apply to the Harvard MBA program.

Once you have these thoughts on paper, look again at all of your experiences. Start to think about the story you want to tell, and also how you can use your experiences to best position yourself with the admissions committee. 

The Outline. As you start to consider how you will anchor and organize your essay, you’ll want to think about your application as a whole—MBA Admissions committees are looking for you to demonstrate MBA-readiness with high potential in the areas of innovation, leadership, and teamwork—so you can use your essay strategically to show those qualities that may not be covered in your other materials. For example, if you have a perfect score on the analytical section of your GMAT and fantastic work experience in an analytical career on your resume, you may wish to use your essay to take the reader on a deep dive into your most meaningful leadership and/or community engagement experience. 

Create a draft. Now, it is time to start writing. While there is no limitation on length, we recommend that you target about 1300 to 1500 words. Keep in mind that you must be showing, not telling the reader who you are. Invite the reader into your life by highlighting sensory details, such as smells and sounds, and don’t hesitate to engage your readers emotionally. Sprinkle in humor (if you feel comfortable doing so) or hit a poignant note. In contrast to your resume which provides a general overview of your experiences, your essay responses should go deep into a story that allows the reader to come to their own conclusions about some of your character traits and abilities. Highlight how you’ve struggled, triumphed, learned, and how these experiences have developed you into the person you are now.   

And don’t forget that the essay is part memoir, part strategic communication. Amidst your reflections, don’t neglect to make it clear why a Harvard MBA is your next step. The question is asking about you (rather than “Why Harvard?”), but you’ll want to write it so that the reader finishes with a clear understanding of why a Harvard MBA is the next logical step. 

Review. Revise. Repeat. Read your essay aloud noting where you stumble. Make revisions as necessary. Once it reads smoothly, set it down and walk away for at least 24 hours. Then re-read it. Is it you? Is it personal and authentic? You want the reader to see the real person behind the applicant number. While we caution against “oversharing,” being appropriately vulnerable will create connection.  

Related blogs:

• Harvard Business School Sets a New Agenda Focused on Positioning Business to Solve Society’s Biggest Challenges

• How to Approach Columbia’s Essays: Part I

• How to Approach Columbia’s Essays: Part II

• How to Approach Wharton’s Essays

• How to Approach the MIT Sloan Essays

• Your MBA Application. Acing the Video Essay

Employers’ Need for Junior Employees Spurs Highly Competitive Summer Intern Market

The Wall Street Journal describes the current recruiting environment as one with unprecedented student leverage. Firms are scrambling to onboard junior employees. According to corporate recruiters, the offers are so plentiful, and many so generous, that they are seeing an increase in students reneging on previously accepted internship offers. Some employers say that they are boosting intern salaries to remain competitive. Others are increasing communications with students who have accepted offers to maintain the relationships. 

Private equity firms are expected to increase intern salaries again this summer. In 2021 the median monthly salary for private equity interns from Columbia, Harvard, and Stanford topped $11,000. This was a particularly notable spike for Columbia students who reported a 2019 median monthly salary of $9,000, and a solid uptick for Harvard and Stanford students who averaged just above $10,000 in 2019. The increases were likely due to pressure from investment banking and consulting firms, where interns made monthly median salaries in 2021 of $12,500 and $13,500, respectively. 

In addition to increasing compensation, private equity recruiters are updating their tactics in response to the competitive market. Ann Anastastia, Vice President of HR for the Americas and Greater China at Advent International, tells the Wall Street Journal, “I have been in private equity for over 15 years and in HR for over 25, and I have never seen anything like this recruiting climate.” She will start the MBA recruiting process much earlier this year, kicking off in the fall as opposed to January. Additionally, the WSJ article notes that private equity firms are promoting themselves more on campus, and engaging directly with students on topics including compensation, work-life balance, diversity, and career development. “In the past, private-equity firms haven’t needed to do that,” said Deirdre O’Donnell, Director of M.B.A. Career Services and Advising at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business. 

Trends in Business: MBA Programs Prepare Students for Leadership Roles in Technology

Technology is changing. And so are the demands of the leaders and professionals in the field. Recently, zdnet, a technology-focused news and research site, published an article describing the changing demands of leaders and employees in technology. No longer, the article states, is technical proficiency enough. Technology can no longer exist as a stand-alone function, but must be thoroughly integrated into the business. And tech practitioners must be able to take a broader perspective that includes a thorough understanding of other business functions and how technology fits in amongst them to drive the organization’s mission. “It's important to start to learn about finance, business processes, and other strategies that make up how your product or solution comes full-cycle for your organization," said Nag Vaidyanathan, Chief Technology Officer at Duck Creek Technologies. "How you collaborate with other functions is critical to the results you can achieve." 

Haluk Saker, a Senior Vice President at Booz Allen Hamilton, notes that the speed of technological change is such that professionals and managers need, "…problem-solving skills versus language-specific skills. IT professionals should focus on learning, disrupting the status quo, and continuing to gain skills across different domains that interest them. This type of professional, with an innate curiosity and an aptitude to grow as a leader and influencer, is the one that will be able to face tomorrow's toughest challenges head-on," he said.

MBA programs are at the forefront of understanding transformation in the technology industry and a number of leading schools (noted below) now offer shorter, and more focused Tech MBA programs. They include core requirements in technology, in addition to typical MBA requirements in general management and leadership. 

• Johnson Cornell Tech MBA: This is a one-year MBA conferred by the Johnson Graduate School of Management. Graduates will have a full understanding of the startup and tech ecosystems, and will be prepared to manage product teams, and lead tech companies.

• NYU Stern Andre Koo Tech MBA: This is a one-year STEM-designated MBA program conferred by NYU Stern. Graduates will be qualified to join startups and mature tech companies at the forefront of innovation and technology, and will be prepared to accelerate their careers in technology or start their own businesses. 

• Northwestern Kellogg MBAi: This is a joint degree between Kellogg and the McCormick School of Engineering. Graduates will be prepared for careers in tech operations, analytics, and innovation leadership. 

• Foster School of Business Technology Management MBA: This is an 18-month work-compatible MBA conferred by the Foster School of Business, and is designed to prepare graduates to accelerate or re-direct their careers, or to start their own businesses.

• IE Business School Tech MBA: This is a one-year MBA conferred by the IE Business School. It is designed for students who want to develop their career in the technology sector or in tech-centric job roles, and who seek to become fluent in the language of business and technology. 

In addition to the Tech MBA program options, many schools are integrating technology tracks into their full-time, two-year MBA programs. Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business has created a secondary concentration in blockchain, and Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business now offers a handful of classes in fintech and crypto. And this trend is just getting started. Recently, several elite schools have announced incoming investments earmarked for building out technology initiatives. The USC Marshall School of Business received a $5 million gift to establish the Digital Assets Initiative, which will establish new curriculums and research opportunities in cryptocurrency, NFTs, and blockchain. Similarly, Harvard Business School is establishing the “D3” Institute to promote collaboration and research in digital and technology, data science, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and design thinking. And University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School recently received an anonymous $5 million donation (in bitcoin) that will support the Stevens Center for Innovation in Finance, which focuses on fintech research and education.

Harvard Business School Sets a New Agenda Focused on Positioning Business to Solve Society’s Biggest Challenges

Srikant Datar took over the leadership of Harvard Business School in January 2021, mid-way through the academic year, and in the midst of the covid pandemic. Rather than derailing his vision, the pandemic, with its emphasis on technology and hybrid learning formats, has actually expedited it. “COVID is the passage to the school’s future. Without any doubt, it has been an extremely exciting and rewarding year,” he said.  

Datar spent a considerable amount of time seeking input from the HBS community when building his agenda. He spoke with every faculty member and facilitated individual and small group meetings with alumni, students, staff, and others to understand their goals and perspectives. Datar then defined three “aspirations” for the school, “...stretching HBS and its learners beyond notions of merely personal success toward becoming, collectively and individually, driving forces in redefining the role of business in society around the world—addressing inequality, exclusion, climate change, and other intractable problems. Second, directing HBS’s research to action, ensuring that the leaders it trains or influences change practices and engage human differences to enhance the constructive role of capitalism. And, finally, the school must transform learning, extend its reach, and work with its students throughout their careers.”

Datar also named the “engines” that would make these aspirations possible: recruiting a diverse array of talent and enabling their success, undergoing a digital transformation for education delivery and the HBS “research infrastructure”, and “expanding and deepening ties” to the greater University, particularly into the humanities. 

To activate the aspirations, Datar announced that Harvard Business School will be creating two institutes, one focused on business and society, and the other on digital and technology. These institutes will provide a structure that facilitates faculty interactions, student engagement with research efforts and new technologies, and space for alumni and businesses to access, train and collaborate using the latest research.  

The Institute for the Study of Business in Global Society, which will be led by Debora L. Spar, will house the following activities:

• HBS’s academic partnership with OneTen, an organization dedicated to advocating for black individuals who do not have an undergraduate degree, but wish to use skills and knowledge to obtain “family-sustaining careers”

• Climate change research and the promotion of carbon neutral goals by considering alternative accounting metrics

• Economic development within mid-American cities harmed most by de-industrialization; researching promising engines to spur business and economic growth

• Social Enterprise research and the development of new models to enhance impact

The second institute, currently labeled “D3,” will be led by Karim R. Lakhani and focus on digital and technology, data science, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and design thinking. Clustering the topics together will optimize research efforts and maximize the impact for HBS and business overall. 

While the HBS priorities are centered on two key pillars, business and society, and data and technology, Datar says he considers these components two parts of a whole. “When I think about the challenges we’re talking about,” Datar said, alluding to both the school and society writ large, “every time we have talked about technology on one side of the coin, on the other side is humanities and people. Any time you let those two get out of synch, the opportunity for division arises, and with it, economic harm. Leadership at the core means always thinking about impact on people, and on what you are trying to achieve through an organization.” 

Read the full interview between Srikant Datar and the Harvard Magazine here.  

Harvard Round Two Action Expected Wednesday

Late last week, the HBS Director of Admissions announced that on Wednesday, February 2nd at 12:00pm EST, all Round Two applicants or those Round One applicants who received “Further Consideration” will receive an update via the Application Status page. At this time applicants will either receive an invitation to interview or will be released from the process.

Related blogs:

Top 10 Tips for the MBA Behavioral Interview 

MBA Interviews: When the Interview Requires More than an Interview

Global Pandemic Spurs Demand for Graduate Management Education Worldwide

The Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC) just released its 2020 application trends survey report, The Global Demand for Graduate Management Education. The survey data, which was collected over an extended period to include pandemic-related effects, shows that while demand for business education is up, matriculation is slightly down.

The findings reflected the unusual nature of the 2020 application season during which many business schools introduced greater flexibility—the extension of deadlines and liberal deferral policies—into the admissions process. As such, schools, both international and domestic, reported that the 2020 admissions cycle brought an increase in the number of applications received, as well as acceptance rates, but also a corresponding increase in deferral rates and a decrease in yield when compared to the 2019 cycle.

In the US, over two-thirds of MBA programs (70 percent) reported an increase in application volume for the 2020 application period compared to the prior year (only one-third of programs reported increases in 2019). But despite increased application volumes, the median acceptance rate in 2020 was slightly higher than in 2019 (76 percent and 74 percent, respectively). And the median deferral rate—the result of schools’ more lenient policies as applicants grappled with obtaining visas, online schooling, and travel amid COVID-19—doubled from three percent in 2019 to six percent in 2020. Both Canadian and European MBA programs reported even higher median deferral rates of 11 percent, likely due to their higher numbers of international applicants, who were three times more likely to defer than their domestic counterparts (15 percent and 5 percent, respectively). Median yield rates in the US decreased by two percentage points between 2019 and 2020 (68 percent and 66 percent, respectively).

It remains to be seen how program acceptance rates for the upcoming cycle will be impacted as students who chose to defer their start to next year begin enrolling. It is important to note, however, that Harvard Business School just announced plans to matriculate the largest MBA cohorts in its history over the next two years (approximately 1,000 students each year). In a blog post announcing the plan, Chad Losee, Managing Director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid, wrote, “In April, when we announced our one-time deferral policy for those admitted to the Class of 2022, we were already thinking ahead to those of you applying in the next two years. We did not want you to be disadvantaged by spots already reserved for those who deferred from the Class of 2022.”

Though other elite programs have not yet made similar announcements, they may follow suit in welcoming larger classes in the near-term.

Declining MBA Applications Prompt Business Schools to Change Program Delivery Models

Late last month the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign announced its decision to shut down its two-year MBA program and reallocate funds to its online MBA. Just prior to this announcement, earlier in May, the last two-year MBA class graduated from the University of Iowa Tippie School of Management.

And they’re not the only ones. Wake Forest University, Virginia Tech, and Stetson University in Florida have also cut their two-year MBA programs. According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, “Between 2014 and 2018, the number of accredited full-time M.B.A. programs in the U.S. shrank nine percent to 1,189, with schools reporting 119 fewer two-year degrees in the most recent survey by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.”

At the University of Illinois, the numbers told a clear story: In 2015 the incoming full-time, two-year MBA program had 74 students, in 2018 it had 49, and the current matriculation for the fall of 2019 is 38 students. Applications for the online MBA program, however, have tripled since 2016. Jeffrey Brown, dean of the business school at the University of Illinois, said the full-time MBA program will lose two million dollars this year. “This was an easy business decision to make, and a relatively easy educational decision, but it was an extremely hard call to make from the emotional side of things,” said Brown.

With the documented lackluster application volume to MBA programs and amidst a strong economy, some schools are focusing on offering competitive online MBA programs, as well as more specialized master of science degrees. The Wall Street Journal noted that among the business schools included in the aforementioned AACSB survey, there were 140 new specialized master’s programs in 2018, a 16 percent jump from 2014. And the number of online MBA programs doubled to 390.

Believing that one component of the decline in applications may be due to the steadily increasing costs of the two-year MBA, Harvard Business School and University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business have both decided to hold tuition costs steady while also increasing scholarship funds.  An article in Forbes recently noted that the “decades-long steady march of escalating price increases” has been consistent across almost all business schools and has typically exceeded the cost of inflation. The article notes that last year, tuition costs increased at variable rates from 11 percent at MIT’s Sloan to 1.6 percent at UCLA’s Anderson. Chicago Booth’s decision to freeze tuition garnered praise from Dean Edward Snyder of the Yale School of Management who said, “I think that is a brilliant move… It’s not because of weakness. It’s because of strength, and it’s the first school that is stepping back and saying we are not going to keep going down this path... It doesn’t indicate how the business model is going to get redone, but it is a signal that it needs to change.”

While online models may not be able to offer the corporate recruiting and networking opportunities, or prestige that the full-time, two-year MBA provides, the programs appear to meet a need in the market for developing business skills. And they do so with added flexibility and without the high costs of tuition and time out of the workplace.

This is good news for prospective students. The online route is providing a closer substitute for educational delivery than we’ve seen in the past. And for those still interested in the full-time, two-year model, lower application volume could mean a higher likelihood of securing both a coveted spot at a top ten school, as well as scholarship money.

Application Volume Drops at Top MBA Programs in US

The Financial Times reported this week that four of the most prestigious business schools in the US saw a drop in MBA application volume for 2018 matriculation. Harvard, NYU Stern, Duke Fuqua, and Berkeley Haas each reported a decrease in applications from 2017 that ranged from 4 percent to 7.5 percent.

According to Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) data, in the US full-time two-year MBA programs’ application volumes have been in decline since 2014. However, this is not consistent across programs. In 2017, those with larger classes (201 or more students) accounted for 6 percent of MBA programs, but 55 percent of applications and 32 percent of enrollments. Larger schools were more likely to report application volume increases in 2017, while smaller were more likely to have experienced decreases. This decrease now appears to have expanded to the large, prestigious MBA programs.

While the decline in applications has not yet affected Harvard’s 11 percent acceptance rate or median GMAT score of 730, it was fairly significant at 4.5 percent. Similarly, NYU Stern reported a nearly 4 percent drop, while Duke Fuqua and Berkeley Haas were at about 6 percent and 7.5 percent respectively.

In contrast, MBA application numbers globally continue to increase. “When looked at internationally, graduate business education is a growth stock. Applications to Canadian, European, and Asian schools are increasing at an enormous rate,” said Bill Boulding, Dean of Duke Fuqua. Other admissions representatives who spoke with the Financial Times pointed out a multi-faceted cause for the lower application rates in the US:

• Decreasing numbers of international applicants to US schools, due to a less welcoming political climate, as well as increasingly rigid immigration requirements.

• Increasingly competitive European and Asian MBAs, offered in English, for those wanting a global experience. Some of these well-ranked programs also offer expedited timelines.

• Increasing tuition and a robust economic climate in the US, which increases the cost of an MBA in both direct costs and wages-lost.

• Increasing interest in part-time, online, and/or one-year MBA programs.

Take-aways for prospective MBA students

• If you have dual-citizenship, don’t forget to note this on your application. It could be advantageous for you in the admissions process.

• Be sure to highlight your international experiences and interests in your application. Admissions officers want to create a diverse student body and, with fewer international applicants, these experiences are likely to stand out more.

• Consider that in strong economic climates, with low unemployment, schools are likely to receive fewer applicants. While this may not significantly change acceptance rates at all of the most prestigious programs, it can provide some benefit with regard to both admissions likelihood, as well as the possibility for substantial merit-based scholarships.

• Choose your MBA program carefully, rather than automatically selecting a full-time, two-year program. Learn from these trends, by thinking carefully about the type of MBA that will benefit you most. International programs, one-year or expedited programs, and part-time cohort-based programs can all be worthwhile for you and your career.

MBA Interviews: When the Interview Requires More than an Interview

To get to know applicants better, some MBA programs will ask interview participants to submit additional materials or participate in supplementary activities. We have profiled a few of these exercises below to provide you with additional insight. 

1.       Harvard Business School, Post-Interview Reflections

Description: Within 24 hours of the interview, candidates are required to submit a written reflection through Harvard Business School’s online application system. The submission is not a formal essay. Rather, it should be written similarly to a post-meeting summary one would write to a colleague or supervisor at work.  

Rationale:  Shortly after instituting the Post-Interview Reflection, Harvard’s Admission Blog described the exercise as a chance to both get students’ opinions regarding their interviews, as well as a real-world practicum. Professionals routinely need to send emails summarizing meetings and offering assessments and their ability to do this well is critical for workplace success.

Your Strategy: Be genuine and think critically about the interview. What were the highlights? What could have gone better? Were there remaining “gaps” after your interview, and if so, how do you wish you could have addressed these? The post-interview reflection is an opportunity for you to demonstrate real-world critical thinking and writing skills, as well as offer any information that you feel you did not adequately explain in the interview. In other words, Harvard is not expecting your most polished product, but rather a thoughtful assessment of your interview coupled with a compelling communication. As such, this piece should not be crafted prior to the interview, adapted from another essay, or used as additional resume space. However, you may want to take some time immediately after your interview to make notes on areas that you’ll want to include in your submission. Then give yourself a bit of reflection time prior to producing your final product. You’ll want to make the most of this final opportunity to show the admissions committee who you are and how you think.

2.       MIT Sloan, Pre-Interview Essay Submission

Description: Those invited to interview at Sloan will be asked to answer the following question: The mission of the MIT Sloan School of Management is to develop principled, innovative leaders who improve the world and to generate ideas that advance management practice. We believe that a commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, and well-being is a key component of both principled leadership and sound management practice. In 250 words or less, please describe how you, as a member of the MIT Sloan community, would work to create a campus that is welcoming, inclusive and increasingly diverse. 

Rationale: The interview process is about getting to know applicants more thoroughly. This is a chance to not only demonstrate that your values match those of MIT Sloan, but that you are willing to proactively work to put those values into action during your business school tenure.

Your Strategy: Your response to this question should go beyond what clubs and extracurricular activities you will participate in at Sloan. Rather, it should examine how you will demonstrate leadership in creating a diverse environment and promoting wellbeing among your peers. Using examples from your past leadership experiences, demonstrate your ability to cultivate a positive culture. And be sure to clearly link the perspective you gained from these experiences to what you hope to accomplish at Sloan. 

3.       Northwestern Kellogg, Video Essay

Description: In responding to several short video essay questions, Kellogg’s video essay allows you to further demonstrate what you will bring to the community in an interactive way.

Rationale: Kellogg states that the video essay questions are “designed to bring to life the person we have learned about on paper.” Student culture is a key focus in Kellogg’s admissions efforts, and they want to get to know applicants as fully as possible to ensure they construct a close-knit and collaborative class. As such, this is an opportunity to showcase your personality, values, interests, and goals rather than worrying too much about the “correct” or expected response. 

Your Strategy: While the video essay may feel uncomfortable at first, it is an excellent opportunity to allow the admissions committee to know you better. Kellogg provides practice questions that will help you to get comfortable with the format and the technology, and we recommend taking advantage of this. Prior to the video essay, review your submitted application and think through your personal goals and interests and how those align with Kellogg. While you do not want to look scripted in your responses, you do want to be prepared, which will help you to relax and show your personality.

4.       University of Michigan Ross, Team Experience 2.0

Description: Those invited to interview at Ross will also be invited to participate in the Team Experience 2.0. In this exercise, teams are tasked with developing a business challenge and solution using random words. Then, they are required to present the case to an evaluator, who will ask each group a follow-up question based on the solution they present.

Rationale: The Ross Admissions Committee says that the goal of the exercise is to assess how an applicant can contribute to and problem-solve as a team-member in real-time. This exercise will mimic the format of most business school group work and will demonstrate to the admissions committee your ability to lead, collaborate, and contribute to a group’s shared goal.  

Your Strategy: As you take part in the Team Experience 2.0, you will want to consistently show your leadership and collaboration abilities. This includes ensuring that all members of the team are participating, celebrating and enhancing good ideas, kindly but productively questioning your teammates, and ultimately encouraging the group towards a decision. Similar to the Wharton Team Based Discussion, you will succeed to the extent that your team succeeds. As such, do not become overly competitive or domineering in the discourse. Instead, look for the ways in which you can help your team to determine the best solution.