Harvard Business School's New MBA Essay Prompts and How They Reflect the HBS Case Method
📝 For the 2024-2025 MBA admissions application cycle, Harvard Business School (HBS) has introduced three new essay questions, encouraging concise responses.
Gone is the 900-word essay that asked, "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?" HBS is now looking for candidates who demonstrate business-minded, leadership-focused, and growth-oriented.
The Three New Essay Questions for the HBS MBA Application:
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 Case Method at HBS & the Application:
HBS students tackle 500 cases during their MBA. Here’s why the case method matters and how this approach is reflected in the new essay questions from Harvard Business School for the MBA application starting for the class of 2027.
Here's how the new prompts align with the case method’s principles: The new essays encourage applicants to dig deep, get creative, and reflect on their journey, much like the Case Method. They prompt candidates to consider new perspectives and embrace curiosity, echoing the case method’s focus on exploring diverse viewpoints and complex problem-solving.
(1) ⭐ 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)
Reflect on experiences shaping your career aspirations.
Highlight potential impact on businesses and communities. Service.
Where to Start? 🤔
Visualization & Reflection: Reflect on your journey and visualize your future goals. Jot down thoughts, use a whiteboard, or start with a blank digital document.
Key Components:
Break Down the Question: Understand what the essay is asking.
Start with Your Journey: Share a story about your experiences that have shaped your career.
Reflect on Your Path: Consider where you’ve been, where you’re going, and what you’ve learned. Emphasize a growth mindset.
Outline Your Goals: Describe your short-term goals, including internships during HBS and immediate post-graduation plans, followed by long-term aspirations.
Skills and HBS Fit: Discuss the skills needed for your goals and how HBS fits into your journey.
(2) ⭐ 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)
Share experiences molding your leadership style.
Demonstrate how you invest in others.
Reflection & Visualization:
What Leadership Means to You: Leadership often involves inspiring and motivating others, not just holding a title. Reflect on experiences from extracurriculars, volunteering, or even leading a sports team.
Areas for Reflection:
What is your leadership style?
How do you motivate others?
How do you show up for others as a leader?
Have you mentored or coached others?
Key Components:
"What experiences have shaped who you are": Include leadership stories from your journey, both inside and outside of your career. Demonstrate impact.
"How you invest in others": Discuss how you mentor, coach, or teach others.
"What kind of leader do you want to become": Connect your leadership goals to HBS and how it will help you achieve them.
(3) ⭐ 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)
Showcase your curiosity through specific examples.
Illustrate how it’s influenced your personal growth.
Reflection & Visualization:
What Curiosity Means to You: Demonstrating curiosity is about seeking new knowledge, exploring unfamiliar places, and applying what you learn. It’s a journey of continued growth mindset.
Areas for Reflection:
What are you curious about?
How have you pursued these interests?
How has your curiosity led to personal or professional growth?
Can you think of a specific moment when your curiosity had a significant impact?
Key Components:
"Please share an example of how you have demonstrated curiosity": Include specific examples and stories from various aspects of your life.
"How that has influenced your growth": Reflect on the outcomes of your curiosity. Did it change your perspective, skills, or goals? How has it shaped who you are today?
Don’t worry if your initial drafts exceed the word limits. Focus on articulating your ideas and refine the word count in future revisions.
💬 Comment with any tips or questions, or feel free to reach out via LinkedIn or email at robertowenpinn@sapioeducation.com to discuss your MBA application.
Disclaimer: This analysis of the new HBS questions reflects my perspective. Numerous analyses have surfaced since HBS announced these changes in June, exploring their implications for the 2024-2025 MBA admissions cycle.
