Harvard MBA Essays: How to Tackle Them Effectively

 


Applying to Harvard Business School (HBS) is a dream for many aspiring business leaders. Among the various components of the application, the Harvard MBA essays play a critical role in helping the admissions committee understand who you are beyond your test scores and resume.

For the 2024-2025 admissions cycle, HBS has introduced three short essay prompts that aim to assess your career vision, leadership qualities, and personal growth. In this article, we’ll break down each prompt and offer practical tips to help you craft strong responses.

1. Reflecting on Your Career Journey and Impact

Prompt: "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)

This Harvard MBA essays asks you to connect your past experiences with your future career goals and the broader impact you aim to create.

How to Approach It:

  • ✅ Tell a story: Instead of listing achievements, narrate key experiences—academic, professional, or personal—that have shaped your career path.

  • ✅ Highlight impact: Explain how you want to contribute to your industry, organization, or community. For example, do you plan to innovate in healthcare, drive sustainability in finance, or support underrepresented entrepreneurs?

  • ✅ Stay authentic: Your aspirations should align with your past experiences. If you claim to want to improve access to education, but your background is entirely in investment banking, make sure you connect the dots.

Example Approach:

"During my time at [Company], I worked on [specific project] that exposed me to [problem in the industry]. This experience solidified my passion for [career goal], and at HBS, I hope to develop the skills to address this challenge at a larger scale."

2. Leadership and Investing in Others

Prompt: "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)

HBS values leadership, but leadership isn’t just about managing a team—it’s about influencing, mentoring, and empowering others.

How to Approach It:

  • ✅ Use a personal leadership story: Think about times when you helped others grow, whether through mentorship, coaching, or leading a project.

  • ✅ Show growth: Discuss how these experiences have influenced your leadership style.

  • ✅ Define your future leadership vision: What kind of leader do you want to be, and how will an HBS MBA help you get there?

Example Approach:

"As a manager at [Company], I mentored a junior analyst struggling with public speaking. Through weekly coaching sessions, I saw their confidence grow. This experience reinforced my belief that great leaders prioritize developing others. At HBS, I want to refine my leadership skills to build inclusive, high-performing teams."

3. Demonstrating Curiosity and Growth

Prompt: "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)

Curiosity is a key trait of strong leaders and problem-solvers. This essay allows you to showcase how you actively seek knowledge and new experiences.

How to Approach It:

  • ✅ Choose a meaningful example: Did you take the initiative to learn a new skill, explore a different industry, or challenge your own assumptions?

  • ✅ Explain the outcome: How did your curiosity lead to personal or professional growth?

  • ✅ Connect it to your MBA goals: Show how this trait will help you succeed at HBS.

Example Approach:

"During the pandemic, I became fascinated by AI’s impact on finance. Despite having no background in coding, I took online courses, built a small AI model, and applied it at work. This experience deepened my analytical skills and reinforced my belief in lifelong learning—something I plan to continue at HBS."

General Tips for Writing Harvard MBA Essays

  • ✔ Be concise: Each essay has a tight word limit (300 words for the first and 250 words for the others), so make every sentence count.

  • ✔ Avoid clichés: Don’t write generic statements like “I want to make the world a better place.” Instead, be specific about your impact.

  • ✔ Show, don’t tell: Use real examples instead of simply stating qualities. Instead of saying “I am a problem-solver,” show how you solved a tough challenge.

  • ✔ Stay true to your voice: The essays should feel natural and reflect your personality. Don’t write what you think HBS wants to hear—write what’s genuinely true to you.

  • ✔ Align with HBS values: Harvard looks for leaders who are innovative, impact-driven, and collaborative. Your essays should reflect these traits.

Conclusion

The Harvard MBA essays are your chance to stand out by telling your unique story. Each prompt is designed to uncover different aspects of your personality—your career motivations, leadership style, and intellectual curiosity.

By crafting well-structured, authentic, and engaging responses, you can make a strong impression on the admissions committee and increase your chances of securing a spot at HBS.

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