New hbs essays

Writing any admissions essay is a tough task, however, Harvard raises the bar with its highly-challenging yet open-ended prompt. In fact, HBS likes this question so much that they have kept it unchanged for multiple years. Keep reading for a more in-depth look at how to turn this rather open-ended task into a standout essay!

Though HBS’ essay question is extremely open-ended, you cannot treat it as a “catch-all” for application materials you have already prepared elsewhere. For example, this should NOT be a copy/paste of your Stanford GSB “What Matters Most to You and Why” essay, nor a narrative retelling of your CV.

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.

Meet Andrea, who served as the Associate Director of MBA Admissions Marketing at Harvard Business School (HBS) for over five years. Tap into this inside knowledge for your MBA applications by requesting a consultation.