As promised last week when we posted the deadlines and topics, here are some thoughts on how applicants might approach each of Harvard Business School’s essay questions for the coming admissions season:
1. What would you like the MBA Admissions Board to know about your undergraduate academic experience? (400 words) This question seems focused purely on the applicant’s educational experience while in college as opposed to part time work or extracurricular involvements (although if you excelled in the class room in spite of having numerous other commitments, this could be worth mentioning). This is your chance to go into some detail about why you chose your school and major and tell the admissions committee about your academic interests and educational milestones. A great essay will underscore an applicant’s intelligence and work ethic, as well as incorporate some element of leadership (especially if the applicant had a significant impact on the department or school as a whole). If you pursued a course of study that is in line with your work experience and/or career goals, this essay could also be a great intro to the rest of your file.
2. What are your three most substantial accomplishments and why do you view them as such? (600 words) This question isn’t anything new, as it’s been a key component of the HBS essay topics for many years. When selecting accomplishments, keep in mind that the adcom has a very results-oriented attitude, and that you’ll want to select some examples that involve a lasting, positive impact you made on a project or organization. While the best choices will vary from candidate to candidate, we would recommend that you lead with a recent professional accomplishment, and include a balanced sampling of examples from various jobs and outside activities.
3. Discuss a defining experience in your leadership development. How did this experience highlight your strengths and weaknesses as a leader? (400 words) (slightly new question for this year) This essay question is actually a combination of two separate questions from last year’s Harvard application. The key challenge this year will be conveying the needed information in a mere 400 words. Remember that it’s best to use detailed examples whenever possible in your essays in order to make a strong impression on the reader. While one could conceivably discuss his or her tenure in a certain role or position over time, the best response to this question will cover one specific event or instance. Make sure that you take care to set the scene and then fully describe your actions, as well as their results. Note that because this is a defining experience, something needs to change between the beginning and end of the story – your leadership skills. This being the case, it’s likely that this essay will cover a very valuable lesson you have learned or a significant challenge you overcame. Do not forget to focus on how the experience showcased your strong points and shortcomings within the context of leadership. A great essay will introduce two or three positive qualities and provide a brief example illustrating each, and name a weakness that the applicant has taken steps to address along with an anecdote that confirms this improvement.
4. In your career, you will have to deal with many ethical issues. What are likely to be the most challenging and what is your plan for developing the competencies you will need to handle these issues effectively? (400 words) In devising an answer to this question, stay focused on the importance to keep your discussion grounded in your experiences and objectives as opposed to writing generally and waxing philosophical. Unlike most ethics-oriented essay questions that focus on a dilemma you have already tackled, this one calls on applicants to be forward-looking and anticipate ones that they will encounter down the line. It seems like this could be a platform to expand upon one’s career goals and comment on issues that are specific to a given function or industry. In explaining the compentencies that will equip you to handle these situations, it’s possible for you to draw from past experiences dealing with such issues and comment that Harvard’s specific curricular offerings and the diverse student body would be instrumental in solidifying and reinforcing your already sound principles.
5. What is your career vision and why is this choice meaningful to you? (400 words) (slightly new question for this year) With altered wording for this year, Harvard has clearly expanded the scope of this essay. This seems to fit with the school’s desire to identify qualified leaders with a strong vision for the future. On some levels, it also echoes the theme in Stanford’s “What matters most to you and why?” essay (see our tips). Despite this broad approach, the essay question still covers the popular topic of career planning, with the added difficulty of a very restrictive word limit. In order to best present your career vision, you should consider summarizing your experiences to date in a very concise manner (think just a few sentences) before moving on to a detailed discussion of your future plans and the reasons that these plans are meaningful to you. See our tips on career goals essays in general for some good advice here. Of course, this essay topic could offer you some room to explain how HBS can help you achieve your vision, which could be an excellent addition to the discussion. Think about how Harvard’s program (specific classes, classmates and clubs) would prepare you for your future.
6. What other information do you believe would be helpful to the Board in understanding you better and in considering your application? (400 words) (slightly new question for this year) This essay is another great opportunity to share some new and interesting information about your candidacy that you have not had a chance to include in response to the other questions. This is your chance to go into detail about that unique hobby, describe the ways that you would contribute to the HBS community or, for reapplicants, highlight the improvements in your candidacy since your last application. Of course, since HBS has done away with their ‘Additional Information’ section in the online application form this year, there will be some candidates who need to consider using this space to explain that bad semester as an undergrad, lower GMAT result or other weakness. If you fall into this group, be sure to weight the benefits of sharing something new vs. addressing a weakness (depending on the severity of that weakness).
Please note: The general advice we offer here is designed to help HBS applicants think broadly about the questions. For more tailored counseling and advice, we encourage applicants to contact us directly and learn about our consulting services.
