Harvard Business School
(Harvard University)
QUICK FACTS
- Location: Boston, MA, USA
- Program Length: 2 years
- Program Cost: $237,708
- Average GMAT score: 740
- Acceptance Rate: 11.5%
- Average Work Experience: 4.9 years
Employment Reports (2023)
- Received an Offer: 86%
- Accepted an Offer: 80%
- Median Salary: $175,000
- Median Signing Bonus: $30,000
- Median Performance Bonus: $40,000
RANKINGS
- #11 Financial Times 2024 Global MBA Ranking
- #6 US News - Best Business Schools
- #3 QS Global MBA Rankings 2024
CLASS OF 2025
- Total Applicants: 8,149
- Total Enrollment: 938
- Women: 45%
- Average GPA: 3.73
ABOUT
Founded in 1908, Harvard Business School is one of the most prestigious business schools in the world. It is located in the heart of Cambridge, right outside Boston, Massachusetts, the intellectual and cultural capital of America, and it is known for being the home to the world’s first MBA program. Harvard consistently ranks number one in the US and Canada, and it is part of the elite global group of top schools.
APPLICATION DEADLINES
- Round 1: September 4th, 2024
- Round 2: January 6th, 2025
APPLICATION PROCESS
Transcripts
Candidates must have the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or equivalents. They require uploaded transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate academic institutions that the candidate has attended (full or part-time).
GMAT or GRE
When submitting the application, the applicant can report the unofficial GMAT (10th Edition or Focus Edition) or GRE score given on the day of the test for tests taken at GMAT or GRE testing centers, or their official score if they have received it. Every applicant must request that Pearson (for the GMAT) or ETS (for the GRE) send an official score report directly to HBS. There is no minimum GMAT or GRE to apply and they do not have a preference toward one test or the other.
Foreign Language Requirement
A TOEFL, IELTS, Pearson Test of English (PTE) or Duolingo English Test is required for those who have not attended an undergraduate institution where the sole language of instruction is English. For those who have completed a graduate degree which was taught in English, it is recommended to submit test scores, but it is not required. While there is no minimum test scores required for admission at HBS, they highly discourage applicants with test scores lower than 109 on TOEFL IBT, 7.5 on IELTS or 75 on PTE from applying.
2 Recommendations
Applicants will need to have two recommendations submitted online by the application deadlines. Recommenders will be asked to fill out a personal qualities and skills grid and answer our two additional questions. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all recommendations are submitted online by the deadline date for the round in which the applicant is applying.
While some universities have requirements on who needs to write the recommendation letters – be it a professor, an employer or a direct supervisor, that is not the case with HBS. They advise applicants to use their judgment on who they decide to ask. Their reasoning behind that is the fact that it is not always possible to have a direct supervisor write the recommendation, as that could sometimes jeopardize their current position.
Applicants are advised to carefully look at the questions they are asking recommenders to complete and then find people who know them well enough to answer those questions. That can be a former supervisor, a colleague, someone they have collaborated with on an activity outside of work. In other words, they say that someone who knows the person best should take priority over seniority or HBS alumni status.
Essay Description
Every class at HBS gets a different question, and the question is a very important part of the person’s application, as it is supposed to represent the uniqueness of the candidate.
Applicants to the MBA Class of 2027 (matriculating fall 2025) need to respond to these three essay prompts:
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)
Resume
Students need to submit their current business resume through the HBS online application system. The resume can be a standard business resume or CV, as they do not require any special format. That is to say, applicants can use whatever they would use to conduct a job search.
Interview
Interviews are 30 minutes long and are conducted by an MBA Admissions Board member who has reviewed the person’s application. The interview is tailored to the applicant and is designed for HBS to learn more about the applicants in a conversational manner. The interview is not a guarantee of admission and it serves as one element among many that are considered as HBS completes a final review of the person’s candidacy. All interviews are conducted by invitation only, at the discretion of the Admissions Board.
After the interview, candidates have 24 hours to submit a written reflection about the interview through the HBS online application system. Instructions about the reflection are provided to those applicants who are invited to the interview process.
Application Fee
All applicants are required to pay a nonrefundable application fee of $250. Unlike some universities, at HBS the fee cannot be waived. The only exception is for all active duty military applicants and past SVMP participants who are exempt from paying the fee.
HILARY’S EXPERIENCE: 740 on the GMAT and HBS
Check out more testimonials HERE!
“After working with Apex on my GMAT prep I scored a 740 on the exam and received admissions into 3 programs: Wharton, Harvard and MIT. I have decided to accept the Harvard MBA admissions. I had two goals when I came to Apex:
1. To reduce my nervousness and
2. to score within the range of 720 – 730 in order to apply to the schools I wanted to attend.”
PROGRAM STRENGTHS
The Case Method
The case method is unique to HBS and it is the foundation of their curriculum. Its aim is to engage students in classes and enrich the learning experience. Each class, students are required to read a case about a protagonist and a decision that they’re facing. Then, students are put into the shoes of the protagonist and are forced to make a decision based on limited information that they are provided with. The case method is truly unique to the HBS experience and it is very effective in preparing students to be a general manager, where they will have to make difficult decisions.
The FIELD Program
The Field Method, alongside the case method, strengthens leadership education by bridging the gap between knowledge and action. These complementary approaches aim to create a learning cycle involving thinking, doing, and reflection. Field Immersion Experiences for Leadership Development (FIELD) is a first-year course that empowers students to apply leadership principles, transforming their ideas into practical actions.
The Sections
The first year section experience is a unique part of life at HBS. At the start of the first year, students are assigned to a section of 90 students, all of which come from an incredible variety of geographies, industries, functions, and backgrounds. They take all of their first year classes together and socialize outside of class. The case method pairs beautifully with the section experience as students will have the chance to learn from the diverse perspectives and backgrounds.
STUDENT LIFE
Student clubs are an important part of the Harvard experience, as they give students the chance to network and connect with others, and establish life-long relations. Most activities and events on campus are organized by student clubs, and HBS has over 85 active student clubs, and there are new ones being created every semester.
Clubs are not only a way for students to immerse themselves in the community, but it is also a way for them to try out different career paths and build their skillset. In fact, many clubs serve as the primary contact point for recruiters. For instance, the Venture Capital and Private Equity Club (VCPE) often are contacted by alumni or major firms looking for interested MBA candidates.
MBA PROGRAM OVERVIEW
First Year
In the first year of the program all students pursue the required curriculum, with the aim of building a broad foundation of management concepts and skills, including finance, leadership, marketing, negotiations, operations and strategy, among other things. All students go to the same classes and are taught using Harvard’s well-known case study method and a number of hands-on projects.
Fall Semester
- Data Science for Managers (DSM)
- Finance 1 (FIN1)
- Financial Reporting and Control (FRP)
- Leadership and Organizational Behavior
- Marketing (MKT)
- Technology and Operations Management
Spring Semester
- Business, Government & International Economy
- The Entrepreneurial Manager (TEM)
- FIELD Global Immersion (FGI)
- Finance 2 (FIN2)
- Leadership and Corporate Accountability
- The Social Purpose of the Firm (SPF)
- Strategy (STRAT)
Second Year
During the second year, students are able to choose from a number of elective courses which are aimed at helping them build on the basic concepts from the first year. Students are allowed to take up to five courses per semester and are able to cross-register for courses in other graduate programs. The elective curriculum aims to offer students depth, breadth, or both, depending on their choice. They are able to choose from over 100 courses in ten different subject areas, and can also enroll in field-based learning opportunities.
Grading Scale
HBS courses are scored on a 1, 2, 3, and 4 basis, 1 being the highest and 4 being the lowest grade.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
In addition to the full time MBA, HBS offers the following joint degree programs: