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Are you applying to Harvard Business School? If so, writing strong application essays is critical. Here’s what you need to know right away:
Quick Answer: To write exceptional HBS essays, focus on these core strategies:
- Be authentic: Share meaningful stories that reflect your values, growth, and leadership — not just your accomplishments.
- Show, don’t tell: Use vivid examples. Avoid generic statements such as “I’m a great leader.”
- Be concise and focused: Each word needs to serve a purpose, because HBS essays have tight word limits.
- Demonstrate fit: Connect your past experiences and future goals to HBS’s case method and collaborative learning style.
- Avoid common mistakes: Don’t list your resume achievements, repeat yourself, or submit unpolished drafts.
Keep reading for deeper guidance, breakdowns of HBS essay prompts, and an effective HBS essay example.
Here are the topics we’ll cover:
- Harvard MBA Essay Updates (2025–26)
- Key Strategies for Writing Standout HBS Essays
- Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Understanding the Harvard MBA Essay Prompts
- Harvard MBA Essay Example & Analysis
- Final Tips & Expert Advice
- Key Takeaways
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What’s Next?
Harvard MBA Essay Updates (2025–26)
Last year, Harvard debuted 3 shorter essay questions. This year, the HBS essay questions were refined.
Specifically, for the Class of 2028, HBS requires 3 application essays. Additionally, joint degree applicants must submit another essay.
This year, Harvard asks you to discuss key experiences, which can include your career choices, leadership experiences, and growth.
Writing Harvard essays requires a thoughtful approach. Additionally, you must understand what HBS looks for in MBA candidates.
In this guide, we’ll discuss Harvard MBA essay tips and tactics to improve your application.
KEY FACT:
HBS requires 3 short essays in its 2025–26 MBA application.
Key Strategies for Writing Standout HBS Essays
There’s no one-size-fits-all guidance for writing HBS application essays.
However, you should consider these best practices:
- Be authentic. HBS seeks professionals who are self-aware, leadership-oriented, and have a track record of achievement. However, your essays should demonstrate how your experiences have shaped you.
- Show, don’t tell. Avoid the temptation to make surface-level statements such as “I’m a great leader.” Instead, tell stories that share your leadership examples.
- Demonstrate how you’ll contribute. Share examples that showcase how you’ll contribute to the HBS cohort.
- Be concise and stay on point. Be brief, but specific. This is not easy to do!
- Connect your past to the future. Discuss how your past has shaped you and your goals.
TTP PRO TIP:
Share how your experiences have shaped you rather than listing your achievements.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Here are some common mistakes to avoid on your HBS application essays:
- Being generic or vague — Avoid cliches, generalizations, and saying what you think the admissions committee wants to hear. Instead, share your experiences and perspectives.
- Listing achievements — Don’t rehash your resume. Instead, focus on personal narratives that aren’t included anywhere else.
- Writing without structure — Structure your essays logically and tell a story.
- Forgetting to proofread — Proofread your essays to check grammar, spelling, and logic.
- Exceeding the word count limits — Stick to the Harvard essay word limit.
TTP PRO TIP:
Share specific stories to show who you are beyond your resume.
Understanding the Harvard MBA Essay Prompts
This year’s essay prompts focus on 3 core areas: business, leadership, and growth. Additionally, the Harvard essay length is capped at 250–300 words each.
Now, applicants must answer these Harvard essay questions:
1. Business-Minded Essay (300 words max)
Please reflect on how your experiences have influenced your career choices and aspirations.
HBS’s MBA admissions committee wants to understand your career journey and goals. However, you don’t need to limit your response to professional experiences.
Instead, the career goals essay asks you to share how your experiences influenced your career choices. Additionally, you should discuss your goals.
Ask yourself: Who or what is most important to you? Why have you chosen your current path? Also, where do you want to go, and where does business fit in?
KEY FACT:
The Business-Minded Essay is meant to help Harvard understand your career journey and goals.
2. Leadership-Focused Essay (250 words max)
What experiences have shaped who you are and how you lead?
HBS’s case method is interactive and requires students to speak up, listen to others, and learn from their experiences. Because HBS’s classroom experience requires collaboration, you should discuss when you’ve helped others as a leader — formally or informally.
Additionally, the leadership essay does not limit you to professional experiences, so consider the question holistically.
Ask yourself: Which experiences have developed my leadership capabilities? Also, what do these experiences reveal about my leadership?
Consider discussing leadership experiences that challenged you. Then, reflect on how these examples shaped your leadership style. Finally, connect your leadership development to HBS.
TTP PRO TIP:
For the Leadership-Focused Essay, talk about how you’ve helped others.
3. Growth-Oriented Essay (250 words max)
Curiosity can be seen in many ways. Please share an example of how you have demonstrated curiosity and how that has influenced your growth.
HBS’s case method is interactive and requires students to speak up, listen to others, and learn from their experiences. Along those lines, this essay requires you to discuss curiosity, which may come from any area of your life.
Ask yourself: Do I have a growth-oriented mindset? Also, how has my curiosity played a role in my growth?
Finally, consider specific examples of when curiosity led you to try something new. Additionally, highlight how your curiosity drove transformation — personally or professionally.
TTP PRO TIP:
Share specific examples of how curiosity has played a part in your life.
Joint Degree Essays
Applicants pursuing joint degrees at HBS and other Harvard graduate programs must complete the following additional essays:
- Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Harvard Law School, and Harvard Kennedy School: How do you expect the joint degree experience to benefit you on both a professional and a personal level? (Up to 400 words.)
- Harvard Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences: The MS/MBA Engineering Sciences program is focused on entrepreneurship, design, and innovation. Describe your past experiences in these areas and your reasons for pursuing a program with this focus. (Recommended length: 500 words.)
KEY FACT:
HBS joint degree applicants must write an extra essay about how a joint degree will help them personally and professionally.
Harvard MBA Essay Example & Analysis
We’ve shared practical tips and strategies to help you understand the process. Sometimes, HBS’s essay examples can spark inspiration. Let’s review an example response to the Business-Minded Essay.
Business-Minded Essay Example
Remember, the prompt is: Please reflect on how your experiences have influenced your career choices and aspirations.
Here’s an excerpted — and abbreviated — response:
Working at a fast-growing startup, I saw firsthand how strategic decisions — hiring the right talent, developing product lines, and refining go-to-market strategies — could make or break a company.
I quickly realized that I wanted to be the person driving those decisions. I transitioned from an operational role to a strategic one, balancing the big-picture vision with on-the-ground execution.
At HBS, I’m excited to sharpen this skill set through the case method and learn how leaders navigate ambiguity and make data-driven choices under pressure. In the long term, I aim to lead a high-growth company where I can scale operations, mentor emerging leaders, and drive sustainable impact.
Analysis: This response is direct and addresses the candidate’s career.
Specifically, the essay shows:
- Progression and intentionality: The candidate started in an operational role. Then, she developed an interest in strategy and grew in that direction.
- Knowledge of HBS’s case method: The candidate articulates how the case method aligns with her development.
- A clear vision: The candidate connects her personal career goals with impact.
TTP PRO TIP:
A strong Business-Minded Essay communicates a clear career vision and links the past to the future.
Final Tips & Expert Advice
The HBS essays are challenging, but not impossible! Hopefully, we’ve provided some useful tips to help you get started.
As you dive in, follow these steps:
- Take some time to reflect.
- Start early, brainstorm, write, and refine.
- Ensure that your essays reflect your unique story.
- Get feedback from friends, family, and/or an MBA admissions consultant.
Key Takeaways
Follow the strategies in this guide to create insightful HBS essays. Also, give yourself plenty of time to write, re-write, and get feedback. Finally, proofread your responses.
Best of luck!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Does Harvard have supplemental essays?
Yes. Joint degree applicants must complete an additional essay, depending on the program.
How many essays does Harvard require?
HBS requires 3 main essays for the 2025–26 application cycle. Additionally, joint degree applicants must complete another essay.
Does Harvard have a “Why Us?” essay?
No. HBS does not have a “Why Harvard?” essay. Instead, applicants should align their responses with HBS’s values.
What does Harvard look for in essays?
Harvard’s MBA admissions committee looks for authenticity and self-awareness, leadership experience and potential, and clarity of goals and purpose.
What’s Next?
Harvard Business School’s MBA application requires time, effort, and reflection. If you’d like help, Target Test Prep’s experienced MBA admissions consultants can provide expert guidance.
