Harvard Business School MBA Essay Questions & Analysis 2025 - 2026

Malvika Patil
2 hours ago
5 min read

Harvard Business School has released its MBA Essay Questions for the 2025 - 2026 application cycle. This year, the school has significantly shortened and simplified the prompts for Essay 1 and Essay 2.

Here are the Harvard Business School MBA Essays for 2025 - 2026.

Harvard Business School MBA Essay 1

Business-Minded: Please reflect on how your experiences have influenced your career path and aspirations. (up to 300 words)

This is Harvard’s take on the standard career goals essay. This year, HBS simplified the prompt and removed the second half where they ask applicants to discuss “the impact you strive to make on the businesses, organizations, and communities you plan to serve”. In just 300 words, you’ll need to be clear and to the point.

HBS often highlights that they’re looking for people who believe business can create meaningful change. They want applicants who have a purpose behind their professional choices.

The best way to kick off this essay is with a story that sparked your direction. Choose a meaningful experience that explains why you've made the career moves you have and what has fueled your motivation. This should be the bulk of your essay.

Once you’ve laid out your “why,” walk the reader through your “how.” What specific role do you see yourself taking right after the MBA? Be as specific as possible; name the industry, job function, location, maybe even companies. Also touch on what you hope to learn in that role and the kind of value you’ll bring.

To wrap things up, explain where all this is leading, even if the question doesn’t ask for impact. Your long-term goal doesn’t need to be set in stone, but it should connect with the purpose you opened with.

Harvard Business School MBA Essay 2

Leadership-Focused: What experiences have shaped how you invest in others and how you lead? (up to 250 words)

Leadership has always been central to how Harvard evaluates candidates. It’s not just about taking charge, but about making a difference and bringing others along with you. This question gives you the chance to show how you lead and invest in the growth of those around you.

Start by picking a key story that helped shape your leadership style. This should be a story where you have had an impact on others. It could be something you went through at work, a personal turning point, or even a mentor who changed how you think. Whatever you choose, focus on what you took away from the experience.

Then move to how you applied that lesson or how it showed up later in another setting. If you’re tight on space, this could even be a plan for how you’ll use that learning in future leadership roles.

The admissions team is looking for leaders who are thoughtful, supportive of others, and good at building relationships. They also want to see that you’ll be an active, valuable member of the HBS community. So choose stories that reflect empathy, collaboration, and trust.

If it fits naturally, you can close by tying your leadership goals to HBS; maybe mention a leadership initiative or club you’re excited to join that will help you keep growing.

Harvard Business School MBA Essay 3

Growth-Oriented: 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)

This one’s a bit different from your standard MBA essay. It’s more introspective and totally unique to Harvard. They're asking this to gauge how you think, learn, and stretch yourself.

To tackle this, find a story that shows you actively chasing knowledge or diving into something unfamiliar. You don’t need to have solved world hunger here. The goal is to show that you enjoy learning, are proactive about growth, and aren’t afraid of uncertainty.

It helps if your example also shows some resilience or creative thinking. Maybe you taught yourself a new skill to solve a tricky problem, asked questions no one else did, or explored a new area because something piqued your interest.

And since HBS doesn’t have a dedicated “Why HBS?” essay this year, you can sneak in a quick mention of how you’ll keep exploring your interests on campus—whether through classroom discussions, club involvement, or community projects.

Consider using the SCAR format to structure your answer:

Situation – Set the scene.
Challenge – What pushed you to act?
Action – What did you do, and how did curiosity drive it?
Result – What happened?
Analysis – What did you take away from it, and how will you carry that lesson forward?

Harvard Business School MBA Post-MBA Goals Essay

Briefly tell us more about your career aspirations. (500 characters)

This might be short, but it’s still a key part of your application. Make sure what you write here lines up with what you shared in Essay 1. No surprises!

This is your chance to be super specific. Mention your short-term role, industry, and geography. If you’ve got a long-term vision, include that too, but keep it tight.

Be clear, be realistic, and show that your plan is well thought out.

Example: After my MBA, I plan to return to Oliver Wyman (my sponsor) and focus on FMCG clients, helping them adapt to new regulations. In a few years, I hope to transition in-house to lead M&A strategy for a consumer brand in Vietnam. Long-term, I aim to co-found a health-tech venture with my sister in Hanoi.

Harvard Business School MBA Optional Essay

Please use this space to share any additional information about yourself that cannot be found elsewhere in your application and that you would like to share with the Admissions Committee. This space can also be used to address any extenuating circumstances (e.g., unexplained gaps in work experience, choice of recommenders, inconsistent or questionable academic performance, areas of weakness, etc.) that you would like the Admissions Committee to consider. (500 words)

Think of this as your chance to fill in any blanks or clarify anything in your application that might raise questions.

Not everyone follows a perfect path, and that’s okay. But if there’s something unusual about your academic record, your job history, or even your recommender choices, this is where you can provide helpful context. The key is to make sure the reader isn’t left confused or making assumptions.

Some things you might address: a dip in your GPA, time off between jobs, a switch in industries that might seem random without explanation, or anything else that could benefit from a quick explanation.

Just don’t treat this like a second personal statement. Keep it focused, keep it brief, and stay positive. You don’t need to use the full 500 words! A few clear paragraphs are all you need.

You can also include how you overcame/grew through this situation. Did it strengthen a skill you’ll use at HBS and beyond? Remember to end on a constructive note.

Check out our Harvard Business School MBA Recommendation Questions guide for in-depth insights into Harvard's recommender requirements and what they're looking for in a strong letter of recommendation.

For the full Harvard Business School MBA application course with example essays based on real essays by previous applicants, check out the Harvard Business School application program on MBAconsultant.com.

We help determined applicants get admitted to top business schools. Get in touch if you think we can help you with your MBA application. Book a free 20 mins chat now.