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Harvard Business School

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CLASS SIZE 938
Women 45%
MEDIAN GMAT 740
MEAN GPA 3.73

Harvard Business School (HBS) is located in Boston, Massachusetts, just a short trip away from the University’s main campus in Cambridge. The first school in the world to offer the Master’s of Business Administration degree, HBS has a full-time MBA program known for pioneering the case method of business instruction. The case method continues to be one of the hallmarks of the HBS MBA program today, in addition to the school’s highly structured Required Curriculum and emphasis on cultivating young leaders.

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FAQ

What is the tuition for Harvard’s MBA program?

The tuition for Harvard’s MBA program is $76,410 per year. The total cost of the Harvard MBA program is $118,854 per year; this includes budgeted living expenses.

How hard is it to get into Harvard’s MBA program?

The acceptance rate for Harvard is 13.2%. It is important to consider the acceptance rate in the context of the student profile of those who are admitted. For example the median GMAT score is 740.

What is the median GMAT score for admission to Harvard’s MBA program?

The median GMAT score for the incoming class at Harvard is 740. The full range of GMAT scores is 500 – 790.

Does the Harvard MBA program accept the GRE?

Yes. The Harvard MBA program has accepted the GRE for a few years now.

What are the median GRE scores for admission to Harvard’s MBA program?

The median GRE scores for the incoming class at Harvard are Verbal 163 and Quantitative 163.

What is the minimum number of years of work experience required for admission to Harvard’s MBA program?

Harvard does not state a minimum requirement for years of work experience. However, it is important for candidates to be aware that they are being considered against other candidates with an average of 4.9 years of experience.

What is the average number of years of work experience for admission to Harvard’s MBA program? (or, What is the average age of a Harvard student?)

The average number of years of work experience among students in Harvard’s MBA program is 4.9.

What is the median starting salary for graduates of the Harvard MBA program?

The median starting salary for Harvard MBA graduates is $175,000, with a median signing bonus of $30,000.

How long is Harvard’s full-time MBA program?

Harvard offers a traditional 2 year MBA program.

What are the application deadlines for Harvard’s MBA program?

The Round 1 MBA application deadline is September 4, 2024. The Round 2 application deadline is January 6, 2025. Application materials are due by noon EST on the day of the deadline.

What percent of Harvard MBA students are women?

The percentage of the class at Harvard that are women is 45%.

What type of interview does Harvard use for MBA admissions?

Harvard offers interviews by invitation, once the initial application is reviewed. The interviews are application-based, meaning the interviewer will have read your application or reviews of your application.

Admissions

Class Profile

HBS received 8,149 applications for the Class of 2025 and 938 ultimately enrolled. The year prior, the MBA program received 8,264 applications and landed at a class size of 1,015.

The median GMAT score of first-year entrants was 740, and scores ranged from 500 to 790. Thirty-four percent of first-year applicants submitted GRE scores. The median Verbal and Quant scores both landed at 163.

Engineering was the most popular undergraduate major, as 25% had studied it. Twenty-two percent had a background in business/commerce and another 21% had majored in economics. Seventeen percent pursued math/physical science during their undergraduate years. Sixteen percent of the new class had majored in the arts/humanities/social sciences. Of the students who attended undergraduate institutions that graded on a 4.0 scale, the average GPA was 3.73.

The HBS Class of 2025 averaged 4.9 years of work experience. Prior to attending HBS, 17% worked in consulting, 17% worked in venture capital/private equity, and 13% in tech. Ten percent each worked in financial services or consumer products/retail/e-commerce. Nine percent came from manufacturing/industrial/energy.

Thirty-nine percent of the Class of 2025 claims international citizenship. In addition, women comprise 45% of the first-year class, and 49% identify as members of a U.S. minority group.

Application Procedures

Applicants can apply to HBS during one of two admissions rounds; these deadlines are typically in early September and early January. In addition to filling out an online application regarding their biographical information and career history, applicants must submit three essay responses, a résumé, two letters of recommendation, and transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate academic institutions attended. The school also requires applicants to submit GMAT or GRE scores and a TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, or Duolingo score if needed, as well as a $250 application fee and a signed acceptance of the school’s admissions policies. Harvard’s MBA Admissions Board conducts interviews on an invitation-only basis, and interviews are required for admission to the program. HBS also requires a post-interview reflection exercise.

Application Checklist

  • Data Forms
  • Acceptance of HBS Admissions Policies
  • GMAT/GRE and TOEFL/IELTS/PTE/Duolingo Score(s)
  • Résumé
  • Application Fee
  • Recommendation Letters
  • Academic transcripts
  • Essays

Essay Topic Analysis

Need help with your essays? Get our experts' advice.

Interview Reports

Harvard Business School Q&A's

Harvard Business School LiveWire and DecisionWire

MBA LiveWire

August 25, 2024 1:29pm ET
Applying to Harvard Business School
Round: Round 1
Received via n/a
GPA: 3.19
GRE: 337
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Post MBA Career Name: Consulting
Application Location: Togo
Note:

Financial operations manager at a fintech, 5+ years of WE
ECs:
Mentorship 4+ years
Volunteering 3+years
Post MBA Goals:
Short Term Goal: Join Management consulting at MMB
Long terms Goal: Start a social impact firm helping underprivileged teens in west africa.

Happy to get feedback on my profile and things to highlight to help my chances. Also should i aim for R1 or R2?

August 8, 2024 12:42pm ET
Applying to Harvard Business School
Round: Round 2
Received via n/a
GPA: 3.1
GMAT: 740
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Post MBA Career Name: Non Profit / Social Impact
Application Location: USA
July 27, 2024 5:14am ET
Accepted to Harvard Business School
Round: Round 3
Received via email
GPA: 3.85
GMAT: 720
Program Type: Deferred Enrollment
Post MBA Career Name: Entrepreneurship
Application Location: Southeast Asia
June 28, 2024 12:00am ET
Accepted to Harvard Business School
Round: Round 1
Received via portal June 28, 2024
GPA: 9/10
GMAT: 755
Program Type: Deferred Enrollment
Post MBA Career Name: Entrepreneurship
Application Location: India
June 4, 2024 9:27am ET
Enrolled at Harvard Business School
Round: Round 2
Received via portal
GMAT: 740
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
May 29, 2024 5:56pm ET
Accepted from Waitlist to Harvard Business School
Round: Round 2
Received via portal May 29, 2024
GPA: 3.6
GMAT: 720
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Post MBA Career Name: Non Profit / Social Impact
Application Location: Northeast Asia
Note:

Can't believe this actually happened....had given up all hope after being waitlisted at 4 different schools, and now a final acceptance from the dream school.

May 29, 2024 1:23pm ET
Accepted from Waitlist to Harvard Business School
Round: Round 2
Received via portal May 29, 2024
GMAT: 710
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
May 29, 2024 8:52am ET
Accepted from Waitlist to Harvard Business School
Round: Round 2
Received via portal May 29, 2024
GMAT: 740
Program Type: Traditional Two-Year
Application Location: LatAm
Note:

So happy!

MBA DecisionWire

Cor
August 20, 2024 9:28am ET
Enrolled: Cornell / Johnson
Admitted: Cornell / Johnson $
$40000
,
Washington U. / Olin $
$100000
Applied: Cornell / Johnson, Michigan / Ross, UVA / Darden, Vanderbilt / Owen, Washington U. / Olin
Entering Year: 2024
Post MBA Career: Undecided
GPA: 3.85
Location: Miami, FL
Notes:

This is for applicants who are applying directly from undergrad to an MBA program without "post-bachelor" work experience. It is tough but possible with perseverance.

Sta
July 31, 2024 12:10pm ET
Enrolled: Stanford GSB
Admitted: U. Chicago Booth , Columbia $
$180000
,
Harvard Business School $
$130000
,
Michigan / Ross , Stanford GSB $
$130000
Applied: U. Chicago Booth, UPenn / Wharton, Stanford GSB, Michigan / Ross, Harvard Business School, Columbia
Entering Year: 2024
Post MBA Career: Undecided
GMAT: 750
Notes:

Selecting Stanford GSB for smaller class size and focus on innovation and entrepreneurship.

IES
July 23, 2024 3:58pm ET
Enrolled: IESE
Admitted: Cornell / Johnson , Duke / Fuqua , IESE , UPenn / Wharton , Yale SOM
Applied: Cornell / Johnson, Duke / Fuqua, Harvard Business School, IESE, Michigan / Ross, Northwestern / Kellogg, UPenn / Wharton, Yale SOM
Entering Year: 2024
Post MBA Career: Entrepreneurship
GMAT: 710
GPA: 3.6
HBS
July 23, 2024 9:21am ET
Enrolled: Harvard Business School
Admitted: Harvard Business School , Stanford GSB
Applied: Stanford GSB, Harvard Business School
Entering Year: 2024
GMAT: 760
Notes:

Opt'ed for HBS given stronger alumni network, larger class/network size, and better placement outside of Tech industry

Academics

Faculty

Over 270 full-time faculty members at Harvard Business School work across the school’s 10 academic units. These scholars and practitioners teach courses and staff the school’s ten global research centers and 21 initiatives, which cover topics from business history to U.S. competitiveness.

Curriculum

One of the hallmarks of HBS’s MBA program is its extensive use of the case method, in which class discussions revolve around assigned readings based on real-world business problems. Professors also use computer simulations, problem sets, and group assignments to help convey course material.

Harvard’s MBA curriculum takes place across four semesters of 15 to 18 weeks each, referred to as Fall and Spring Terms. All students spend the first two semesters of the MBA program taking 13 courses, known as the Required Curriculum or “RC” for short. Following a three-day orientation period, Fall Term of RC classes begins in early September, featuring six semester-long courses that focus on issues businesses face internally. Fall Term ends in mid-December. Spring Term, which lasts from the end of January through late May, is comprised of six semester-long courses that examine how an organization interacts with external groups in a variety of social and economic contexts. One of the Spring Term RC courses, FIELD Global Immersion, challenges students to tackle a real-world business issue faced by the global company they are partnered with. At the conclusion of the course, students take a week-long immersion trip to visit the global company partner and experience the country that their partner company is located in.

In the second year, known as the Elective Curriculum (EC), students may take up to five full-term courses per semester. EC students could choose from over 100 full-time electives across 10 subject areas in addition to 17 field learning opportunities. Unlike most MBA programs, HBS does not offer any formal majors or concentrations, instead allowing students to shape their second-year curriculum however they see fit. Though HBS students may not study abroad, EC students can cross-register for up to two full-term courses at Harvard University graduate schools or at several other institutions in the Boston area. In addition, HBS’s required Field Immersion Experience Program allows students to gain global exposure through short-term experiential learning opportunities in countries such as China, Peru and South Africa.

Other MBA Degree Options

In addition to its 22-month full-time MBA program, HBS offers a joint JD/MBA program with Harvard Law School, an MD/MBA and an MS/MBA Biotechnology: Life Sciences with program with Harvard Medical School, a DMD/MBA with Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and a MBA/MS with the Harvard School of Engineering & Applied Sciences.  HBS also offers an MBA/Master of Public Policy and an MBA/Master of Public Administration in International Development in conjunction with the Harvard Kennedy School.

College students hoping to attend HBS in the near future can apply during their senior year via the 2+2 Program.  Students accepted through 2+2 are granted advanced admission to the full-time MBA program upon completing at least two years of professional work experience in an HBS-approved position.

Required Courses at HBS

Term I

  • Data Science for Managers
  • Finance I
  • Financial Reporting and Control
  • Leadership and Organizational Behavior
  • Marketing
  • Technology and Operations Management

Term II

  • Business, Government, and the International Economy Strategy
  • The Entrepreneurial Manager
  • Finance II
  • Leadership and Corporate Accountability
  • FIELD Global Immersion
  • Social Purpose of the Firm

Degree Offerings at HBS

Full-time MBA Program
Joint Degree Programs
MBA/MPP, MBA/MPP-ID, JD/MBA, MD/MBA, DMD/MBA, MBA/MS
http://www.hbs.edu/mba/academic-experience/joint-degree-programs/Pages/default.aspx

Doctoral Programs
Doctorate of Business Administration: Accounting & Management, Management, Marketing, Strategy, Technology and Operations Management
Ph.D.: Business Administration, Business Economics, Health Policy (Management), Organizational Behavior
http://www.hbs.edu/doctoral/

Campus Life

Clubs, Conferences & Competitions

HBS students are provided with many opportunities for extracurricular involvement. Full-time MBA students can choose from more than 95 student-run clubs, which cover a variety of industry, regional, social, and sports interests. For example, the Outdoors Club organizes outdoor treks during the winter and spring breaks, in addition to skiing, hiking and rafting trips throughout New England. Meanwhile, members of the TechMedia Club host industry speaker series, an annual alumni panel and dinner, and visits to leading high tech and media companies. The Student Association, of which all HBS students are members, represents the school’s student body as a whole.

HBS’s clubs organize a number of conferences on campus annually. These span industry-related events, such as the Healthcare Club’s annual Healthcare Conference, as well as affinity-related events including the Women’s Student Association’s annual Dynamic Women in Business Conference. Students can also participate in a variety of business competitions. One of the most popular is the New Venture Competition, in which teams of students pitch business ideas to a panel of judges and compete for over $225,000 in prizes.

Campus Space

The HBS campus is located in the Allston neighborhood of Boston, just across the river from Harvard University’s main campus in Cambridge. HBS’s campus encompasses 34 buildings in total, with the majority of classes held in Aldrich Hall and Hawes Hall. In December 2013 the school unveiled Tata Hall, a new Executive Education building located on the Northwest corner of the campus. This seven-story glass and brick building includes residential space, classrooms, and common areas for Executive Education participants. Meanwhile, the Spangler Center is the hub of student social activity, featuring 29 project rooms, a 350-seat auditorium, and the school’s main dining facilities. Two-thirds of HBS students live on campus, with over one-third choosing to live in the school’s five residence halls, and there is a large selection of other housing options available through Harvard University Housing and private listings.

MBA Careers

Career Services

The MBA Career & Professional Development program provides HBS students with a range of services to help them clarify and achieve their career goals, including one-on-one coaching, company connections, resume writing, interview preparation, and access to online career education resources.

The school’s dedicated on-campus interview period for first-year students begins in late January, with firms encouraged to hold job offers open until early February. In advance of the first-year recruitment period, HBS holds Industry Weeks, a series of presentations and panels that help students learn more about different job sectors. In addition, the school has over 60 trained career coaches on staff to offer students individual advice throughout their entire time at HBS. MBA Career & Professional Development also helps recruiting companies develop a presence on campus through events such as company presentations and one-on-one or small group “Conversation” information sessions.

Career Statistics

Of the 1,010 students who matriculated for the HBS Class of 2023, 73 percent were seeking employment post-MBA. Of those, 86% secured offers and 80% accepted offers within three months of graduation. Twenty-seven percent of the MBA Class of 2023 did not seek employment. Thirteen percent started their own business and 11 percent were company sponsored or already employed. The median base salary of all graduates was $175,000, with a median signing bonus of $30,000.

In terms of industry, 35% joined financial services, which is broken down into several branches. Seventeen percent had entered private equity and six percent went into venture capital. Six percent pursued roles in investment management / hedge funds and three percent in investment banking.

Consulting claimed 25% of the HBS Class of 2023. Sixteen percent entered the technology industry, and 6% went into manufacturing.

As is often the case at business schools, HBS placed a large number of graduates, 54%, in the region where it is located: the Northeastern U.S. Sixteen percent of the Class of 2023 headed to the Western U.S., while 7% moved to the Southwest. Five percent landed in the South. Eleven percent of the class took jobs outside of the United States, with the most popular areas being Asia and Europe.

Financing

The tuition for students entering in 2024 is $76,410. HBS estimates, though, that with additional expenses such as course materials, student fees and cost of living, single students will pay approximately $118,854 for the year. The school offers need-based fellowships to help students fund their education. To be considered for these awards, students must fill out the FAFSA and a financial aid application that is made available on the HBS Intranet after admission to the program. HBS students can also finance their studies through a variety of loan options, such as federal programs for U.S. citizens and private loans for domestic and international students. The Harvard University Employees Credit Union allows international students at HBS to take out loans without a U.S. co-signer.

Program Tuition (per year)

  • Tuition $76,410
  • Student Health Fee $1,592
  • Student Health Insurance Plan $4,202
  • Course & Program Materials $2,650
  • Housing & Food (9 months, single) $23,400
  • Transportation (9 months) $2,280
  • Other Living Expenses (9 months, single) $8,320
  • Total $118,854

Contact

Mailing Address:
MBA Admissions
Harvard Business School
Spangler Welcome Center (Spangler 107)
Boston, MA 02163
Phone: 617-495-6128
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.hbs.edu
Blog: http://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/Pages/from-the-admissions-director.aspx
X (Twitter): @HBSadmissions