How Difficult Is It To Get Into Harvard Business School?

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Marleny Hucks
Marleny Huckshttp://MyrtleBeachSC.com
Marlene (or Marleny as she is known in Spanish) is a mentor, teacher, cross-cultural trainer, storyteller, writer, and for those who have been under her leadership or simply sat across the table from her, she is a mirror of destiny. Her love of word and image were formed early on by one of her heroes, Dr. Seuss. If you asked those who know her well, they would describe her a compassionate, funny, wise, curious, honest, real, strong, sensitive and totally human which comes out as she teaches and writes. She sees all of life, even the most mundane, through faith and believes that who we become as we live this side of the veil is what matters not the journey itself or our circumstances. Marleny Hucks has spent her life crossing bridges. She comes from a diverse background of ministry roles and contexts as well as has transitioned in and out of the business world. Having lived outside the country as well as traveled extensively she has a fascination with culture causes her to live her life within a global mosaic no matter where her feet are planted. Marlene currently lives in South Carolina with her husband David, who owns a news company but who she says is a “crime fighter”, bringing light into darkness in their systems of their city. Marleny currently works as a content management specialist covering Myrtle Beach News for MyrtleBeachSC News.

Becoming a Harvard Business School (HBS) alum is among the most prestigious honors any intelligent and motivated individual can achieve. Moreover, the school is so highly regarded that people from all over the world vie for a coveted position among the world’s most elite scholars. Consequently, as you might imagine, getting it isn’t what you might describe as a walk in the park. Nonetheless, with the right attitude, grades, and ability, the task is by no means insurmountable. In order to answer the question this post posits, it’s first wise to discuss what HBS is and why it is such a coveted educational institution.

Harvard Business School Is One Of The Most Prestigious Business Schools In The World

HBS is where many of the best and brightest end up learning about the intricacies of business, so suffice it to say there is a lot of competition. As part of the illustrious Harvard University (founded in 1636), HBS was established in 1908 and is often ranked among the top business schools worldwide. It offers an array of subjects, but its main focus is on enabling graduates to achieve an MBA, teaching students the values of integrity, leadership, and decision-making skills related to all aspects of business operations. Many hopeful students will practice using HBS sample essays that offer insight into what to expect when creating an essay for the famously tricky admissions process. These example essays allow an application to get a heads up on the style and quality of what’s to be expected if they want to stand out among their numerous and also highly motivated peers.

Admission Is Extremely Competitive

As briefly touched on, the admissions process is highly competitive, and only the very best and brightest get through. Aside from pure academic potential, the admissions panel will take into consideration several other factors, including:

  • Leadership potential: HBS wants to recruit and mold the leaders of the future, and as such, one aspect they look deeply into is if a potential student has the relevant leadership quality they’re looking for. This can be a subjective quality to search for, but the admissions team has extensive experience in weeding out the wheat from the chaff. In most cases, they will glean this information from a combination of your admission essays and interviews.
  • Background: Prospective students must come from a reputable background and prove they can withstand the rigors of study they will expense at the school. While this doesn’t mean they discriminate against specific backgrounds, you must show ability and a willingness to fit into the school’s ethos.
  • Ability to think clearly under pressure: High pressure is part and parcel of leadership, and if you are unable to prove that you can think clearly when faced with overwhelming odds, chances are that you won’t find yourself being invented for another interview.
  • How deserving you are: Since there are a limited number of seats open to new applicants, HBS must make the call regarding how deserving you are for the chance to study here.

The Interview Process Is Selective, And Only A Small Percentage Of Applicants Are Invited To Interview

Harvard receives thousands of applications yearly, but only a tiny percentage of applicants are invited to interview. As part of the process, Harvard will assess your academics, extracurricular activities, work experience, and international exposure, among other things. During the interview stage, you’ll be asked a range of questions about your personal motivations for pursuing an MBA. Knowing what Harvard is looking for here can help improve your chances of getting accepted into their program. For example, they want to get to know who you are as a person; they value humility and integrity more than wealth and power. The admissions committee will also look at who you have around you, such as your friends, family, mentors, and colleagues, and whether they will help or hinder your application. This might seem slightly draconian compared to other college admissions, but it illustrates how competitive entry can be.

A High GMAT Score Is Essential For Admission To HBS

Aside from all the other hops you will be expected to jump through, you will need a high GMAT score to even be considered. In most cases, the cutoff will be around 750. However, as with all things related to an HBS MBA, this is the absolute minimum, and if you want to have a realistic chance of being considered, you should aim for 800+.

While Admission To HBS Is Challenging, It Is Not Impossible

Although it might seem like you are facing an uphill battle, you need to be aware that if you meet their required standards, you have just as much chance as anybody else. If you can demonstrate tangible reasons why you deserve to be there, success is likely to follow.

Gaining access to Harvard Business School can be a challenging prospect for anyone. Nonetheless, if you are willing to put in the effort, you can prove your ability to endure the pressures of academic excellence, then there is no reason why you can’t succeed.

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