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Want to be a Business graduate and wondering which could be one of the top Business schools in the world? The answer is Harvard Business School (HBS), one of the most Magnificent Seven (M7) universities with prestige and great scholarships in the US for business degrees. Harvard Business School graduates make an average of $180,000 per year, and 94% receive an offer of employment within three months of graduation, as per employment reports in the US.
Broadly, this blog covers the question of how to get into Harvard Business School from India. If you decide to take an endeavor at Harvard Business School and are looking for the admission requirements, application deadline, and acceptance rate of Harvard Business School or HBS, everything that is required to save a spot for you in HBS is covered in this blog!
For more guidance, at Rostrum, we provide detailed and extensive support for admission to HBS with a dedicated team of career consultants; book a session now!
What is the Harvard Business School Acceptance Rate?
Wondering what are your probabilities of getting into HBS? Then, the acceptance rate is 11.5%, with around 9000 applications yearly, and the HBS only accepts 900-1000 students (this acceptance rate is an estimate as many MBA programs have halted releasing the data). The low acceptance rate is a testament to the HBS’s commitment to choosing the best talent, tuning them more profoundly, and making them valuable players in the real world for businesses and the market. So, given this acceptance rate, you need to work very dedicatedly on your application, CV, and essays and submit the required documents on time.
Harvard Business School Admission Statistics
This section deals with important facets of how to get into Harvard Business School from India, such as the required scores you need, the work experience that the HBS looks for in the applicants, and what is usually expected from a strong application. Let’s delve into it.
1. Harvard Business School Average GPA: 3.73
To be minimally eligible for HBS, you need a very high GPA compared to the average GPA for MBA programs. The average GPA of admitted applicants applying to Harvard Business School is 3.73. Even though HBS doesn’t prescribe any minimum GPA criteria, it is always better to aim at the range of 4.0-3.7, as it becomes one of the prime factors in determining your credibility, along with other factors listed below.
2. Harvard Business School Average GMAT Score: 740
You need a very high GMAT score, around 740. You must submit only one test score, either GRE or GMAT; hence, take your test very seriously and provide a competitive score. To ace the GMAT or GRE, make sure you start your preparation very early and do your best.
3. Harvard Business School Average GRE Score: 163
The average score Harvard Business School looks for on the GRE in the applicants is 163, derived from the admitted students. To get into HBS, you will definitely need a high score on your test, as they show your credibility and decide whether you are a worthy candidate for HBS. Choose the test you want to write and give it with good preparation. If you feel you lack somewhere, you can always consult us, and we will guide you.
4. Future Prospects: 80% employment after graduation
If you are wondering whether you are prospecting for placements, around 80% of Harvard Business School graduates are employed after graduation. The placements and jobs you will get are from diverse and esteemed fields.
5. Average Year of Work Experience: 4.9 Years
The work experience criteria is a major thing for HBS, and they look for an experience of 5 years. So make sure you do a good job after your graduation in India and at reputed companies, build your expertise and connections, and improve your networking skills so that they will aid you in getting a seat in HBS.
Along with the ones mentioned above, I have five years of post-college work experience, some leadership experience, and demonstrated high-achieving academic performance. Your honors and recognition in the educational sphere and workplace will also boost your application.
How to get into HBS from India? Pondering on this question, then book a session with us!
What Is Harvard Business School Admissions Requirements?
To know how to get into Harvard Business School from India, you need to check a few items before applying to HBS, cross-check these in detail, and submit them on time. The various applications include:
- Undergraduate transcripts
- GMAT or GRE score
- A TOEFL, IELTS, Pearson Test of English (PTE), or Duolingo English Test for non-native English speakers
- HBS Essay
- Two recommendation letters- Choose the best professors or heads in your companies with a decent reputation to write your recommendation letters, who are willing to write about you and give you a token of appreciation and know your calibre.
- Business resume
- Application fee of $250 or fee waiver
- Interview
- Post-interview reflection
Application Deadline for Harvard Business School
Here are the Harvard Business School application deadlines in a tabular form. Make sure you don’t miss one.
Application round | Deadlines | Decision Released |
|---|---|---|
Round 1 | September 4, 2024 | December 10, 2024 |
Round 2 | January 6, 2025 | March 26, 2025 |
Harvard Business School Essay Prompts
The HBS essay is an essential element in determining your application’s credibility. The essays gives you a chance to show the admission committee who you are and what makes you unique out of the 1000 applications that they have recieved. You need to communicate your values, goals, and how Harvard will play a major role in getting you there along with stating what unique qualities you will bring to HBS, while also not missing out on the prompt questions they have asked.
Applicants to the MBA Class of 2027 (starting in fall 2025) need to answer these three essay prompts:
Prompt 1- 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)
For this essay, you need to elaborately sketch your journey, personal and academic, and link it to how they impacted your career choices, goals, and the job you are doing and a big question: what’s that zeal in you that made you choose HBS. and the second part of the prompt is about what do you bring to the table as a person which can further the interests of the HBS and people around you.
Prompt 2- 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)
Again, show your personal, academic, and work strengths and experiences. Here, you need to highlight the leadership qualities that you have in you, and you should definitely add some of your real-life experiences as a leader and what you aspire to be.
Prompt 3- 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)
This prompt is for people who have the curiosity trait in them, and if you have one, then certainly include your life anecdotes which have significance for your personality development and also that might have helped people around you and how you are going to chart your journey of growth let’s say maybe in last 10-15 years as a teenager to an employed person with more ambitious goals.
Harvard Business School Interview
Now, the final step in how to get into Harvard Business School from India is your admission process is the interview; after reviewing your written application and other documents, you will be invited for a 30-minute interview. The board takes up the task of knowing you more as a person and seeing whether you are fit for the institution. Getting to the interview stage is already a huge process, but the interview is the last stage where your commitment and dedication are required to prove your strengths. So, it is always better to prepare some general questions, like your introduction, beforehand and make sure you can justify yourself if some questions come up about your essay; hence, be honest in your essays. Be confident while answering the questions, and take a minute to reflect on the question and respond.
At any point in this admission process, if you feel stuck, contact us and get personalized guidance in your endeavour.
FAQs on How To Get Into Harvard Business School?
1. Is Harvard Business School hard to get into?
Yes, it is hard, given the low acceptance rate. Only 11 or 12 applicants are admitted out of 1000 applicants. So, make sure you check and list the above-required criteria for a better chance of acceptance.
2. What is the Application Fee for HBS?
The application fee for HBS is $250, which must be done through a credit card.
3. What kind of student does HBS look for?
HBS looks for students with good academic rigour, high GPAs and test scores, well-written and creative prompt essays, and substantial work experience.
4. Average GPA required for Harvard Business School
The average GPA of admitted applicants applying to Harvard Business School is 3.73.
5. Average GMAT score required for Harvard Business School
You need a very high GMAT score, somewhere around 740.
6. Average GRE score required for Harvard Business School
The average score Harvard Business School looks for on the GRE in the applicants is 163.
