Strategies for Nailing the HBS Application Essays | Ep 55

The recent shift in essay prompts by Harvard Business School, initially met with apprehension, has evolved into a positive experience, according to admissions experts. These new, shorter prompts, comprising three distinct essays, demand greater precision and offer a richer, more varied read for the admissions committee. The focus has moved from broad statements to specific examples, making it harder to generalize and easier to assess an applicant's genuine experiences and qualities.

The three essays—businessminded, leadership-focused, and curiosity-driven—each have strict word limits (300 words for the first, 250 for the latter two) and require applicants to demonstrate concrete examples of their experiences, influence, and aspirations. While initially perceived as restrictive, these prompts are now seen as opportunities to reveal multifaceted aspects of an applicant's personality and character, moving beyond a single "brand" to showcase diverse dimensions. The key is to connect these essays not as isolated pieces, but as a cohesive narrative that offers new insights about the applicant with each submission.

The consensus is that the variety and specificity of these essays have made them enjoyable for the admissions committee to read. Applicants are encouraged to be authentic and specific, proving claims with examples rather than making broad assertions. The overall sentiment is that these prompts, despite their challenging nature, allow for a more engaging and revealing application process.

• Harvard Business School introduced three new essays in spring 2024.
• The essays are significantly shorter, with word limits of 300 words for the first and 250 words for the subsequent two.
• The prompts require specific examples to prove claims, moving away from general statements.
• Applicants are encouraged to showcase different dimensions of themselves across the three essays.
• The admissions committee has found these new essays to be enjoyable and more engaging to read.

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The Businessminded Essay [3:56]

• The first essay, with a 300-word limit, asks applicants to reflect on how their experiences have influenced their career choices and aspirations, and the impact they will have on businesses, organizations, and communities.
• It requires applicants to cover past experiences, their influence on current career choices, aspirations, and future impact across businesses, organizations, and communities.
• Applicants may not be able to address every single aspect of the prompt, and it's more about getting close rather than perfectly nailing all parts.
• The admissions committee allows applicants to make strategic choices about which aspects to focus on.
• Crafting an essay that addresses all parts of this prompt within the word limit is challenging.

I think that's why HBS does almost include all those prompts because they're letting they're letting the applicant make the strategic choice, the judgment that works for them, which of course is very unsettling.

The businessminded essay is a detailed prompt requiring a reflection on past experiences, their influence on career decisions and future aspirations, and the anticipated impact on various entities. It's acknowledged that fully addressing all components within the strict 300-word limit is difficult, and the school provides flexibility for applicants to strategically prioritize.

Initial Reactions and Evolution of the Essays [00:34]

• When the new essay prompts were introduced in spring 2024, reactions ranged from dismissive to dismayed, with few people expressing excitement.
• A year into these new essays, the perspective has shifted, and the admissions committee has reportedly enjoyed reading them.
• Previously, there was a larger, more open-ended essay prompt, which became difficult to manage in the era of AI tools like ChatGPT, leading to a need for more specific prompts.
• The current format consists of three short essays, each with tight word counts, making it challenging but rewarding to write.
• The difficulty of writing concisely is highlighted, with the analogy that "if I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter."

Word on the street is that the admissions committee at HBS has really enjoyed reading these essays.

The initial introduction of the new essay prompts was met with negativity, but over time, the perspective has changed, and they are now seen as a positive development that allows for more specific and engaging responses from applicants.

The Leadership-Focused Essay [09:36]

• This essay, with a 250-word limit, asks applicants to discuss experiences that shaped who they are, how they invest in others, and what kind of leader they aspire to become.
• The prompt emphasizes a nuanced understanding of leadership, requiring applicants to align their aspirations with their personal identity.
• The phrase "how you invest in others" can lead applicants to focus solely on mentorship, but other forms of investment like listening to a team or sharing ideas are also valid.
• Leadership can manifest in various forms, including informal roles, influencing upwards, or being a thought partner to a superior.
• When discussing the "kind of leader you want to become," it's crucial to ground this in past actions and experiences rather than pure speculation, avoiding an overreliance on future aspirations.

How you invest in others, that's a very complicated question, right?

The leadership essay challenges applicants to explore their investment in others and their future leadership style, moving beyond conventional interpretations and demonstrating leadership in diverse contexts.

The Curiosity-Oriented Essay [17:44]

• This essay, also limited to 250 words, asks for an example of demonstrated curiosity and how it influenced the applicant's growth.
• Demonstrating curiosity is about revealing passion and developing deep interests, often referred to as "inordinate" curiosity.
• Applicants must prove their curiosity with specific examples, rather than just stating they are curious.
• An example of learning a new language to read a specific book illustrates how curiosity can be goal-oriented and reveal character traits beyond the skill itself.
• Curiosity does not always need to be directly tied to a future profession and can manifest in personal pursuits, providing unique insights into an applicant's personality.

You have to prove it. If you say you're curious about something, well, show me that you've been curious about something.

The curiosity essay provides an opportunity to showcase an applicant's passion and drive by illustrating a specific instance of deep curiosity and its impact on personal growth, emphasizing the importance of tangible proof.

Integrating the Essays and Overall Application [24:44]

• The three essays are not meant to be thematically bound but rather offer distinct glimpses into an applicant's personality and character.
• The key is to keep the reader learning something new about the applicant with each essay, showcasing different dimensions of their being.
• While the essays can be discreet, they should not contradict each other or the rest of the application, such as the resume and short answers.
• The overall application should present a cohesive picture of the applicant, with the essays naturally fitting into the broader narrative of their life and experiences.
• The admissions committee finds the variety of these essays engaging, as they reveal the person behind the application through these snapshots.

I don't think they need to be thematically bound to each other. They can be three totally discreet glimpses into who who an applicant is.

The essays, while distinct, should collectively contribute to a comprehensive and non-contradictory portrayal of the applicant, offering the admissions committee a multifaceted understanding of who they are.