What Harvard Business School looks for in an MBA candidate

Harvard Business School (HBS) has educated some of the most powerful business leaders of the world and entering its ranks has become a highly competitive task with only about 12 per cent of applicants being admitted on average.

So how can prospective students stand out from the crowd? Business Insider has interviewed insider Stacy Blackman, founder of Stacy Blackman Consulting, which helps clients earn admission to top MBA programmes. According to Blackman HBS looks for certain traits in candidates. Amongst these are initiative, integrity, and self-awareness.

The most important trait for Harvard is high-impact leadership: “When evaluating your leadership potential, the admissions committee will be looking for evidence that you have made a positive impact on the communities of which you’ve been a part, both personally and professionally,” she told Business Insider.

Amongst this leadership potential could be running a student newspaper, advocating for a social cause, or taking on leadership roles in the workplace. “This makes perfect sense when you think about it, because your past leadership achievements are the best gauge of your potential for realising your future ambitions,” Blackman said.

Read more at Business Insider

Barbara Barkhauseb