Harvard Business School MBA Application Deadlines Finally Announced

Harvard Business School has announced its application deadlines for the MBA Class of 2027, which are a month later than usual. Despite speculation that the essay prompt would change, the school decided to stick with the same prompt that has been used for over a decade. Applicants are asked to provide information that would help the admissions committee consider their candidacy for the MBA program in 900 words.

The new managing director of admissions and financial aid, Rupal Gadhia, did not make any changes to the application process as some had expected. The deadlines for round one applicants are set for September 4th with final decisions expected by December 10. Round two applicants have a deadline of January 6th, with final decisions out on March 26. Harvard typically notifies round one applicants of interview invitations or rejections in early October and round two applicants in late January.

Despite the lack of an official blog post from Gadhia, Harvard posted the new deadlines for the upcoming application cycle. The school also plans to update the application dates for the 2025 2+2 deferred admission process in late summer of 2024. Harvard’s MBA program is highly competitive, with an acceptance rate of just 13.2% for the previous year. Application volume at HBS has decreased over the past three years, with fewer candidates applying compared to previous cycles.

In comparison to other top business schools, Harvard has seen a decline in the number of applicants. MIT Sloan has also experienced a decrease in application volume during the same time frame. Despite the challenges posed by the ongoing pandemic, Harvard remains one of the most prestigious MBA programs in the world. Applicants are encouraged to adhere to the posted deadlines and submit their applications accordingly for consideration to the Class of 2027.