How do i get into Harvard Business school?

Question

I'm just a senior in high school right now, but what should i do (work, activities, e.tc) and what major should i have to prepare for it?

i know that HBS is a graduate school, i just figured if i want to go there i should start preparting now and have a plan all thru my undergraduate years.

Answer 1

You do seem to understand that HBS is not a place to go as an undergraduate, so I would suggest the following, if this is really what you want to do (I agree with Taranto that HBS is not the best biz school out there - it tends to accept only students who have already achieved a lot, so they graduate into successful positions, but that doesn't mean that HBS has a lot to do with their success!).

First of all, go to the best undergraduate school you can possibly get into, and if you have the option, take part in the honors program. Don't major in business as an undergrad. You would do better to major in something else, like economics, math, science, regional studies, or engineering. That will give you a base upon which you can build with your MBA, rather than trying to repeat the same subject matters twice. Business is about something other than business, and if you understand that something (science, technology, etc.), you will be more desirable on the job market.

While you are in school, make sure that you do more than just take a sequence of classes. Work on research with professors to get something published, do an interesting Study Abroad program (such as economic development in a less-developed part of the world, rather than standard programs in easy or resorty places. Look into interesting (perhaps international) internships. See if your school has an office which handles national and international scholarships, like Fulbrights and Rhodes, etc. Apply for those, and do that instead of getting a standard job after graduation if you possibly can. Overall, you need to demonstrate leadership. Don't just take a standard position in an existing organization, but transform an existing organization or form a new one and lead it.

Then, after graduating from college, you have a couple of options. The last time I looked, Harvard required a minimum of 5 years of post-college work experience before accepting you into the Business School. So you have five years in which to show your potential in the workplace. The more traditional path is to go to work for a major corporation and demonstrate your promotability. An alternative is to start an interesting company (the problem with this is that it may be difficult to give up if you want to go back to school).

Answer 2

Harvard does not have an undergraduate business school. They only take MBA and PhD students.

The top Business Schools don't care what major you have as an undergraduate. In order to get into a top MBA program it is best if you have the following qualifications:

1. Undergraduate GPA of at least 3.5
2. GMAT score of at least 700
3. Undergraduate degree in any field from a decent university
4. Between three and five years of work experience.
5. Great interview
6. Positive recommendations
7. Great essays.

It is a little early for you to be thinking about HBS. It is still about eight years away for you. Concentrate on getting a good undergraduate degree in a field that interests you.

My personal opinion is that mathematics or economics are great fields to study. My personal opinion is that there are about seven to ten B-Schools that are better than HBS -- including Chicago, MIT, Wharton, Duke and Northwestern.

Answer 3

First of all, despite the fact that Polytechnic U did not too long ago turn out to be aspect of NYU, grad colleges absolutely recognize the change. If he does good at the GMAT, he stands a tight risk at HBS. But with no powerful GMAT rating, he would possibly not get in.

Answer 4

visit these sites:

www.harvard.edu

www.summer.harvard.edu

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_Law_School