Ranked as the nation's No. 1 business school by "U.S. News & World Report," Harvard seeks individuals for its MBA program who have proved their leadership abilities in a variety of forums. You don't need to be your company's vice president by the time you are 26 years old to prove your leadership skills to the admissions committee. Harvard looks for evidence that you have taken initiative in your personal experiences. Have you run an academic club? Have you led a project team at work or a squad in the military? Highlight these experiences in your application essays and interviews to showcase your record of leadership.
The MBA program at Harvard is an intellectually demanding environment that uses the case-based learning method. Students are required to engage in classroom discussions that challenge them to draw on their previous academic learning and personal experiences. The Harvard admissions staff states that the rigorous curriculum requires mastery of analytical and quantitative concepts, but an undergraduate degree in business is not required for admission.
According to Harvard, accepted applicants come from more than 70 countries, and the MBA admissions committees seek individuals who have engaged in their communities. Networking and interpersonal interaction is a crucial element of the Harvard curriculum, and showcasing your ability to collaborate with others to accomplish goals will improve your chances of being accepted.
Applicants to Harvard's MBA program must prove their record of academic success. In 2010, the average GMAT score for Harvard's incoming MBA freshmen was 722, the highest in the school's extensive history. However, according to Sandy Kreisberg, a MBA admissions adviser and expert on the Harvard application process, Harvard places a greater emphasis on undergraduate GPA than many other prestigious schools. In fact, applicants with GMAT scores as low as 520 have been accepted to Harvard Business School.