Harvard MBA Admissions interview is a clear sign that your story has risen through a competitive application pool.
In this in-depth Harvard MBA Interview Tips, we cover:
Format
The invite to the Harvard MBA Admissions Interview is Invitation-only. There is only one interview.
Interviewer: The interview is conducted by an HBS Admissions Board member who has thoroughly reviewed your application. The person has read your resume, essays, and recommendation letter.
Duration: 30 minutes
The interviews are strictly timed. Planning and, more importantly, timing your critical about yourself, leadership, and motivation questions is necessary to reaffirm your story.
Style: Fast-paced and personalized
Because the interview is strictly timed, the style is fast paced and the questions personalized to your journey. Some applicants might find it formal or unfriendly, but the interviewer is trying to pass through many key career and life milestones to confirm if you are a good fit for the school.
Location
The interviews are conducted on-campus, in select global cities, or via Zoom.
Post-Interview Requirement
Applicants are required to submit a post-interview reflection about the experience within 24 hours through the HBS application portal.
Do’s
Tip 1: Know your application like the back of your hand, and give the impression that you didn’t script.
The HBS interview isn’t a generic Q&A session. It’s a deep dive into you. Your interviewer will have read your entire application, resume, essays, and recommendations and will likely open with something deceptively simple like “Tell me about your internship between junior and senior year,” just to see how you connect the dots. So yes, rehearse.
Scripting vs Non-Scripted: Think of your favorite actors. Very few lines are improvised. Improvisation does happen only after the actor has mastered the emotionality of each line. Then they can change a bit to include words and expressions that are true to the moment.
You should know exactly what to say. The trick is to practice enough times to give the impression that you are answering the question for the first time.
Tip 2: Be intellectually alive; curiosity matters more than polish
At HBS, they want people who light up in the classroom. Your interviewer is testing for that spark.
Can you wrestle with ambiguity, follow a thread, and offer something others can learn from?
Whether it’s a niche industry interest or a leadership mistake you analyzed for months, show that you're someone who likes thinking and bringing unique angles to mundane or established perspective.
Curiosity and self-awareness often beat out cliched answers.
Tip 3: Get specific about ‘Why HBS’ and skip the cliches
HBS isn’t just looking for future executives — it’s looking for leaders who will make a difference in the world. So, when explaining why you want to go there, don’t stop at the case method or the brand name.
Show how HBS’s mission, values, and community resonate with your purpose.
Talk about how the school’s emphasis on accountability, respect, and global collaboration fits the kind of leader you’re becoming.
HBS wants to know what you’ll do at HBS and after it, and how those two connect.
Talk about how the case method fits your learning style.
Speak about actual classes, professors, or FIELD experiences that will help you achieve your goals.
Tip 4: Expect the pace and enjoy the ride
You’ll get around 25–30 questions in 30 minutes. It’s brisk. It’s deliberate. Interviewers are trained to test how you think on your feet and handle being slightly off-balance. Don’t get flustered if they cut you off or jump between topics.
Stay calm, stay sharp, and treat it like a conversation where your thought process is under the microscope.
Tip 5: Show that you learn fast, especially from failure
You’ll likely get asked about a time you failed or got tough feedback.
Don’t sanitize the story.
HBS values resilience, yes, but they also want to know that you process your experiences deeply.
Talk about how a hard moment changed the way you lead, think, or even interact with people. That growth mindset is gold.
Tip 6: Make your leadership style real; no jargon, please.
Everyone applying to HBS claims to be a leader. But how do you lead?
What do people say about working with you?
How do you make decisions when the answer isn’t obvious?
Anchor your answers in specific behaviors, how you manage conflict, how you communicate in teams, and how you delegate.
Vague abstractions won’t resonate; stories will.
Tip 7: Write the post-interview reflection like a continuation of the conversation.
This is not a thank-you note. HBS wants to see how you think after the adrenaline wears off. Reflect on what surprised you in the interview or what you wish you’d said better. Show them you’re the kind of person who learns in real time because that’s the essence of the HBS classroom.
Don’ts
Tip 1: Don’t repeat your resume; expand on it.
Your interviewer already knows where you worked and what you did. What they want to know is: Why?
Why that company?
Why that role?
Why that pivot?
Offer context, decision-making frameworks, and the “why behind the what.” That’s what elevates a response from informative to insightful.
Tip 2: Don’t gloss over tough moments; own them
HBS interviewers don’t shy away from difficult topics. If you changed jobs quickly, had a gap year, or got a lukewarm undergrad GPA, be ready to talk about it.
Dodging tough questions signals a lack of introspection.
Lean into the hard questions; they’re where trust is built.
Tip 3: Don’t generalize your goals; paint a vivid picture
“I want to be a leader in tech” is too vague.
What kind of leader?
Building what?
Solving which problem?
Why the problem is important to you?
Why the problem needs the world’s attention?
What steps you have already taken to achieve your goal?
HBS wants to admit people who know where they’re going, even if that path will evolve. Offer clarity, not ambition, for ambition’s sake.
Tip 4: Don’t ignore the tone; this is still a conversation
Even though it’s formal and fast-paced, the interview isn’t meant to be robotic.
Read your interviewer’s cues. If they seem intrigued, go deeper.
If they switch gears, follow with poise.
Part of what they’re testing is how you handle uncertainty as a contributor and a leader, just like in the case study method.
Tip 5: Don’t be arrogant; Be Confident; Trick - expertise
Confidence is great. But humility, especially the kind that comes from learning, mastering a function or a problem, and leading others, is even better.
If you talk about achievements, make sure to credit the team or discuss what the experience taught you.
HBS isn’t looking for solo heroes; they’re looking for collaborative leaders.
Tip 6: Don’t rush your post-interview reflection; it matters
The reflection isn’t just a box to tick. It’s your chance to reinforce your values, clarify a messy answer, or connect with something that came up unexpectedly.
A rushed or generic note sends the wrong message.
Write it with care, as if it’s your final word in the conversation.
HBS Interview Questions
About yourself
1. Walk me through your resume.
Motivation
2. Why did you choose your undergraduate major?
3. What motivates you in your current role?
4. How do you plan to use your MBA to achieve your goals?
5. What other schools have you applied to, and why?
Overcoming Challenges
6. Describe a time you faced a significant challenge at work.
Goals
7. What are your short-term and long-term career goals?
8. Why do you want to pursue an MBA now?
9. Why Harvard Business School?
Contribution at Harvard
10. How do you plan to contribute to the HBS community?
11. What do you do for fun?
Emotional Intelligence
12. Tell me about a time you received constructive feedback.
13. How do you handle conflict in a team setting?
14. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
15. Tell me about a time you had to adapt to a significant change.
Leadership
16. Discuss a leadership experience that had a significant impact on you.
17. How do you make decisions under pressure?
18. Describe a time you worked with a diverse team.
19. What is your leadership style?
20. How do you define success?
21. How have you demonstrated initiative in your career?
Persuasion
22. Discuss a time you had to persuade others to your point of view.
Uniqueness
23. Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you?
Failure
24. How do you handle failure?
Achievements
25. What do you consider your greatest professional achievement?