Open-ended questions are tough. But Harvard MBA team has hinted that given all the information they have (resume and recommendation letters), what additional information would give you like to share. The essay is a personal reflection question. The resume has captured your achievements, and the recommendation letters provides a perspective from your supervisor/client or CEO.

What you need now is a personal journey that helped you become who you are. We had clients who didn’t have any particular setbacks on first look, but digging deeper revealed skills that were only acquired because they escaped a personal setback.

Start from your childhood. What events shaped your values? What setbacks gave you new insights? What motivated you to pursue the current career path.

Most MBA applicants are career switchers. That should not discourage you from sharing the love for your current job function. Even if the passion has faded and you want to explore other career options, the story connecting your journey to the current job would be an interesting read.

Here is an example of an applicant from a war-torn country who found hope through mentors. With his non-profit, the applicant is solving homelessness in the US.

Sample HBS MBA Essay – Gratitude & Giving Back

As the Gulf wars escalated in Iraq, we migrated to nearby Lebanon. Watching my parents struggle to provide the essentials for us was the first time; I felt that my Heroes are fallible too. One day, my mother fainted at the entrance of the camp. Doctors checked her, and after a few heavy sighs pulled my father to the side. I overheard the reason. She was stocking the food for us two brothers by sacrificing her daily ration.

Before the incident, the word ‘sacrifice’ never meant anything for me, but when I am writing the Harvard MBA Application from the comforts of my home in the US, I realize how small gestures can change someone’s life. The long journey from Lebanon to Ohio was not without incidence.

During the first year in the US...
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