Harvard Business School 2+2 MBA Program Essay Analysis

Harvard Business School has just opened its 2+2 application and confirmed the 2025 2+2 essay questions.

The 2025 Harvard Business School 2+2 MBA deadline is April 23, 2025.

HBS’s 2+2 program accepts applications from current college seniors and final year master’s students who enrolled in graduate studies straight from college. To be eligible, your program graduate date must be between October 1, 2024 and September 30, 2025.

Mirroring this year’s full-time application, Harvard Business School asks 2+2 applicants to answer three questions. However, unlike last year, applicants are not given the option to choose which essay question to answer.

Keep reading to find out how Personal MBA Coach recommends tackling the 2025 HBS 2+2 MBA application essay questions!

2025 HBS 2+2 Program Application Essay Questions Are as Follows:

HBS 2+2 Essay 1: What experiences have shaped how you invest in others and how you lead? (300 words)

As you answer this essay, think about what makes you different from your peers and uniquely able to contribute. You might consider your background, upbringing or extracurricular experiences here. If you need help thinking through your own personal story, check out this blog from Personal MBA Coach.

Given the 300-word limit, applicants will need to get to the point very quickly, focusing in on their uniqueness.

Last year, HBS gave 2+2 applicants the option to answer this question:

What communities have you been engaged with that have defined how you invest in others?

While this question is no longer an option in the HBS 2+2 application, if your community has been a key influence, you might consider writing about that here. Discussing your community could be a great option for applicants who have diverse or unique demographic backgrounds to talk about how they have given back in the past, and to hint at how they will give back in the future.

Regardless of the topic selected, Personal MBA Coach recommends that the details provided are specific. Then, applicants should quickly transition into the ”so what?” telling HBS not just what these experiences were but how they have shaped your leadership approach.

HBS 2+2 Essay 2: Curiosity can be seen in many ways. Please share an example of how you have demonstrated curiosity and how that has influenced your growth. (300 words)

This second HBS 2+2 essay is the same question asked of full-time applicants. Check out our full-time blog here!

Keep in mind that if your strength lies in your educational or research experience: Perhaps you have completed an interesting independent study on campus or researched an unusual topic this could be a great topic here. Use this essay to talk about the work you have done, showing readers how you have exhibited specific intellectual curiosity and persistence, if possible.

It is worth noting that particularly through the 2+2 program, HBS seeks candidates from STEM fields, who may be less likely to apply for an MBA later in their careers.

HBS 2+2 Essay 3: How do the career plans you shared in the Career Plans section of the application fit into your current long-term career vision? What skills and/or professional experiences do you hope to obtain in the deferral period that will help build the foundation for your post-MBA career? (up to 300 words)

While HBS historically has not asked applicants to write extensively about their long-term goals, in this essay HBS is looking for applicants to discuss both their long-term goals and their plans for the deferral period. For more on Personal MBA Coach’s tips for writing a goal statement, check out this blog!

Once you have detailed your long-term goals, be specific about your plans for the deferral period. If you have already lined up a job, discuss what you will do in this role and, more importantly, how this experience will prepare you to succeed post-MBA. If you have not secured a position, talk about the role you are targeting. As you craft this essay, be sure to go beyond describing the job you hope to have and instead dive into the specific skills you hope to gain.