Harvard Business School MBA Recommendation Questions
The Harvard Business School MBA Class of 2027 application is now live, which means that the HBS MBA recommendation questions are available to recommenders. HBS requires two recommendations and suggests (but does not require) that one be from a direct supervisor. The other should be from someone who can speak about your professional performance, leadership skills, and potential.
2024-2025 Harvard Business School (HBS) Recommendation Questions:
Recommender Information
Do you know this applicant from a previous employer?
Are you a graduate of the Harvard Business School MBA program?
If yes, year of graduation:
Relationship Context
Relationship Type (drop-down menu):
- Current employer
- Previous employer
- University/Academic
- Extracurricular/Community
- Other
Relationship Context (drop-down menu):
- Direct Supervisor
- Other Supervisor
- Advisor
- Colleague/Peer
- Direct Report
- Indirect Report
- Other
Number of applicants you are recommending to the HBS MBA Program this year:
Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, their role in your organization (300 characters):
Candidate Evaluation
HBS asks recommenders to rate the applicant’s attributes using the following scale: No Basis for Judgment, Potential Area of Concern, Developing, Strong, and Distinctive. To assess the candidate’s strengths and areas of development, HBS divides attributes across several categories:
Business-Minded:
- Analytical thinking
- Professional maturity
- Quantitative skills
- Verbal communication
- Written communication
Leadership-Focused:
- Awareness of and respect for others
- Emotional intelligence
- Integrity
- Interpersonal skills with colleagues and subordinates
- Interpersonal skills with superiors
- Listening skills
- Teamwork: engagement and collaboration
- Teamwork: leadership and development of others
Growth-Oriented:
- Creative problem solving
- Curiosity
- Initiative
- Openness to others’ perspectives
- Receptiveness to feedback and willingness to change
- Self-awareness
Please comment on the ratings you have assigned, elaborating on relative strengths and opportunities for further development. (Required, 150 words).
Open Response Questions
Please respond to the questions below in a single document.
- How do the applicant’s performance, potential, background, or personal qualities compare to those of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples. (Recommended: 300 words)
- Please describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response. (Recommended: 250 words)
- (Optional) Is there anything else we should know? Please be concise.
MBA Applywire
I am a 29 yo black brazilian woman. I am civil engineer by the oldest civil engineer school of Brazil with full scholarship. I have been working with data since 2015 and now I am coordinator of a data team I the biggest Latin American Bank. Currently I am studying for toefl and improving my English. My main purposes joining a top tier mba are to improve my leadership skills and to learn with different people from different backgrounds (I am working in the same business since 2017).
I am originally from the UK (now a permanent resident) and went to community college (3.6 gpa), then transferred to a top 25 undergrad and severe health issues due to a disability causing me to get a 3.1 gpa. I then stayed there and did a master’s in finance with a 3.8 gpa. I am very passionate about giving back, especially about the homelessness epidemic. Before college I spent a year in Switzerland volunteering at homeless shelters. During college I led a campus ministry with a focus on helping the unhoused. After my experience with my disability, I started a nonprofit that has consulted with several shelters and foodbanks to help those with similar health issues as myself. I also personally raised capital to purchase and preserve an affordable multifamily property. My career has been in real estate since I graduated, but I have job hopped. My first job was 5 months, then I moved to be closer to family. My next job was for 7 months, but I quit as they were taking actions to make housing unaffordable for first time buyers. My next job was in acquisitions but I was laid off with about half the company due to the rising interest rates that affected the industry. I have been at an impact real estate private equity firm for almost 2 years in an acquisitions, development, and asset management role with a promotion. All my roles have been for REITs or PE firms. My post-mba goal is banking to better learn capital markets and long term to start an affordable real estate investment firm, perhaps in London. I would love to be a wire tap candidate, fingers crossed.
Applying for deferred programs at the mentioned schools. African woman studying Comp Sci and Math. GMAT Focus 98 %tile. Substantial community involvement and some experience at big tech working as a SWE. Thinking of consulting or product management post MBA.