Services & Publications

HBS Mock Interview and Post-Interview Reflection Support

Harvard Business School’s (HBS’s) notoriously challenging interview process begins with a 30-minute interview conducted by a member of the admissions team who has read your entire application in advance and customized their approach to your interview accordingly. HBS interviewers typically also research certain components of candidates’ applications more deeply and explore who they are beyond their provided profile. This makes the HBS interview unlike any other business school interview.

The school further differentiates its interview process by asking interviewees to submit a written Post-Interview Reflection (PIR) within 24 hours of completing their interview. This submission is essentially your “last word” with the school, so you want to ensure that it conveys precisely the tone and information you want the HBS admissions committee to use in its ultimate evaluation of your candidacy.

We at Gatehouse Admissions know so much about the HBS interview because members of our team have been in the room—and not only our HBS MBAs on the team. Brooke Wheelan and Laura MacLean have collectively conducted more than 2,000 HBS interviews during their time with the HBS admissions team. In addition to coaching the rest of the Gatehouse Admissions team on the intricacies of the HBS interview process, Brooke and Laura also conduct mock interviews themselves. Gatehouse Admissions offers Harvard Business School applicants the most realistic experience possible outside of the actual HBS interview.

What’s included in the Gatehouse HBS Mock Interview service?

As a client of our HBS Mock Interview service, you will receive the following:

• Access to Gatehouse Admissions’ Interview Training video series, which breaks down the core types of questions typically asked in business school interviews and models how to approach answering them. (Note: This series is not specific to HBS, but it provides valuable foundational strategies for any interview, including the HBS interview.)
• A 30-minute virtual interview that simulates the HBS interview approach. Before your mock interview, your Gatehouse Consultant will study your application in depth and develop questions specific to your candidacy.
• A subsequent 30-minute session with your Consultant, during which you will receive strategic feedback and guidance.

What’s included in the Gatehouse Post-Interview Reflection service?

As a client of our Post-Interview Reflection Support service, you will receive the following:

• A 15-minute strategy session with your Consultant after your actual HBS interview to plan out your Harvard Business School Post-Interview Reflection (PIR).
• One review of your PIR draft, offering high-level, strategic feedback.

Harvard Business School Interview FAQs

What percentage of Harvard Business School (HBS) applicants are interviewed?

HBS reports that the school interviews approximately 20% of applicants. This means that with just shy of 10,000 applicants per year, HBS interviews fewer than 2,000 candidates—and dings roughly 8,000 without ever even having spoken to them. If this number of rejected HBS applicants sounds staggering, that is because it is! HBS sees an incredibly rich pool of candidates each year and has the unenviable task of saying “no” to people who are more than qualified to attend. 

If you are one of the lucky few to receive an invitation to interview at HBS, congratulations! As Brooke Wheelan, former associate director of admissions at HBS, has said: “Statistically, your odds of being admitted to HBS’s MBA program just became a coin toss!” Harvard accepts approximately 50% of the candidates it interviews.  

How do I prepare for an HBS interview?

Preparation is critical for the HBS MBA interview, especially if you want to influence that coin toss in your favor. But given how unique its interview format is, HBS demands a different kind of preparation.