Blog

MBA News: HBS Student (Diplomatically?) Critiques Program

As we just noted, HBS has been taking its shots from outsiders these days. More diplomatically at least, an HBS second-year student and Associate Editor of student newspaper Harbus, Jimmy Tran, offers the school some thoughtful but nonetheless “tough love” feedback. Note, however, that this is just one student’s opinion and that a critique is always more sensational than a student lauding his/her MBA program. (Quite logically, we never publish those.)

In a Harbus article entitled “Where the HBS Learning Model Falls Short,” Tran asserts that “HBS has been a phenomenal experience” and then offers an in-depth critique of a few perceived shortcomings. In short, Tran argues as follows:

  • The HBS education is focused on business disciplines and is not intellectually connected to the school’s mission statement (“To educate leaders who make a difference in the world”).
  • HBS has been slow to embrace global initiatives. Tran cites McCombs and Kellogg as schools that are better at integrating international travels into their curricula (calling HBS treks and immersions “haphazard” and suggesting that student-driven trips are not linked to coursework).
  • HBS could facilitate student interactions with the Executive Education program to the benefit of both parties.
  • HBS is a “one size fits all experience,” critiquing the first-year required curriculum, which is as the word “required” would suggest, mandatory for all students, as a system that “evolve(s) into a ‘lowest common denominator’ [situation] whereby some students struggle while other students are bored.”


onTrack by mbaMission

A first-of-its-kind, on-demand MBA application experience that delivers a personalized curriculum for you and leverages interactive tools to guide you through the entire MBA application process.

Get Started!


Upcoming Events


Upcoming Deadlines

  • Oxford Saïd (Round 3)
  • INSEAD - August Intake (Round 2)
  • HEC Paris (Round 3)
  • Ivey Business School (Round 2)
  • Esade (Round 2)
  • Villanova (Round 1)
  • Ohio Fisher (Round 2)
  • Penn State Smeal (Round 2)

Click here to see the complete deadlines


2024–2025 MBA Essay Tips

Click here for the 2023–2024 MBA Essay Tips


MBA Program Updates

Explore onTrack — mbaMission’s newest offering allowing you to learn at your own pace through video. Learn more