D-Day At Harvard Business School: R2 Invites & Dings Due Jan. 31

Harvard University

For the vast majority of applicants who hope to gain a seat in Harvard Business School’s MBA Class of 2026, D-day will be Jan. 31. On that day, applicants will learn whether they will be invited for a 30-minute admissions interview or rejected. Candidates who interview will get a final decision on March 27.

Ever since the Jan. 3rd deadline for round two applicants, it has been an anxious waiting time. After all, the odds are always against you when you apply to HBS. Last year, 8,149 young professionals applied to the MBA program at Harvard. Fewer than one in ten were admitted from what already is a self-selecting applicant pool. The school enrolled a class of 938 students out of all those applicants plus earlier-admitted 2+2 acceptances from the deferred admit program. The median GMAT score for an enrolled student? 740, a 20-point jump from the year-earlier median.

Beginning in 2011, the school only has reported median scores — and always, every year, the exact same score. Thirteen years ago, Harvard’s entering MBA Class of 2012 reported an average 724 GMAT score; ever since, it’s been all 730 medians, year after year — behind which, no doubt, the undisclosed averages fluctuated by class. Last year marked the end of an era.

This year’s R2 decisions–due exactly at noon (Eastern Time)–are the first under the purview of Rupal Gadhia, the school’s new managing director of admissions and financial aid. A former consultant and marketing executive, she joined the school as admissions chief in October and is celebrating her 20^th year reunion from HBS this year.

In a blog post of today (Jan. 26),, she points out that R2 applicants have one of only two outcomes: ” Early Release – While we enjoyed getting to know you, we are not able to move you forward in the application process. But please remember, we are very reapplicant friendly and 10% of our class are reapplicants” or “Invite to Interview – Congratulations, you are moving forward in our application process. You will receive additional information regarding the interview process on January 31; you will then be able to start signing up for an interview slot on Thursday, February 1. We are offering both in-person and Zoom interviews from February 9th – March 1st.”

While it may be little consolation for any candidate who will be rejected, Gadhia ended her announcement with the following sentence: “Thanks again for all the time and effort you put into your applications—we’re grateful for your interest in HBS!”

DON’T MISS: HOW NOT TO BLOW OUR HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL INTERVIEW or TOUGHEST QUESTIONS HARVARD ASKS APPLICANTS IN INTERVIEWS