For the first time in more than a decade, Harvard Business School has updated its essay questions.

In this much-anticipated series, we sit down with HBS alum and longtime SBC consultant Yvette to talk about each of these questions and share suggestions, tips and strategies regarding how best to approach these new essay prompts.

In this segment, we tackle the first question:

Business-Minded Essay: Please reflect on how your experiences have influenced your career choices and aspirations and the impact you will have on the businesses, organizations, and communities you plan to serve. (up to 300 words)

In this episode, we discuss:

• What this question is REALLY asking (and what it isn't),
• One possible way to structure your essay response,
• How to decide which experience(s) from your own life to share (and the importance of sharing what you LEARNED),
• Specific things you should do when answering this question,
• Possible pitfalls you should avoid when answering this question, and
• How this essay fits into your larger application

This essay is a MUST for anyone thinking of applying to HBS. Special thanks the many SBC consultants and former admissions officers who shared useful advice and guidance that informed this episode.