Barring that, they play the prestige game. It's a signaling mechanism for future success. HBS sources elite candidates with sterling resumes as part of their class, and they want to put yet another brand name on their resume. Their brand name. That way they can claim you as one of their successes. So your goal for the next 5-6 years should be to work for the right prestigious companies to convey that signal to them.
- Tier 1: McKinsey, BCG, Bain. Get a job as a consultant there and you'll have a 95% shot of getting in.
- Tier 1: Bain Capital, Carlyle, Blackstone, KKR, Apollo, TPG, etc. In other words, get a job as an investment analyst/associate at a top tier private equity firm (there's maybe 8-10 firms on that list). 95% chance.
- Tier 2: Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan. Who knows what banks will dominate in 10 years, but these three are indisputably the top three right now. Get a front office job, ideally in investment banking, cross your fingers and you may be able to get in. ~25-75% chance.
- This is an oversimplification (not egregious though). I'd argue that at most companies that are not mentioned on this list, your chances fall to the background level of <10%.
That's the most straightforward way into HBS. So the question is not really how can you get to HBS in 10 years. But rather, how are you going to get to McKinsey/Blackstone/GS in the next 5? As I mentioned in one of the comment threads, sure, tech may be in vogue now, and many MBA programs are looking for STEM applicants, but honestly, who knows what the world is going to be like in 10 years? The process I just described has worked for decades and decades.
Once you're at the right firm, everything else is extraneous. Your company will make sure to pull the right strings and prepare you in the right way to get you into HBS. Believe me, I've seen it. The business school application process for people like me is so different (i.e. easier) than for "normal" people, it is mind-boggling. I'm not saying it's fair, but it is what it is.
Source: I've worked for two of the companies mentioned above. I was accepted to HBS.
Edit: I'm not sure if you can tell, but I have a pretty cynical view of the whole process. HBS does not select for the smartest or most talented people, nor should it. Unfortunately the game theory efficient outcome is for it to do exactly what it's already doing, which is to select for success, and unfortunately that is not necessarily correlated to ability or intellect. And honestly they make a lot of mistakes nonetheless. It is pretty sad the fact that I got in and my best friend did not. I genuinely think she is a better person than me in every way: smarter, wiser, definitely higher earning potential, more social prowess, etc. etc. But I checked all the boxes and she didn't, I guess.
I think that this is completely the wrong question to ask. An MBA should not be the goal in and of itself - that would be an expensive waste of time.
What do you want to use the MBA for? Do you want to start your own business? Run a multinational corporation? Make lots of money in some financial role? Overhaul a non-profit? Join the family business?
While the anonymous answers here are entertaining to read, I'd suggest that you think instead about why you want an MBA in 10 years and what you plan to use the Harvard MBA for. Then, "build your profile" (incidentally, I would just call this "living your life") around that. This will make you a much more compelling applicant and, more importantly, a much more compelling human being. If you can't answer the, "Why an MBA?" question, then it's probably not a good idea to attempt to orient your life right now around getting in to b-school.
FYI - most people do not know at 18 years old why they may want to go to business school in a decade. HBS was never on my radar until later in college. My advice would be to enjoy university, land some solid internships, get involved in extra-curricular activities that interest you, then think about this again in a few years.
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