An article on the site Poets & Quants presents Wayne Atwell’s analysis of the different factors contributing to the admission chances of candidates to Harvard’s MBA program.

The data analysis reveals that for every 10-point increase in GMAT score between 710 and 800, admission chances increase by one percent, with a candidate with a 710 score having a 7% chance for admission, and a candidate with a score of 800 having a 16% chance for acceptance.

In terms of GPA, a higher GPA also increases admission chances, with a candidate with a GPA of 3.2-3.3 having a 6% chance, a candidate with a 3.6 having a 9% chance, and a candidate with a 4.0 having a 14% chance.

When comparing the two abovementioned factors, it seems that Harvard puts more emphasis on GPA, since an increase of a single standard deviation in GPA increases admission chances by 30%, while an increase of a single standard deviation in GMAT raises admission chances by 0nly 25%.

Admission round also affects admissions chances, with each postponement to a later round reducing admission chances. Career experience is also significant, with each additional year of experience increasing admission chances by 5%.

In addition, the research revealed that applicants from India had especially low admission chances at 1.5%, as well as candidates who studied finance in their B.A.  at 2%. On the other hand, candidates who worked in the fields of venture capital or the military enjoy admission chances of 16% and 17%, respectively.

The overall admission chances for candidates invited to interview stands at 49%, with 57% for Round 1 candidates and 37% for Round 2.