Use this as an opportunity to admit failure - a true failure. Don't try to (or blatently) sneak a positive character trait or an achievement into this essay. It will sound insincere. Admitting a failure can show strength, depth of character, deep self-awareness, and a drive for self-improvement - all qualities that HBS wants to see in applicants!

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HBS Grad
http://www.mbaadcom.com
formerly http://www.hbsadmissionsconsulting.com

I agree you need to show you are more than an average finance guy. My goal is to show that I am more than that and that I will make in impact beyond dollars and cents when I come out of an MBA program. But I'm not prepared to use a "victim" or sob story to get in. Just doesn't seem to be the point or even ethically sound.

And don't let me take this away from anyone who has grown up in a country in great poverty or war. If you have been through that, and it has framed who you are, you have real experiences. God Bless you and I hope you tel lyour story and how it shaped you and how it prepared you to make an impact in business when you are through school.

It depends on how tuff their grading is, to a large degree, schools are interested in GPA not so much as a way of finding out what you know, altho they care about some baseline quant background, but mostly to see how you do in a competitive and often boring classroom environment. Can you shut up, wave your hand on demand, and spit back the often arcane and useless jive being taught? On exams and at HBS, as comments in class. Those are excellent habits for success at business school, and for not upsetting the precious faculty, who like obedient and responsive audiences, in part because who wouldnt, and in part because they are often lazy or marginally competent themselves, so wagging doggie tails make everyone happy. The best proxy for if you will be one of those smart and prepared and un-boreable kids is GPA which you got in a competitive, real class environment. Whether you actually know MBA MATH is an afterthought. You seem like a sweet guy and a sincere one, I am not kidding about the above. College GPA is the best predictor of GPA in B school, adcoms want successful students -- they are less certain what makes a successful business person, leader, etc. That is why HBS GPA is so high, and ditto Stanford, which is even higher by a dime. Of course, high college GPA leads to great first jobs at elite IB and MC firms, so the kids w. high GPA's also often have elite jobs.
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well, it won't hurt. nor will alt transcript. but e.g. at HBS, in general, you'd do better w. 720 GMAT and 3.8
GPA--places like MIT go for big gmats and so does Columbia, so that is another factor, as is trend of your grades, whether your parents went to college, and how much else there is to like about you.
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GREAT HBS MOCK INTERVIEW service.

From the FAQ:

"Applications - Recommendations

Who should recommendations come from?
The Admissions Board suggests that of the three recommendations, two come from professional references."

Any way its definitely three. Register to apply and you will see it asks for three recommenders.
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My Debrief

I am not sure if including a story from that long ago is a good idea. Of course if the thing you did well is monumental (eg: founded a startup while in school, which you sold off in college, and it inspires you towards entrepreneurship today) then thats a different issue. Most schools want recent examples (3 years is a good guideline as MIT says), especially if the experience is a professional and not a personal one.

However this is only my opinion. Wait for others to chime in before you take a final call. Cheers!
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Latest Blog Entry: 09-05-13 Its been too long ... Updates & the Tuck Loan

This is strictly my opinion, but I would go for the two pages then, since HBS explicitly allows you that option.

Not to insult others who stuck with the 1 page resume, but since the essays and forms for extracurricular are already pretty slim, I would capitalize on the two page resumes. I doubt a ding would result solely because someone decided to go with a two pager. It's all about the content. If you have achievements that are relevant or perhaps extenuating circumstances that may confuse or cause concern for adcom, then you have the opportunity to clear it up via the resume.

Submitted! Wow, I think I proof checked the final PDF like a dozen times.

Now we wait.
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My Debrief

Submitted as well and 2 out of 3 recs in... good luck guys!

Hi everyone, good luck to you all!

I'm a current student and I remember how difficult the wait is after you submit your application. The gmatclub chat was a great way to pass the time and share my anxiety with my fellow applicants. I'll try to read this thread from time to time, but if you ever want to talk, you'll almost always find me in the chat room.
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