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peteellen
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Schools: HBS '17 Wharton '17
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Calling all HBS Applicants - (2015 Intake) Class of 2017 23 Dec 2014, 17:47
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vestdw
peteellen
Hello,

I am planning on applying to MBA programs at Harvard, Wharton, and Columbia. I'm posting here because I'd like to know if anyone things that I have a flying chance of possibly getting in. Thanks very much for your help.


Work experience:
Public servant in local government from 2007-Oct 2014. Excellent recommendations, high performance evaluations.
Worked for a federal contractor since Oct 2014, entry level position. Am leaving because I have been asked to make a very dramatic relocation.

Academics:
BS in Computer Science, very good state school, 2012. 3.7 GPA
MS in field related to business but not too closely. Different very good state school. 2014. GPA 4.0
Took the GRE before my first Master's. My scores were 163/163/5.0. 93rd percentile.

Other:
Very active politically. My career goal is to work in business and then, if I have good enough credential, move into politics. I ran for office in 2012, wrote a book with a state senator, and am generally active.
Had a prestigious fellowship during my undergrad.
I have a disability.

I have heard that even the absolute best applicants to Harvard have about a 30% chance of getting admitted. This is due to the sheer volume of applicants they receive each year. So if you believe this statistic, then let's go further with it. It's pretty obvious that the only way to have a 0% chance of admission is by not applying. So you are somewhere between 0 and 30%. Your GPA puts you in the top 50% of the applicants, as does your GRE, so now you have between 15% and 30% if your application is average. You have unique work experience, certainly have some life experiences that you can craft into a riveting essay, and I think the disability will be help you because it basically means you are used to being challenged and you have been successful despite it.

Focus on crafting the best essay possible and ensuring that you find a tactful way to play all of your best cards within your application and I think you have a great shot! Good luck, I hope we both get in.
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Thanks for the advice.
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peteellen
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Calling all HBS Applicants - (2015 Intake) Class of 2017 23 Dec 2014, 17:48
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BazingAu
peteellen
I am planning on applying to MBA programs at Harvard, Wharton, and Columbia. I'm posting here because I'd like to know if anyone things that I have a flying chance of possibly getting in. Thanks very much for your help.

One concern I have is your GRE score. While I know schools tend to be a little more lax on GRE scores because they don't factor them into their profile stats for reporting (yet), the 163/163 GRE only gets you a 690 GMAT score. That's pretty low for Harvard and Wharton. https://www.ets.org/s/gre/flash/bschool/ ... 17302/170/

See this blog post by ConsultingOrBust
https://www.mbadataguru.com/blog/admissi ... -analysis/
Show more

I'm not concerned about that only because the conversion from GRE to GMAT can be done in so many difference ways. ETS will tell you that I got a 690, but I know for a fact that the formula that Wharton uses for conversion gives me a 730. That's still low, but fairly reasonable.
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peteellen
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Calling all HBS Applicants - (2015 Intake) Class of 2017 23 Dec 2014, 17:50
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DefyingGravity
Jobs/internships that you had in college don't hold as much weight as post-undergrad employment. So basically, you have 2 years experience in government, followed by an entry level position for a few months, followed by whatever your next position will be. Right now, I'm not seeing clear progression/promotion in your work experience, something which is highly valued.

Nevertheless, everyone has a shot at acceptance, as long as they apply.

I would suggest you work on how you convey your experience/ be able to tell a good story. Or even consider waiting a year or two to gain more experience that shows evidence of growth and increasing responsibilities.

Posted from my mobile device
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Thank you for the advice. I agree that I could use more work experience, but still feel that this is the best start to my career right now, especially since my alternative is to spend several months looking for a new job and possibly be out of work when my company wants me to move to Texas.
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Pissingintowind
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Calling all HBS Applicants - (2015 Intake) Class of 2017 23 Dec 2014, 20:29
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Guys, I got the welcome packet today.
Show Spoiler
It's a hand-signed acceptance letter from Dee, and a leather resume/notepad holder thing.

Anyone thinking about doing CORe? I don't have it as a mandatory requirement, but when I did the diagnostic, I only averaged 10/15 across the 3 topics... Either I'm dumb, or it's my lack of formal business education showing through...
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Investar
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Calling all HBS Applicants - (2015 Intake) Class of 2017 24 Dec 2014, 19:55
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Is there any place on this forum where I can see the HBS admitted candidates profiles?
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tohin
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Schools: Harvard Business School - Class of 2013
GMAT 1: 750 Q50 V42
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Calling all HBS Applicants - (2015 Intake) Class of 2017 01 Jan 2015, 07:31
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Investar
Is there any place on this forum where I can see the HBS admitted candidates profiles?
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Not aware of one place where individual profiles can be reviewed, but HBS does provide a lot of info about its upcoming class every year:
https://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/class ... fault.aspx

Otherwise, if you are interested in understanding how your profile compares to that of people from your field, happy to discuss further (pm me).

Happy new year !

Vincent
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sdkp
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Schools: HBS '17 (A) Stanford '17 (WL) Sloan '17 (I)
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Calling all HBS Applicants - (2015 Intake) Class of 2017 02 Jan 2015, 14:26
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Hi everyone! I still haven't received anything in the mail and am starting to get slightly paranoid (did I really get in??) Has anyone else not received their packets?
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acf5915
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Concentration: Real Estate, Sustainability
Schools: HBS '17 (M) Anderson '17 (A$) Haas '17 (A) Stanford '17 (D) Wharton '17 (D)
GMAT 1: 730 Q46 V44
GPA: 3.75
WE:Sales (Manufacturing)
Schools: HBS '17 (M) Anderson '17 (A$) Haas '17 (A) Stanford '17 (D) Wharton '17 (D)
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Calling all HBS Applicants - (2015 Intake) Class of 2017 03 Jan 2015, 08:10
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I'm in a similar boat as you with Core: not required but intrigued. I don't have business training so I decided that I'm going to do the 2nd core session. I don't want to spend case-study prep time next fall on learning theory and concepts I could have learned from core.

Pissingintowind
Guys, I got the welcome packet today.
Show Spoiler
It's a hand-signed acceptance letter from Dee, and a leather resume/notepad holder thing.

Anyone thinking about doing CORe? I don't have it as a mandatory requirement, but when I did the diagnostic, I only averaged 10/15 across the 3 topics... Either I'm dumb, or it's my lack of formal business education showing through...
Show more

Posted from my mobile device
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EBM
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Calling all HBS Applicants - (2015 Intake) Class of 2017 03 Jan 2015, 11:20
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acf5915
I'm in a similar boat as you with Core: not required but intrigued. I don't have business training so I decided that I'm going to do the 2nd core session. I don't want to spend case-study prep time next fall on learning theory and concepts I could have learned from core.

Pissingintowind
Guys, I got the welcome packet today.
Show Spoiler
It's a hand-signed acceptance letter from Dee, and a leather resume/notepad holder thing.

Anyone thinking about doing CORe? I don't have it as a mandatory requirement, but when I did the diagnostic, I only averaged 10/15 across the 3 topics... Either I'm dumb, or it's my lack of formal business education showing through...

Posted from my mobile device
Show more


For anyone who's on the fence, I'm a fan of Core (or Analytics from back in my day) for a few reasons...

1. If you don't have a business background it'll help get you up to speed beyond what you get out of the prematric online tutorials.
2. It gets you used to the case method--prepping for class, participating, justifying your points, etc.
3. It allows you to get set up in Boston/Cambridge a week before the majority of your class rushes in.
4. You'll meet a bunch of people from interesting (i.e. non-business) backgrounds, a majority of whom won't be in your RC year section...during RC year a large chunk of your academic and social events will be section-centric so it's always good to meet people you otherwise wouldn't.
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FPBULL
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Concentration: General Management, Entrepreneurship
Schools: HBS '17 (M) Kellogg '17 (A) Duke '17 (A) Ross '17 (A)
GMAT 1: 710 Q46 V41
Schools: HBS '17 (M) Kellogg '17 (A) Duke '17 (A) Ross '17 (A)
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Calling all HBS Applicants - (2015 Intake) Class of 2017 03 Jan 2015, 17:58
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sdkp
Hi everyone! I still haven't received anything in the mail and am starting to get slightly paranoid (did I really get in??) Has anyone else not received their packets?
Show more

Hi...same here...nothing in the mail just yet. (East Coast US).
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SC29
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Schools: Duke '17 (M) Stern '17 (WL) Kellogg '17 (WL)
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Calling all HBS Applicants - (2015 Intake) Class of 2017 04 Jan 2015, 07:14
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In for round 2! Now the hard part - waiting...
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seagraham3265
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GMAT 1: 740 Q50 V40
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Schools: HBS '17 (D) Booth '17 (D) Duke '17 (D) Stanford '17 (D) McCombs '17 (D) Tepper '17 (D) Kenan-Flagler '17 (M$)
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Calling all HBS Applicants - (2015 Intake) Class of 2017 04 Jan 2015, 18:29
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Submit button has been clicked - let the agonizing wait begin....
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AK2017
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Calling all HBS Applicants - (2015 Intake) Class of 2017 04 Jan 2015, 21:28
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Submitted for round 2!
HBS is a stretch school for me, so no high expectations here.
I did my best, so if my best is not good enough for HBS, then so be it.
But I just had to give one last try, a journey that started six years ago as a student (2+2).
At one point, I thought that an MBA was not needed, but here I am again, hoping that this is my last try.
Best of luck everyone!
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elitherare
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Location: United States
Concentration: Strategy, General Management
Schools: Booth '17 (D) HBS '17 (D) Wharton '17 (D) LBS '17 (D)
GMAT 1: 710 Q49 V36
WE:Engineering (Energy)
Schools: Booth '17 (D) HBS '17 (D) Wharton '17 (D) LBS '17 (D)
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Calling all HBS Applicants - (2015 Intake) Class of 2017 04 Jan 2015, 23:13
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AK2017
Submitted for round 2!
HBS is a stretch school for me, so no high expectations here.
I did my best, so if my best is not good enough for HBS, then so be it.
But I just had to give one last try, a journey that started six years ago as a student (2+2).
At one point, I thought that an MBA was not needed, but here I am again, hoping that this is my last try.
Best of luck everyone!
Show more
i submitted for round 2 also . we have similar profiles(energy and utilities) , though your gmat is better and your gpa is better for sure.
so u can take comfort in knowing that u have a better chance lol :)
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SC29
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Schools: Duke '17 (M) Stern '17 (WL) Kellogg '17 (WL)
Schools: Duke '17 (M) Stern '17 (WL) Kellogg '17 (WL)
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Calling all HBS Applicants - (2015 Intake) Class of 2017 05 Jan 2015, 02:25
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AK2017
Submitted for round 2!
HBS is a stretch school for me, so no high expectations here.
I did my best, so if my best is not good enough for HBS, then so be it.
But I just had to give one last try, a journey that started six years ago as a student (2+2).
At one point, I thought that an MBA was not needed, but here I am again, hoping that this is my last try.
Best of luck everyone!
Show more

Good luck! :-D
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Scofield050
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Calling all HBS Applicants - (2015 Intake) Class of 2017 05 Jan 2015, 08:29
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Submitted for round 2 as well. Less than 48 hours after hitting submit, the wait is already agonizing.
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petebi
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GMAT 1: 720 Q50 V37
GPA: 3.81
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Calling all HBS Applicants - (2015 Intake) Class of 2017 05 Jan 2015, 08:43
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In for R2
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SC29
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Calling all HBS Applicants - (2015 Intake) Class of 2017 05 Jan 2015, 09:25
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Sorry if this has been asked and answered already - is there a way to track the HBS app online, or will we be notified by email?
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crazyflier
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Schools: Stanford '17 (D) Stern '17 (A$) HBS '17 (A) CBS '17 (D) LBS '17 (I) Wharton '17 (D) Haas '17 (A) McCombs '17 (A)
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Calling all HBS Applicants - (2015 Intake) Class of 2017 05 Jan 2015, 11:15
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Just submitted for round 2! Good luck to all of you who have or are doing the same!
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GavinE
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Schools: HBS '17 (M) Sloan '17 (WD)
GMAT 1: 760 Q49 V45
GRE 1: Q161 V170
WE:Military Officer (Military & Defense)
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GRE 1: Q161 V170
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Calling all HBS Applicants - (2015 Intake) Class of 2017 05 Jan 2015, 11:16
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Good luck guys!
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