My Chances at Harvard - Post All Profile Evaluation Requests Here!

I will be applying to 2+2 soon. Was hoping people could guide me as I'm trying to figure out how I can differentiate myself from others applying to 2+2.

- Go to a top 40 college worldwide, studying business
- 4.0 GPA
- 750 GMAT
- President of school's Investment Club with 500+ members
- Founder of non-profit organization that has impacted over 500 individuals
- Part-time internship at a start-up
- Internship in private equity
- Internship in investment banking in New York (top 1-5 firm), going back here upon graduation
- Represented my school in national case competitions, placing as best as 3rd
- Received top academic and leadership-related awards at my school
- Recommendations from my boss from my investment banking internship and an advisor at my college whom I've worked closely with during my time at the Investment Club

My biggest question is how can I differentiate myself from others with similar profiles. I realize most people applying to 2+2 probably have similar accomplishments. Given I fall into the business/econ bucket (which comprises a smaller percentage of the 2+2 class), how can I stand out from the rest?

Not really sure what your ethnicity or citizenship is so that information would help. Because the unfortunate reality is that's one of the biggest buckets. But in general, you will want to use the writing opportunities to really convey a sense of passion and purpose. Make yourself likeable, and relatable. Make them feel something for you. This is how you will stand out from other people who are highly accomplished like yourself.

https://mbaprepcoach.com
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Hi All,
Would appreciate a profile evaluation. Targeting R1 next year.

Background and nationality: Indian Female

Undergrad Information: B.Tech - ECE. Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University(MSIT). CGPA: 9.0(one of the toppers of my stream)
10th : CGPA 10 (95%)
12th : CGPA 9.3 (88%)

GMAT: 760

Work experience and leadership : 4.5 years at present in a techno-functional role. Working as a Senior Software Engineer in Infosys Ltd serving domestic and international banks. Have worked with private, public sector and international banks, all at client site. Currently heading all clients in Africa and Sri Lanka region (about 2 years of international work ex). Regarded as a domain expert and have worked as a team lead in multiple project implementations.

Awards: Top Performer in the Entry Level Training, Most Promising Joinee Award, Listed as Infosys Pride Factor, Awarded by multiple clients for contribution to the project.
Was the head of Self-Governance Team in Infosys for a year.

Community and others : Associated with Leaders for Tomorrow and part of their project – Igniting Young Minds to provide life skills to the disadvantaged; Member of Help Age India in higher secondary for care of disadvantaged elderly.
Recently Joined Toastmasters. Awarded as Best Table Topic Speaker in the guest meeting. Event Head of Technical Fest in college ensuring a footfall of more than 2500 people in the event. Member of the organization committee of Infosys Finacle Fever’15.

Post MBA goals: Consulting.

Thank you for your help.

Hi All,
Would appreciate a profile evaluation. Targeting R2 2019 or R1 2020.

Background and nationality: Chinese Male

Undergrad Information: Pomona College (part of Claremont colleges) GPA: 3.6

GMAT: 760

Work experience: 2+ year working as software development engineer at Microsoft (Azure SQL Data Team) and about to transition to either a US-based autonomous driving company as software engineer (think of Cruise, Zoox) or a fintech start-up in Southeast Asia as AI engineer with a product management track. Question: which one is better from MBA admission perspective?

Extracurricular: founded own theater club on campus (100+ members)

Post MBA goals: Tech?

Thank you for your help.

Hi All!
I’d really appreciate a profile evaluation on the below. Thanks.

Background:
25 year old Asian American Male

Education: 3.3 GPA With a maj in Computer Science with minors in Economics and Mathematics at Columbia

GMAT: 790

Work Experience:

Current:4 years as a Data Scientist in a large Asset Manager (>$1tn AUM) working to generate alpha signals through investment research.

Previous: intern at a hedge fund as a quant during the semester, interned as a software engineer at large software company in Silicon Valley

Community Service: 3 summers of volunteering as a tennis coach for low income kids in NYC

Post MBA plans: transition to a portfolio management role from research role

Extras: published internal research white papers on the development of state of the art machine learning models for finance

Target Schools:
Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth

Posted from my mobile device

Hi guerillagorilla,

Thank you for sharing your profile. Your strong academic and professional background will serve you well in your application to these programs. I know firsthand working in finance (especially in NYC) makes it difficult to manage a social life, let alone community engagement. Was the summer tennis coach volunteer work you've done recently, or while in college? Also, I would require to learn more about your role as a Data Analyst to help discern your probabilities of admission to a top program.

If you are serious about earning an MBA, I recommend you invest time getting to know each institution individually (they are very different from one another). To make sure you get into a program with your goals in mind, you must also apply to R1, otherwise, you will have to wait another year because you are dealing with highly selective programs with limited seat availability for your chosen career.

Happy to continue the conversation. If interested, please click here to coordinate a call.

Good luck!


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Hi all!

It's my first time to the site and would like an honest review of my profile.

Background: Chinese male
Undergra: top LAC, major in philosophy, GPA 3.3
Score: haven't take GMAT but I'm a strong test taker (174 LSAT and 2250 SAT) and after briefly looking at GMAT problems, I think I have a good shot at 750+
Extracurricular: chess master, president of chess club, rugby in college, poker, president of poker club. I played baseball in high school but I assume it's just too dated?
I speak Chinese, English and Russian. Have solid classics education (Latin and Greek) and can read them pretty well.

Work experience: currently working for family business. It's a medium sized Chinese manufacturing company. About 2000 employees and 400 million USD in revenue. I'm trying to write the essays on my bond to the company and its potential and challenge. The goal of getting MBA is to acquire the necessary skills to help the company grow.

I'm aiming for top B schools, like Harvard and Stanford. What do you think my chance is and what my application strategy should be? Thank you in advance! I look forward to hearing from you guys. Thank you.

Hi all,

Hoping for a quick review of my profile. Thanks so much in advanced!



Background: American Female, Ethnicity: Indian
Undergrad: University of Missouri, Bachelor of Journalism, 3.5 GPA, Deans List, Multicultural Certificate, Business Minor
Score: 740, only taken it once

Extracurriculars in College: Board of Camp Kesem (501c3 Camp for kids), Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, National Honor Society

Extracurriculars Post grad: Literacy mentor for Chicago Public Schools, High School mentor for Chicago Public Schools, On professional board of local animal welfare society, work in low income areas to provide education and services for animal welfare

I speak English, Gujarati and Fluent spanish

Work experience: Started right out of college at a Fortune 500 company in an analyst role working in the healthcare sector, promoted to manager level after 9 months (usually 3 to 4 year progression). Served 1 year in the manager role before moving into a senior manager role at a small Virtual Reality Tech company. Advanced enterprise adoption and built widely adopted blueprint - promoted after 8 months to Senior Team Lead role with a team reporting to me, where I'm currently sitting.

Aiming for top schools including Harvard, Yale, Booth. Ideally would like to go for a dual MBA/MPP.

Thank you!

Hi Inertiae,

Thank you for your post and welcome to GMAT Club. Without a GMAT score, it's difficult to speak about your prospects. What adds to the difficulty is missing details on your role in the family business and your leadership experiences (how many years experience do you have?). I like that you speak three (3) very different languages and that you are a student of classical education (assuming you studied Attic?), and that you have been very active while in college (have you been involved in your community post-college?).

I recommend you reach out and set-up an exploratory strategy call, so we can learn more about your profile and determine if we can help with your strategy. If interested, please click here.

Good luck!



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Hi everyone,

Hoping to get a quick review of my profile. I am a recent graduate (this past December) and am applying to Harvard 2+2.

Ethnicity: White Male

GMAT: 700 (47Q, 39V)

GPA: 3.91

School: Texas A&M, Petroleum Engineering

Work Experience: (3 past internships)
-Interned at oil and gas Investment bank doing engineering analysis
-Interned in Midland for E&P company doing research on reservoir development in the Permian Basin.
-Interned at oil and gas major doing work in Venezuela. Significantly influenced reserves booking to the SEC from my internship presentation in Venezuela.

Will be working for major oil and gas company doing reservoir engineering in deep water gulf of Mexico come March.

Extracuriculars:

BUILD, January 2016-January 2018
Operations and Marketing Committee Member
• Student led organization that transforms shipping containers into mobile medical clinics
• 3 to 6 hours of community service per week
• In charge of safety procedures, aiding the design team, and communicating with the adult advisors

Society of Petroleum Engineers, January 2016-Present
Director of the DVG Memorial Golf Tournament Committee and Philanthropy Committee Member
• Head of yearly charity golf tournament that raises funds for Petroleum Engineering Scholarships
• In charge of delegating and overseeing responsibilities of 10 committee members
Texas

Texas A&M Club Golf Team September, 2014-Present
President
• Coordinate club activities, qualifiers and team travel to multiple National Collegiate Club tournaments each semester
• Manage and budget team funds
• Negotiate Semester long contracts with golf courses

Honors
-Eagle Scout
-Deans List
-Two time golf state champion

Request you to please evaluate my profile for HBS, Stanford, Wharton.
Gmat: not yet given but expect 720+
Education:
Chartered Accountant ( cleared most of the subjects with exemption)
CFA charterholder (cleared all levels in first attempt)
B.Com (Hons) : Delhi University - GPA 3.5
Class XII: 95.25% (Commerce)
Certification from Bombay Stock Exchange in Financial modelling
Work Experience:
College internship at EY in Risk Advisory (3months)
Deloitte: 3yrs as Articled Assistant in Assurance services
PwC: 9months in Deals Advisory (Financial due diligence)
Quit PwC to start my own transaction advisory firm. I am currently involved in private fundraising for startups. About to close a transaction involving a majority acquisition of one of my clients. Also, I am heading the Finance division (team of 7 members) for my family business.
Volunteer work:
Team lead CSR activity at Deloitte for a particular year.
Part of an NGO providing education to impoverished kids.
Helped a small school providing education to students that fall below poverty line, to register as an NGO and thus raise funds from Corporates.

Posted from my mobile device

Request you to please evaluate my profile for HBS, Stanford, Wharton.
Gmat: not yet given but expect 720+
Education:
Chartered Accountant ( cleared most of the subjects with exemption)
CFA charterholder (cleared all levels in first attempt)
B.Com (Hons) : Delhi University - GPA 3.5
Class XII: 95.25% (Commerce)
Certification from Bombay Stock Exchange in Financial modelling
Work Experience:
College internship at EY in Risk Advisory (3months)
Deloitte: 3yrs as Articled Assistant in Assurance services
PwC: 9months in Deals Advisory (Financial due diligence)
Quit PwC to start my own transaction advisory firm. I am currently involved in private fundraising for startups. About to close a transaction involving a majority acquisition of one of my clients. Also, I am heading the Finance division (team of 7 members) for my family business.
Volunteer work:
Team lead CSR activity at Deloitte for a particular year.
Part of an NGO providing education to impoverished kids.
Helped a small school providing education to students that fall below poverty line, to register as an NGO and thus raise funds from Corporates.

Posted from my mobile device

Hi Captain_Cook

Hi, You've definitely achieved a lot in your short life and have clear focus on your career. However I don't see your odds being super certain for 2 + 2 . Harvard is looking for diversity in all forms, particularly country of citizenship, and also people who have a pretty clear and altruistic mission, that goes far beyond their own personal success. As a white male in oil and gas I don't know if you have this going for you, unless you have some ideas about disrupting the industry or something.

Another point,there is an overall preference for STEM candidates who are seeking to commercialize their ideas. These ppl have a real leg up.

Sadly, 700 is not quite up to par for a GMAT score for HBS, Especially for younger candidates where they don't have as much to reflect on as they would for seasoned candidates. HBS is very big on candidates having a 49 or above on quant. This score might work for a very diverse applicant from an underrepresented industry/country/gender who has shown their quant aptitude in other arenas but for overrepresented applicants you will be competing with those who have a similar profile but also have a really high test score.

It's important to have a clear track record of service to a cause that is beyond yourself. I like this work you did with BUILD, continue with something in this vein, hopefully that connects dots to your areas of expertise.

Sorry I cant be more optimistic; there are other programs out there you might consider like Yale Silver Scholars or Darden Future Scholars if it is important to line things up this year. If not, work on the points mentioned and apply later down the track.

Farrell


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Hi,

Also applying to the 2+2 program and have a question about this. My GMAT score was 750 (Q48, V46, IR 8), GPA is 4.0 from a top 40 college in the world (non US, finance major), and I am going into IB in NY post grad. Given I've (hopefully) demonstrated quantitative aptitude through my undergraduate achievements and the industry I'm entering after graduation, is it worth retaking the GMAT to try to get that 49 or higher in Quant?

Posted from my mobile device

ysob I see your point however the question could be turned around asking for somebody who has a 4.0 in finance why didn't they get a 49 or above on the quant.

If it supposed deal for you to retake then you might consider just doing MBA Math as a backup, but if you have recently taken the exam then I would retake it well you still have some momentum. I guess my overriding messages if there's a better score that lives within you get it out

But if you're going to have to invest in like tutors and classes and stuff to improve your score then that would probably be time better spent on the application. So do MBA Math in that case.


https://mbaprepcoach.com
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Hey,

I am planning on applying for the MBA program starting Fall 2020. I would love to hear feedback on my profile. Don’t hold back!

Background:

I am 26-years-old, Indian male and spend most of my life in East Africa; ranging from Kenya to Tanzania and currently, I am residing in Ethiopia. Although I am born in India, I've lived there less than 3 years. Most of my teenage years I've been jumping around from Dubai, USA, Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia. Most of my high-schooling was done in Tanzania and Ethiopia.

Academic Qualifications:

1) Undergrad, BSc in Environmental Science at University of York, UK. GPA equivalent of 3.20
2) M.S, Columbia University, USA, GPA 3.7

GMAT: 730

Work Experience (earliest to latest):

- Environmental Affairs Intern at United Nations Environmental Program in Ethiopia
- Intern at government organization dealing with early weather warning and development services in Ethiopia
- Project management Intern at a marine conservation NGO in South Africa. Led several research studies and teams of 5-6.
- Senior Financial Analyst at an NGO in New York. Started off as an intern and was promoted to Financial Analyst and within 7 months received another promotion to Senior Financial Analyst.
- Auditing Intern at one of the leading auditing firms in Ethiopia.
- Currently transitioning to an organization dealing with improving food security and climate change adaptation in low-income households.

Total WE: 36 months

Extra-curricular:

-Climbed the summit of Mt. Meru and Mt. Kilimanjaro (largest free-standing mountain in the world).
-Toastmasters member (helps individuals become competent public speakers)
- Volunteer at an orphanage in Ethiopia, assisting children with their homework, tutoring, and help the older students apply for scholarships for their further studies overseas. Additionally, I coach the junior football team at the school.
- Completed a comprehensive study looking at the human impacts on Ethiopian Wolves (rarest canid wolf species in the world).
-Used to volunteer at Born Free (conservation management in Ethiopia)
-Ethiopia is known for its prolific marathon runners and there are several annual marathons open to the public, which I enjoy taking part in.

Extras:

I speak English, Malayalam (native) and French (conversational)

Post MBA goals:

Return to Ethiopia and start a social enterprise that helps low-income households with food security by adopting sustainable agricultural practices.

Aiming for HBS, CBS, Stanford and open to other options that you think might fit my background.

Hi js4895,

Thank you for your post and for sharing your profile. I think you have a really interesting profile with strong academics (including GMAT), and work experience. The next step in the process is that you have a clear and strong statement of purpose that showcases the strength of your character, and a clear outline of your post-MBA career goals. Another school I would add to your list is Yale's SOM. I hope this helps.

Good luck!





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Intending to reapply R1
Caucasian American (Rejected R2, no interview, taken GMAT once); current 1L at Harvard Law School
Good undergraduate business school: 3.9 Accounting, finance, economics; 4.0 MSA in tax
GMAT: 720 (47Q; 41 V); planning on retaking over the summer (also working at a Big Law firm this summer)
Work experience and leadership: 3 years (currently own a tutoring company; 2 years as a CPA at a well-known Fortune 500 doing corporate forecasting and analyzing product platform results)
Community and others: Quite of few clubs in the law school; Teaching Fellow in the Econ Dept; Prior to law school, I was on the Board of a 501(c)(3) and taught accounting 101 at the community college during nights
Long term goal: leadership role doing tax strategy work at a large, global company (ideally
Why MBA: Develop leadership/management skills, better business knowledge and how it intersects with law (especially strategic tax issues and M&A strategy), I'm entrepreneurial minded, so start up legal work paired with business interests me as well (which may impact my long term goal).

Since I'm in Cambridge, I would love to grab coffee or lunch with any HBS students and discuss my changes.

Chances of making it to top Bschools with this profile are mediocre. You need to get workex at a big investment banking or consulting to really get accepted with present profile. Harvard, Stanford may be out but try Wharton and Columbia. GMAT can be taken again to improve scores. Median score this year for Harvard admits was 730.





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It is interesting that you mention Yale but I am honestly not interested in the Silver Scholar program mostly because it not a big target school for oil and gas related business unfortunatley. How do you feel about my chances at Columbia with there new deffered program?