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

Hi there,

I think you have a lot of stuff going for you!

I applied to HBS in Round 2 this year and will be joining this fall. I am happy to discuss my experience with you. Feel free to message me.
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Hello sanghyunp2004,

Hope this finds you well.

There is a lot working for you in terms of your profile. At this point, a lot depends on the extent to which you will be able to make your leadership abilities, problem-solving skills, and overall achievement a part of your overall narrative. Just focus on doing that to the best of your abilities while also connecting with alumni (as you have some time still before the peak of the applications process sets in). The networking at this point will not only help you deliver rich essays but also help at the interview stage.

All the best!
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Hi Mehemmed I realize this is a super late response but hopefully can be helpful. I would recommend that you put together a cohesive argument as to why you need an MBA from the US beyond your masters from the UK; the nature of the degree sounds very similar and so they dont want to give up precious seats to someone who doesn't need one as much as someone who has no masters in a business related degree. Then, shop your argument by attending virtual QA and taking advantage of any 1-1 with admissions virtual events you can get into to get a read on things. Hopefully there will be some Q&A at https://apply.hbs.edu/register/?id=4baaa098-90f7-4dc4-80e9-06b0c804c8c1 this event but there are many 1-1 opportunities like I know HEC is doing that. Regarding your profile, seems there is good leadership and international stuff, GMAT good, and for grades, please engage the help of WES.org to get a more accurate evaluation of your GPA. They have a free tool but I would recomend you do the $200 service and send that file with your application. Most schools feel they have the ability to evaluate your transcripts but I am a little doubtful for certain countries and also it kind of helps you know where you stand (that said, intl grades are not factored into rankings
so that is helpful). I do wish that you had some ECs and at least some interesting hobbies to bring you to life a bit more for the adcom. If you find that the Masters is not a dealbreaker reach out if you are looking to partner with someone on your apps; I worked with someone who worked with the Central Bank in another CIS country last cycle and feel I could help articulate your achievements/impact.


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sanghyunp2004

Great work experience; make sure to identify powerful anecdotes that speak to your brand, and collaborate with your recommenders on those; dont just pitch the recs over the fence. My question here would be Why MBA? Do you need an MBA to get to the next level in private equity? That is already considered to be a great outcome for an MBA program so put together a compelling argument there. I really like your ECs, have you been doing these recently? Because I know the hours you have during a live deal so that would be a feat. I think the helping ex cons get jobs is really interesting and could give your candidacy that special sauce factor if you can speak to it in your apps. Reach out if you are interested in partnering with someone on your apps or even just a strategy session.


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sanghyunp2004:

Given my profile, how'd you evaluate my chances of admission into HBS?

A: Average, at best. You are facing an uphill battle, but if you can swing a really interesting story - especially in the essay - and secure some great recommendation letters, you might have a chance. I am concerned there are too many weaknesses (GPA, ECs, etc.)

But, when I convert it to U.S 4.0 scale, it's around 3.0. Doesn't look impressive:) What do you think?

A: As noted, this is a concern. You can't do anything about it, so don't let it deter you from applying but you will want to consider schools besides HBS given the minimal margin for error.

Will having a degree in business hurt my MBA application?

A: Probably not. You just have to really demonstrate in your essays and interview (if you get one) the reasons why you need/want an MBA. That case can be made fairly easily.

I'd appreciate any feedback on my profile. Also, how can I improve it?

A: Focus on any outstanding ECs, really zero in on the actual application itself, and attend info sessions, webinars, etc. so you can learn more about the program and draw a stronger connection between your background/interests and the school.

Please reach out to us for a free consultation if you think we can help!

https://admissionado.com/free-consultation/

Chinese American
338 GRE, 760 GMAT (but need to retake due to out of date)
3.2x GPA in Econ from middling state university

JD from T14, MSF from a top program
2 years at B4 as tax consultant
2 years as analyst at a boutique consulting firm by time of matriculation

Older candidate

Interests in order of preference:
PE
Lateral to MBB
Internal promote to full consultant

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WannaManaConsult:

You might be a candidate assuming you can replicate your GMAT score. Even with it, your chances at Harvard are average at best. Your GPA is definitely on the lower side, which does not help. Plus, you are an older candidate with not a ton of work experience (granted your educational credentials are deeper than most.)

Do you have any non-work or extracurricular achievements to speak to that can boost your profile?

I would also rethink your career goals from an admissions standpoint. It's fine to say you want to stay within consulting, but why bother getting an MBA, especially with an MSF? What new or game-changing impact will you have by attending HBS? The HBS essay is open-ended so you are going to have to cover the reason for your various degrees, career positions, and your future all in a fluid and convincing way. It's absolutely doable, but it will require solid execution for it to work.

In any event, please sign up for a free consultation using the below link if you think we can be helpful to you in this process.

https://admissionado.com/free-consultation/

I had posted this in a different forum earlier but realize this is the best place to get my profile evaluated for HBS as it would be my top choice (understand that it is extremely selective so I am applying to all M7 and some others)

Country (current) - United States
Citizenship - United States
Education - University of Pittsburgh B.S Electrical Eng, Columbia University M.S Electrical Eng
Industry - Healthcare and Tech

Work Experience- Current- Data Scientist (first half of work exp) and Product Manager (current), Healthtech startup (joined as 60th employee Series A, now 800 people with a valuation of $3.5B post Series E), Worked on several consulting style projects as a data scientist and then Promoted and transitioned from a data science role to a product management role to gain more leadership experience as well as be in charge of the end to end product cycle of our data products, Currently leading a team of 8-10 engineers.
https://www.mobihealthnews.com/news/hea ... -valuation

Additionally, 1 Yr in Data Scientist Role at another startup, working with the largest 3D body dataset!

Years of Work experience - 5

GMAT - 750 (Q49,V42)

Target application round - Round 1

Post-MBA role targeted - Consulting, VC

Short-term goals - I am super interested in the Healthcare and AI field but wanted to work in a more business/corp strategy capacity so a Consulting Role or a Corporate Dev role at a company would be ideal.

Long-term goals - Given my extensive health tech and startup experience, I would be interested in being on an investment team that invests in companies similar to the ones I have worked for, at an early stage or mid-stage.

Extra-curriculars -

Product Lead for a Mark Cuban-backed non-profit AI for Anyone
Designed curriculum and virtual workshops for AI content, webinars, and workshops that have amounted to 3000+ attendees (including global location in Vietnam) Trained a cohort of 10 people to deliver AI workshops across the country.

Written and Published a Data Science Book (https://www.amazon.com/ABCs-Data-Scienc ... C65&sr=8-1) with over 1.5k purchases on Amazon

Started a Youtube Channel on AI and Data Science Content as a side hobby!

From Undergrad:
Vice President of Undergraduate Consulting Club,
Won 1st place at Deloitte Consulting Case Competition
Helped set up the first consulting club for undergraduates at the University and registered over a
100 members in the first year

Supposed Strengths:
Work Experience
AI and Non-Profit Work
Book
GMAT

Weaknesses:
Lack of branding other than Columbia (my graduate school)
Hoping to make this up with how well the company that I work for has done
GPA (I had a 3.5 in both undergrad and grad school)

Hi @ikinmathur again:

I won't repeat too many of my points on your CBS post, but I do think you also make a great candidate for HBS. The key for you is going to be whether you want to apply Early Decision to Columbia or apply Regular Decision and take your chances with other R1 schools such as HBS.

Branding matters only so much when it comes to admissions. You still need to deliver on accomplishments and results. The AdCom at all these schools will look into your (unique) experiences carefully. If you are coming from less familiar companies/schools, you need to demonstrate that you have the gravitas to cut it with those people who come from top brands.

Again, don't hesitate to reach out if we can be of additional help to you including through a free consultation.

https://admissionado.com/free-consultation/

Good luck,
Admissionado

Thanks Admissionado for the input! I think I agree with everything you said!

Also, wanted to check if an IR score of 4 would hurt my profile? I was able to get a 5 on the essay! My main focus was the main score of Quant and Verbal and ended up getting a 750!

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rikinmathur:

Nope, it shouldn't matter. The schools prioritize the overall score, Quant, and then Verbal in that order. They will take the IR score into account but that's really for scores much lower than yours. I certainly wouldn't retake the exam just to improve your IR score. You can focus on other aspects of your profile or the applications themselves. That will have a much greater impact on your chances than the IR score.

Glad we can be of help. Again, don't hesitate to reach out if we can of further assistance.

Thank you Admissionado, very helpful!

Which application you submit—Early Decision to Columbia or Regular Decision and take a chance with other R1 schools like HBS—will be the deciding factor for you.

Regarding admissions, branding is just partially important. You still have to produce successes and outcomes. All of these schools' AdComs will carefully consider your (unique) experiences. If you are coming from less well-known businesses or institutions, you must show that you have the gravitas to compete with individuals who represent well-known names.

An otherwise excellent profile might get rejected if the application is not up to the mark. Thus, you need to be very careful with your SOPs, Essays, LORs and other key factors of your application so that you don’t miss out any point that makes you the right candidate.


If you would like, we can help you with essays and SOPs and other application processes.

We have helped over 5000 students get admit into their dream schools.
If you would like we can set up a free consulting session with you at your convenience

You can set up a Free consulting session with our experts through the link provided:
BOOK YOUR FREE SESSION

In this FREE call, you will be getting:

a)Deep Profile Evaluation: Strengths and Weaknesses

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d) 3X Admit Chances
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Abhyank Srinet
Founder and Head Consultant at MiM Essay

97% Success Rate| 5000+ Admits in Top Schools| 5 Million Euros in Scholarships

Background and nationality: 26, Vietnamese looking for 2023/2024 August matriculation
Previous education: Bachelor in Marketing, MS in Marketing Analytics (3.9 GPA and graduated summa cum laude at both schools)
GMAT: 730
Work experience and leadership:
1. 2.5 years in digital marketing/ecommerce roles in luxury retail
2. 0.5 year in finance department of luxury retail
3. 0.5 year in digital marketing agency
All roles heavily involve data analytics
Community and others:
1. Participated and led a few regional events for youth organizations (recruiting competition, MUN)
2. Volunteered at American Marketing Association NYC for almost 2 years
Target School: HBS
Post MBA goals:
1. Corporate strategy/operations, preferably in retail or management consulting
Personal brand:
1. Utilize cross-functional experience to craft corporate strategies using all-rounded views (data, consumer insights, operations, finance), influencing innovations in luxury retail industry


Thanks much in advance for your feedback. Would appreciate it much if you can provide any suggestions to improve my candidacy.

Hey everyone, HBS has been my dream school since the longest time, and I had pretty good vibes with the Harvard community by large as well. Been reading a lot of admission stories from here and so I wanted to post my profile here for a honest evaluation.

Background, nationality and undergrad information:
- 30, Male, Southeast Asian (think Singapore/Malaysia region)
- 3.4 UGPA from a recognised university in the region (top university for a lot of ASEAN scholars)

GRE: 320 (Q162, V158)

Work experience and leadership:
- 4.5 Years by the time of matriculation at a regional Fashion Retailer leading retail operations in an Asia market, for my current stint (yes: I am based overseas now). Retail footprint of over 300 stores globally.
- Direct supervisor of 10 employees across 4 key company functions. Provides leadership, strategic direction and tactical advice on overall P&L success.
- Involved in other assignments before current stint, given increased responsibilities just 1 year into the company to lead merchandise and assortment planning for other regional markets: think leading experienced, and overseas professionals with more than 10 years of experience individually. Promoted towards end of 2nd year to current position to turn around a failing market.

Community and others:
- President of university's business society, which served 3,000 students during my presidency. Led a team of 16 individuals to create impact in professional, academic, social and welfare interests of our students. Had several stellar accomplishments as a result of the team's efforts.
- Mentoring juniors from my alma mater on a yearly basis, providing advice on the retail industry and how to navigate career options.
- Military reserves Platoon Sergeant for a Combat Support battalion. Recipient of exemplary award during active service time.
- Started a startup with university mates focusing on providing authentic local experiences for overseas students. Led product development.

Post MBA goals:
- Short term to pivot into Management Consulting specifically for the retail practice. Not too hung up on MBB - even T2 or boutique firms that can value add in this manner would be a possible option for me.
- Long term to pivot into starting my own Boutique Consulting firm specialised on merchandise distribution for retail companies, from an opportunity I witnessed with my current company. Having access to the Harvard alumni network is key to making this work as well - both in terms of finding future co-founders and also clients pipeline/network.

Anything else?
- I know my GRE is a tad too low, but would my WE and other aspects of my profile make me a strong applicant still? I think I was fortunate enough to have a strong habit of leadership throughout my life. I have also attended numerous online events, and even an in person MBA event where I connected with a few alumnis.

rachelist:

You have a great profile. Your GMAT, GPA and overall experience level will make you a candidate for HBS. Your extracurricular activities are a one point of weakness.

While I think you can apply for 2023 matriculation, I would hold off until 2024 for two reasons:

(1) You can improve your extracurricular/community leadership during that time.
(2) An additional year of work experience, given how many changes you've made, would really help your standing. You would still be in the sweet spot of 3-5 years of work experience, so you might even be helping yourself.

Is that in line with your thinking? Please let us know so we can be of additional help.

Best,
Admissionado

Velvetlines:

Yes, GRE is a bit low, but it shouldn't be an absolute deal breaker. Even with the short-time left before R1 (assuming you're targeting the first deadline), would you you consider retaking it? You have nothing to lose.

Your age is also likely fine. 30 is a tad bit older but with military experience, that should end up working in your favor.

FYI, online courses won't matter. It's great that you took the initiative, but it won't have any real impact so don't zero in on that during your application.

I would pick a boutique, non-MBB consulting firm (with a known, interesting retail practice) for your short-term goal. That will be much more interesting if you want to stick with consulting.

Your long-term goal is interesting, just make sure it is very developed. People talk about starting consulting/advisory firms all the time and often that can feel like a cop-out, so make sure you are very specific in what that firm is to achieve beyond what you have noted in your post.

We specialize in the top programs - obviously HBS included - so please reach out to us for a FREE consultation if you think we can be of further assistance to you in achieving this long-held dream.

https://admissionado.com/free-consultation/

Hi, rachelist,

Thank you for your post!

First, I would like to congratulate you on backing a stellar 730 in your GMAT. Coming to your overall GPA, again, Kudos on scoring a stellar GPA! Additionally, I would suggest adding brief information about any additional courses, certifications, and academic accolades, and it's sorted for you on the academic front.

Now about your Work experience, you belong to an over-represented industry; hence it's critical for you to work on "Branding your Profile" by highlighting your roles and responsibilities, critical projects, and international experience and back them up with stellar leadership examples and excellence in the field. In addition, for top B-schools like Harvard, the adcom is interested in how well you fared as a Leader working above and beyond your role to make things happen! So, I would suggest prioritizing stellar leadership examples and quantizing your successful projects!

Coming to your ECAs, you need to add some relevant Community service; even some hobbies will do. Bring uniqueness to your ECAs by adding potential ECAs to add diversity and showcase your sense of social justice and social service. For your reference, I suggest you go through our article on Significance of ECAs for MBA Application, you will get some beneficial insights!

Overall, your profile is decent, with relevant post-MBA goals. All you need to do is work on making them Collinear in your MBA essays. Moreover, schools like Harvard can be a stretch for anyone. Hence, I suggest adding some safety schools like CBS, Kellogg, and MIT. Finally, your essays can be your biggest asset; all you need to do is prioritize connecting the dots between school values and your profile. Check out the Harvard MBA essays to write essays that inspire! If you'd like, we are happy to hop on a call with you sometime this week to discuss your profile in length and further chances to HBS and other target MBA programs; feel free to book a free session with us at your convenience.

Essay Writing tips for top 25 B-schools: Write Essays that Inspires!

Cheers!
Neha Hadke
Strategy Manager, MBA and Beyond
Testimonials
Email: neha@mbaandbeyond.com



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Hi, Velvetlines,

Thank you for your post!

First, I would like to say it's so rare to see such a beautifully detailed profile; I guess you are quite good at this! Coming to your GRE, again, a decent score, and I believe the difference of 10-15 points can be easily made up by quoting stellar leadership examples along with adding brief information about any certifications, academic and professional accolades throughout your career!

Now about your Work experience, I would like to say it's great how well you have mentioned your current and past roles & responsibilities. However, it's also important for you to work on "Branding your Profile" by adding stellar leadership examples. Therefore, I would like you to bank upon your experience by elaborating more about your crucial projects assigned, examples of leadership, skill-set developed, and the impact generated during your diverse tenure at schools like Harvard; the adcom is interested in how well you fared as a Leader working above and beyond your role to make things happen! Moreover, since you belong to a military background, I suggest you go through our article on MBA for Defense Veterans, you will get some valuable insights about interlinking crucial experiences in your essays.

Coming to your ECAs, very well done! From serving in the military to founding a startup, your ECAs add diversity to your profile. Additionally, I would suggest elaborating on the challenges faced, the skill-set developed, leadership roles played, and a bit about the overall experience; that should start an interesting conversation between you and AdComs.

Overall, your profile is decent, with relevant short and long-term post-MBA goals. Now, all you need to do is work on drafting stellar examples in your MBA essays. For your reference, I suggest you go through our article on Significance of ECAs for MBA Application, you will get some beneficial insights! Finally, I suggest you prioritize connecting the dots between school values and your profile. Check out the Harvard MBA essays to write essays that inspire! If you'd like, we are happy to hop on a call with you sometime this week to discuss your profile in length and further chances to HBS: free to book a free session with us at your convenience.

Essay Writing tips for top 25 B-schools: Write Essays that Inspires!

Cheers!
Neha Hadke
Strategy Manager, MBA and Beyond
Testimonials
Email: neha@mbaandbeyond.com



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Background and nationality : Indian Male IT (Innovation with ML/AI)
Undergrad Information :Tier 1 Top 10 Indian college, GPA - 3
GMAT: 750 (Q50,V41) AWA6 IR7
Work experience and leadership : Innovation department of a Big IT firm. 3 years, couple of promotions, mentored over 100 students with 40+ innovative projects. Delivered products for healthcare and retail clients. Lead teams of 10+ people. Worked directly with CTOs and Directors.
Community and others : Involved with a few NGOs which work towards eradication of Poverty and illiteracy. Cycling club. Cricket and volleyball teams in college.
Post MBA goals : Tech Management

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