Harvard Profile Evaluation - Tools for B-School Profile Evaluation

Hi Everyone

I am a final year student majoring in finance and investment analysis at the College of Business Studies (SSCBS), University of Delhi, India (Ranked #1 undergraduate management school in India)
I am keen at applying to the M7 schools for their deferred MBA programs (Target -> Wharton Advanced Access, Booth Scholars, HBS 2+2, Columbia, MIT)
I'd love to understand your review of my profile and what other activities I should pursue in the next few months before the deadlines in April 2021.

GPA: 9.46/10 (Institute Rank 3)
Summer Abroad: London School of Economics and Political Science (Alternative Investments): A-
Other Certifications: Financial Modelling and Algorithm Trading (Bombay Stock Exchange)
GMAT: Taking in Nov'20 (Hoping for a 750+)

Incoming FT: DE Shaw Group: Financial Research Associate

Internships:
1) Julius Baer India: Investment Advisory -> Developed a statistical framework to generate investment recommendations for the mutual fund market in India. Research under review for publication. Reported to the director and was the only undergraduate intern in the division. Interned for 4 months.
2) Indian Angel Network: Research Intern: Deal Evaluation --> Screened investment opportunities; provided sectoral research and analysis; worked with a portfolio startup working in the healthcare space w.r.t COVID 19 on their fundraising
3) Startup: Co-founder - RHVentures --> Early-stage pro-bono startup advisory integrated with a network of investors. Worked with 8 early-stage ventures across EduTech, FinTech, IoT, etc.

Extra-curriculars:
1) Global Top 20/4500 (#1 in India): CBS Global Case Competition - Copenhagen Business School (Largest student-run case competition in the world)
2) Global Finalist (Top 10): International Valuation Olympiad 2019 - Greensea Capital, London
3) Holt Partner - Credit Suisse Holt Valuation Challenge - Credit Suisse
4) Winner - Strategy and Finance Case Competition by Bain and Company
5) Global Winner - Lufthansa Impact Week 2018 {Social Entrepreneurship Pitching Competition}
6) 15+ podium finishes and wins across quizzes, case competitions, valuation challenges, and stock simulations across Delhi University

Undergraduate Research Experience: I have some preliminary undergraduate research experience across corporate governance, quant trading strategies, and financial derivatives. Independent projects across M&A, hedge fund trading strategies, corporate bankruptcy, and equity valuation.

Positions of Responsibility:
President: Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization, University of Delhi
1) Largest student entrepreneurship network in the world (250+ universities, 16,500 startups supported)
2) Managed a monthly newsletter focussing on decoding deals in the PE/VC ecosystem; co-founded the consulting unit of the organization; founded and ran a chapter startup in the product as a service space.

I'd love to hear your feedback on my profile and what my chances look like at the above-stated schools and what other activities I should consider pursuing over the next few months to further enhance my chances.

Thank you!

Hey there,

First of all--I'm blown away by what an impressive profile you have! Congratulations on all you've accomplished! The good news is that it's clear you're going to be super successful no matter what you do. The somewhat less good news is that the 2+2 program is notoriously difficult to get into, and part of it's aim is to attract candidates with diverse academic backgrounds to the program. (This is why typically you see more admits with STEM backgrounds or even humanities than econ and business.) The key to success for you will be to position yourself as not a typical finance student--it sounds like some of the more entrepreneurial endeavors you've been involved in could make for interesting stories, and if you're interested in pursuing something similar immediately after graduating from undergrad it could be a good reason to gain acceptance to a program now.

I'd also encourage you to check out the Silver Scholars program at Yale and similar ones at Wharton, Stanford, and Booth if you haven't already. Good luck!

Hi Vandana8695,

Your profile sounds great. A great GPA and if you meet your GMAT target, this part is very-well sorted. Your work-ex, on the surface, looks pretty good with Google's name and a year-long internship in your resume. You have not given the details of your leadership roles and impact but I am assuming you must possess some great ones. So, overall, you have a good profile but Harvard can be a stretch. You should consider some safe deferred programs as well according to your profile. If you'd like, we are happy to discuss your profile at length and guide you better for Harvard and other good schools as well. Feel free to book a free session with us as per your convenience.

Cheers!
Kashish Garg,
Community Manager, MBA and Beyond

On behalf of,
Shantanu Sharma,
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond
Email: shantanu@mbaandbeyond.com
Linkedin

With more than 8 years of experience spanning across entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship, Shantanu has worked across the globe as a Procurement Manager, Product Manager (Marketing, Operations, Payments and Risk/ Fraud), Growth Consultant, eventually unraveling his love for helping candidates with their MBA application as a Coach. During his own application journey, he found the paucity of two things in the industry: TIME and PERSONAL CONNECTION both of which are very important between a consultant and an applicant to get a stellar application and so, Shantanu started coaching applicants, with his team, right after he graduated from INSEAD in 2017. Have a look at the unique process he follows to lead the unconventional candidates getting into their dream schools

Hi isawzaki,

Your profile looks great and quite diverse (for your work-ex). Your stats (GMAT is super good) and academic performance are quite good. Your work-ex is what makes you different and interesting. Your experience as a lawyer is great with several functions in your hand including community involvement. In the police department, you are already holding a major rank with great leadership experience. I believe you can definitely present a strong narrative of your work-ex.

Your ECs are pretty great and very interesting. I can see a passion for hockey in you and you can connect the narrative of this to leading the hockey club or any other sports club in Harvard or any other school. Your short-term post-MBA goal makes sense to me but I would ask you to be more clear of the industry you are thinking for your long-term and reasonably connecting it to your past career. Overall, you have a good shot at all the other schools you mentioned and a fair one at Harvard (you should classify them as to reach, target and safety schools). If you'd like, we are happy to discuss your profile at length and guide you better for Harvard and other good schools as well. Feel free to book a free session with us as per your convenience.

Cheers!
Kashish Garg,
Community Manager, MBA and Beyond

On behalf of,
Shantanu Sharma,
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond
Email: shantanu@mbaandbeyond.com
Linkedin

With more than 8 years of experience spanning across entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship, Shantanu has worked across the globe as a Procurement Manager, Product Manager (Marketing, Operations, Payments and Risk/ Fraud), Growth Consultant, eventually unraveling his love for helping candidates with their MBA application as a Coach. During his own application journey, he found the paucity of two things in the industry: TIME and PERSONAL CONNECTION both of which are very important between a consultant and an applicant to get a stellar application and so, Shantanu started coaching applicants, with his team, right after he graduated from INSEAD in 2017. Have a look at the unique process he follows to lead the unconventional candidates getting into their dream schools

Hi

Thank you so much for your review. I agree with you that STEM candidates have a greater chance of acceptance for deferred programs and I absolutely appreciate your suggestion about bringing my entrepreneurial endeavours to the forefront. I wanted to clarify one doubt though. The Yale Silver Scholar program from what I understand is a 3-year program beginning immediately after graduation. It seems like a great opportunity but I wanted to understand about post MBA career options. Being an international student with no work experience, does it make sense to go for this program?

Thank you!

10th i scored 80%, in 12th i scored 64% and in graduation i scored 64%. I have started my own NGO(registration under process) to end drug pandemic. I am planning to give GMAT and currently in mocks i am scoring 730 will that be enough or do i have to gain more score in GMAT?

Hey All...
GMAT 750, Q49, 7.5 yr exp as BA till date (leadership and team management). B.Tech (CS- 65% UPTU) with a gap of 2 yr (medical issues). Age: 30

Hi,

So glad to get a chance for a profile evaluation.

Hey
Nikhil here, a final year BBA student from India studying at Symbiosis International university. I have specializations in International Business and Environment Management. it's a unique combination for India, so does that give me an edge somewhere?
I have had 2-3 leadership roles in my internships -
1) team leader of 60+ students for a NGO Internship (Spherule Foundation). formulating and carrying out an entrepreneurship curriculum for the local government schools within 60 days. Along that, headed a other impromptu plans of the NGO, by networking and leading the talks with various CSR performing organizations.
2) 2 internships in Urban management , ideation department.

Linked Organizations and Trainings-

I am a founder member of a social entrepreneurship startup (EQUOL).
I am a founder member of a collective organization named Placemaking India.
I have attended many trainings of urban development and planning.
i have substantial certificates in sports , and have represented my state in 2 sports. Captained the School and College teams.
One of my internships was with the Tata steel Rural Development Society, the CSR wing of Tata Steel.

Academic Progress-
I have 2 research papers nearing the end - one is case study of the controversies of Maruti Suzuki collaborative in India and their impacts on FDI
Second is on the status of NBFC sector in India.
I also have keen interest in geopolitics and follow it closely.


i am aiming at a Gmat 740 in 10 days or so.
so how are my chances for the HBS 2+2 ? and what can add more value to my cv and increase my chances.
also Target -> Wharton Advanced Access, Booth Scholars, HBS 2+2, Columbia, MIT)
I'd love to understand your review of my profile and what other activities I should pursue in the next few months before the deadlines in April 2021.

Thank you in advance for reviewing this.

I am currently working as an Actuary (Risk and Insurance), planning to apply for HBS in 2 years by when I will have a pay of $140k and 5 years of experience. I will also be credentialed to be an FSA (the highest credential as an Actuary). Before starting as an Actuary, I worked for the Government of India as an Inspector for 3 years after which I got my Masters in Actuarial Science.

I have no qualms that I will get a GMAT of 740-760. I have a GPA of 4 in my Masters.

What are my chances of getting in? How can HBS MBA better my career in pay and leadership?

Pooja

Background: 39 Male, Indian, Transitioning out of uniform (Merchant Marines)

Work ex: 8 years at sea + 3 years of running a start up

UG:(BA in Management) Pursued through a distance learning program while I was sailing (not sure what the GPA conversion is). Other technical qualifications held but not equivalent to graduation.

No GRE yet but aiming for V165 Q160

Community work: Former fellow of AIPC (All India Professionals Congress), Coached neighborhood youths in boxing

Extra curricular: Lifelong martial artist, writer (contributed to many online publications), podcaster, various awards for writing, sports and debating in high school (including state/national level).

Post MBA goals: Move from operational roles crude oil transportation to strategic roles in the broader energy market (Preferably as a Risk Manager in the Oil/Natural gas sector)

Other info: Proven track record of leadership both on and off the job. Gold medal awarded for same by Naval Academy. Multicultural background, have studied, lived and worked internationally. Former refugee (First gulf war).

Target schools: Wharton, Duke, Booth, Stanford, Tepper, Rice, Ross

(Thanks in advance)

Hi divya0006,

Your GMAT is quite strong. To get an evaluation, you need to share more details, like your undergrad college and GPA, details of your work experience, ECs if any, hobbies you pursue and any other material info. You may provide the details on the dedicated forum for evaluations or mail ur CV, GMAT score, schools you are targeting, any major community service/hobbies you are involved in at shantanu@mbaandbeyond.com.
If you want to discuss your profile at length, feel free to book a free session with us as per your convenience.

Cheers!
Kashish Garg,
Community Manager, MBA and Beyond

On behalf of,
Shantanu Sharma,
Founder and Admissions Consultant, MBA and Beyond
Success stories and Real essays
Email: shantanu@mbaandbeyond.com
Linkedin

Hello TahiraNaseem,

What you wrote sounds good, but without a GMAT score or knowing what you actually accomplished at the NGO or the Telecom company it's really hard to say. When you get your GMAT, you may want to take the MBA Admissions Calculator Quiz for a self-assessment.

You have a competitive profile for HBS. At the same time, I think you are smart to apply to the other programs also. You may want to add Yale or Ross to your list, but you have chosen programs well.

Best,
Linda

Wharton, Booth, Stanford, and HBS are stretches (I'm assuming your GRE ends up where you anticipate) You are more competitive at the other programs. Also consider UT Austin McCombs.

Best,
Linda

[Wharton, Booth, Stanford, and HBS are stretches (I'm assuming your GRE ends up where you anticipate) You are more competitive at the other programs. Also consider UT Austin McCombs.

Best,
Linda[/quote]

Appreciate the insight Linda I'll add McCombs to my primary list, thank you!

I'll give this a go. Applying in Round 2.

Age: 27
Nationality: American
Identity: White Transgender
Undergraduate education: University of Maryland GC
Undergraduate Degree: East Asian Studies
GMAT Score – 740 (Q 49, V 42, IR 8, AWA 5)

Work experience:
Currently working for a top defense contractor in Maryland since Feb 2019. I am the senior analyst of an 11-person team, and I oversee all US Army counterintelligence (CI) operations west of Chicago. I have been promoted and given raises twice. I was selected to lead the first on-site integration of our team directly with our customer and input real-time CI consult during an international conference, and also delivered a brief to 450+ attendees at a national defense conference.

Prior to my current position, I was enlisted Air Force. I was a Chinese linguist, learned the language at the Defense Language Institute, and worked primarily in Hawaii. I was promoted several times and attained a Mission Manager position where I oversaw a 50+ member team, leading operations support, training, feedback, and service-mission integration efforts.

Successes:
Reporting delivered during Presidential brief
Reporting directly to the SecDef
Coined by my commander
Honor graduate of basic military training and my Chinese course
Maintained Deans list every semester/magna cum laude
Letter of rec written by my current supervisor; received monetary bonus
Selected for Taiwan immersion course at Tamkang University during Chinese course

Recs include a retired Chief Warrant 5 who I work for now, who honestly will write me a glowing recommendation. The other is my previous supervisor from my enlisted stint, who I can confidently say will write the same type of rec.

Extra-curricular activities:
I have several real estate investments and manage a few properties in my off-time.
I am a drag performer across the Baltimore-DC area and have performed at notable venues.
I have coached high school wrestling in three different states.
I completed a Make A Wish business internship in Hawaii, managing 250+ volunteers and aiding two wishes.
I was selected for the National Air Force wrestling team and competed at the 2017 Armed Forces Wrestling competition.

Post-MBA Career Goals:
In the short term, I want to work in either strategic or government consulting. Based on my professional experience, this seems like both a natural progression and a career change.
Long term goals vary across two paths; I either want to continue rising in the consulting world/create a consulting firm among my network, or I want to increase my East Asian studies, utilize that knowledge and an MBA and perform in an ambassador/embassy role. (I don't usually include that in my apps)

I was admitted to Georgetown last year and ultimately deferred.
Round 1 applications only include USC, where I have already interviewed.
Round 2 apps include HBS, Yale, Booth, LBS, and UCLA.

Very interested in your thoughts as your perspective is much, much greater than mine in terms of competition. Thank you for your time!