HBSGrad
Don't rush the application. And, don't apply if you're not ready. That may not seem like the best advice to give if I'm an application consultant but it's the truth.
The younger attendees of Harvard Business School shared two traits, in my opinion: extreme maturity and crystal clear vision of career path.
If you've got both of those qualities, your chance of admission is better than average. But you need to convey this clearly in your application.
Lastly, I wouldn't say that 'it couldn't hurt to apply anyway'. HBS keeps a record of every applicant. Be certain that a ding one year will hurt you in future years.
HBS Admissions Consultant
Thank you for the advice, re-reading my post I realize I seem a lot more careless about this than I really am. My application to this program will actually be my main focus until it's finished up and submitted. I'll go ahead and share my profile if anyone feels like commenting:
GMAT:
Currently prepping for first test (9/3/11)
Academics:
B.S. Chemical Engineering with a minor in Chemistry from a top 20 U.S. engineering school
GPA - 3.34/4.0 as of now with 1 semester left, strong upward trend (2.3 -> 3.34); 3.7 major GPA
Internships:
1. Process Engineering internship with a large global chemical and pharmaceutical company. Fortune 200
2. Process Engineer in chemicals manufacturing (designed and led $200k+ project to submission to business unit leader)
3. Process Engineer at an oil refinery for the #1/#2 (depending on the year) largest private company in the U.S.
Positions of Responsibility:
1. Founding CFO of the university's entrepreneurship society
2. Vice President of the school's chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers
3. Previously Junior class representative for AIChE
Extra Curricular Stuff:
1. Summer research in metabolic engineering lab
2. 1.5 years in nanomaterials lab
3. Will be working with the "new ventures" group in the Office of Technology Commercialization during the upcoming semester evaluating university technologies for potential start-ups.
Hoping to get strong letters from my supervisor this summer as well as the head of the Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship at my university. I'll be crossing my fingers that my application lines up with what HBS is looking for.