Profile Evaluation Request

Question

Hi,

I'm currently a 22 year old Asian male seeking admission to the top 5 business schools (hopefully HBS) in several years. Here are my qualifications:
-750 GMAT (48Q, 44V, 8 IR, 6.0 AWA) - the computer froze at the end of the math section so I'm confident it could have been a 770 because I always got 51 or 50 on practice tests and I studied engineering in college so they shouldn't doubt my quantitative skills
-3.6 GPA in Electrical Engineering (one of the hardest majors at my school) from Duke
-Worked 1 year as a consultant for a software company but really didn't enjoy the work and am quitting very soon (high starting salary, high turnover at this company)
-Starting a company in Asia with a buddy of mine who recently graduated from Harvard that is one of those SAT Prep/College Consulting gigs (very lucrative in large Asian cities right now)

Our plan is to build this business for 3-5 years and then potentially IPO and sell it, cash out, and come back to the States to attend a top business school. We're pretty confident we'll make the business work and have several hundred thousands in Venture Capital funding already. Because I'm very young right now, I would like advice on how to best position myself for maximum chance at a top business school. I know my career path is a bit non-traditional so I would like advice on how to proceed in these next few years and build a wonderful story.

Thanks!

PsychGuy17 · Answer

I'm not an admissions consultant but you seem set! Good luck

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pate13 · Answer

If your computer froze, you should be able to get a free retake. I would contact GMAC about that.

Education and GPA are top notch, especially with an engineering major. 3.6 is very impressive for that major.

Have you been or will you be promoted before you leave the software company? I would suggest having some sort of promotion before you leave that company.

All that said, your education box has been checked and gold starred. What is left will be your work experience and extracurricular activities. I would suggest getting involved with something in your community that you are passionate about. Something that has an impact outside of just yourself. For example, I am passionate about helping under-resourced communities, so I am involved almost every week with multiple non-profits that tutor and mentor in those types of communities. I know others who are involved in such organizations as Habitat for Humanity and Big Brothers and Big Sisters. All of these types of activities help others and have an impact outside of just yourself. Pick something you are passionate about and get involved with it.

Your work experience is what will be higher risk. When you work for a startup, admissions committees have a harder time judging that work experience. Not that working for a startup is bad, but it is harder to judge. When you are promoted at a more well known company, admissions committees can have more confidence in your abilities because they know how tough it is. That's why I would suggest having some sort of promotion before you leave. Make sure you also have documented your accomplishments at that company.

You said that you have already received several hundreds of thousands in funding, so it sounds like you are off to a great start. If you stay with this startup, I would suggest routinely documenting accomplishments that are numbers based - $400,000 in funding, 500 students registered with an average 20% increased test score, operations in 15 countries, 200% revenue growth in 3 years, etc. Numbers usually have a bigger impression.

You are off to a great start, and it is awesome that you are getting started so early. Good luck with everything.

sophistikate · Answer

I would retest normally but sitting for another 4 hours to retake a 750 is absolutely not worth it in my opinion.

sophistikate · Answer

One thing I would like to ask about:
I'm about to leave my job to go full-time for this start up but I'm not leaving my job on good terms. Will this be a big deal? I feel like by the time I apply in a few years, this job will be such a small part of my story that it won't even matter. Long story short, I felt really disrespected at this company and was treated poorly so I started performing poorly and basically am playing a waiting game (I have to stay 1 year or else I give back my signing bonus).

PsychGuy17 · Answer

I'd say try your best to leave on the best possible terms. Like you said, in a few years when you're applying, it'll be a small portion of what you present. However, every portion is looked at no matter how small. Yes, adcom won't know specific details of why you left, but they could ask you during an interview. I would encourage you to have a sit down with your current supervisor, HR, or whoever is relevant and make it known that you thank them for the experience but are leaving amicably to join an environment you feel better suits you. I once felt disrespected in a job and I wanted to leave but instead I did speak up and handled it maturely, I felt.

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Sent from my iPhone using  GMAT Club Forum mobile app

pate13 · Answer

All else equal, leaving on better terms is more desirable. That said, this could also be apart of the story you tell in your application. You started at a company, but you realized your passions were something else (if that is true; don't lie if this is not the case). Then you dedicated/shifted your career to your startup. It could also be that you realized how much potential there was in the market for your startup, so you did it because of that.

During interviews, you could be asked why you decided to leave that company. You can always spin it (though I would not make up any lies), but parting ways on good, or at least neutral terms would be better.

Did you ever talk with HR, your manager, or whomever you felt disrespected you? If not, you probably should have.

Feel free to PM me if you want.

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