Shot at Harvard?

Question

1) Brief description of your full-time work experience.

Transfer pricing senior associate at Big Four accounting firm (3 years) - Help companies price the intercompany transfer of tangible goods, services, intangible property (trademarks, patents, know-how) and financial transactions (loans, guarantee fees, factoring)

2) Your GMAT.

750 (Q50, V42)

3) College info: The name of the college, your GPA or grade average, your major, year of graduation. For any graduate degrees, please provide the same info. If you grades are low, please indicate if there were extenuating circumstances.

University of Florida - 3.83 GPA, Joint bachelors and masters degrees in Accounting with a tax concentration (2009 graduation)

4) Significant college and post-college extra-curricular activities or community service, especially leadership experience.

-Organize and captain a competitive adult league soccer team
-Serve as a volunteer coordinator for a massive park expansion project in the Metro Atlanta area
-Served as student adjunct trustee to the Gainesville, Florida City Council's Pension Review Committee
-Served as treasurer for a 110-member college social organization, managing about $500k annually

5) Important certifications like CFA, CPA, FSA, or CA.

CPA in Georgia

6) Your post-MBA goals

I would like to change careers and shift into strategy consulting at a mgmt consulting firm, leveraging off of extensive functional interviews and related consulting services provided as part of my current job

bryantmichaels · Answer

Possibly. A lot of accountants apply to b-school and HBS is no exception. What you have going for you is having graduated from a top program in the nation in accounting (top 10 among publics will be less impressive to an ivy than top ten overall, but it's still a great program), with a great GPA and a stellar GMAT score. These credentials definitely say "HBS material," so you need to focus on the things that are more open to interpretation, such as your vision for your career and what you have achieved thus far in life. HBS is looking for the folks with the X factor in leadership, so to the extent you can demonstrate this in your examples and articulation of your plans and goals, you will be remembered by an adcom who sifts through several thousand applications per year. Your raw credentials should guarantee they will take your appllication seriously; from there it is your job to convince them you should be one of the handful of accountants with good GMATs they should accept.

HBSdetermined · Answer

Bryan my shot at harvard?
Quick profile:
26 year Indian Male
Goal: To open a biopharmaceutical company in India (improving the current status of research and development for medicinal product)- create more jobs for biotechnology graduates in India, affordable medicines for developing countries.
GMAT: 720 (average practice tests) main due in november
Work experience: 3+ yrs
Current Job: Working as an assistant manager (Quality Control) at Dr. Reddy’s laboratory- A biopharmaceutical company in India from past six months.
Prior to this I was working as a scientist (research and development) for 2.5 yrs at Biocon Ltd.-Another biotechnology based company.
Educational background: Post Graduation-Masters of Science (Medical biotechnology) -Distinction holder (78%), Graduation-Bachelors of Science (Biotechnology)- Distinction Holder (81%).
Leadership & Community Experience:
1) Working on innovative methods of statistical analysis for better medicinal product analysis from past two years-but unsuccessful yet, work in progress
2) Student council President -2008-09, Apart from regular student activities conducted a research awareness program -instigated the importance of research in school going class X students, I was sent for leadership training program from college.
3) College Cultural Secretary 2007-08
4) Student Council General Secretary 2006-07
5) School Captain - Class X 2001-02

???

bryantmichaels · Answer

HBS is all about leadership and I like that your profile shows a consistent record of leadership including elected positions. You need to make sure you emphasize the leadership you have achieved in your career which demonstrates an upward trajectory and tendancy to rise to the top. Your core credentials set you up well for a serious look from HBS and the fact your projected goals line up well with your background shows maturity of vision and an intentional approach to your long and short term goals.

HBSdetermined · Answer

Thanks a llot bryan.. that was motivating... i hope i am able to nail that 720 in the mains as well..

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