Undergrad straight to HBS? Profile Evaluation (Long post)

Hi Paul,

First and foremost, thank you for providing honest feedback to MBA aspirants. I've posted my profile at other forums and have received positive replies... OTOH, I've also seen completely ridiculous profiles posted that get nearly identical responses. Your honest opinion is highly appreciated.

This post is a bit long/detailed, so please bear with me.

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I am only applying to HBS and will be applying R2 of this year.

GPA: 3.63 from Tufts University - Originally scheduled to graduate in 2008
Major: Quantitative Economics
Minor: Entrepreneurial Leadership

GMAT: 770

I finished my undergrad requirements by the end of my sophomore year and decided to take classes at Fletcher (a big name in IR... not known so-much outside of the IR-field) for fun. I took a class with the Academic Dean, who took a liking to me and subsequently got me admitted to a dual-degree program with the school.

Therefore, I will now be doing a BA-MALD (Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy) joint degree, scheduled to complete in 2009. I want to add an MBA to this mix to do a BA-MALD-MBA by 2010.

My concentrations at Fletcher are International Business Relations and International Business Law. I want to pursue an entrepreneurial social enterprise set up in developing Asia. I believe that an MBA will help me in this goal.

Although I have no full time work experience, I have held a number of internships and other leadership positions throughout college.

1. 2 Months; Investment Banking Summer Associate - Mongolia International Capital Corporation

Led a team of 4 Analysts in two different projects. Worked with major international investors (ADB, EBRD, CIBC, etc). Tangible results.


2. 9 Months; Consulting Intern - Global Insight (formerly DRI-WEFA - an economic consulting company and a big name in economics)

Mostly drone work. Looks okay on the resume, but I don't plan on going into detail in the essays.


3. 3 Months; Summer Research Associate - GlobalTech Research

Uninteresting job at a small start-up firm.


4. 2 years; Committee Leader - Junior Achievement

Organized and personally participated in Junior Achievement - a community service tutoring service. I was Committee Leader of the organization through Tufts Economics Society. Set up volunteers with schools, organized the program and curriculum, kept track of program process throughout the semester.


5. 1 year; Treasurer - Tufts Economics Society

Not going to go into detail....


6. Mongolian Orphanage (not the official name...)
Volunteered to tutor 25 kids at a Mongolian orphanage on the weekends while I was doing my internship in Mongolia. Donated about $75 worth of school supplies for the kids. In addition, I arranged a trip for the kids to the "countryside" (a real luxury in Mongolia). Arranging the trip involved many complexities, which I think will detail my leadership. I cooperated on this community service with a friend.


7. Mongolian Childrens Shelter (again, not the official name...)
The Childrens Shelter houses street-children; street children are different from orphan children because orphanages are a LOT nicer. The street-children shelter was basically a detention center where they house the kids temporarily, while authorities search for the street-childrens' parents. Most street-children end up running away and making a living selling gum, mints, tissue packets, etc. on the streets.

There was a news article in the Mongolian National Newspaper that illegal Chinese immigrants were kidnapping these street-children, dissecting them, and selling their organs. This what I will write about in my "culture shock" essay for HBS. The news article prompted my friend and I to visit the shelter.

We later founded a non-profit organization called Junior Investments (inspired by my experience w/ Junior Achievement and a play on the term "Micro-Finance"), which used a micro-finance approach to financially aiding these children. While initially successful, the program was eventually shut down by the police (we were not "officially" incorporated). Following the shut-down, we applied for a $10,000 grant from the Ford Foundation to aide in incorporation and other expenses. While our Letter of Inquiry got past the "screening process", they eventually decided that our project was not viable. Nevertheless, I think this experience demonstrates my initiative (as well as my need for an MBA).



Lastly, I have excellent recommendations from 2 Fletcher professors and 1 okay recommendation from the MICC Managing Director.

Sorry for the long post, and thanks for any advice you can provide!

Best,