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emmanuelle8
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The Motivation Thread! Humans in HSW! 05 Sep 2012, 07:47
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Hi all!

I've been back-reading the forums as the deadlines for HSW are looming, and I'm suddenly feeling demotivated with my apps!! Seeing all the "Sharks" who got in in previous years -- i.e. super gmats/gpas/cured cancer/pe/vc/ib/ivy league.. I wonder how I can stand a chance. :(

Think I have decent stats (except my DECLININGGGG 3.5 GPA). Very happy family life, no sob stories to share... Well, anyway, the point is... DO YOU GUYS KNOW ACTUAL NOOOOORMAL PEOPLE WHO GET IN HSW? :) Silly I know, but just to keep things light :)

Cheers guys, hope to see you all (in person) next fall! :)
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cheetarah1980
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The Motivation Thread! Humans in HSW! 05 Sep 2012, 22:43
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I'm quite normal. I got into Wharton last year. Trust me, when you meet people who get into H/S/W the majority of them are just as human as you and are just as amazed by all the "sharks."
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mrsjonstewart
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The Motivation Thread! Humans in HSW! 06 Sep 2012, 12:04
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This is definitely a funny process...day to day my mood changes violently. Some days I feel like I can hang with top B-school crowd (I'm smart! I've done some awesome-ish things!) and other days I feel like the adcoms are going to LAUGH at my application...and possibly call me to personally laugh at me, so they know I hear it.

Who knows what will happen, but this has definitely been a great learning experience and a good opportunity to do some self-reflection. I'm just going to give it my best and hope the adcoms see a fit.

And now if you'll excuse me, I need to go work on my cancer cure...
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bryk
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The Motivation Thread! Humans in HSW! 07 Sep 2012, 08:07
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I consider myself an average person and am honestly still shocked I got in. I got into Harvard's 2+2 program. 3.76 GPA, 710 GMAT. Not overly involved in school but helped start an engineering club and have been elected president at my fraternity and that engineering club.

I did have a very clear career goal/passion and everything I have done in college/internships back up this passion. Basically, I have a clear story.

The application process sucks. Everytime you feel demotivated, think about the reward. You have already put all this work into the application, why would you half-ass it now?
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emmanuelle8
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The Motivation Thread! Humans in HSW! 07 Sep 2012, 16:35
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mrsjonstewart: I know i can so relate! i thikn about this procsss almost 24hours. sometimes i think what i wrote in my essays is TOO authentic. like for my failure hbs essay, i sometimes think they might laugh out loud :S ugh

bryk: congrats :) happy for you!!! :D hope i meet you in HBS sometime :P
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stressedanalyst
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The Motivation Thread! Humans in HSW! 08 Sep 2012, 20:32
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haha i think everyone except maybe the top .00001% with practically guaranteed admission goes through self-doubt. I have an ivy league degree, 750+ GMAT, a 3.8+ GPA, worked in private equity for 2 years. im applying to HSW this year and expect to get dinged :( . you're always competing with better and brighter individuals. i graduated from ivy league but not from harvard/princeton/yale. I worked in PE but not at blackstone/kkr/tpg. I have a high GPA but wasnt summa cum laude. I have very limited extracurricular activities and I'm not a board member, nor have I started any businesses...etc.

Point is no matter how accomplished you are, the process make will make you insecure... :(
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The Motivation Thread! Humans in HSW! 09 Sep 2012, 20:49
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stressedanalyst
haha i think everyone except maybe the top .00001% with practically guaranteed admission goes through self-doubt. I have an ivy league degree, 750+ GMAT, a 3.8+ GPA, worked in private equity for 2 years. im applying to HSW this year and expect to get dinged :( . you're always competing with better and brighter individuals. i graduated from ivy league but not from harvard/princeton/yale. I worked in PE but not at blackstone/kkr/tpg. I have a high GPA but wasnt summa cum laude. I have very limited extracurricular activities and I'm not a board member, nor have I started any businesses...etc.

Point is no matter how accomplished you are, the process make will make you insecure... :(
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I understand nothing is certain until you get the acceptance but with your profile you will probably get you into a HSW on pedigree alone (assuming you dont completely bomb your apps or are a criminal). You have the combination of stuff most people dont have...super high GMAT and GPA, Ivy degree and PE work experience. Even if you went to a lower Ivy, its still a prestigious institution. This is coming from someone who feels like an outsider to the elite business schools. I didn't go to an Ivy, work in PE/VC/IB or consulting. I don't have stellar grades either.
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The Motivation Thread! Humans in HSW! 10 Sep 2012, 22:12
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RoyHalladay
stressedanalyst
haha i think everyone except maybe the top .00001% with practically guaranteed admission goes through self-doubt. I have an ivy league degree, 750+ GMAT, a 3.8+ GPA, worked in private equity for 2 years. im applying to HSW this year and expect to get dinged :( . you're always competing with better and brighter individuals. i graduated from ivy league but not from harvard/princeton/yale. I worked in PE but not at blackstone/kkr/tpg. I have a high GPA but wasnt summa cum laude. I have very limited extracurricular activities and I'm not a board member, nor have I started any businesses...etc.

Point is no matter how accomplished you are, the process make will make you insecure... :(

I understand nothing is certain until you get the acceptance but with your profile you will probably get you into a HSW on pedigree alone (assuming you dont completely bomb your apps or are a criminal). You have the combination of stuff most people dont have...super high GMAT and GPA, Ivy degree and PE work experience. Even if you went to a lower Ivy, its still a prestigious institution. This is coming from someone who feels like an outsider to the elite business schools. I didn't go to an Ivy, work in PE/VC/IB or consulting. I don't have stellar grades either.
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i slightly disagree with the above that pe + high gmat + high gpa is a lock. First of all, a lot of people with pe experience do have ib experience since it's often required, and those kids usually have a high gpa and are from an ivy (since those are the traditional paths). It's not as impressive OMG this person has IB AND PE AND IVY because those often come as a package deal (most would argue its more impressive with PE with non-IVY or non-IBD background). So those candidates with good gmat + good experience STILL need to differentiate themselves and often might have more difficult time showing how they are unique compared to someone who started his own business or worked in a niche industry...
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niksworth
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The Motivation Thread! Humans in HSW! 24 Sep 2012, 04:20
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cheetarah1980
I'm quite normal. I got into Wharton last year. Trust me, when you meet people who get into H/S/W the majority of them are just as human as you and are just as amazed by all the "sharks."
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Well you got into 3 of the 4 great schools that you applied to AND got a full ride at Booth. I wouldn't quite call that 'normal'. 'Supernormal' would fit better!