Chances at HBS 2+2? Stanford GSB?

Graduate School Business School - MBA
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<p>College: Stanford
Major: Economics
GPA: 3.69
GMAT: 760 (50Q, 44V), 6.0 AWA</p>

<p>Leadership:
-Founded social enterprise (501c3) that provides 40-hour, 5-week summer academic programs for 550 students at 10 sites in California. 60 employees / volunteers. Raised funds to cover $60,000 budget in '08 and $130,000 budget in '09.
-Member of national Board of Directors of San Francisco based non-profit.
-Organized events raising $15,000 for international development organization.
-Attended expenses-paid leadership conferences in New York, Chicago, DC, Annapolis, San Francisco, Orlando, and New Jersey.</p>

<p>Other projects:
-Intern at U.S. Department of Education
-Consultant to Fortune 500 tech company and The College Board.
-Research assistant at Stanford think tank and Stanford Economics Department.</p>

<p>Upcoming summer: will run my social enterprise full time.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
Leadership:
-Founded social enterprise (501c3) that provides 40-hour, 5-week summer academic programs for 550 students at 10 sites in California. 60 employees / volunteers. Raised funds to cover $60,000 budget in '08 and $130,000 budget in '09.
-Member of national Board of Directors of San Francisco based non-profit.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>By 'Member of national board of directors of SF based non-profit' you mean that you sit on your buddy's 'SF-based non-profit', while he sits on the 'national board of directors of your Palo Alto-based social enterprise'? I am just curious. I am not sure I would call this 'leadership' per se (sounds more like chronysm)...</p>

<p>And what do you mean by '5-week summer academic programs for 550 students'? Programs about what? And who are the students?</p>

<p>Also, who runs your 501c3 full time during the year? Or is it just inactive during the year?</p>

<p>But on a more serious note, your numbers, if true, are in the ballpark. So, both will probably take a look. </p>

<p>A potential 'perceived' weakness, however, might be the lack of a top internship, e.g. McKinsey, a fortune 500 company--or even a bank. Are you interviewing on campus for positions this summer?</p>

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<p>Is 2+2 looking for the "top internship, e.g. McKinsey, a fortune 500 company--or even a bank" -- it seems from profiles I've seen of people accepted, that their experience has been more diverse (and in more industries) than the typical b-school applicant who worked/had internships in i-banking or consulting. Is that not the case?</p>

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<p>
[quote]
Is 2+2 looking for the "top internship, e.g. McKinsey, a fortune 500 company--or even a bank"

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Think of it this way, if you have an internship with, say, McKinsey or Procter & Gamble or Google, you are bound to start your post-college employment there. So, you'll already have a pre-MBA job lined up by the end of your junior year summer, which is a plus in and of itself. Then, also think about the fact that HBS wants candidates that are not too difficult to place at partner organizations (don't forget that your 2 or 3 years of pre-MBA employer must be 'approved' by HBS!), so you won't be a perceived risk in this area. It is far less risky to give the thumbs up to one of these applicants than to someone who has only 'ran his own academic programs for students' for the past few summers. </p>

<p>But without further ado, to answer your question: yes, HBS is looking for those people.</p>

<p>It may not 'only' be looking for those people. 'Those people' simply happen to be the 'superstars' that you keep reading about on this forum. Think about it, to get an internship with McKinsey--which is harder than getting a FT job there--you already need to have top grades, have extensive 'leadership' and extra-curricular involvement, be likable, and prove yourself in rigorous case interviews (and, again, don't forget that HBS runs on the case-method!).</p>

<p>This certainly does not mean that you 'must' or that you 'need' to come from one of these companies; you would be misinterpreting my post if you thought that. It will, however, give you a head-start, which may in turn tilt the balance in your favor when it comes to admissions. For example, HBS' student body is known for being 'McKinsey-heavy'; it also known in the grapevine that HBS wants more Googlers, to solidify relationships with Google, which they have tried to do for a while. It would be hard to turn down a very strong candidate who also happens to have a post-college job secured already (keep in mind that this is 2+2's first year, this is its pilot, something that HBS may realize soon is that hard to place some of the more 'diverse' kids you seem to refer to; this may backfire and affect the way applicants are evaluated this year. You see, HBS has two choices here: either to accept kids who are bound, especially in a recession, to end up in 'less desirable' positions, which will inevitably affect their post-MBA options and HBS CARES about this, or primarily accept candidates that don't pose such a risk. I believe HBS will accept both types, but why not be in the stronger group?). The OP has a strong academic profile, coming from a top organization is likely to strengthen his case. </p>

<p>
[quote]
it seems from profiles I've seen of people accepted, that their experience has been more diverse (and in more industries) than the typical b-school applicant who worked/had internships in i-banking or consulting.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Now tell me, how many 2+2 candidates (i.e. people who have been accepted) do you personally know out of the 90+ kids of the 2013 class (i.e. not people you 'know' from forums such as this one!)?</p>

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<p>Whoa, now, no need to get defensive Wildflower. I know 3 people who were accepted, but that's all, I'm sure you know many more than me. None of them had any traditional business experience, though all of them excelled in many other fields. I agree it's important to have real world experience, I was just under the impression the program was not targeted at students on the typical business track.</p>

<p>From the 2+2 FAQ:

[quote]
Are my job opportunities limited to the recruiting partners that HBS has enlisted?</p>

<p>Not at all. Our partner companies and organizations have indicated interest in providing opportunities for 2+2 admitted students; you are welcome, however, to go outside our list of partners for your two-years of work experience.

[/quote]
</p>

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<p>
[quote]
Whoa, now, no need to get defensive Wildflower.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>No one is being defensive. At least I wasn't. :)</p>

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<p>lucky, I am not sure why you included that quote in your reply post. I am really not sure what you think that quote (out of context) means. It surely does not serve as evidence for your position.</p>

<p>But to provide some context, also from the HBS website (and the link to the FAQ below):</p>

<p>
[quote]
My undergraduate concentration is in a business-related field, and I have had a lot of business exposure. Is 2+2 the right program for me?</p>

<p>The 2+2 Program is primarily targeted towards students who are not already on a business track (i.e. students studying the liberal arts, sciences, engineering, etc.). If your current academic training and internship experiences put you on a solid foundation to advance in a business career, 2+2 may not be the right program for you. We encourage candidates with a strong track record of leadership and business exposure to consider applying as college seniors to our regular MBA Program.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>If you pay attention to the first sentence, you'll realize that they specify in parentheses what it means to be on a business track--it seems to indicate 'studying business'. (And even then, it reads 'primarily' not 'exclusively'.)</p>

<p>
[quote]
My undergraduate concentration is in a business-related field, and I have had a lot of business exposure. Is 2+2 the right program for me? </p>

<p>The 2+2 Program is primarily targeted towards students who are not already on a business track (i.e. students studying the liberal arts, sciences, engineering, etc.). If your current academic training and internship experiences put you on a solid foundation to advance in a business career, 2+2 may not be the right program for you. We encourage candidates with a strong track record of leadership and business exposure to consider applying as college seniors to our regular MBA Program.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>But if you had any doubts... Again, if you pay attention to the language it reads 'current academic training <em>and</em> internship experiences...'. It doesn't say <em>or</em>, it's not an 'either/or' issue--it's a 'both' situation. The OP is not studying business (Economics is not business!), so the internship by itself does not 'disqualify' her. They are looking for 'those people' we discussed above.</p>

<p>
[quote]
Will the 2+2 program guarantee me a job after graduation? </p>

<p>You are responsible for securing your two years of employment; however, the 2+2 Program will provide many resources to assist you. A dedicated HBS career coach will help you navigate your job search, and HBS will introduce you to a wide network of recruiting partners who have expressed interest in receiving resumes from participants in the 2+2 Program.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>And as far as pre-MBA employment goes, HBS does <em>not</em> guarantee you a job; you are responsible for getting one. How do you get a top job? By doing a summer internship in that industry.</p>

<p>FAQ</a> - MBA - Harvard Business School</p>

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<p>Very informative.</p>

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<p>Wildflower,</p>

<p>I am on the Board of the SF organization through a program I applied for, which places a handful of undergraduates on the Board of prominent Bay Area non-profits; none of their team is on my Board. I also collaborate with the Executive Director on some key projects.</p>

<p>My non-profit provides summer academic programs for low-income high school students. We provide the curriculum, program, materials, instructors, etc. During the academic year, we prepare for the summer, which includes everything from building new partnerships to recruiting a teaching team of 6 to raising the funds necessary to cover our 130k budget. The organization is still small enough that we don't have a full time ED yet.</p>

<p>Does that help?</p>

<hr>

<p>Anyone else have thoughts???</p>

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<p>
[quote]
Does that help?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>It does. Thanks. Give it a shot, you have a strong profile. Make sure you polish those essays... </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>that was supposed to say a teaching team of 60...haha</p>

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<p>anyone else?</p>

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<p>After hearing all about her profile I guess I'm SOL! Coming from a huge, public school we have a very different outlook I'd say on getting into the Ivys. I go to UF and it's my dream to attend Harvard for my MBA, but I know that getting access to those internships, jobs, and connections from a good, but not outstanding school will be a struggle. I too saw the 2+2 program as an amazing opportunity, but I'm currently studying business and I know they are really reaching out to non-business students for this program! </p>

<p>I will still be applying and seeing how it goes. I didn't apply anywhere but UF (Florida) for undergrad mainly because here in Florida tuition is 100% covered if you score well on the SAT and have a strong GPA. You can imagine I didn't give a fleeting glance at any school that would cost me more than my meal plan! I honestly don't understand the idea of spending 60 grand a year on undergrad, but hell if you've got the money then spend it! My parents promised to save and now they have enough to pay 100% for me to go to whichever MBA program I choose. So obviously I'm going to go for the biggest bang for my buck!</p>

<p>Here at UF, GPA isn't emphasized much at all. Usually if you have a 3.5 you're fine. We really focus on the leadership and involvement mainly because you can't really change the quality of your education (every business class I'm in is online and consists of 1-2 thousand students), but you can diversify and strengthen your leadership. </p>

<p>I have yet to take the GMAT, I'm getting slightly nervous about it! I have to take it to apply to a really cool program we have here at UF, it's a 10 month Masters of Arts in International Business and can be combined with an undergrad degree so start early. Hopefully having this Masters may assist me with Harvard after all!</p>

<p>Here are my stats thus far, Stanford girl, don't laugh! =)</p>

<p>2nd Year Senior (came in with 2 years done)
Majors: BS in Business Administration - Management & BA in French (Yes, it's BAMF)
Study Abroad: Upcoming summer in Paris, France at the Sorbonne for a 3 month, intensive, immersion program (perhaps also pair with a Yahoo internship in Paris)
Leadership/Involvement:
Sorority, held 2 Chair positions
Business Fraternity, held 3 Chair positions
Student Government Senator (worked with 13.4 million budget)
Peer Leader (teaches first year business students in introductory course)
Peer Leader Mentor (mentors above)
Women's Leadership Council - Dir. of Programming for Women's History Month (we plan an entire month of events with organizations around campus to celebrate)
Associate General Chairman of Programming for Greek Week (week of events to connect all 4 Greek councils together, oversaw every event)
Panhellenic Council, 3 Assistant Dir. positions
Legislative Day, Asst. Dir. (plan a visit to Florida's capital to network and meet UF Alum working there as Reps/Senators/Congressmen)
Homecoming Asst. Dir. (Planned VIP event for 600 people)
Speakers Bureau Admin. Asst. (largest student-run HS Speech & Debate tourney, asst. to the chairman)
Mathematics Bureau Asst. Dir. (HS Math tourney, recruited & registered schools)
Florida Leadership Academy (top 100 Business 2nd years leadership development program)
Greek Conduct Committee (attend hearings for accused chapters and suggest punishments to University)
Business Administration College Council VP (control outflow of money to business student orgs from University & assist with programming for all of college)
Women's Choral </p>

<p>Honors:
Order of Omega Greek Honorary
SAVANT UF Progressive Leadership Honorary (1st to let women & minorities in)
Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Honorary
Delta Epsilon Iota Academic Honorary
National Society of Collegiate Scholars (yeah everyone and their mom is in this one)</p>

<p>Community Service:
Volunteer a week every summer at a church camp for children
Volunteer 2 times a month sometimes more at local elderly home
Have done multiple international mission trips (but all in HS! I plan on looking into some for college though)</p>

<p>Work Experience:
I don't work at all now, I tried part-time before at a church with child-care, but it became too stressful to keep up my activities and academics. I worked for 3 years in child-care at my church in HS.
Also worked at Victoria's Secret for a bit, but it's instilled a hatred of retail.</p>

<p>The companies I would like to work for are Apple, Disney, or Google. Currently Apple is number one and they do offer internships that are nearly impossible to get and they don't recruit anywhere near UF! </p>

<p>so, I'm on my path to Harvard (hopefully), but I could use every bit of advice I can get. my advisers don't know anyone who's actually gone Ivy for MBA, most alums come back to UF since it's solid and affordable. I know where I want to go, but I'm still confused as to how to get there! sorry for the incredibly long post, this is all new to me and I'd appreciate any help you all can offer! =)</p>

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<p>oh! and GPA of 3.55</p>

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<p>I’m trying to figure out my chances for HBS 2+2 program. what are my chances? </p>

<p>Graduate School(MS in Marketing): New York University, GPA:3.89/4.0
Undergraduate School (Bachelor of Architecture): IIT Kharagpur, India, GPA: 7.65/10.00
GMAT: 690</p>

<p>Last 4 summer internships:
Marketing Analyst - Nielsen, New York
Marketing Research Intern - Alberta School of Business, Canada
Marketing Research Intern - ESCP Europe, Paris
Quantitative Analyst Intern - Edinburgh Business School, UK (One journal paper published in Management Accounting Research)</p>

<p>Leadership roles
Current: President of The University Marketing Events Club
Past:College Executive Council Secretary, President of The University Theater Society (that won the championship trophy)</p>

<p>Do I need to do something more in the next few months and apply for the second round of admissions? And, if I do go with this profile, what points can blow off my chances and how can I fight it?</p>