HBS 2+2 Chances

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi everyone,

I’m hoping a few of you can comment on my chances of getting into (or getting an interview for) the HBS 2+2 program. I’m planning to apply in Round 2 of the next academic year (i.e. the round that would close in January 2016).

As it stands, my stats will be as follows at the time of application:

Gender: Male
Place of Birth: Vancouver, Canada
Citizenship: US and Canadian (and therefore will not be an international applicant)
Ethnicity: African-American

Undergraduate Education:

  • Three years of a business program at a large theory-based university in British Columbia; two years of general business; one year as a finance major. I transferred out of this school in 2014 with a GPA of 3.3.
  • In the midst of completing my degree at a case-based school in Ontario, which is arguably the top undergraduate school for business/finance in Canada. GPA of 3.7.
  • the latter is a two-year program, so I will have spent a total of five years completing my undergraduate degree.

GMAT Score: 740 (Verbal-98th Percentile; Quant-76th Percentile)

  • I am hoping that the low quant score will be less of a red flag since my educational background and work experience are highly quantitative. I also have time to rewrite the GMAT, if necessary. I’ve written practice tests as high as 760 (Verbal-98th percentile; Quant-98th percentile) but unfortunately was unable to duplicate this performance on test day.

Work Experience:
2015 - Summer Analyst at the Toronto office of Canada’s largest investment bank (and hopefully I will have earned a full-time offer by the time I apply to 2+2)
2014 - Summer Analyst at a small investment banking firm in Vancouver
2013 - Summer Analyst at a private equity firm in Vancouver

Extracurriculars:

  • plenty of exec positions within finance-related clubs
  • participation in selective extracurricular programs (e.g. mentorship programs, technical skill-building programs)
  • orphanage volunteer experience (in 2011 so somewhat outdated, but still on my resume)
  • lots of sports, but nothing highly competitive after high school

Recommendations:

  • Should be strong. The only issue is that I probably won’t be able to ask my summer employer/supervisor for a recommendation because most investment banks are not particularly supportive of analysts leaving to pursue an MBA.

Comments on my chances are appreciated, as is any advice since I still have 10 months to enhance my application in advance of the deadline.

Thanks!