<p>Could a young successful investor (19 years old) apply to a top 30 undergrad business school with his stock portfolio? Lets say this person started investing the moment he turned 18 with $20,000 (from all his summer works etc). By the time, he was 19, he had over $500,000 from all his day trading. (He did not go to college right after his high school graduation). He recently applied for jobs in several I-Banks with his stock portfolios. Some are showing interest in hiring him, even without college degrees (Goldman sachs)</p>
<p>His overall high school career
Pretty decent Prep School - 3.0 GPA (unweighted, took several APs)
SAT - 1800s SAT II - Math I - 660 World History - 640
Pretty good at clarinet, piano (been part of school orchestra)
Semi-professional artist - Could have gotten into RISD or Cooper Union, if he wanted to. </p>
<p>I couldn't believe this kid's stock portfolio, but he showed me his history. It's quiet impressive (maybe even genius? especially during such a bad economy). Would the business school like this kind of stuff?</p>
<p>No and no way he’s getting a job with a firm like Goldman either. They hire overachievers, this is not the profile of one. A little luck in the market does not a career make.</p>
<p>He could get into and pay for a nice business school with that kind of money, though. With his grades he’s not going to Wharton, but maybe NYU is in reach.</p>
<p>“Could have gotten into ______” doesn’t mean anything. Don’t put “Could have become an Olympic Figure Skater if I had started figure skating at age 5 and practiced 7 hours a day” on your application.</p>
<p>No, stock market simulations with stupid penny stocks will not help you get into B school.</p>
<p>These weren’t from penny stocks. He’s been consistently making 1-2% daily with regular stocks (no pink sheets). Goldmansachs itself was pretty impressed. I’m not saying he’ll get in 100% but they are showing interests.
He did apply to RISD, got in with scholorship for half the tuition money (but he didn’t feel like doing art for a career).
Of course, Wharton is impossible but he thinks about trying out for Stern (NYU). Could he get into Stern?</p>
<p>If “he” can make $500k out of $20k in one year, why does “he” want to go to business school?</p>
<p>This is a very silly hypothetical.</p>
<p>His parents wants him to get at least a bachelor’s degree. (Asian parent)
They got really ****ed at him for not going to college for a year.</p>
<p>Makes no sense at all. </p>
<p>I’m pretty sure my parents would prefer to brag about me making $500,000 out of $20,000 rather than ‘Hah! My son has a degree, you ****ers!’ Seriously, just go earn some millions if he really is that genius and donate to a college to make the faculty change to your family name. The parents would hardly be angry about that.</p>
<p>Because otherwise, 3.0 GPA won’t get you a school to brag much about.</p>
<p>What area at Goldman, retail brokerage which will hire anyone because you have no business unless you generate it? Sorry, but Goldman would not touch a day trader at the front office level. </p>
<p>Stern would be very unlikely unless he got consderably higher SATs and maybe some good grades at a CC.</p>
<p>Actually, yes, that stuff would make your application look very impressive. </p>
<p>A 3.0 GPA from a prestigious prep-school can get you into some nice second-tier National Universities, and with his successful year at the stock market at such a young age he should impress a lot of 1st tier Universities. </p>
<p>I’d say he has a good shot at 1st tier school like NYU. </p>
<p>Colleges like to recruit
-Wealthy students who are guaranteed to pay 100% tuition.
-Students with strong extra-curricular activities that demonstrate the potential to be successful in the future and add prestige to the school’s name. </p>
<p>Seriously, you guys are being ■■■■■■■■. </p>
<p>Taking a year of and making $500,000 in such a bad economy is kind of like publishing a well-reviewed theory or being nominated to some kind of science prize. </p>
<p>It’s going to strengthen your application.</p>