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Harvard, Stanford, Whatron... is it a pipe dream?

Figure out where you wish to apply
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Harvard, Stanford, Whatron... is it a pipe dream?

by mindcrime990 » Mon May 28, 2012 4:27 pm
Hello everyone,

I have been doing quite a bit of research on B-schools and of course the top three schools are a dream of mine, and I'm sure most people's, to get into. However my parents are not in politics, wealthy, nor do I work for a top consulting firm or agency. Compared to those types of individuals I would be more average. I have read that it is difficult for the average Joe to be accepted into these schools.

About me:
-23 years old
-5 years of outside sales experience
-Youngest outside sales representative to-date at my company as well as the youngest to receive our "Rookie of the Year" award
-Multiple sales and performance awards
-GPA is 3.8
-Went to IU (Indiana University)worked full-time and went to school part-time
-Degree is in communications

If I meet the written criteria of admissions for these schools i.e. prerequisites, study my you-know-what off, get a very good GMAT score, and write good essays will I have a good shot at getting acepted?

I am prepared to devote the next year to preparing for the application process by studying for the GMAT and perfecting my score, writing good essays, and taking the rest of my prerequisites if I have any left.


What are your thoughts?
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by sieken » Tue May 29, 2012 6:32 am
My first question is "why". "Because it's a dream of mine" will never get you into those schools, or any top school for that matter. Your GPA is good but your major is light in quant so you won't know your full options until you take the GMAT. What do you want to do post-MBA? You have to have a compelling application on top of good scores to have a chance. Having a clear idea of where you are today and where you want to be when you graduate will help immensely.
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by mindcrime990 » Tue May 29, 2012 4:10 pm
To answer the why, of course being a goal is really the reality to most people. Having a degree from the top 3 B-schools will open doors to anyone. However, my personal goals are to achieve this degree so that I may pursue international opportunities. The top schools are the most well-known and therefore will allow me to be more competitive in my career goals. I also agree that my major is light in quant. However, I have no problem devoting an imense amount of time to fixing this issue and getting a very competitive GMAT score. Today I am a young successful sales manager for a medium-sized firm in the automotive industry. In the future, I want to be involved in a large international firm.
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by sieken » Wed May 30, 2012 6:22 am
Top schools look for a symbiotic relationship with the students. You must be able to add something to the school, be of value to the school aside from just another tuition stream, especially with schools who see 3,000+ applicants for 200 slots. This manifests itself in many ways: you could be in the 99th percentile of academic stats and therefore add a sharp intellect to classroom discussions. You could have worked in the whitehouse in foreign affairs and bring a unique perspective to the class. You could be an entrepreneur in new tech, so case discussions are deeper because of it. Most business schools only accept applicants with 4+ years of experience post undergrad for these reasons, many younger applicants just don't have the experience to add anything of real value to the classroom, and if the main reason you want to go to those schools is because of what the school can do for you and not the other way around, you will not get in. You have to look at yourself from their perspective and in light of the pool of other applicants. In H/S/W, you'll be competing with consultants from Bain and McKinsey, successful entrepreneurs, and people who have other advanced degrees from the top institutions in the world. At 23 with limited sales experience you'll be fighting an up hill battle. Right now you will be attractive to the less competitive schools, like major state universities, and you won't be attractive to the top schools until you become a unique applicant. My personal advice is to take a few years and progress your career and try again at 26.
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