Prospective 2+2 Candidate Evaluation Request

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Hi everyone!

I've been browsing the site occasionally for the past few months and I'm excited to make my first post today. As the new year approaches, the more I think about the up and coming application process for the competitive HBS 2+2 Program. With that said, I'd appreciate some insight and opinion on my candidacy.

I am currently a junior studying both Finance and Accounting at one of the SUNY (State University of New York) institutions. The business program here ranks among the top 15 for all public schools and among the top 35 for all undergraduate business programs. Currently, my cumulative GPA stands at 3.97 and my major GPA stands at 4.0. On campus, I involve myself in various organizations and hold various leadership positions:
- Senior Vice President of my business fraternity
- Dean's Student Advisory Board
- Teaching Assistant for Financial Accounting
- Teaching Assistant for Musical Theatre
- Founder/President of the Dean's Mentorship Program

As for work experience, this past summer I had the opportunity to intern at Goldman Sachs within their Finance division and was invited back for this upcoming summer but I'm in the process of seeking a sales & trading internship. This upcoming winter I will be working for an alumni from my school in his private equity firm. Fortunately, he is also a HBS alum so I plan on soliciting a recommendation from him. Next spring, I will be, from my school, interning for UBS in an equity research role.

Unfortunately, I have not yet taken a practice GMAT score so I have nothing to really gauge what I will be getting but I had a 1400/1600 SAT score and my target GMAT score is 730+ but not sure how realistic that is. I will be studying for the GMAT starting this winter and will be taking an online preparation course.

I feel the fact that I'm such a "traditional" MBA candidate will hurt my candidacy for the 2+2 program since they will probably just consider I apply regularly. The two year deferral and guaranteed admission as I leave college is what I'm really looking for since I believe it will give my two years of work much more meaning.

The application requests two LORs but currently, there are three possible people I can ask:
- My manager from GS
- My manager from the Private Equity internship. He already knows me well but will have the opportunity to really get to know me this winter. He is an alumni from both my undergraduate institution and from HBS.
- the Dean of my business school

If I'm not allowed to submit a recommendation from all three, which two would you suggest I really focus on?

I'd appreciate everyone's insight into how I stand and what I can do to help me stand out in this diverse pool of well qualified students.

Thanks in advance!
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by humblebee » Sun Dec 12, 2010 4:28 pm
The way to standout is to just focus on the leadership experiences where you have had a significant impact.

- Senior Vice President of my business fraternity <--- sounds like a title, did you do anything? Besides telling people what to do?
- Dean's Student Advisory Board <--- did you do anything but give advice?
- Teaching Assistant for Financial Accounting <--- did you just assist or did you do something above and beyond?
- Teaching Assistant for Musical Theatre <--- did you just assist or did you do something above and beyond?
- Founder/President of the Dean's Mentorship Program <----this sounds like a gem. You founded something so had to actually do something.

I was the advisory board member for a student consulting group. But where I stood apart from the other advisors was I actually stepped up and got my hands dirty, lead an engagement for a very large charity, structuring the problem solving process, managing and advising the client, as well as training the students in the use of consulting tools. All the other advisors just 'advised'.

As for LORs - look at the questions they have to answer and think of who can write the best anecdotes for you. It's as simple as that.

As for the how you stand question - i have absolutely no idea. You seem academically strong and you have some solid extra-extracurriculars. Where you might take a hit is the reputation of your university. I don't know how snobby HBS is with regards to how it views certain uni's.

Just apply and see what happens.
wannabe business school consultant