Evaluate me please! (Thank you in advance)

[BeatTheQwerty]

Just graduated from an HYP undergrad with a 3.9 GPA in a non-technical, non-science, non-mathematics, non-econ major. I did take a corporate finance course in senior year of undergrad and received a solid A (don't know if B-schools will care at all).

I expect a GMAT score of over 700, given how I have been doing in my preparation. I plan to take the GMAT within the next month, before I start work.

Will be working at big-3 consulting firm (Bain, BCG, McKinsey) in a big city office for minimum 2 years.

Do not have any undergraduate extracurriculars except editorial board of a semi-annual publication.

I am male and not an under-represented minority. English is my first language and I speak French conversationally.

I really only want to go to business school if the school is Stanford or HBS. I know those goals are lofty, but that is where my heart is.

Questions for you:
1. What can I do in the near future in order to make myself the best possible candidate for HBS/Stanford after my 2-year consulting analyst program?

2. If I am a run-of-the-mill, does-a-good-job analyst and if I score 700+ on the GMAT, how good are my chances at Stanford and HBS? Must I be an INCREDIBLE analyst for these schools (e.g., top 1 or 2 in office)? Must I score 750+?

3. Will it matter to these schools whether I score 700 flat or 750? I have heard that for people with my background GMAT scores provide startlingly diminishing marginal returns after the 700 mark. If I score 700 flat (I believe I have the capacity to score 750+), should I retake the test? At what cut-off score should I not retake it?

4. How much will my lack of extracurriculars in undergrad hurt me?

5. How much will anything I did in undergrad matter, given where I will be working for the next 2 years?

6. Do I make myself a better HBS/Stanford candidate by staying in the workforce for another 2-4 years after my 2 year analyst program?

Sorry, lots of questions, lots of unknowns! I will take whatever you can give me!

Thank you!

[Stacy Blackman]

These are good questions and hopefully useful for others. Answers below:

1. What can I do in the near future in order to make myself the best possible candidate for HBS/Stanford after my 2-year consulting analyst program?
Focus on leadership in and out of work. Go the extra mile in your job, head up some programs, reinvent processes, take initiative and make a difference.
Become involved with something meaningful outside of work and make an impact, try to take on a leadership position in whatever activtity you choose. Quality is more important than quantity here.

2. If I am a run-of-the-mill, does-a-good-job analyst and if I score 700+ on the GMAT, how good are my chances at Stanford and HBS? Must I be an INCREDIBLE analyst for these schools (e.g., top 1 or 2 in office)? Must I score 750+?

You do not need to score a 750. But you cannot be run of the mill. Run of the mill does not get into HBS and Stanford. There are plenty of McKinsey consultants applying. If you want to beat out your peers, you must stand out.

3. Will it matter to these schools whether I score 700 flat or 750? I have heard that for people with my background GMAT scores provide startlingly diminishing marginal returns after the 700 mark. If I score 700 flat (I believe I have the capacity to score 750+), should I retake the test? At what cut-off score should I not retake it?

750 is obviously better than 700, but I agree about the diminishing returns. Not a huge difference. Your efforts would be better focused elsewhere.

4. How much will my lack of extracurriculars in undergrad hurt me?

You can play up what you did do, and become involved with something now. It is not ideal, but it will not kill you.

5. How much will anything I did in undergrad matter, given where I will be working for the next 2 years?

Undergrad definitely matters, but aside from GPA, the more recent stuff matters a lot more. You probably would not spend a ton of time writing about undergrad in your essays, but it would be nice to be able to present a strong track record of achievement and leadership.

6. Do I make myself a better HBS/Stanford candidate by staying in the workforce for another 2-4 years after my 2 year analyst program?

Depends what your goals are, what the additional experience would be, and what you accomplish in your first two years. 2-4 extra years just for the sake of more years will not be helpful.