Please Evaluate - Applying to HBS 2+2

[jmsells]

Just took GMAT and scored a 720 (Q44 V45).
I am 23 years old (24 in july). I will be graduating from a top 20 undergrad program next May. My GPA is 3.62. I have A's in all Math/Quantitative classes, and a 4.0 GPA in all "business classes"

My major is Management/Finance with a minor in Chemistry.

I started undergrad in 2003 and took a leave in 2006 to focus totally on my own business. I started my business when I was 17 in 2002. It is a perfume manufacturing/wholesale company. I sold the company this past fall. Anyways, I was originally a chemistry/premed major until I took my 2 year leave in 06 and came back in 08 to finish in business. I managed around 4-5 employees at a time in my business.

Also, in 2007, when things slowed down, I worked full-time with FedEx Global Supply Chain for about a year in procurement. I was awarded FedEx's Employee Excellence Award as well.

It terms of extracuricular leadership, I was Vice President of a University Public Health Advocacy group, Chairman of a school committee, Trustee of my local church, and Board member of the United Way Funds Allocation Board.

I also did 2 years of AmeriCorps service, volunteered with the local Catholic Charities to help tutor local refugee children from Iraq and Afghanistan, and did a summer internship with the City Health Dept.


Let me know what you think --- I am applying for the HBS 2+2 program.

[AppReview]

Hi,

Please find below a detailed profile evaluation of your candidacy for the 2+2 program at HBS:

1. Your GMAT score is good. Though the quantitative percentile could be a little negative, the overall percentile and that for the verbal section will more than eclipse this. You would be among the small number of applicants with such score breakdowns, but this would not affect you negatively. Don't worry about this, the 720 should be solid.

2. Your GPA is good and in the range of successful applicants at HBS. This shouldn't be a problem. However, the HBS website mentions that the 2+2 program is aimed at students not having undergraduate majors related to business studies. Hence, this will not work in your favour. The combination of business (management/finance) and Chemistry in unique and this should offset the requirment as stated on the HBS website a little bit.

3. You will come across as a unique candidate as by the time you join, your age would be what is typical of a general HBS candidate. Also, you took a break from your studies to setup a business, which you recently sold. This shows a willingness to take risks and emerge successful as well. This will imapct your review positively. You should justify your choice of a minor in chemistry by co relating it to your interest in the perfume/fragrance industry and how you then chose to take a course in business to complement your knowledge and make your venture a sucess.

4. your full time work experience in the middle is good, but we cannot be too sure if the committee will look at this favourably. Although the website doesn't mention this clearly, the 2+2 program comes across as a program for young achievers who hold a lot of potential for the future (such as you). However, it also gives a message that students who are successful here would typically not have had any full time work experience and will do that after graduating from their current college. Your situation is unique and thus cannot be judged accurately with respect to this. As per the website's FAQs you qualify, but this full time work experience part has not been adequately discussed. Nonetheless, when considered this will be positively accepted as you have also receiver an excellence award there.

5. Your extra currics and leadership examples come across as very strong. The mix is eclectic and unique. Will definitely be taken as positive.

All in all, you make a competitive candidate for this program and a unique one as well. We strongly encourage you to apply, and with a great application package, you shouldn't have too much trouble in sailing through.

Hope this helps. All the best.

Regards,
Ankit
Founder, AppReview

[jmsells]

First, thank you very much for your review! It is extremely helpful!

Second, in regards to the work experience with FedEx, since the 2+2 program is geared towards folks who have little to no full-time work experience, should I downplay this on my application/essays? How would you recommend that I approach this? Also, for the application, aside from the resume, the only area specific to work experience is title, PART TIME WORK EXPERIENCE. Since this was full time, would you recommend that I NOT include this on the Part Time section? Should I just list it on the resume and include something about it in my essay?

Since I left school for my own business, admissions may be interested in why I also decided to work for fedex. Of course, the reason was that a year after I started focusing on my business full-time, a change in the economic climate forced me to supplement my business with extra income (thus the position with FedEx). Part of the reason is I focused my business on only 1 niche instead of diversifying to different customer bases. Would this be approprite for What I Have Learned from a Mistake? It would be insightful and also allow me to explain why I went to FedEx??

Thanks so much!!

[AppReview]

Hi,

Thank you for the reply, We are glad to be of help

In our view, the HBS 2+2 program is meant for candidates with NO FULL TIME WORK EXPERIENCE at all. Not with little or no, but none at all. This is further cemented by the choice of work ex. as only part time in the application. We recommend you do not stress too much on the fedex aspect in your essays/online fields. Let it reflect on your resume, as you should not lie or forge your way into B School, especially HBS If you are offered an interview, which we think you should, this question might come up and then you can justify this. Please reflect, that all the resons you have given below are something a typical entrpreneur/working person would give (bad economic condition etc. ) and thus would actually make the condition worse, as you would come across as someone with good experience in working/operating a business. This would completely negate the purpose and make you unsusccessful in terms of entry reqirements for the 2+2 program.

As for the mistake question, if you look at it, people/companies which are focussed on one product or offering are in a better position in this economic climate than those that diversified. Take any good example - Why did GM fail, whereas Toyota is still doing good despite being in the hotbed of the two worst hit economies (Japan and US)? GM diversified too much, and then the management and all posed problems. Of course, don't hold us to the sword here, this is just a basic introspection But if you, as a startup entrepreneur with limited funding and opportunities, had diversified, you might actually come across as a non serious/non focussed entrepreneur. (Jack of all trades, Master of none?) Generally a person starts with one product, makes that the mainstay and supplements growth of other divisions through income from the first. Of course, the fact that the downturn hit certain sectors (eg: aviation) and those involved in these directly and solely also went down, is a separate thing.

As you are very young, the adcom would be happy to learn that you took an initiative, and later sold this business as well. The downturn was not your mistake, and in our opinion, as you couldn't have done too much about the same, not diversifying wouldn't really be a mistake on your part. If you really want to answer the question from this perspective, talk about it in general. That as a young entrepreneur I should have taken guidance from other VCs, delved more into the minutes, seen this downturn coming and prepared for it etc.

Hope this helps. All the best.

Regards,
Ankit
Founder, AppReview

[jmsells]

Based on all of the above, would I be more competitive for the 2+2 program, or the regular MBA program at HBS?

[AppReview]

Hi,

As you would just be finishing college, getting into HBS through the regular decision would be tough. But so would be getting through 2+2. As for competitiveness, you are in a unique situation - One which allows you to apply for HBS 2+2 while making you seem a decent applicant (not great, but decent) for the regular program as well. We recommend you get in touch with the HBS office and apprise them of your situation. In case they say you are eligible to apply for 2+@ and it wouldn't be a problem, we strongly suggest you do. Because, as stated before, you would be a unique applicant and have good credentials. However, if they say you should apply for the regular program, we suggest working for a couple of years before trying for that, as you would have a cummulative 3 odd years of work ex and an entrepreneurial venture with you, and that would be a great combo.

Hope this helps. All The Best.

Regards,
Team AppReview