Undergrad Interested in HBS

[Domnu]

Hello,

I'm currently an undergraduate student at a top 5 engineering and top 10 computer science school with the following:

Year: 2nd year, 2nd semester
GPA: 3.97
Majors: Mathematics (sub GPA = 3.95), Computer Science (sub GPA = 4.00)
GMAT: I haven't taken the GMAT officially, but from previous practice exams, I am able to score in the low 700s range. I'll try to pull this up though.

Here are my extra-curricular activities:

- Research in machine learning for 1 year now... working with another undergraduate and a graduate mentor. Fair chance of getting published by the end of this semester.
- President of a monthly department magazine... I oversee meetings, plan dates for publishing, ensure that everybody finishes things on time, etc. Manage budget of about 11K dollars.
- Advisor for a graduate computer science course overseas... I set deadlines, provide feedback on submitted work, and structure the overall course.
- Teaching assistant in computer science at my university... I've helped with data structures for some time and am currently helping with software engineering
- Committee member in marketing for a fairly well known charitable organization... haven't gotten too involved with this just yet, but will be getting more involved over the course of this semester

Past research/internships:

- Physics researcher at my university - worked here for 1 year
- Physics researcher at an Ivy League university - worked here over the summer
- Will be attending a top company in computer science over this summer

Here are a few questions that I have:

1. What should I be doing right now to improve my chances of getting into the 2+2 program?

2. Given this information, do I have a strong chance of getting in? If not, what should I improve?

3. When should I consider taking the GMAT for the 2+2 program?

4. I am slightly concerned that I may be slightly spread around. Is this okay, or should I try to focus in on just a few clubs rather than many?

5. What sort of activity in a club is Harvard looking for? If leadership is key, then what characteristics of leadership does Harvard want to see prospective students demonstrate?

Thanks very much for your time.

-D

[Lisa Anderson]

Dear D,

Based on the information in your post, it seems you are on track to have a competitive application for any graduate program you apply for when you decide to apply. Determining what graduate program is something you do need to figure out based on what your career goals are. To answer your questions:

1. What should I be doing right now to improve my chances of getting into the 2+2 program?
You should continue doing what you are doing and score over a 700 on the GMAT. HBS wants to see high academic achievement, so you want to maintain your current GPA or improve it. You also want to score in the 700s on the GMAT to demonstrate your aptitude for business school. Likewise, you want to continue pursuing the extracurricular and professional development activities that you note. I think getting some additional professional experience would be most beneficial to you, so an internship this summer and next would be advantageous--ideally in your current field of study or something related to your future goals. Finally, continue to seek and succeed in leadership roles in your activities so that you have some definitive leadership experiences to write and speak about in your application process.

2. Given this information, do I have a strong chance of getting in? If not, what should I improve?
It is hard to classify how strong your chances are at this point without a GMAT score and still a year out from applying, but you are on the right track. If you obtain some professional experience and continue to add leadership and teamwork experiences to your resume, then you will be a competitive profile.

3. When should I consider taking the GMAT for the 2+2 program?
I think it is best to allow yourself the time to take the GMAT at least twice in the event you feel your first score is not where you want it to be. So, you want your first attempt to be at least 3 months before the application deadline, if not earlier. If you want to get your application in earlier rather than close to the deadline, then back the timeline up appropriately. Your GMAT score is good for 5 years, so you really can take it anytime you feel you are ready at this point though.

4. I am slightly concerned that I may be slightly spread around. Is this okay, or should I try to focus in on just a few clubs rather than many?
I think it is best to have a few solid leadership roles that just being a member active in many clubs. You want to be able to speak about any of your activities in depth. If you are starting to feel like you have too much on your plate, then perhaps you are at capacity for what you can do with your courseload. Only you can determine what is best for you, but keep in mind that you need to be an active participant in anything you do.

5. What sort of activity in a club is Harvard looking for? If leadership is key, then what characteristics of leadership does Harvard want to see prospective students demonstrate?
Leadership generally means leading others. There is a distinction between positions you are elected to by your peers and those you are appointed to, but either way, it is what you do in that role that matters most. You want to be able to talk about accomplishments like motivating a team to achieving a goal and have tangible, quantifiable results if possible.

Good luck,
Lisa