(Potential) Undergraduate Applicant to Business School

[Domnu]

Hi Stacy,

I'm very interested in getting an MBA, possibly immediately, after my undergraduate degree. Given my profile below,

Questions:
-What are my current chances of getting into a top business school (preferably HSW, though I'm open to all choices)?
- I originally used to be a math + physics major, but switched to computer science + math... does this have any positive or negative ramifications on my application?
- What should I be doing right now to improve my chances of getting into HSW?
- Overall, how can I improve my application to business school?
- I have another 2 years left, meaning that my overall application could change significantly... however, given my current profile, would it be best that I work for a few years before going to business school after I graduate, or would I be ready to apply immediately after graduating?

Profile

School: Top 5 Engineering, top 10 Computer Science
Year: 2nd, in undergraduate... plan to graduate in 2012
Major: Computer Science + Mathematics
GPA: 3.96
GMAT score: 760 - Q50, can't remember V... it was somewhere around 38, I think?***
Coursework: rigorous... I came in with AP credit, and could have graduated last month, but didn't because of the dual major. I also took a graduate level course in machine learning this semester (was the only undergraduate student in the graduate section) and got an A.

***I haven't officially taken the GMAT, but have been studying for the past few months or so. The above score is the most recent one, given by the GMATPrep software.

Activities:

- Software Engineering Intern at a well known company (this summer)

- VP of Marketing for a well known charity organization, working towards providing countries in Africa with money to rebuild schools after civil war.

- Instructor and researcher, e-Learning: am currently a graduate instructor for a multimedia course focusing on Adobe Flex in a university in India; this summer, I will be a co-supervisor for 3 interns in the same university.

- Teaching assistant: have TAed an introductory data structures course for 1 year, an introductory software design course for 1 semester, and will be TAing a junior level algorithms course this semester.

- President of a monthly magazine published in our university's computer science department... have readership of around 500 students.

Research:

- Researcher, approximation algorithms: have recently begun research on analyzing LP duality and developing approximation algorithms in network applications.

- Researcher, multiagent systems: I have recently begun research on analyzing how agents should act optimally in the presence of other agents, which don't act with perfect intelligence. This project has ramifications in game theory and economics.

- Researcher, natural language: developed and implemented a novel reinforcement learning algorithm as part of a team to allow humans to train computers to learn language. Will most likely be publishing in a top tier conference; I will most likely be the first author.

- Researcher, accelerator physics (summer program at an Ivy League university known for physics): designed complex algorithms to model x-rays emitted from a particle accelerator.

- Researcher, ion trapping: within a one year timeframe, successfully modeled, simulated, and built a functional ion trap, a device used to capture and store individual atoms for study.

I used to be a math + physics major at one point... it was interesting, but I decided to switch over to cs + physics.

Awards

- NSF MCTP scholarship for mathematics - $5000
- Scholarship from the company that I will be interning with this summer - $5000
- Undergraduate Research Grant for Fall 2010 - $1500

Recommendations

- Almost all of my "recommenders" are well known in his/her respective field in computer science; they all know me well, primarily from a research and work perspective. They can comment on my work ethics, my ability to get things done, and my problem solving abilities.

Edit: oops, just read the post on what to give you. Forgot these last parts!

Interesting Facts

- Countries I've lived in: India (5 months), Singapore (6 yrs), Thailand (5 months), Papua New Guinea (5 months), USA (13 years, current)... my dad was a consultant

-

BTW, I placed this post in another forum, but realized that it was the wrong one. Sorry about that.

Thanks very much for your time, Stacy!

Regards,

D

[Lisa Anderson]

Dear D,

All MBA programs prefer applicants work at least two years before applying. However, there is a recent trend where schools are considering more applicants to enter directly from undergraduate studies. To be one of the few admitted, your application must be an outstanding overall package on every level. In essence, you will need high numbers (GPA, GMAT), evidence of leadership potential, strong rationale for entering business school immediately, professional experience from internships/family business/part-time work, and demonstrated maturity to handle the rigor of the program. Most successful applicants directly from undergraduate studies have extensive extracurricular activities with numerous leadership roles and accomplishments. Based on your post, you appear to be building a competitive profile for an application to enter in fall 2012. The main items for you to work on are taking the GMAT and scoring in the 700s (ideally 730+), continuing to do well in your coursework to maintain your GPA, and continuing in your activities and internships. I also encourage you to start visiting the MBA programs of interest to you if you can--an on campus visit is ideal, but even attending an MBA forum in your area where you can speak with a representative would be good. Start your research now and get the inside knowledge in your schools; that way when you start to write your essays later, you will be able to articulate why that program is a good fit for you.

Best of luck,
Lisa