Stats:
GPA: 3.95 from a top private university (Top 15 US News)
GMAT: 750
Work Experience: 2 years at Deloitte S&O, good experience doing strategy work, have built a solid network and am very likely to be sponsored by the firm.
Extracurriculars: good extracurriculars as an undergrad (led b-school club, fraternity leadership and more). Since college, haven't done as much. I have done admissions interviews for my undergrad, and have done tax prep for lower income people in my community (through a program).
Interested in hearing what people think my chances would be at H/S. I have a strong interest in ending up on the west coast, so Stanford would be my #1 (although I know its a long-shot). Would obviously jump if HBS called. Besides those, also pretty interested in Kellogg, Columbia and Haas (would be a tough choice between the three). Not so interested in Wharton, as im not looking to do finance, and I hate Philly. Right now, I plan to return to Deloitte after my MBA, but I don't want to weight that too heavily in my b-school choice, as I may explore options.
Also interested in hearing peoples thoughts on whether I should wait another year to apply. Another year would allow me to develop more relationships at Deloitte (would likely mean better recs), build a more diverse work experience, and improve the extracurriculars. It would also mean an additional year at pre-mba salary vs. post-mba salary, and would put me behind peers that make the jump now. How much would I realistically be able to strengthen my candidacy in the next year? Am I missing any of the pros/cons here?
Are you involved in Deloitte's GSAP (Graduate School Assistance) Program? They do a great job supporting you and running you through all sorts of practical workshops. Have you gotten feedback from them? They are usually pretty level-headed about whether they think you have a good chance or not.
I would either apply to GSAP in the very near future, or would wait a year and then apply. Thus, trying to get advice on whether to wait the extra year or not.
You may be considered a bit junior to get into their program. If so, don't try applying wothout their support or you won't get good enough recommendations. Quickly, and I will write more later, your best best at Deloitte is to connect with successful candidates who have gone thru that program and ask if they think your work experience qualifies you for the top tier schools
I think they will have a good idea of whether you have worked on a broad enough range of projects, been challenged leading teams, and have gotten great reviews from your managers. If you have progressed rapidly in the time you've been there, then you will probably be accepted to be sponsored, and that answers your question as to what your chances are. I've done a lot of work with Deloitte on the west coast and know that several great consultants do wait until they have 3 or 4 years under their belt before applying. For the very top schools you really need to prove yourself as more than an analyst, but as someone who really knows how to lead within your own organization and to make positive changes for your clients. That usually takes longer than a few years, at least at Deloitte.
Now if you have other work or leadership experiences prior to this position, then 2 years at Deloitte might be enough, especially if you have been assigned to some high-impact teams.
@ Betsy- do you know if all Big4 have a program like this?
Deloitte's program is only for the consulting side, not the accounting side. The big consulting firms (MBB) some investment banks, and some PE firms have programs that will help you apply to business school, and even give you a guarantee or your place in return. Many of these programs are really cool in that they will sponsor you at school if you return to them, but if you decide against going back, (presumably because you got a better offer) you simply pay back what they forked over. These programs are competitive, so I recommended the OP to look into it, because if he had little chance of getting into his own company's program, by extension, his chances of getting into business school would be limited.
Ut earum exercitationem qui sint voluptatem eaque commodi. Modi iusto a voluptatem illo. Sunt quam voluptatem et reprehenderit explicabo.
Odio nihil neque voluptatum laudantium a eum. Autem magnam laudantium explicabo consequatur perferendis. Consectetur consequatur odit quibusdam doloribus. Facilis et rerum mollitia nihil quia et. Placeat illum quia nobis officia cumque dolorem odit.
Veniam iure voluptatem enim rem placeat. Totam doloribus voluptas sed aut nobis. Dolorum ipsam quisquam repellendus autem iste placeat. Et ut excepturi quo.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...