Truth about HBS 2+2

I've read through the archives on discussions pertaining to HBS's 2+2. I'm thinking about applying, but I'm concerned as to whether or not the program is 'for me'.

I'm a double major in math & econ, but the problem is I have previous IB experience and it seems that this program does not encourage 'traditional business majors' to apply. I could try to emphasize the mathematics portion of my resume (I'm a math tutor, awards won, etc...), but with my experience am I better off just waiting and applying to the general MBA program at HBS in the fall as a senior?

Any insight is appreciated. Thanks.

 

i think you're right in assuming that they want to attract smart people that otherwise wouldn't have gone to business school, and this is only not in terms of what you majored in during undergrad. for instance: i go to a target, and three people that got in 2+2 were all female, minorities, and majored in hard sciences or humanities (not econ/finance). two had experiences in microfinance, and one is big on entrepreneurship.

 

1) "mathematics portion of my resume (I'm a math tutor, awards won, etc...)" won't cut it. You'll be running against kids who are way more involved in their fields (think presidents of their associations, students who taught English in poor countries over summer, NCAA athlete-stars, students who started their own business) 2) HBS 2+2 require your resume. As soon as they see previous IB experience + econ major, it's almost 100% ding. Are you willing to re-write your resume w/o mentioning IB experience or any Finance-related stuff? 3) You cannot apply to HBS as a senior (you can, but it's 99.99% ding), you need at least 2 - 5 years of work experience before applying to HBS. That holds true for any top5 b-schools

I am in same boat is you, double econ & math. I wanted to apply, but then I realized 80% of my resume is finance-related activities (clubs, internships, certificates).

P.S.: I agree with bluechimp. I read somewhere that program is aimed towards underrepresented women.

 
PussInBoots:
1) 3) You cannot apply to HBS as a senior (you can, but it's 99.99% ding), you need at least 2 - 5 years of work experience before applying to HBS. That holds true for any top5 b-schools

I don't think you are right on this. The 2+2 program is for college juniors. So, yes, he is not eligible since he's already a senior, but you are wrong because they are not looking for even a year of professional work experience.

 
PussInBoots:
1) "mathematics portion of my resume (I'm a math tutor, awards won, etc...)" won't cut it. You'll be running against kids who are way more involved in their fields (think presidents of their associations, students who taught English in poor countries over summer, NCAA athlete-stars, students who started their own business) 2) HBS 2+2 require your resume. As soon as they see previous IB experience + econ major, it's almost 100% ding. Are you willing to re-write your resume w/o mentioning IB experience or any Finance-related stuff? 3) You cannot apply to HBS as a senior (you can, but it's 99.99% ding), you need at least 2 - 5 years of work experience before applying to HBS. That holds true for any top5 b-schools

I am in same boat is you, double econ & math. I wanted to apply, but then I realized 80% of my resume is finance-related activities (clubs, internships, certificates).

P.S.: I agree with bluechimp. I read somewhere that program is aimed towards underrepresented women.

I also think you are wrong about the odds of applying as a senior to HBS. The website emphasizes its interest in younger applicants (while their still in college), as opposed to waiting 2 0r 3 years downs the road. Plus, if you apply as a senior you can opt to do the same thing as 2+2 (i.e. defer your acceptence for 2 years then go to HBS)

BTW, I'm going to call admissions today regarding their 'non-business' target for 2+2......

 

It seems to be true that the program is aimed towards people who may not have originally considered the bschool route. A few of my friends got into the program and they had some info. There were people admitted to the program with experience in consulting and/or banking. While they were in cambridge, they got the sense from the interviews that you better not be applying to the program with the intent of doing a basic analyst stint. Just seems like they expect you to take the road less taken. take this with a grain of salt though.

 
Best Response

To be clear, the HBS 2+2 program is basically a deferred admission to HBS.

You apply as a college junior. If you get in, the expectation is that you finish college, work for 2 years, then matriculate at HBS -- hence "2 + 2."

In other words, you find out that you get into HBS before you even finish college or start work.

Although it's officially open to everyone, the anecdotal evidence is that it's geared towards underrepresented minorities and women. Business schools have been trailing behind law and med schools -- particularly in attracting women -- and this is HBS' initiative in making their class more gender balanced.

The 2+2 is just one initiative. The schools, particularly HBS and Stanford, are trying to really push for greater diversity in their applicant pool.

There are plenty of Asian and Jewish finance dudes.

There are plenty of Indian IT/software engineers.

They want to attract those from the hard sciences and humanities. They'll get plenty of finance/econ/engineering types salivating over the MBA for years to come.

If you want to apply to HBS and you didn't get into the 2+2 program, consider applying after you've been out 2-3 years. And since HBS and Stanford (and to an extent Wharton) are going younger, there is a soft "best before" date for certain groups. If you're in banking, your chances actually decrease once you reach a post-MBA position -- for banker/PE types, that means applying in your 3rd year as an analyst, or in your 1st year as a pre-MBA PE associate (after your 2-3 years as an IB analyst).

Alex Chu www.mbaapply.com
 

WegmansTuna, you seem like a bright kid, but you just don't get it, huh? It's not about how H/S/W can help you, it's about what can YOU bring to the table. What do you have? Are you experienced enough to have a solid conversation with a) People who went standard route 2 years IB + 2 years PE; b) Ex-Navy SEALS; c) Young entrepreneurs; d) ...

Good luck applying.

 
PussInBoots:
WegmansTuna, you seem like a bright kid, but you just don't get it, huh? It's not about how H/S/W can help you, it's about what can YOU bring to the table. What do you have? Are you experienced enough to have a solid conversation with a) People who went standard route 2 years IB + 2 years PE; b) Ex-Navy SEALS; c) Young entrepreneurs; d) ...

Good luck applying.

PussinBoots, as a matter of fact I do have an incredible story, in that I shouldn't even be in school right now for a lot of reasons I'm not about to explain on this forum.

However, to add a little more color on the matter, I did have a chat with admissions this morning. She said: "It is up to students to read the descriptions of the programs that HBS offers, and for them to decide for themselves whether or not they are fit for each program." She also did say that having previous IB experience does not preclude anyone from getting into 2+2, in fact, she even said that HBS has previously admitted applicants w/ experience in financial services for 2+2.

However, she also did stress the point that not getting admitted into 2+2 does not mean you won't have a shot at getting into the general MBA program. In fact, she stressed this point more than once, which for some inexplicable reason does lead me to believe that "w/ previous IB experience this program is very tough to get into."

The reason I'm so concerned about this is because if I plan to apply to this program I need to start studying for the GMAT asap, as I haven't taken it yet and the deadline for apps is in a few months.....

 

Oh yea? What else did she say? What did you expect hearing from her? "No, don't apply to HBS 2+2"?

You are switching topics back and forth. HBS 2+2 deadline is July 1st 2009, only current Juniors can apply, and if you have "incredible story" good luck. You can also apply to real HBS program (with everyone else, 24 year olds i-bankers, 28 year olds ex-military, and so on), but you'll have almost 0 chances of getting in. I've yet to hear a story of 22 yeas old senior applying to H/S/W general admission, getting in, and attending business school. I've read some lower MBA school admit seniors, but I am not sure if elite b-schools are doing it yet. Either way good luck and keep us updated.

Just curious, why do you want MBA so bad? Applying to HBS 2+2 make sense if you qualify, but applying to general admission as a college senior does not.

 
PussInBoots:
Oh yea? What else did she say? What did you expect hearing from her? "No, don't apply to HBS 2+2"?

You are switching topics back and forth. HBS 2+2 deadline is July 1st 2009, only current Juniors can apply, and if you have "incredible story" good luck. You can also apply to real HBS program (with everyone else, 24 year olds i-bankers, 28 year olds ex-military, and so on), but you'll have almost 0 chances of getting in. I've yet to hear a story of 22 yeas old senior applying to H/S/W general admission, getting in, and attending business school. I've read some lower MBA school admit seniors, but I am not sure if elite b-schools are doing it yet. Either way good luck and keep us updated.

Just curious, why do you want MBA so bad? Applying to HBS 2+2 make sense if you qualify, but applying to general admission as a college senior does not.

Again, I just can't help but think your whole perception on HBS is flawed from the outset. It seems to me that (and if anyone else out there has more knowledge on the matter, please by all means correct me if I'm wrong) HBS is one of the few B-Schools that is actually encouraging younger applicants to apply-applicants in the 22-24 age range.

I mean I'm no research analyst, but this is taken directly from the HBS website:

"For many college students, the biggest barrier to a Harvard Business School MBA is not the application process, but a hesitancy to apply based on misconceptions about HBS, the MBA program and most importantly, themselves.

As you consider the timing of your application, the real question is not "when" but who you are and where you stand along the career path.

As seniors plan for life after graduation, they should consider the advantages of an MBA as a foundation for personal and professional growth. If accepted, applicants have the option of postponing matriculation should they wish to pursue one or two years of additional work experience. The Admissions Board may also prescribe deferred admission to college seniors whom we feel would benefit from and better contribute to the MBA Program after some full-time work experience.

Currently enrolled college seniors also enjoy an application fee reduction from $235 to $100. "

To me, it sounds like the above is encouraging college students to apply. Or put differently, it certainly sounds like college students have more than a .001% chance of getting accepted, as you proclaimed.

The reason I'm interested in getting an MBA is because I really only want to work in IB for a short time span-like 4-6 yrs. And I really think an MBA (esp. from HBS) would open up doors for me in terms of some of other things I want to do in my life (i.e. work in politics, non-profit, education, etc...).

 

your comment is cool except one weakness:

HBS is asking early admits because they want to defer students and minimize competition. If in 3-5 years you'll be a hot MBA applicant sitting with H/S/W and Booth Kellogg MIT CBS offers, HBS want you locked in early.

In exchange: Positive side: HBS gets you early before others take a chance, you get admitted to HBS early. Negative side: HBS will have to suck it up if you don't turn out to be great; you will have to suck it up even if rival schools will offer loads of scholarships for you.

It's a tradeoff, but it's not an advantage per se. However, if I'm HBS, I don't mind the nonrefundable application fee revenues. only 10% make it worth by getting admitted...

 

I agree with PussandBoots about 99% of what he was said. And disagree mostly with Wegmans.

However, to add a little more color on the matter, I did have a chat with admissions this morning. She said: "It is up to students to read the descriptions of the programs that HBS offers, and for them to decide for themselves whether or not they are fit for each program." She also did say that having previous IB experience does not preclude anyone from getting into 2+2, in fact, she even said that HBS has previously admitted applicants w/ experience in financial services for 2+2.

Again, I just can't help but think your whole perception on HBS is flawed from the outset. It seems to me that (and if anyone else out there has more knowledge on the matter, please by all means correct me if I'm wrong) HBS is one of the few B-Schools that is actually encouraging younger applicants to apply-applicants in the 22-24 age range.

You need to read between the lines. You could have called me and I could have told you everything admissions said. To give some real perspective, I'm at Penn college and Ive seen the resume of a wharton undergrad who submarticulated to wharton mba (grades and scores that approach perfection, summa cum laude, competed in the freakin olympics (winter/summer for something- cant remember), blue-chip (GS and I think a bigname PE firm as well) finance internships, etc, etc. This kid didn't need a wharton MBA. If they didnt take him now, do you think this kid would have applied later after a few years of work experience?- not a chance- his career would have already kicked off. (The only plus he got is that he could start his career as an associate) That's what they mean by saying they are interested in accepting younger applicants- not just because they WANT young, inexperienced kids- but because they don't want to miss out on the exception brilliant kids that wouldn't bother attending if they can't attend now.

Now, I don't know the people who got into HBS. But I would imagine its harder for a non-name undergrad to go to HBS straight out than for a wharton undergrad to go to whartonMBA straight out.

Like Puss said- think from their perspective. They do it for their school- not for you. This isn't charity hour. My opinion: with HBS 2+2 Harvard will 1) get the few young generally exceptional kids that wouldn't agree to come later on (like my earlier story) 2) Get more women- many of whom get married/settle down with family and thus wouldnt pursue an MBA later on 3) Get more hard science kids who regularly wouldnt consider an MBA later on after several years into a hard-science research career

Final Note:

Yes, HBS 2+2 has already admitted a few business majors. You can see it on their public profile. They are probably extra-impressive for overcoming the obstacle of their major. (or their families gave $$$ donations- who knows) And yes H/W/S have all admitted people after college. There are always exceptions- but these exceptions are EXCEPTIONAL probably too exceptional to waste time on wsoasis like you or me. e.g. did you know HBS not long ago admitted a guy who doesn't have a college degree (undergrad) at all? Does anyone know this piece of trivia?

 

For what it's worth, let me jump in here.

Even before the 2+2 program, HBS would take in a handful (read: 2-7 kids out of a class of 900) with "less than 1 years experience". So would a few of the other schools, including Stanford and Wharton (not including submatrics).

We're talking a trickle. If you're not eligible for the 2+2 program, you can by all means apply, but your chances of getting in are very slim.

The "less than 1 years' experience" aren't necessarily all college seniors; a few are, but most are those who are currently in other graduate programs and decide to apply.

Here's the other thing. Business school adcoms will practically never tell anyone not to apply. Take what they say with a huge grain of salt. So if you're determined to go for it, by all means apply. If you get in, I'm sure there will be folks here to congratulate you. If you don't, don't be surprised that you didn't.

As for the guy without a college degree who got into HBS. He worked as a Presidential Aide to Pres. Bush during Bush's first term. His job basically was to be Bush's personal assistant - loading his iPod, etc. and was at one time or another dating one of the Bush twin daughters. So he's not just some random kid, but a kid whose family had ties to the Bush family.

Alex Chu www.mbaapply.com
 
PussInBoots:
Alex, do you think someone pulled strings for that kid?

What do you think? :-)

It's a way of paying it forward. After all Dubya had his own father pull strings to get him into HBS back in the day (or so the rumor goes).

Alex Chu www.mbaapply.com
 

I think if someone does NOT fit into 1 of the 3 points I laid out earlier, the chances are so small that you should spend your time doing something else career-oriented with better expected returns. And it's a simple yes/no- no subjectivity here.

1) are you a woman? yes/no 2) are you into hard sciences (e.g. biotechnology)? yes/no 3) are you so awesome with such great current career prospects that you would NOT consider HBS a few years down the line (now or never)? yes/no

The high grades/GMAT/some intern or entrepreneurial experience is a basic prerequisite- completely expected.

Alex Chu- you obviously know the most of anyone here about this. Under normal circumstances (e.g. no presidential references), do you think a person that doesn't have any of the above three going for him stands a chance for 2+2? If so, what kind of person might he be (his profile).

 
Philosopher:
I think if someone does NOT fit into 1 of the 3 points I laid out earlier, the chances are so small that you should spend your time doing something else career-oriented with better expected returns. And it's a simple yes/no- no subjectivity here.

1) are you a woman? yes/no 2) are you into hard sciences (e.g. biotechnology)? yes/no 3) are you so awesome with such great current career prospects that you would NOT consider HBS a few years down the line (now or never)? yes/no

The high grades/GMAT/some intern or entrepreneurial experience is a basic prerequisite- completely expected.

Alex Chu- you obviously know the most of anyone here about this. Under normal circumstances (e.g. no presidential references), do you think a person that doesn't have any of the above three going for him stands a chance for 2+2? If so, what kind of person might he be (his profile).

1) No 2) yes, Mathematics 3) No

Ok look, here's the deal, and I guess I should have made this a little more explicit. In terms of applying to HBS as a senior in the fall, let me be clear that I do not expect to apply, get accepted, and then attend HBS right after graduation; I agree w/ you all when you say that there is a zero chance of that happening.

However, if I decide that 2+2 is not for me and decide to apply as a senior in the fall, I will make it very clear that I would like to defer my admission for 2 years, go work, and then attend HBS. Essentially, it would be the same thing as 2+2 accept I would be applying to the general program. Heck, I could even mention in my essays that I considered applying to 2+2, but felt that given my credentials, I would better suit to apply to the general program.

The reason why I think I would have more than a zero chance of getting in by opting to defer my admission is because I can't help but think that the website looks very favorably upon those who do! I know I may sound a little naive, but again, when the website says things like:

"As you consider the timing of your application, the real question is not "when" but who you are and where you stand along the career path.

If accepted, applicants have the option of postponing matriculation should they wish to pursue one or two years of additional work experience. The Admissions Board may also prescribe deferred admission to college seniors whom we feel would benefit from and better contribute to the MBA Program after some full-time work experience."

It leads me to believe that HBS would rather have you apply now, while still in school, make the commitment that you will attend in the next 2 or 3 years, and then go out and work in the interim, as opposed to waiting and applying when your 25-27 after extensive work.

It just seems logical that they would rather have their applicants commit early, so they can plan out future class profiles early. Don't get me wrong I know there will be those 27 yr olds who apply and get in-your blue chips, ex-army, business founders, etc..-but it seems to me that rather than as a method to catch the 'freaks of nature' (your facebook, & google creators, etc...) early, they are target college students to give them an easier chance, so that they are not competing against the 'freaks', but rather they are only competing against themselves when they apply.

So I guess in essence, my theory is that by making it clear that you will defer admission on your app, you will be placed into a different admission pool (one with other college students who would also like to defer their admission as well) for review, instead of competing against everyone else, hence, making it significantly easier.

Look, this is just my theory, and I'm sure Alex knows the process a heck of a lot better than me. But does anybody else get the above impression from reading the website? Thoughts are appreciated.

 
xqtrack:
every time everybody here has told you that you're wrong, you've responded by saying that you're not.

look--it appears that you want to apply to HBS as a senior. it also appears that you think you'll get in. and that you don't actually give a rat's ass about what anybody else thinks.

so then do it.

nobody else gives a shit.

lol. i second that.

also, this is just a way to signal to everyone that they would like younger applicants, but they're not going to completely throw out the window the traditional HBS model where everyone discusses their prior experiences.. you're assuming that just because they said "we want seniors" that means that they're completely redesigning their admissions process. they're not. they're just willing to take a handful more, and get a whole lot more people interested early (and in love w/ HBS) rather than later (when they can be swayed different ways).

 
monito:
xqtrack:
every time everybody here has told you that you're wrong, you've responded by saying that you're not.

look--it appears that you want to apply to HBS as a senior. it also appears that you think you'll get in. and that you don't actually give a rat's ass about what anybody else thinks.

so then do it.

nobody else gives a shit.

lol. i second that.

also, this is just a way to signal to everyone that they would like younger applicants, but they're not going to completely throw out the window the traditional HBS model where everyone discusses their prior experiences.. you're assuming that just because they said "we want seniors" that means that they're completely redesigning their admissions process. they're not. they're just willing to take a handful more, and get a whole lot more people interested early (and in love w/ HBS) rather than later (when they can be swayed different ways).

Understood. And nicely put.

xqtrack, no need to get angry, I just wanted to see if anyone else had interpreted the language in the website in the same light that I had; guess not.

But thanks everyone for their input on this topic. It has all been very helpful!

 

I know two people from no-name schools who have done H/W/S from ugrad, but they were all exceptional (entrepreneurs with ideas that have billion dollar potential- not Olympic athletes though i'm sure they're given similar status). I imagine being exceptional in the standard way IB candidates are exceptional (started school clubs, perfect grades, etc) wont cut it.

So, basically, go ahead and apply. GMAT is easy and it wont hurt (unless you absolutely can't stand rejection).

On an unrelated note, at my no-name school I know a shit ton of people who think being exceptional by ugrad standards is going to get them into Harvard/ Yale Law or H/W/S. Its really weird to me that undergrads dont comprehend how harsh the competition really is at the next level.

 
Ok look, here's the deal, and I guess I should have made this a little more explicit. In terms of applying to HBS as a senior in the fall, let me be clear that I do not expect to apply, get accepted, and then attend HBS right after graduation; I agree w/ you all when you say that there is a zero chance of that happening.

OP, allow me to disabuse you. That is, to take you out of your ignorance and naivete.

(By the way, I actually have friends who applied to HBS as seniors, got accepted and attended right after graduation...)

1) No one here cares whether you a) apply to HBS and much less b) do it through 2+2 or as a senior and even less about d) whether you intend to defer or not.

Again, to sum it up, no one cares. (except maybe Alex, and only insofar as there is misinformation in the forum...)

2) No one here really knows what they are talking about re HBS (except maybe Alex and a couple other people). I went to HBS and coached kids through the 2+2 program application last year. They are in. And guess what, one of one of them was a business major and worked on wall street.

So, 1) apply if you are going to apply. 2) realize that you'll need to go to other sources for information about HBS (seriously, why in the world would you expect people who have not gone to HBS --or know you-- to want to help you with your HBS app??) and 3) realize that perhaps you ought to hire and admissions consultant to help you out if you are truly serious (otherwise, might as well not waste your money one the GMAT and the app fees). So hire a consultant, someone like, say, Alex (unless you have friends who are Harvard MBAs and are willing to help you/give you their time for free).

But to wrap up--and to make it clear--HBS is looking for passion and talent in younger people; they seek potential, not just younger, inexperienced, naive kids. Hope this is clear for everyone.

Hope this helps.

And since I frankly cannot resist...

I just wanted to see if anyone else had interpreted the language in the website in the same light that I had; guess not.

What in hell is wrong with you son? Who the fuck cares what "anyone else interpreted the language in the website" to mean? Have you ever heard of the phrase 'the blind leading the blind'? Seriously; I would expect a math major to be sharper...

That said, good luck. :)

"Categorical Imperative: If I cannot look at my mother or my wife in the eyes and explain it, I won't do it" - Some British MD.
 
philosophical monkey][quote:
I went to HBS and coached kids through the 2+2 program application last year. They are in. And guess what, one of one of them was a business major and worked on wall street.

If what you say is true regarding your experiences w/ HBS, then you're exactly the person I wanted info from, so thank you for chiming in.

The whole reason I started this thread was because I wanted more info on 2+2, but it somehow evolved into a bashing of my "ignorance and naivete", which is fine, and I'm glad my misconceptions could be cleared up.

That said, in regards to the 2+2 program and this so called business major that you know of who got accepted, was this person from a top ivy? Ridiculous GMAT scores? Founder of a business?

The reason I am (and have been) concerned about profiles for 2+2 is because for a lot of ppl the app fees, GMAT fees, consulting fees, etc.. are negligible, but they are rather costly for me. And I'd rather not pitch HBS a couple hundred bucks knowing that (1) I'm not what their looking for (e.g. because of my IB experience) and (2) the kids w/ experience who get accepted are of the Superstar type (e.g. business founders, fluent in 5 languages, etc...).

 

Just to add insight into this, I have been accepted into the 2+2 program, from a non-target with a BS in Math and Econ and a MSF and didn't do banking or consulting or start my own company, rather worked for the government. The key to admittance is understanding why you want an MBA and how you will use it, and differentiating yourself from the stack of applications. Be sure to stress aspects of your resume and experiences that will bring an alternative point of view to the classroom because this is exactly what they are looking for in the diversity aspect.

Any questions, feel free to message me.

 

This program excludes alot of people on this board since it is looking for people who don't come from a business background ex(non-business major or finance internships).

I called the Admission Director to discuss the program further and they told me the GMAT is weighed the heaviest since many juniors wont have real work experience. I think admissions into the program is really going to be numbers based ( best scores gpa/gmat) relative to the applicant pool.

 

ixjunitxi - Did the Admissions Director tell you specifically that they would not take any business students? I am as business as they come and was planning on applying to 2+2. I will call on Tuesday when their office is open, but it would be great to hear what they said to you.

 

I recently contacted the admissions staff for 2+2 actually, regarding this issue. The admissions person stated that they are now looking at every major for admissions... aka business students don't have to worry as much anymore. Best of luck. Enjoy college and don't kill yourself prepping for it though. My buddy was nominated for rhodes and didn't get in for 2+2.

 

Do you know what your equivalent American GPA would be?

"Cowards die a thousand deaths, but the brave only one," Bill Shakespeare

Ace all your PE interview questions with the WSO Private Equity Prep Pack: http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/guide/private-equity-interview-prep-questions
 

The HBS 2+2 program is targeted to people who wouldn't necessarily have gone to business school, meaning their course of study and work experience aren't typical pre-MBA track. I think the computer science, tech/start-up experience would be helpful as it might suggest you were on the path to be an entrepreneur. I imagine the admissions folks are familiar with how competitive Imperial College is. I can't comment on your academics as I don't have a good sense of whether it's competitive enough.

There obviously are no guarantees when it comes to MBA admissions at top programs. Plenty of rock stars don't get in. If you get feedback that leads you to feel that you could be competitive, go for it. If you don't get in, it won't hurt you if you apply through the normal process later.

If you haven't already, listen to the HBS podcast and read the FAQs on the 2+2 program - http://bit.ly/aSqF6

If you decide to apply, here are a few other pieces of advice written by an HBS alum you might want to check out: How to Address Your Weaknesses in Your MBA Application - http://bit.ly/SmTdo Your Roadmap to a Succesful MBA Application - http://bit.ly/UNlts

Gotta Mentor www.GottaMentor.com Connect to the Advice & People You Need to Achieve Your Career Goals

Gotta Mentor Connect to the Advice & People You Need to Achieve Your Career Goals
 

Your academic profile is fine - a 2:1 from Imperial is adequate (although a 1:1 would put you in a much better place), and your IB is solid (as I presume you did HL Maths, a HL Science, etc?).

Your story is quite good too - there is definitely material to work with to craft some quality essays. You can perhaps try linking being a VC in CEE to your desire to contribute to the development of self-sustaining business in the region etc. They eat that shit up.

Where you'll suffer is in extracurriculars - if your only data point here is "coached ice hockey to kids at 16, your application is going to be rather weak. Luckily, this is also an area it is fairly easy to work on in the 9 or so months to the application date. You're obviously not going to accomplish anything huge in that time, but you should be able to do something fairly impressive if you're dedicated enough. I suggest looking at shooting for an exec position at Imperial Entrepreneurs or something similar as it will tie in neatly with your goals of going into VC. I'm sure there is an abundance of things to choose from here - but go with quality over quantity (ie don't join 10 societies for the title, focus your energies on gaining some traction in one or two activities)

Your work experience is obviously very strong given that you're only going into second year (I presume). Very impressive and will tie in well with the tech VC thing. If you could get something at Google, Microsoft, Amazon or another huge and well-known tech firm next summer your profile would be even better. And you might want to see if you can't do a day a week for free in a VC firm in London or smth. Actually, PM me, I know of an opening (of sorts) in LDN that would be extremely relevant.

A couple of other pointers: - Absolutely nail your GMAT. Aim for, and achieve, 750+. Compared to normal admissions, the GMAT is disproportionally important for 2+2. - Do not under any circumstances do a banking internship next summer (you could possibly get away with TMT in IBD, but there's no guarantee of getting placed here and Imperial CS is generally pigeon-holed to tech). It kills your app due to the "people who wouldn't have applied otherwise"-criteria - the only people with banking internship on their CV who got in this and last year were ridiculously good candidates. Tech divisions in banks suck anyway. If I were you, I'd aim for an internship at a big name tech company, possibly in a more business development-oriented role. Will serve you better in both the long- and short-term. - For your essays: seriously consider professional editing. Despite having done the IB and lived in the UK for a year, your English is unlikely to not be quite good enough to shell out top quality essays. No offense, just my experience in a similar case.

But yeah, to conclude, if you keep working in the next year, nail the GMAT and develop the EC side of your profile, I think you'd be in good stead come July 1st next year.

 

thanks very much for all comments... a couple of points - this is what wikipedia says about conversion of british to american grades:

An approximate mapping between UK and US Grade Point Averages can be inferred from the graduate admissions criteria from University College London9. First to GPA 3.6-4.0 Upper-second to GPA 3.3-3.6

and to my extraculliculars... i forgot to mention that i am also a treasurer of czech-and-slovak society at imperial, i don't think that is important, but they might like it, i don't know. and i was actually considering joining imperial entrepreneurs this year, so that could be fine to... if i have any time this year, i could also work for some start-up in london (we get some offers from time to time at the computing department, iphone apps development and similar). i would do that regardless of what they would think at hbs, but if i do... do they consider working part-time while studying a plus?

well, i have always considered coaching kids my most significant ec because i could see the kids really like it, but of course, i don't need to mention that... perhaps i could write a bit more about my involvement in the think-tank. i started by doing english to slovak translations and later i was working on some of their papers on flat tax and entrepreneurial education in slovakia...

i certainly agree with you about my english (obviously i would put more effort into the essays than these posts...), but yeah, i would ask a few people to help me with editing.

once again, thank you all for thoughtful posts, i will be happy to discuss anything, adam

 

Imperial Entrepreneurs would be a good idea. BTW I obviously didn't mean don't talk about the coaching kids thing. It's a great thing to have done and it will definitely add some colour to your application - didn't mean to discredit the value of that experience or anything. However my point is that you need more on top of that, especially considering it was few years ago. The kids who get into HBS 2+2 are rockstars in all facets of their profile and to be able to submit a good application you have to be determined and work hard over the next year.

Working for a start-up would be a good experience to add as well probably. I expect they look favourably on working part-time - provided it's a strong experience (ie bar work might not be what gets you in).

Have a look at this vacancy as well http://www.enternships.com/enternships/view/618 - it's a London-based VC firm (ish) that invest in socially beneficial ideas etc that are looking for a part-time intern. They've made some investments in the tech/education-space.

 

As far as ECs, titles don't matter as much as impact. You could be President of the Czech and Slovak society and have nothing to say about the difference you made, and you wouldn't get any credit for it. On the other hand you could have just been a member, but done something very interesting for the club which demonstrated leadership, initiative, or any other key skill they're looking for, and it would be a great addition to your application.

With your work experience and ECs, always think about what you got out of it, what your impact was, and how it fits into where you want to be in the near and long-term. Make sure the app doesn't read like a job description. I did X, then Y, then Z. Breathe life into it by focusing on the deeper aspects of those experiences.

Gotta Mentor www.GottaMentor.com Connect to the Advice & People You Need to Achieve Your Career Goals

Gotta Mentor Connect to the Advice & People You Need to Achieve Your Career Goals
 

OP, I think you've got a great profile for 2+2. However, if I were you I would down play 'all things finance & VC' in your application. Moreover, in my opinion, the fact that you're even on WSO even hurts your candidacy.

It cannot be reiterated enough that 2+2 is not looking for your typical 'finance/IB/PE/VC' guy. I would even speculate that over 90% of the applicants admitted to 2+2 have no clue what the heck WSO is.

Just a word of caution.......

 

not sure how it hurts me... what did you mean? i don't need to say anything about wso... or anything that would make them think i am "typical finance/IB/PE/VC" guy. i am not aiming to work in finance and i wouldn't classify my interest in VC as finance... of course, there are a few people who make a switch from wall street to silicon valley, but i don't think there is a significant amount of them firms like KPCB and Sequioa Capital, most have engineering / start-ups background... or am i wrong on this? i don't think working for a start-up in slovakia could hurt me in this respect...

 

if you want to do ibanking, my opinion is that the MBA is completely worthless of course, for those who cant get to top BBs, they might try that i guess, especially for a US career

 

In general, 2+2 doesn't really look for finance/consulting types to begin with... Definitely apply if you don't mind throwing down the app fee, but they seem to cater more for people who are interested in industry -> business.

Currently: future neurologist, current psychotherapist Previously: investor relations (top consulting firm), M&A consulting (Big 4), M&A banking (MM)
 

Thx.

well... BB can also exit to buyside, right?

Had extensive research experience in bio (worked for some most well-known bio professors in the world), so industry experience should be no problem...

 

I think it would be a great opportunity for you especially if you can't get out of IBD within 2 years or want to take a break. Plus you can also try to get into a PE after 1 year at the BB.

Applying won't hurt you ever I think. If you get in, go from there. You already have an offer so you won't graduate into unemployment like many of your peers.

I'm talking about liquid. Rich enough to have your own jet. Rich enough not to waste time. Fifty, a hundred million dollars, buddy. A player. Or nothing. See my Blog & AMA
 
kevinwangjiakan:
Because I have not started to prepare for GMAT yet, I am thinking about applying under Round 3. Does applying during Round 3 put me into any disadvantage?
It's admission by rounds, so seats fill up as each round ends. By round 3, fewer seats exist than at round 1, etc.
Currently: future neurologist, current psychotherapist Previously: investor relations (top consulting firm), M&A consulting (Big 4), M&A banking (MM)
 

Any thoughts on Harvard Summer School? It troubles me that they accept everyone, seems like a super cray money raiser.

[quote]The HBS guys have MAD SWAGGER. They frequently wear their class jackets to boston bars, strutting and acting like they own the joint. They just ooze success, confidence, swagger, basically attributes of alpha males.[/quote]
 
SonnyZH:
Any thoughts on Harvard Summer School? It troubles me that they accept everyone, seems like a super cray money raiser.
It -is- a super crazy money raiser. It's basically the equivalent of a really expensive summer camp at Harvard. It's not just Harvard exclusive, a ton of other top-tier colleges offer programs like this (which attracts prestige-whoring high school kids and their parents). Stanford's summer program is 10k all-in... I seriously can't justify that cost.
Currently: future neurologist, current psychotherapist Previously: investor relations (top consulting firm), M&A consulting (Big 4), M&A banking (MM)
 

Hey, you never know.

I say apply.

I'm not totally sure Harvard 2+2 will help you in two years. You may have better options to pick from. For instance, I believe that the best MFin programs afford better differentiation and branding than the best MBA programs, and I think a PhD from the right school could give you even stronger differentiation.

Given your background, anything from Physics to Engineering to Econ/Finance is open to you.

 

I am thinking about doing my own startup in technology though. What I hope to get out of 2+2 is the management and leadership skills that I will need to manage my own startup, on top of my programming skills. Will HBS 2+2 teach me those? I have very little knowledge about MBA programs.

 
IlliniProgrammer:
What about an MPhil?

Lots of CS PhDs wind up as entrepreneurs.

My other plan (besides HBS 2+2) is to work for this big firm where I get my FT offer from after graduation, and take Stanford Master courses part time because this company will pay for my tuition. Over 3-4 years I will get my master degree. Meantime I will work on my startup during free time.

In my opinion: If you want to do a startup, do it as early as possible because the cost of failure is smaller when you are younger. So getting a PhD first is not among my top choices. I'm also not that into research.

 

I think it's very hard to take a comparison of those in general. Though it is true that the business experience is less for 2+2 programs, your chances are really a matter of which program (where) you got into.

 

Depends.. I know at Ivey you get ~15 business credits equivalent in the last 2 years (they overload you). Assuming other business programs have about 1/elective a year or more you'd technically get just as much business.

 

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