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Hedge Fund to B-School - Chances at Top Schools?
 

madgames's picture
(Orangutan, 313
 
Points)
 on 7/2/12 at 1:00am
timing.jpg

I am thinking about applying this fall to a couple of schools. Would love to get a sense of my chances from people who have more experience with the process. Here goes:

- 3.7 GPA - Went to a top 20 school - Think USC, Wash U, Duke, Georgetown.
- 730 GMAT Q49 (85%) / V41 (92%) --> Still waiting for AWA and IR
- 3 years of investment banking, 2 years at a small hedge fund at the time of my application
- Decent ECs, but nothing incredibly outstanding

Thoughts on HBS, Wharton, Columbia, Northwestern? I don't think it's worth applying to Stanford, but would obviously love to go there.

Also what anything I can do between now and application time to improve my app?

Thanks!

Tags:
keensetofpeepers's picture

having just gone through this

(Baboon, 147
 
Points)
 on 7/1/12 at 4:14pm

having just gone through this process, i'll be glad to share my limited insight.

you won't have much of a shot at HBS. sorry, but they really prize the extracurricular leadership feel good stories like starting an organization to help with TB in South Asia in your spare time.

Wharton and Columbia are very similar schools, both emphasizing quant and being data-driven, and I'd say they are within your striking distance. I'd focus your efforts there. Take a look at Columbia's program, if you like it I'd apply early decision. It's binding, but definitely demonstrates a strong desire to their adcom and may prove to be an easier path. CBS is consciously trying to improve its brand to a top 5 school (and according to FT it is) and is always looking to improve its yield. Wharton also fits your profile but it's hard to say w/o more info.

Don't know much about Kellogg, but I don't see why not as it's an M7 like CBS and Wharton.

keensetofpeepers's picture

that said, you should still

(Baboon, 147
 
Points)
 on 7/1/12 at 4:18pm

that said, you should still apply to HBS if you feel strongly about it. all depends on how much time you have to work on b school apps this summer and how early you want to apply.

Boothorbust's picture

keensetofpeepers: you won't

O
(King Kong, 1,130
 
Points)
 on 7/1/12 at 6:52pm
keensetofpeepers:

you won't have much of a shot at HBS. sorry, but they really prize the extracurricular leadership feel good stories like starting an organization to help with TB in South Asia in your spare time. .

This is a little overblown. Every year there are stellar IB - > PE kids who get into HBS who didn't have time to save the world while they were doing cash flow projections at 3:00am. There are only so many ridiculous superstar entrepreneurs who also cured malaria and solved the Chinese Tibetan crisis before the age of 26. HBS is just like every other school in that they love to play up the salaries and positions of their alums - which means they have no choice but to take top notch but otherwise "normal" finance folks. They key is having a blue chip (or several) finance firms on your resume, a great GMAT, and a killer resume. IMO if you have a solid background (top 10 undergrad, blue chip IB, top PE fund) and a good GMAT then the HBS application is well worth the $250.

Babyj18777's picture

Boothorbust: This is a little

O
(Orangutan, 283
 
Points)
 on 7/1/12 at 8:09pm
Boothorbust:

This is a little overblown. Every year there are stellar IB - > PE kids who get into HBS who didn't have time to save the world while they were doing cash flow projections at 3:00am. There are only so many ridiculous superstar entrepreneurs who also cured malaria and solved the Chinese Tibetan crisis before the age of 26. HBS is just like every other school in that they love to play up the salaries and positions of their alums - which means they have no choice but to take top notch but otherwise "normal" finance folks. They key is having a blue chip (or several) finance firms on your resume, a great GMAT, and a killer resume. IMO if you have a solid background (top 10 undergrad, blue chip IB, top PE fund) and a good GMAT then the HBS application is well worth the $250.

Those stellar IB -> PE kids are SUPER stellar: 3.8 GPA from an Ivy, Varsity sport/Head of a major club/Founder of a charity that teaches underprivileged kids how to read, 750+ GMAT, Goldman/Mckinsey --> TPG/Carlyle/KKR,

keensetofpeepers's picture

my initial post came out a

(Baboon, 147
 
Points)
 on 7/1/12 at 8:38pm

my initial post came out a little more negative than I intended. by all means apply, just know that HBS and Stanford are in a league of their own in terms of applicant pool and can afford to be very picky (so no, they are not just like any other school).

also, how old is the OP? age is a MAJOR factor at HBS.

dest149's picture

keensetofpeepers: also, how

ST
 
Points)
 on 7/1/12 at 8:43pm
keensetofpeepers:

also, how old is the OP? age is a MAJOR factor at HBS.

In what sense do you mean? Do they like older or younger? Whats the median?

bearing's picture

Anecdotally, one of my really

ER
(Neanderthal, 2,082
 
Points)
 on 7/1/12 at 8:52pm

Anecdotally, one of my really close buddies has very similar stats to the OP and got into Columbia. Like most application most things in life it's all about selling your story and how the school fits into it.

keensetofpeepers's picture

dest149: keensetofpeepers:

(Baboon, 147
 
Points)
 on 7/1/12 at 9:46pm
dest149:
keensetofpeepers:

also, how old is the OP? age is a MAJOR factor at HBS.

In what sense do you mean? Do they like older or younger? Whats the median?

i don't have hard numbers handy, unfortunately, but if you ask John Byrne over at Poets and Quants, he should have a pretty good sense.

ever since HBS started the 2+2 program they've been trending toward a younger demographic. If you're outside the 24-28 sweet spot, and you don't have a good story to explain that (ie military service), I feel like it's a strike against you. i've talked to admission fellows who personally didn't like the youth movement in the student population but believed that HBS is doing it to brand young successful people so that they will associate their future success with the HBS brand. in my experience, schools like Columbia and Wharton (and perhaps Kellogg and Booth?) are much more tolerant of older candidates with more experience (although again not too much, traditional nonmilitary applicants over 31 ish will likely get referred to their EMBA program).

madgames's picture

I will be 27 years old when I

(Orangutan, 313
 
Points)
 on 7/1/12 at 11:43pm

I will be 27 years old when I apply. I worked at a top bank and now work at a small fund, but the work I've done there at my fund is pretty impressive for someone my age. The size of the team is quite small which results in significantly greater responsibility.

I understand HBS will be a stretch, but I might as well take my shot. Also I've been in NY for 5 years now and would love to move somewhere else, hence Columbia is not a top choice.

Thanks for the feedback.

Betsy Massar's picture

keensetofpeepers: dest149:

EN
(Gorilla, 543
 
Points)
 on 7/2/12 at 1:15am
keensetofpeepers:
dest149:
keensetofpeepers:

also, how old is the OP? age is a MAJOR factor at HBS.

In what sense do you mean? Do they like older or younger? Whats the median?

i don't have hard numbers handy, unfortunately, but if you ask John Byrne over at Poets and Quants, he should have a pretty good sense.

ever since HBS started the 2+2 program they've been trending toward a younger demographic. If you're outside the 24-28 sweet spot, and you don't have a good story to explain that (ie military service), I feel like it's a strike against you. i've talked to admission fellows who personally didn't like the youth movement in the student population but believed that HBS is doing it to brand young successful people so that they will associate their future success with the HBS brand. in my experience, schools like Columbia and Wharton (and perhaps Kellogg and Booth?) are much more tolerant of older candidates with more experience (although again not too much, traditional nonmilitary applicants over 31 ish will likely get referred to their EMBA program).

Here's the number of years of work experience from the class of 2013 at HBS:

http://www.hbs.edu/mba/images/site/class13graph.png

Here's a quote from Dee Leopold, head of HBS admissions, during her webinar on June 1, 2012

"There is no right number of years and months of experience, some people are ready after two years, and there are some people for whom the optimal time may be 10-20 years later.”

Actually, they have always had a version of the 2+2 program -- it was just called deferred admits. When I went, the average age was probably younger than the current 27, because at that time they had a few people in the entering class straight from college. I had 5 years of work experience when I entered HBS, and I was like the old lady!

Betsy Massar
Check out my B-School Q&A Forum on WSO
Good posts get silver bananas!
Founder of MasterAdmissions.com

Xepa's picture

Why do you want to go to

CO
 
Points)
 on 7/2/12 at 8:55am

Why do you want to go to B-school?

And do you think that honest reason alone is enough to make a compelling argument for HBS?

Think about it. Because if they truly are, then you're gold, right? If not, then re-evaluate why you're applying.

mr_gondola's picture

HBS may be hard. They just

O
 
Points)
 on 7/2/12 at 3:14pm

HBS may be hard. They just don't take many AM/HF guys. Lots of PE, some bankers, and tons of consultants. I can think of one HF (giant), a pension guy, and maybe Bridgewater? And that's it. Out of 900.

Take it for what it's worth, but probably just a tough sell for a general management firm, especially now that they seem to be interested in refocusing on GM and manufacturing...

Betsy Massar's picture

Madgames, you wrote "but the

EN
(Gorilla, 543
 
Points)
 on 7/2/12 at 3:27pm

Madgames, you wrote
"but the work I've done there at my fund is pretty impressive for someone my age. The size of the team is quite small which results in significantly greater responsibility. "

That is the key point for you to demonstrate in any application. Not everyone can say that, nor are they articulate enough to be able to demonstrate it to the admissions committee. Of course HBS is hard, but if you feel you are ready, why not apply? You are looking at other schools, and that's good risk management.

Stanford is hard too, and appears to like some cross-cultural experience, but other than recommender fatigue, what's the downside if you really want to try?

As for suggesting other schools, as someone else asked, what do you want to do with your "one wild and precious life.?" http://www.hbs.edu/mba/perspectives/PortraitProject/

Betsy

You didn't mention Booth, MIT,

Betsy Massar
Check out my B-School Q&A Forum on WSO
Good posts get silver bananas!
Founder of MasterAdmissions.com

gf1990's picture

Had a friend who went to

PE
(Baboon, 125
 
Points)
 on 7/2/12 at 11:27pm

Had a friend who went to non-target did F500 and got into 2/4 of your schools.

No extracurriculars either but did have a 4.0 and was a stellar writer. So def focus time on ur application n essays.

wharton4life's picture

There is a big difference

(Chimp, 1
 
Points)
 on 11/25/12 at 3:22pm

There is a big difference between having gone to Duke (and Georgetown to a lesser extent) and having gone to wash u or usc. You should be more specific in the future.

Macroecon's picture

I think you have an excellent

(Monkey, 59
 
Points)
 on 11/25/12 at 3:43pm
SilkyJohnson's picture

Edit- Disregard, day late and

(Chimp, 4
 
Points)
 on 5/13/13 at 7:47pm

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