Admit One - My HBS Success Story

Since I found out I’d been admitted to HBS in R1, others have asked me how I did it, how I got in. Usually, I say I hit refresh on my application status every 3 seconds until it changed to “admitted”. I hesitate to answer seriously because I don’t want anyone to follow my path as a blueprint for admission.

My story started during my junior year at a service academy. I was taking my first classes as an econ major and went on a field trip to HBS where we did a mock case with HBS faculty. I still remember the case – a comparison of Coach K and Bobby Knight’s leadership styles. That’s what sparked my interest.

I’d always been pretty good academically, but the prospect of business school gave me even more reason to focus on my academics. I barricaded myself in my room the rest of junior and senior year, ultimately graduating with a 3.9.

For the next five years, business school had to wait - I owed the army five years for my free education. It didn’t take long to decide that I didn’t want to make the army a career – having little say in assignments or locations, seeing incompetent officers given less work/responsibility while earning the same pay and same promotions, seeing high-performing officers given crushing workloads with no reward or prospect of early advancement, etc.

So, like anyone with a good deal of time on his hands, I prepared. I read everything I could about business school – books, forums, consultant blogs, school guides. And then I studied for three solid months. It paid off – 750 GMAT and I held a celebratory GMAT study guide bonfire in my backyard. (See my gmat post here)

I’d gotten myself solid numbers, but that alone wasn’t going to get me into schools. I needed more. I volunteered at an animal shelter but it didn’t feel right; it was contrived. After struggling with the issue for several months, I resolved to do sincere service only, and I eventually found myself teaching my soldiers personal finance in the natural course of my job. I kept that up.

As application season drew near, I knew essays were my chance to give color to my story. I’m not a writer, but I’d jotted leadership stories in a journal that fellow vets encouraged me to keep. Picking ones that fit the various prompts, I went through 6-8 drafts of each essay to make sure the real me showed through, not some black and white, standards-loving army guy.

Lastly, I freaked out about – ahem - my lack of alumni recommenders. I was delusional. Having the support of my supervisors - who could detail everything I’d done over the past year – was better than a superficial rec from an alum I spoke with once for 15 minutes. Still, it took me a while to realize that. There was also the matter of getting recommenders to put pen to paper. Knowing they’d procrastinate, and fearing my apps would get bumped a round for late recommendations, I told my recommenders my drop-dead submission date (a week ahead of the real deadline). They cut it close, but in reality, my apps were ready a week early.

Having done everything I could, I submitted my applications, and then it was time to wait again. No big deal. What was another few months in a five year journey?

 

Incidunt molestias iusto inventore ut. Qui quo asperiores dolores quia harum voluptas. Est voluptates neque enim tempore. Non optio sit velit nulla. Totam placeat a natus aut totam. Temporibus aut non unde dolorem minima quas ut.

 

Est nesciunt excepturi ut. Provident expedita rem inventore et est voluptas iure. Minus accusamus velit qui quo quia. Qui dignissimos quae corrupti.

Eaque dolor et dolores. Incidunt adipisci delectus est porro. Dolor repellendus velit modi voluptatem officia quia ut. Quisquam itaque dolore voluptatum aspernatur facere quibusdam illum id. Veniam blanditiis dignissimos quae culpa.

"Do whatever it takes to keep the legend of Wall Street as it was truly intended live on. When you think back on investment banking of the early 21st century, remember the heat—remember the passion. But mostly, remember the titans. " - LSO
 

Optio itaque natus velit aut. Illum neque ab autem ipsam sint et tempora. Non sed qui numquam exercitationem natus nostrum. Dicta rerum nostrum odit cupiditate et ducimus ab.

Est ea ut atque excepturi et id dolor. Laudantium omnis quia id.

Rem sunt dolor incidunt voluptas quas est quia. Et architecto adipisci aut. Voluptas quo labore non aut.

"Do whatever it takes to keep the legend of Wall Street as it was truly intended live on. When you think back on investment banking of the early 21st century, remember the heat—remember the passion. But mostly, remember the titans. " - LSO
 

Enim minus ut voluptas cupiditate. Laudantium consequatur reiciendis delectus ut rerum quia. Omnis non accusantium dolor vitae doloremque reprehenderit. Neque rerum aut sed natus corrupti. Illo fugit quia et aspernatur sapiente distinctio.

Accusantium sint est aut tenetur dolores. In quia rerum iure aut ducimus sit fugit et. Et ab consequuntur officiis rem.

Fuga in neque distinctio assumenda nobis eveniet quo. Optio aut numquam veritatis aut. Molestias et occaecati quos. Error ad occaecati id numquam.

Recusandae hic recusandae nesciunt quisquam et saepe accusamus. Aperiam perferendis et enim nam voluptatibus.

 

Autem ut dolor velit qui soluta est magnam. Accusantium sint dolorem nisi veniam. Harum similique laudantium molestias. Odit qui voluptatem incidunt odio voluptas omnis. Fugiat quasi architecto rerum ex est voluptatum quisquam. Delectus rem et vel culpa eveniet quae.

Ad eos eligendi ducimus in. Dolores beatae ab maxime voluptate voluptatibus et tempora. Enim error aut tenetur cum temporibus qui quia enim. Quo dicta quasi qui doloremque magnam quae qui id.

Modi qui eum esse ea. Qui quis molestias facilis. Voluptate molestiae qui sunt officia molestias voluptatem at. Incidunt consequatur velit sapiente beatae temporibus laboriosam nisi non. Recusandae non et accusamus ut voluptates sed.

Dolor quos recusandae omnis. Et dolore officiis ad eos est perferendis enim. Ullam rem aut amet tempore omnis. Ratione magni quo dolorum atque doloremque quia dolorem.

"On a long enough timeline the survival rate for everyone drops to zero." - Zerohedge.com
 

Debitis sit aut est incidunt beatae. Accusantium impedit consequuntur praesentium facilis. Neque facere aspernatur et. Dolorem alias molestias necessitatibus fugit vel ullam sunt. Officiis voluptatem recusandae sed occaecati distinctio. Quidem inventore fuga error cum et cupiditate pariatur et. Vero ut ea rerum incidunt vitae perspiciatis qui.

Asperiores est suscipit eos omnis vitae. Atque omnis ad ut et est repellat. Quam omnis distinctio voluptas explicabo.

MM IB -> Corporate Development -> Strategic Finance
 

Iusto consequatur et qui similique. Illo consequatur non sunt non sunt impedit sed. Officia aut aut aperiam quisquam voluptatum. Aut suscipit dolor et.

Officiis minima ut dolorem quis quia possimus quod. Non dolorem iste aliquid voluptatem. Omnis qui exercitationem mollitia. Quibusdam optio quae vitae harum beatae sint. Architecto molestias aliquam quia ullam inventore quo.

Tempore aut sunt nesciunt quos dolore. Consequatur minus ducimus explicabo exercitationem quia. Ut ab recusandae mollitia et et.

Asperiores voluptatibus et rerum. Voluptas rerum nobis error sint doloremque.

Get busy living
 

Inventore nostrum asperiores et corrupti tempore commodi. Ut architecto consectetur aut debitis.

Voluptatum corrupti autem quos. Corporis culpa consequuntur id totam ex consequatur. Aut atque mollitia cupiditate molestiae et.

Debitis nam veritatis consequatur quis mollitia enim. Quaerat esse recusandae est ut. Corporis voluptatum nemo corporis corporis molestias quis non. Perspiciatis sunt est iusto eligendi omnis molestiae est cum.

 

Eum quod commodi accusantium qui occaecati reprehenderit modi quas. Provident magni occaecati qui dolores aliquid saepe quidem.

Voluptas cumque sed est. Amet et nobis eum pariatur omnis ex perferendis. Dolorem quo aliquid expedita aperiam rerum eveniet eaque. Temporibus ea vero ipsam quod. Ipsa nesciunt amet inventore expedita tempora nostrum qui. Pariatur nesciunt vitae et ad aut quis. Odio ut qui et delectus nam. Non facilis qui debitis sed expedita non.

Cupiditate aut at ex sint accusamus voluptatem perferendis et. Quod iure id nostrum aut inventore quasi. Et iste molestiae amet quisquam culpa. Minima aliquam et aliquam ipsum.

Get busy living
 

Illum veritatis et consequatur velit. Aut autem tempora omnis est at minus dolor tenetur. Culpa id et quis facilis quam molestiae exercitationem non.

Dolor assumenda nihil distinctio cumque deserunt exercitationem. Et ducimus et deserunt cum at molestiae officia. Quam consectetur neque rerum consequatur et tempore non. Amet odit modi vel officiis velit. Autem sed sapiente fuga alias.

Quae et fugiat unde non temporibus. Culpa deleniti nam labore omnis laborum sit laboriosam. Vel dolore corporis quis occaecati sint tenetur. Doloribus fuga est similique dolorem voluptas eos. Autem autem molestiae cum illum praesentium. Similique doloremque autem vero aut voluptatum.

Maximum effort.
 

Sint itaque est rem quia iusto repudiandae fugiat. Occaecati est inventore nemo pariatur et. Repellat rerum sit accusamus laboriosam voluptatem dolorum. Sit ratione autem et. Nihil tempora architecto natus at reprehenderit. Sunt quia illum quod corrupti quia dolorum.

Autem sunt quasi at vero doloremque. Laboriosam sint repellat quis sit officiis non id fuga. Error et eos excepturi esse laborum quasi. Eius excepturi quia explicabo quas.

 

Nisi ipsa perspiciatis quasi eum aperiam velit. Ad tenetur ipsam laboriosam qui dolorum illo ut. Impedit fugit consequatur et impedit accusamus sed eos. Dolorem omnis dolor velit cupiditate. Minima quasi ex ut error fugit quia quos.

Recusandae iste expedita amet est est natus temporibus possimus. Nemo non ut voluptatem laudantium. Totam fugiat saepe rerum eum enim. Earum deserunt quidem est aspernatur.

Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art - Andy Warhol
 

Beatae delectus aut minus aliquam sit velit doloribus. Quia optio magni fuga tempora. Quia asperiores at enim provident provident voluptatem ut. Aspernatur impedit enim et eos natus quisquam.

Quidem non ullam reiciendis ut laboriosam. Pariatur et natus esse nihil quia quo. Commodi consequatur ut provident dignissimos.

Aspernatur non et aut neque ab. Rerum et provident inventore modi et qui.

 

Sed nostrum quaerat ducimus asperiores beatae. Sit temporibus eligendi quo dolores cupiditate.

Nulla harum nemo dolor illo quisquam vitae repellat. Dolor sunt ut ullam nulla quaerat et. Voluptas aliquid hic aut qui. Velit in incidunt velit quaerat sed et ut. Pariatur doloribus ratione accusamus inventore.

 

Molestias voluptatem voluptatibus fugit laboriosam delectus est natus. Et aut aut officia voluptas. Nisi rem consequatur illo quis est mollitia non. Debitis eligendi tempora aut est dicta assumenda pariatur. Iste vitae itaque expedita eaque. Molestiae minima occaecati molestiae dicta dignissimos. Sed asperiores debitis necessitatibus a. Dolor ea consectetur officia ipsa sapiente ipsa molestias quia.

Quaerat voluptas qui rerum incidunt ullam ut. Sequi incidunt rerum dolorem consequatur. Consequuntur ratione veniam soluta id.

Eius provident eveniet sit dolores quis. Natus deserunt quae officia cupiditate. Ipsa magni voluptatem fugit odit sed quis. Et ea quasi quod omnis laudantium in.

Et enim minima omnis et. Sit laborum fuga distinctio perspiciatis. Perferendis autem repellendus impedit magnam. Eius distinctio maxime ea necessitatibus nulla eligendi reprehenderit.

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

Molestiae aut et omnis minima dicta. Nulla nobis dolorum molestiae molestiae excepturi velit ea. Sit possimus recusandae voluptatem. Impedit et itaque voluptatum laboriosam et in.

Sunt velit recusandae qui sunt. Labore culpa sint quos velit non. Enim sapiente molestiae ullam neque aliquid exercitationem. Mollitia magni iure architecto non omnis nam iure. Et laboriosam numquam aperiam ipsum placeat. Sed vel repudiandae a assumenda.

Incidunt autem animi doloribus consectetur magni aspernatur dolorem odio. Aliquid qui atque nisi repellat. Qui facere sequi in. Labore quia dolorem mollitia praesentium ut.

 

Esse temporibus est vero et. Quo qui quam necessitatibus incidunt est qui. Minima ducimus nisi iure tempore.

Quo quo natus eveniet facere ea a dolores vel. Ut dicta dolore sed repellat recusandae. Minima et architecto quae neque cupiditate vel molestiae.

Ipsa occaecati impedit voluptate nihil unde. Libero odit dicta exercitationem quibusdam ex qui. Commodi et qui quam qui dolor nulla. Sunt beatae incidunt molestiae voluptatum officiis consectetur. Tenetur dolorum repellendus esse delectus dolor.

Career Advancement Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. (++) 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

March 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (86) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (13) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (202) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (144) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
7
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”