Competitive Candidate for H/W/S MBA Program?
Fellow Monkeys,
I recently graduated from an extremely nontarget university, a place completely off the radar, and only achieved a 3.2 GPA. I was involved in building an Oil & Gas related business during my undergraduate studies, which is focused on serving certain clients in an area far from where I attended university, so I largely completed graduation requirements by enrolling in online courses at other institutions. I obtained credits from all over the place, failed and redid two classes, and ended up with a low GPA from a university that's less than thirty years old. However, my academic faults weren't without reason, I gained great experience as an entrepreneur pursuing an opportunity I couldn't pass up. During my time as an academically inattentive undergrad, myself and a family partner created a multimillion dollar company, which allowed me to learn more than anyone could in a classroom and perhaps does well enough to prove my business acumen.
Apart from building a multimillion dollar company, I am on track to join a real estate private equity fund as an analyst. In the future, I would like to raise a pledge fund to buyout a company owned by a family friend, which I plan to merge with my own business. The result of the amalgamation should be a great platform company to build through certain strategic acquisitions. In the distant future, I would like to raise a fund with two other close friends involved in private equity, where I would mostly contribute expertise in real estate and infrastructure transactions, as well as an executive level understanding of industrial companies like my own. I think that I could hugely benefit from participation in an MBA program at H/W/S, which would bolster my reputation for capital raising purposes, but I'm unsure about their perception of undergraduates with such unconventional backgrounds.
Given my history and aspirations, what do you believe an admissions officer would say about my application?
Are there many vegabonds, so to speak, at H/W/S?
Get a >700 on the gmat to balance out that GPA. But i wouldn't be worried about getting into HSW -- you have a fantastic story. Really unique.
You definitely have that WOW factor!
well you already write in the annoying manner of an MBA so you have that going for you.
I don't believe your story and the second paragraph is all speculation.
Long and Short,
I'm being honest.
I can verify my identity with an e-mail and LinkedIn message to you, which I believe is just about the best I can do, although I want anonymity on this board.
If you would like verification, PM me your contact info.
You're right about the second paragraph, it's fairly speculative, but I do have a family friend's company lined up to purchase.
I'd like to purchase the company as soon as possible, but recent experience leads me to believe that raising capital is really really difficult without a respectable MBA, which is why I'm contemplating MBA programs at H/W/S.
sounds like you just want the MBA to have the piece of paper, which is the same attitude you had toward your undergrad. you need to get your story straight and cut all the weasel words.
I was "involved in" building an Oil & Gas "related" business during my undergraduate studies, which is focused on serving "certain clients" in "an area" far from where I attended university
"learn more than anyone could in a classroom and perhaps does well enough to prove my business acumen" so you are going to be the smartest guy at HBS?
Maybe you are just being vague to protect your identity but when you tell your story you need to be much more specific. No "helped in" "related" "an area". What did you do specifically? I don't doubt that you have a LinkedIn profile that lists these same accomplishments. I doubt that your involvement in the project was that significant, or that the business is really that valuable.
Why didn't you just drop out of school? If this was such an incredible opportunity, why not just take some time off? No shame in dropping out to start a business. As I'm sure you're aware, some of the most wealthy and successful people in the world have done exactly that.
Not trying to be a dick but these are some of the hard hitting questions you will receive.
and again, getting an MBA because it will help you pitch to investors is the worst reason to get an MBA. If your story is so compelling, why not tell it to the investors instead of the admissions committee at an MBA program?
when you say "on track to" join a PE fund what does that mean? do you have an offer or not? have you even interviewed?
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