From Non-Target to Stanford GSB

Wanted to share my path and what worked for me since I’ve leaned on WSO a decent bit over the years. I’ll keep the background brief since the IB/PE path is pretty well covered here and focus more on the GMAT and MBA application process, which I found to be a lot less straightforward. 

In terms of background, I went to a state school better known for athletics and didn’t have an on-campus pipeline into NYC finance. I networked my way into a summer internship in a non-NYC city by building targeted lists of alumni, fraternity, and other connections and reaching out to folks in specific groups I was interested in. After my internship converted, I spent two years in MM banking and recruited into an LMM PE firm in NYC where I’ve been for the last couple years.

On the GMAT, my biggest advice is just take it as early as possible (ideally while still in college) because the time commitment only gets harder once you’re working. I used Target Test Prep to brush up on (more than a few) fundamentals, and moved on to official GMAC materials since the problems there are more similar to the actual exam. Use official tests sparingly to check when you’re ready to schedule the exam, review mistakes on GMAT Club, and track why you’re getting questions wrong…. also schedule a retake in advance. Most people don’t hit their best score on the first try (took me 3 or 4 tries to get it right).

My goal was H/S/W or bust, which wasn’t exactly a layup for someone at a smaller PE firm coming from a state school. I knew I was in a competitive bucket of NYC finance applicants who had gone to prestigious schools and worked at great firms, but I believed my story would resonate even if I had taken “the path less traveled”.

I spoke with a few consultants and most told me H/S/W was a reach for someone with my background / that I should expand my list. Ended up choosing Menlo Coaching who I found based on WSO recs. David sent me a fair and balanced assessment of my odds within a few hours of me contacting Menlo and told me I could get there if I positioned my story & goals well. To do so, I was paired with Yaron (the GOAT), who had worked with a lot of candidates from similar backgrounds. 

Early on, Menlo mailed me a comic book outlining the process as a long, herculean journey which ended up being pretty accurate. Re-learning math concepts for the GMAT and writing essays didn’t mix well with drafting IC memos or taking red eyes for management meetings (usually not at the same time, but fun when that happens…). 

With that busy schedule, Menlo’s project management system (basically a VDR for apps), saved me a ton of time -- I always knew what to work on next and everything else I needed to do before submission, which was a lot than rooting around in Gmail. They also had 5-minute videos on every MBA topic so I could sneak in a few minutes of work on my apps if I had a quick break between meetings (and I felt my VP wasn't likely to walk by my desk) 

Ultimately, I’d say creating structure was what got me through the process: I had a regular meeting cadence with Yaron, worked through prep materials/videos, networked with students, and visited schools (surprisingly helpful). By the time applications opened I felt ready to draft my essays. I spent about three weeks on GSB alone, iterating constantly with feedback, and had the same process for H and W. I missed a couple get togethers over the summer, but my essays ended up being something I’m genuinely proud of. 

After submitting, I shifted into interview prep. I’m much more comfortable writing than speaking, so repetition and mock interviews helped a ton. I ended up getting interviews at all three of H/S/W, converted Wharton, and was waitlisted at Stanford. At that point I knew it was a longshot, but I stayed engaged and sent over various updates to the adcom on some of the more interesting projects I had been working on, both professionally and personally. Eventually, I got the call from GSB and it made the year-long process worth it. (Highly recommend starting early)

I don’t think there was anything perfect about my profile, but taking my GMAT early, spending serious time on upfront prep, and working with experts (s/o Menlo and Yaron again!) definitely made the difference.