Tier 2 Consulting to HBS or SGSB?
I'm a first year associate at a tier 2 consulting firm looking to lateral careers after business school. My ultimate goal is to go to HBS or SGSB and I am curious about my chances. I graduated summa cum laude (GPA ~3.8) with a humanities degree from a target (HYP) and have a 750 gmat score for additional context. In terms of career post MBA, I want to pursue corporate strategy or possibly my own startup, but that could easily change.
I know MBB consultants have a huge pipeline into HSB and SGSB, which my consulting firm does not possess (think OW/Deloitte/S&/LEK), but does my background give me a shot? I would not be sponsored either as I do not plan to return to the firm after my MBA.
ECs don't really matter, big time admissions myth.
EC's fall into four buckets:
Top tier: Saved part of the world (i.e. founded a charity that has a sustainable donor base or ran a group of multiple people who made a significant impact on a macro level) This can move the needle for top schools and can offset other parts of your app.
Second tier: YoY involvement and leadership role/ongoing mentoring
This checks the box, no more discussion, can offset another area that is borderline weak but probably not; you're not going to be ranked vs other students based on this sort of 'expected' EC experience.
Third tier: Spotty EC's, probably signed up a year ago to put something on for b-school This doesn't really check the box but they won't throw out a good application based on this.
Fourth tier: No EC's This is a red flag and can ding you.
At the end of the day, 100% agree that EC's are the least important admittance criteria, while schools tend to indicate that they're one of the most (it's good PR). Also agree that it isn't as important for blue chip candidates (HYPSetc-IB-MF), they just need to put something, anything on the line.
I've seen at least 5 people get into HBS who probably had no business being at an M7 (i.e. were waitlisted or dinged by other M7 schools). I think of all the top schools, HBS is the most likely to set aside stats (assuming you're above their floor) to pick up a candidate they find "interesting". That probably hurts the IB/consulting crowd most as there's no shortage of MBB folks who've run marathons and fed the homeless.
The avg. (for HBS) people I've seen get in all had either what was described above as tier 1 ECs, or unexpected career success. Winning awards and being featured on the news for mentorship programs, overseas work, or really crazy career ascents at F500 type firms, where climbing the ladder is incredibly slow.
If I had to generalize, I'd say that HBS stands in between Wharton, which will take you w/ the right stats, and SGB, which wants the stats, elite work experience, AND tier 1 ECs, for the most part.