Should I bother applying to HBS 2+2?

I am currently a junior in my undergrad. I go to a large public university which is quite mediocre to be quite honest. First are my stats:

Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics Triple major
3.9/4.0 GPA (multiple Graduate courses if that counts for anything)
2 research papers with 1 as first author (does this count for anything?)
Full US citizen
No GRE yet, but would expect to get 800 Quantitative, and 600+ verbal.

Now the things that are really holding me back:
No real work experience since high school when I worked full time as a stock manager in retail. However I have been a TA, paid research assistant, tutor and treasurer for my social fraternity(again, are any of these of any value?). Additionally, the past summer I did research at a REU and have been accepted to participate in another REU this summer at a respectable university(top 15 or so).
As for letters of recommendation, I know I can get a good one with the professor I do research with, however I am unsure who else to get one from. The professor for whom I TA'd for hasn't responded back to me when I asked if he would be able to provide me with a letter of recommendation. Was considering asking my fraternity adviser for one, but I don't know how well that would look.

The reason I would really want to get into HBS 2+2 is that I will probably go to graduate school in some technical field if I do not get accepted into HBS 2+2, since I really don't think I have any chance of getting a respectable job from my current university.

 

@ rawr: I'm also applying to HBS 2+2 class of 2016, and in terms of academics you fit the profile very neatly from an academic point of view. Research papers are a plus but you need alot more in terms of EC/WC activity. See if you can get involved in a leadership role in Charity/Social Ventures etc. Try and get some solid work experience (technical?) this summer and you might have a solid shot.

They're looking for people who wouldn't have pursued graduate business otherwise, so you have that working for you. Try and represent that in your essays and your activities prior to Round 2 or 3 applications.

Feel free to PM me and good luck; hope we end up there in Fall 2014,

IG

‎"Until and unless you discover that money is the root of all good, you ask for your own destruction. When money ceases to become the means by which men deal with one another, then men become the tools of other men. Blood, whips and guns or dollars."
 

I'd say that a graduate program in finance would be a better place for you to apply. Without high quality internships and a top name brand undergraduate I don't see you getting in to 2+2. They're not going to want people at HBS in 2 years that didn't work on something awesome for those 2 years (or at least do something that has been deemed cool, but isn't - like TFA)

 

@IG Its really hard to find time to do any more in terms of EC stuff, I'm lucky to get more than 5 hours of sleep a night as it is. Also, I applied to(and got accepted to) some decent internships, but I didn't want to lessen any chances I had at a decent graduate school by doing one, which I know will hurt me, but I'm still counting on getting into grad school more than anything.

@IP Definitely going to apply for graduate finance/financial engineering programs come next fall, was just wondering if it was even worth my time and money to bother applying.

 

Rawr, if you wanna do 2+2 you kinda have to kiss sleep goodbye. I ran 2 businesses with ~20 employees last year while in school with an academic overload and now I'm double-overloaded in a double degree prog. while commuting 2 hours on weekends to run a social venture in a nearby city. I sleep like 10 hours a week (clearly, it's 5 am as I'm posting).

You're clearly a really smart guy, so if you want 2+2 and what it offers, you'll work yourself to the bone to get it. If graduate finance is really what you want to do and you don't want to sacrifice your work life balance, then forget 2+2 and go get a top MSF/MFE. With your background, you'll def. still do big things..

‎"Until and unless you discover that money is the root of all good, you ask for your own destruction. When money ceases to become the means by which men deal with one another, then men become the tools of other men. Blood, whips and guns or dollars."
 
Independent Gestion:
if you wanna do 2+2 you kinda have to kiss sleep goodbye. I ran 2 businesses with ~20 employees last year while in school with an academic overload and now I'm double-overloaded in a double degree prog. while commuting 2 hours on weekends to run a social venture in a nearby city. I sleep like 10 hours a week (clearly, it's 5 am as I'm posting).
You need to get laid.
-MBP
 

.

‎"Until and unless you discover that money is the root of all good, you ask for your own destruction. When money ceases to become the means by which men deal with one another, then men become the tools of other men. Blood, whips and guns or dollars."
 

My buddy had almost identical stats to yours with 3 MM internships and got an interview but was eventually dinged. Its a tough tough thing to get. (He came from a really good semi target by the way)

If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses - Henry Ford
 
happypantsmcgee:
My buddy had almost identical stats to yours with 3 MM internships and got an interview but was eventually dinged. Its a tough tough thing to get. (He came from a really good semi target by the way)

Do you know what the ding was about?

Also, does anyone know typically what percentage of applicants receive interviews?

 

No reason not to apply - you seem to fit the mold, and have at least an outside chance. Also, think about taking the GMAT to stand out more - an 800 on GRE Quant means next to nothing and is much more common than a 99% score on the GMAT.

 
Best Response

The people I know who were accepted to 2+2 weren't necessarily 4.0's/800 GMAT but had really significant and impressive leadership experience. Like they founded a massive campus organization, were president of the student body, started a successful company, ran a non-profit initiative that raised tens of thousands of dollars, etc. From what I've gathered, the program is meant to get really impressive people into HBS that might not have otherwise considered it three years into their careers, like for example they started a non-profit that does XYZ for AIDS in Africa, were biology majors, and were planning on going to med school, but HBS recruited them instead. Now these are extreme examples, but that's the idea.

I don't think they'll ding you for your academics, but you really need to sell yourself on being a natural leader and point to significant things you've done that show serious initiative.

Hi, Eric Stratton, rush chairman, damn glad to meet you.
 

I thought about the 2+2 thing, but I eventually decided to pursue other opportunities. You have absolutely no idea where your career will take you after you graduate -- why would anyone want to lock themselves down to such a constrained future?

 

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