Handicapping: Ms. Advertising Age, Mr. Real Estate, Mr. Social Media, Ms. Finance, Mr. Unilever, Mr. Consulting, Mr. Samsung, Ms. I-Banker

Mr. Asian Strategy Consultant

• 740 GMAT
• 3.4 GPA
• Undergraduate degree in economics from an Ivy League university
• Work experience includes four years at a boutique strategy consulting firm, focusing on growth strategy for Fortune 100 clients; interned at Monitor Group (acquired by Deloitte) while in college; launched a start-up (online luxury good retail shop) two years ago while working full time as a consultant
• Goal: To do a startup in the online retail space
• 27-year-old Asian male

Odds of Success:

Harvard: 20%

Stanford: 10%

Wharton: 20% to 30%

Chicago: 35%

Columbia: 30%

Northwestern: 40%

MIT: 20% to 30%

(all depending on what they think of your current company)

Sandy’s Analysis: From the info you provide, this does not seem like a Stanford admit, unless your boutique consulting firm has a history with them. Your start-up is impressive to me, but schools discount that on the theory that 1. everyone has a start-up, 2. if it were super successful, why are you applying here?

Your low-ish GPA will allow them to trust their unfair and contra (but true) instincts, so your case becomes easier for them to stop thinking [the goal of every folder review].

A lot will depend on what they think about your current company, its history with the school, its reputation and its history of hiring kids from school you are applying to.

Wharton is a small reach for reasons given above. Other places will depend on execution, fit, and luck, but should happen (well one or more) if you can sound super interested.

Four years in one place is also another tiny boo-boo, in most cases. Sorry, but you are a solid guy in reality but your profile weighs less on Planet Adcom.