The 2016 Ding Report: Why Great Applicants Are Often Rejected

Mr. Private Equity

• 750 GMAT (75Q)
• 3.2 GPA
• Undergraduate degree from a lower Ivy (Brown/Cornell)
• Work experince includes four years as an associate at a tier 1 private equity firm with a track record of sending students to Wharton; also one year as a junior analyst at a hedge fund
• Wrote essay on being a first generation student, non-traditional track to PE, and desire to pursue social impact investing
• “W group interview – I really thought I did well, but maybe I had a moment or I rehearsed too much”
• “Wondering about your thoughts on this and reapplication to Wharton and Columbia Business School”
• 27-year-old Asian-American male

Dings:

Harvard-Denied without interview

Stanford-Denied without interview

Wharton—Denied after interview

Columbia-Denied without interview

Sandy’s Analysis: Hmmmmmm, that is a surprising outcome a bit. You are in a competitive bucket of PE types, sooooo, your lower GPA and mildly odd career could be an issue. Your first job at a hedge fund is somewhat surprising because that usually does not happen with guys who have a 3.2 and low quant scores, and then FOUR years at a Tier 1 PE shop? Also odd sounding. Do you have friends in high places?

I would reapply in Round 1, and maybe Columbia ED. Your dreams can come true there. My guess is that you were turned down either due to a combination of the above. It’s also possible that you had some bad moments at the Wharton group-grope interview and that did you in.

All that said, this profile screams Columbia ED, and they will appreciate the GMAT score (however lowish the Q) and your deposit. Apply ED to Columbia, not Round 1, if you can.

You have lots to like in your profile but it is not solid gold and you are competing with other PE guys and that is super hard.

As to your work history, the issue for B-schools is do they think that firms you worked for are selective, e.g. have those firms done the B-schools the trouble of already interviewing 15 kids and choosing one, or did you get in to those jobs somehow through some side door?

IF YOU’D LIKE SANDY TO TELL YOU WHY YOU WERE DINGED, SEND IN YOUR SCORES AND PROFILE HERE