Ms. Deloitte

• 710 GMAT
• 3.5 GPA
• Undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from Duke University
• Work experience includes three years in technology consulting at Deloitte
• Recommendations from Deloitte partner and manager (previous direct supervisor);worked closely with both in her time at Deloitte
• Essay focused on the importance of mentoring peers and juniors and also taking initiative to take on leadership in activities; used anecdotes from mentoring in college and drew parallels to her work experience
• Goal: To return to consulting and focus on digital transformation in retail
• 24-year-old white female

Sandy’s Analysis: The way white people with so-so stats (3.5, 710 GMAT) get into HBS from Deloitte is to use Deloitte as a way to get a more selective job in consulting/IB/PE or maybe a hot growing tech company, and then apply from that second job. As often noted, Harvard Business School and Stanford GSB use use Big three Accting/Consulting firms as way to find under-represented minorities.

Being a woman helped but youth, only one job at Deloitte, and lower than average stats were the deal breaker here.

For years, Stanford would take one to two URM women a year from Big 3/4. I also say this with some sadness, given how nutty things have become, but you could make a real case in retaking GMAT and trying to bag a 730.

It’s just part of the stupid hazing that has developed in this process. It proves nothing but your ability to sit still and eat sh!t, which is actually one of the key thing schools like HBS/Stanford look for.