MBA Handicapping: GRE For 2+2 Super Stars: How Low Can It Go?

Abdou is a 23-year-old senior at the University of Cincinnati, majoring in economics and finance. He’s applying to several deferred admissions programs, including Harvard’s 2+2 program, Stanford GSB, Wharton and Chicago Booth. Born in Ethiopia and a Sengalese citizen who lives in the U.S., this first-generation college student pretty much checks all the boxes.

• A 3.92-grade point average.
• A job waiting for him at BlackRock, the prestigious global investment management firm.
• Internships in finance at Merrill Lynch and BlackRock

But then there’s his GRE. On practice tests, he has scored well below what HBS requires (see latest 2+2 class profile below): a 314 when the average total score for the latest class to enter HBS is 326.

In this Friday’s With Sandy episode, HBSGuru.com founder assesses his chances of a yes from Harvard Business School.

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