Ms. Ivy League

• 740 (45Q/49V) GMAT
• 3.85 GPA
• Undergraduate degree in applied math from an Ivy League university (HYP)
• Work experience includes five years at a niche consulting firm, with recent HBS admits from the company. Two promotions, and also an externship at a nonprofit
• “Pretty good extracurriculars, solid recs, and a consistent story about championing women in STEM at my organization”
• “My guess is that I got bucketed in with consultants and didn’t stick out enough? But curious as to whether anything else sticks out!

”
• 26-year-old female

Sandy’s Ding Analysis: I’m a bit surprised that you didn’t even get an interview from HBS on these facts.

Did other admits to HBS from your company have folks in the firm backing them strongly? That could have made a real difference.

To some degree, I believe your hunch is correct, viz: “My guess is that I got bucketed in with consultants and didn’t stick out enough?”

Working at a niche company could be part of that. It could also be a bad year for applicants who are consultants or just plain bad luck.

Sorry, not sure, but you probably needed some luck and stronger support from your company.