Handicapping: Mrs. Marlboro, Ms. Social Sector, Ms. Think Tank, Mr. Military, Mr. 2+2, Mr. PE Bound, Mr. Peace Corps

Mr. 2+2

750 GMAT
3.75 GPA
Undergraduate degree in finance from a Top 20 public in the South
Work experience includes internships at mid-market elite boutique investment bank, working on valuations, an aerospace company in operations, and an elite engineering university in aerospace research
Goal: To work in a hedge fund or asset management firm, using the experience to eventually create his own investment fund
“Tell me what my chances are of getting into HBS 2+2, GBS 2+2, and Yale Silver Scholars (3+2)”

Odds of Success:

Sandy’s Analysis: Well, I like you and one may wonder what might be missing from a guy with a 750 GMAT and 3.75 GPA from an okay public college. Unfortunately, 2+2 programs are really difficult, especially for finance (white males, I assume?).

What is missing here is some glitter. All your extras are career oriented. Your jobs are with silver not gold firms, and your goals are sorta get rich, or seem that way.

The actual strong part of this story is “aerospace company doing operations, and elite engineering university doing aerospace research.”

I would try to build that up more as both influences and goals when you apply to these business schools.

I don’t think you are getting into Stanford. You are not their kind of future rich kid–They prefer future rich kids to be born rich or learn quicker how to manipulate the system– and go to Ivy schools and work at tip-top finance firms. Given that no save-the-world BS attached here as well, well, there’s just nothing driving you in.

HBS story could be similar but the door at Harvard is wider because every incoming class is more than twice the size than at Stanford. You may get in to HBS in two to four years as a regular admit.

I don’t really have a feeling about Yale’s School of Management. My advice would be to apply to H and S, get dinged, and join the Ding+Admit club in two to four years.