Mr. Amazon Manager

You have the makings of a first class application to Harvard, Tuck and Kellogg. Your degree from Princeton and your 740 GMAT immediately makes you a very serious candidate. Princeton is the fifth most popular feeder university to HBS after only Harvard, Penn, Stanford, and Yale. In HBS’ Class of 2020, there are 24 alums from Princeton. Your 740 GMAT score is also ten points above the Harvard median. Add to that your time at Amazon and now at a portfolio company for a top private equity player is powerful. Plus, the gals in the admission offices of these schools are going to love your story about leaving a job you loved to be with the one you love. I think all this makes you a standout candidate with odds that are at about three times the HBS average of 12%. And if HBS doesn’t take you, Tuck and Kellogg will fight over you. Good luck!

Hello Mr. Amazon Manager, Jen Kedrowski from mbaMission here. Your willingness to share some of your personal story, such as the decisions you and your wife made related to your career choices is a positive in my view, as letting the admissions committee know your more personal motivations, rationale for your choices, and perspectives will help in this process, especially in an application process like Harvard’s…. most of the successful HBS applicants I’ve worked with have shown a more personal side to themselves in the essays and interview, beyond what may be shown in other school applications.

I am hopeful for your consideration at top MBA programs, with your experience at Amazon and currently at the portfolio company of a PE firm, and with your 740 GMAT which is above average at all programs including Harvard (though your GPA will be a touch below average). You could potentially draw upon what you learned as a less-active but valued D1 soccer player, and/or your experience coaching skiing for the disabled, as part of your HBS essay. We do offer a free HBS/GSB essay writing guide on our website you may wish to check out. Given that Harvard openly admits that there are far more sufficiently-qualified candidates in their applicant pool than there are spots available, there are no sure-things at Harvard, and their acceptance rate is in the 10-12% range typically… so my final suggestion is make sure you identify examples of leadership and impact made in each of your roles, to really make your resume stellar… when did you go above and beyond what was ‘expected’ as part of your role? Did you make suggestions, big or small, that impacted how your team or company did things? Did you receive stellar feedback from your teams? Exceed expectations? Show initiative? Those ‘nuggets’ showing leadership beyond what is expected can go a long way for HBS!