Mr. Big 4 Auditor

Mr. Big 4 Auditor, I really like your post-MBA goal to focus on education and try to make a difference in a critical area of our country and the world. While your stats are more or less in line for Harvard Business School, I’m afraid there is nothing in this profile that is driving you into a school as highly competitive as HBS. Big Four audit experience tends to be a less traveled way into an elite business school, particularly for applicants who are not unrepresented minorities. Sure, there are plenty of Big Four alums at HBS but most come from the consulting business. In fact, in HBS’ Class of 2020, there were 17 students who went directly from their firms into HBS while a total of 47 students had a Big Four firm on their resumes. What about Baylor? A fine school, but not a feeder to HBS. In that same Class of 2020, there wasn’t a single student who got his or her degree from Baylor. My advice? You need to apply to at least six schools. My suggestions, given your goals and background? Duke, UVA Darden, NYU, Michigan, UCLA, and Rice. If HBS is your dream, by all means, take a Hail Mary pass. But I frankly wouldn’t waste my time.