Mr. FBI To MBB

Well, I can say this with some degree of certainty. Not all that many FBI agents apply to Harvard Business School. Add in the fact that you are also trilingual and have significant international experience makes you a highly desirable candidate and future student. You would add a lot to a classroom discussion. Your GMAT score is 20 points below the median but I don’t really think that matters. HBS should want you in the mix, and if for any reason they pass, I am pretty certain that Wharton would jump at this.

Hi Mr. FBI to MBB! This is Kate Richardson, Senior Admissions Consultant. I love your biggest life win, definitely something to be proud of! Also a good indicator of the maturity and well-rounded outlook you would contribute to an MBA cohort. Most importantly though, your work background will set you apart. I have been reviewing aspiring MBA profiles for several years and can’t recall coming across another FBI agent before. Plus your international experience and language skills will be a huge draw. I think with that background, plus your GPA and GMAT, you’ll be attractive to MBB firms too. I would encourage you to think about how you can show you’re serious about making this switch to business and consulting — you could enroll in some online courses, even CORe from HBS Online, or try to network with contacts in MBB firms so you can come into the program with a strong network. All in all, I think you’ve got a solid shot at Harvard, and would rate your odds higher if it wasn’t such a ridiculously selective program. Good luck!

Hi Mr. FBI to MBB, this is Donna Bauman from Stratus Admissions and I am very impressed with your background. You check a lot of boxes that would be interesting to HBS and other top programs. I cannot even imagine all the stories you have as an FBI agent—but most definitely there will be leadership and I would highlight those experiences in leadership for HBS. Your stats are close enough in range that if you demonstrate that leadership in all areas of your life you have a shot at HBS. Great international experience from work and your mission trip too. Your family perspective—especially at this time when we all are likely thinking about our lives with added insight—is refreshing. If you apply to Wharton look at the Lauder option as well and while I think GSB could be the hardest of all—certainly lowest odds for all—if you want to appeal there you will need to have a compelling answer to what matters most that goes a bit deeper than just moving to consulting. I’d be happy to brainstorm on how to approach that if you want to reach out further for a consult. I also think you may want to dig deeper into consulting and think about what focus and research beyond MBB if for no other reason than to stand out more from the crowd.