Mr. Renewable Energy Investing

Nisha’s right: Acceptance to Harvard’s 2+2 program is very competitive and unpredictable. But if you’ve walked over a fire barefoot, you should be able to figure out how to walk on the marble floors in Baker Library, Harvard Business School’s iconic campus building. You have the stats: a 4.0 and a 740 GMAT. But you’ll be walking on embers again against a class profile where 57% of the admitted students have STEM undergraduate backgrounds. You’re in the economics/business bucket which isn’t tiny: 24% of the latest 2+2 admits did major in Econ or biz. And not only did you do your undergrad at an Ivy League school, you also played varsity football which counts for a lot given the investment and discipline required to play a sport at that level. Plus for an undergrad, you have some really credible work experience as an analyst in renewable energy at a top bank and an internship at a healthcare startup. For all these reasons, I feel a lot more optimistic about your chances, though I totally agree that a 2+2 is pretty darn hard to predict. If you get a ding at HBS and it really is your dream school, you might want to wait and apply in two to three years because I do think you are a solid candidate. As I wrote here, a 2+2 rejection will have no impact on your chances later on: https://poetsandquants.com/2017/02/09/hbs-22-no-risk-way-get-harvard-business-school/

Oh, you’re the kind of applicant that makes me so happy to be doing what I do – I love seeing bright, talented people who know what they want to do. It’s always inspiring. Honestly, you’re absolutely b-school material – if you keep on the path you’ve carved for yourself, there’s nothing that will stop you from attending a top school. Look, the 2+2 program is really designed for those who aren’t likely to find there way to business school down the road – from everything I gather, that’s not you. (You’re heading to JPM – and after a few years, you’ll likely join a PE firm. In other words, you’re setting yourself up to be part of an amazingly talented pool – but a pool that is large and gives the schools ample choices. They have very little reason to place a bet on you now, when they know they’ll see so many others like you in a few years.) That said, I love that you know where you’re focused (though I’d want to hear why) and you’ve got a long-term vision. Make sure that these things play a part in your essay – and maybe you’ll sneak through. (And if not, don’t sweat it – you’ll still be in excellent shape in a few years, even if you have to take that GMAT again.) (And sorry for the duplication with the Community assessment – I wasn’t logged in correctly when I originally submitted this yesterday.)

Hi, it’s Nisha with mbaMission! You have solid academics, and props to you for securing great internships and already identifying a logical career path that lines up with your passion in renewable energy. (And, wow to the walking over fire barefoot!)

The 2+2/deferred programs are both competitive and unpredictable regarding who gets accepted, but a couple of things we’ve seen 1.) the programs primarily are targeting STEM and humanities majors – though they are getting a bit more flexible in this area, having studied econ puts you outside of this category, and 2.) Outstanding extracurricular leadership is something the programs weigh very heavily – I see you have been quite involved in school with football, research, and the fraternity, but I would need more information regarding your roles and the impact you had on each organization.

What we’ve also seen – even these deferred programs don’t work out for you, it will in no way penalize your regular applications a few years from now. In fact, we’ve seen that people who initially applied to the deferred programs (and ended up waiting) have even higher success rates later on down the road! So, I recommend that you do apply, making sure to execute a strong application that shows the impact you’ve made not only in your internships but also in your activities and that communicates your passion for renewable energy.