Do I have a reasonable chance at HBS, or am I just delusional?

[SpottyRecord]

What caliber of program should I target? Am I delusional to think top 5?

Age: 33
GRE: 1560 (800V, 760Q)
GMAT: 750 (99th% V, ~85th% Q)
UG Degree: BS in Philosophy from state university
UG GPA: 3.1 cume (3.95 last 2 years, 3.94 in major)
Math: got an A in calc II, stopped there (worked through much of calc III on my own, though)...about 15 years ago lol.

Letters: 1) Mgmt dept head at my UG state university who says he thinks I'm the smartest and most interesting student he's ever come across (he also serves as an advisor for my current business); 2) Moderately well-known philosopher who says I'm one of the top 3 most talented students he's come across in his dozen years; 3) Department head of my UG philosophy program

Red Flags: No prolonged work experience (I'm usually either in school or doing my own projects). Lots of F's from not finishing semesters (did this twice as an undergrad and twice as a grad student).

Plusses: Lots of demonstrable ambition, initiative, creativity, and leadership. Started multiple businesses. Took a lot of independent study courses in school (even wrote an unpublished 275 page book for one). Spent much of the last 10 years obsessed with social entrepreneurship, explicitly trying to design and birth a business that would be able to generate $1 billion/yr in funding for philanthropic causes. (I think I've got it figured out with my current business model, but I'm sorely lacking a lot of relevant business skills that I'd learn and develop in a good program.)

Relevant Work Experience: 1) Created/owned/operated my own restaurant & bar at age 21 with no money or experience; sold after 6 months for small profit. 2) Took over 4 failing franchise restaurants at age 23, re-designed all systems, did some unique cause-branding that helped local schools [still AP news stories about this online], set numerous sales records. 3) Launched a hybrid company 2 years ago that raises money for cancer research and other philanthropic causes [I donate a large % of my profits, plus I also organize fundraising events].

Grad School: 1) Joined a mediocre local MBA program in 2003 because I had to stay home and help my immediate family with medical issues. Received all A's first semester and all F's second semester because I withdrew early in the second semester without filing paperwork. Couldn't formally withdraw because I needed to keep my financial aid $ for family's food/medical bills. Withdrew because program was depressing and I didn't fit in at all. 2) When family's health improved, I applied and was accepted to a Top 5 philosophy grad program...then dropped out a month into first semester to launch my current company. Couldn't get myself to focus on philosophy because I was constantly thinking about business, in particular how to use business to do massive amounts of good for society. 3) Just started Nebraska's distance MBA program. Chose it because it was far and away the most inexpensive respectable online MBA program out there. Love it so far, but would prefer to switch to a top program.

Extracurricular:

Held a bunch of offices in my fraternity back in the day. Used to play in a 2-person comedy band (similar to Tenacious D) in various cities in my mid 20's. Now I don't do much that would fall into the 'extracurricular' category, though, primarily because I prefer to spend my free time trying to figure out how to best help the world through business. [Well, one exception: I put a lot of thought into successfully coming up with a novel solution to the mind/body problem in philosophy. Doubt that'll impress the HBS folks, though!]

Why the MBA, and why from a top program?

I've put 10+ years and countless thousands of hours into my overarching philanthropy/business project (the general idea is to be able to use a for profit business as a massive fundraising engine for philanthropic causes). I feel it's my life's work, that I'll be pursuing it for 50+ hrs/wk for the next 50 years, and that a top-shelf business education would really boost my odds of success. I think I can do a tremendous amount of good for the world with the help of HBS et al, not just because they'll help fill in the gaps in my education (never really studied business), but because of what I can gain by interacting with the other students, networking, and from the prestige of the degree. (For example, it'll be a lot easier for me to raise capital when needed and to have people take my ideas more seriously if I have a Harvard MBA.)

Assuming I get into a top program, I'll either shut my business down while I'm in school or have others run it in my stead and I'll resume active control when I graduate.

Story in Brief:

I was a cocky college student who dropped out and launched a restaurant/bar at age 21 with an incendiary name/motif. This generated a firestorm of publicity (dozens of news stories and letters to the editor; some of these went out nationwide on the AP wire). I faced picketers, petitioners, hate mail, threats, and police discrimination.

That experience caused me to think very hard about what kind of person I wanted to be and what kind of influence I wanted to have on the world. At that time I decided that I wanted to use business as a vehicle for helping society. Ever since I've been testing out various ideas related to this overarching goal for the purpose of creating and growing a for-profit company that could generate over $1 billion/yr in philanthropic funding.

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[SpottyRecord]

46 views and no replies--is this because you guys think I am indeed being delusional and you don't want to hurt my feelings by telling me so?

If you don't think I have a realistic shot at top 5 schools, where do you think I would have a decent shot?

[TheWoodenStone]

Hi Spotty,

I'd ask a consultant if I wanted advice from a professional, that being said......here comes the free advice from a guy who's applying to some top 20 schools and went to a top 20 school for undergraduate studies.....

I think your main worry is that the MBA committees would question your ability to stay with the program. You've already been in 2 MBA programs, and if you graduate from the Nebraska program, I think you definitely wouldn't be accepted. Most programs don't take people who already have MBAs, and I really can't see you justifying another MBA after you just got one. You also can't "transfer" so you'd start all over again at top schools--meaning you'd be about 35 at the youngest when you graduate. The Harvard MBA will help you in your goals I'm sure, but a Harvard MBA would pretty much help anyone in any aspect of life. It also looks like you were in another grad program for philosophy as well---this just adds to making it look like you aren't sure what you want to do. You'd really have to convince admissions that the first 3 graduate programs weren't for you but the 4th one will be.

That being said, I wouldn't worry about the grades. Your GPA isn't that bad if you look at the stats. It also was a long time ago, and you can chalk that up to being immature. The GMAT helps mitigate the grades as well. And I mean WOW...nice GRE score as well.

The other thing that really hurts you is your age. Harvard and top schools are getting younger....you are going to be about 8-10 years older than your colleagues and that really hurts you as admissions look at you as a person with 8-10 years less to work.

I can't really judge your work experience from the descriptions, but it doesn't look typical either. The lack of consistant work is going to hurt. I can't tell how many years of post-undergrade expereince you have or if/how many empoyees work for this business you keep mentioning. Your extracirriculars are esentially non-existant; similar to how bad grades don't matter much becuase it was a long time ago, volunterring for a frat house doesn't matter much either.

If I were you, I'd probably stick with the Nebraska program. One of the things Harvard would provide according to you is "fill gaps in your education" and so can Nebraska. I know Harvard has much much much better connections, but I think finishing at Nebraska since you've already started is a much better idea.

If you really want to get into a top 5 school......read the forums and you can see what you would need to do. Possibly make an "alternative transcript" (this is different than getting another MBA). Volunteer or show leadership in an extracirricular activity//external organization. And find people other than school leaders from 15 years ago to write recommendations. Nearly everyone I know who got into a top school got recommentaions from bosses, clients, etc.....you know, work related.

I don't think you would get into a top 5 this year. Unless you really work hard this year, I doubt there would be much you can change. You can't get rid of the uneployed bankers applying, you can't make yourself younger, and you can't make up for years of not volunterring. Plus, you've already missed the first round this year (and possibly 2nd by the time you write your essays, get recommendations, etc.) and that also hurts you. If I were you, I'd look at a top 15-25 school for next year. I'd think your chances even there would be less than you'd like, but if you apply to several you'd have a decent shot at getting into one. These places still have tons of connections, top education, etc. Your high GMAT will go a lot further there, and there will be less scrutiny on your background. Fix your lack of extracirriculars and take a few classes to show you can stick with a program and improve your grades. Find people to give you solid recommendations and apply early. Essays change little from year to year, so you can even look at those and begin to write them out.

First thing I would do though before I even got deep into applying....make a list of schools that you want to go to. Call them and ask about their policy of taking people who have already begun MBA programs elsewhere. You'd be surprised at some of the crazy rules.

Hope this helps and good luck.

[SpottyRecord]

Thanks for the reply, TWS. I really appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts and advice.

[TheWoodenStone]

No problem. But like I said earlier, take it with a grain of salt. I'm no expert and you have a unique profile so you may want a second opinion from an admissions consultant.