Please evaluate me :)

[HumbleBee]

Hi GMATBong and others,

I have aspirations of attending HBS or Stanford next year ('09) and will be applying end of '08.

Hoping you can provide me with some constructive feedback to improve my chances.

Particulars
- Male 25 years old
- Malaysian by birth and citizenship (moved to Australia when I was 6)
- Raised and live in Australia

Education
- Graduated in the top 3% of the state from the most academically select high school in the state
- IT degree from 2nd tier Australian University. The IT program was considered one of the best in the country during the dot com boom. Awarded 3 scholarships while I was there. Graduated with a Distinction Average, that was achieved on an overloaded timetable
- Masters of Applied Commerce (First Class Honours) from Melbourne University (1st-tier Australian University).
- GMAT 730 (half and half in each section)

Work
- ~1.5 years with boutique management consulting firm started by AT Kearney Partner. Promoted from Analyst to Consultant after ~1 year. Note there are only 4 ranks at this firm i.e. I am 2 promotions away from corner office.
- Entreprenuer for ~1 year. Tried to start 2 businessess but failed both. First business was a SMS based customer feedback service (had a trial run with Australia's 2nd largest fast food chicken franchise). Second business was a carpooling service.

Extra Curricular
- About 3 months away from obtaining my Private Pilots Licence
- Big Brother in Big Brother Big Sister Program
- Mentored some disadvantaged youths who tried to start a t-shirt printing business (successful in obtaining a $50k grant)
- Careers Mentor to a High School and Uni Student (formal programs)
- Led the youngest and sole non-mba team to the grand finals of a business plan writing competition (run by the 1st tier uni). Awarded the City of Melbourne Prize (this was the carpooling business I tried to start).
- President of the largest student society on campus (2nd-tier uni)
- Founder and Chief Editor of course year book (2nd-tier uni)
- Student Rep on course's steering committee (2nd-tier uni)

Thanks for reading!

[GMATbong]

You profile looks fine. I would say you have 50/50 at both schools. Of course, you probably need to put in couple more apps to other schools as well.

[dominion]

i like the name

[chrisw123]

excellent profile - being from Australia will give you so much more of an advantage... its a shame your ventures failed - What factors do you think caused you to fail?

Would be very interested in keeping in touch - we are similar as I am from NZ, - but I have the same aspirations as you.
Only difference is I started my printing business at 20 and it took off; 700% ROI in 18 months. I'd be interested to see what kind of weighting they'll give towards your entrepreneurial attitude vs extra curricular... As you ex curr is awesome particularly towards business leadership.

Would be keen to keep in touch if you wanna bounce ideas off each other for applications/ interviews...
I'm working in Auckland in PE as a consultant, but we have a few portfolio companies in Australia.

My only advice is to stop with the second tier rubbish about your uni - If you keep downgrading your undergrad it isn't a good look. Be proud of where you have studied and what you have done. Being proud of your undergrad uni, and communicating why it is a good uni is important. And lets be honest these guys have no idea about any of our universities here in Oceania anyway.

[AstralTraveller]

It seems like a good profile

[club700+]

Your profile is quite strong...

[pravsr]

I think your profile is just wonderful you have great chances of getting into either HBS or Stanford.

I am Indian (wink) and have just 650 and 2 years of experience. I got admitted by many universities including UC Davis where I am planning to go. My suggestion to you would be to articulate your career goals really well when submitting your application. Let there be no speck of doubt in any of the lines of any of the essays about what you want to do and where you exactly want to land up after your MBA.

If they invite you for an interview, don't forget to talk in points and not in paragraphs and show that you are well organized. Also, drop the names of a couple of companies which would be your dream destinations after your MBA. This will show them that you have researched your stuff well and you are all set.

All the very best!