Profile Evaluation for Harvard 2 + 2 and Columbia

[jeromeibanez95]

Hello!

My name is Jerome and I've been thoroughly preparing for my HBS application for 2015. I've seen numerous profile evaluations on the internet, but all of these are for regular applicants and not for those seeking admission to the 2 + 2 program. I'm going to list my current profile and achievements plus (possible) future achievements that I may receive (If everything goes according to plan, that is). Columbia is my fallback school if ever I don't get into HBS.

School: De La Salle University, Manila
Degree: Computer Science (# 1 Computer Science Department in the country)
Grade Point Average (As of writing): 2.2/4.0

I know that my GPA is incredibly low and it will probably be the one to destroy my application. However, I have a valid reason for having such a low GPA and this is something that I want to convey on my essay. I was the most grade conscious individual in my high school and this carried over to college. I would often pick professors that give out 4.0s like it was candy, and at that time I was perfectly fine with it because I was in this bubble in society that believes that grades are everything. One day, I realized that this is not true at all and met people who are more logically exceptional that I am despite having a lower grade. I decided to take more risk and enrolled in harder professors which resulted into lower marks. Also, my extra curricular activities had some effect on my grades. With that being said, let me continue with my profile

Co Founder, MetroPlate
MetroPlate is a startup that gives people who are always working late at night access to healthy food. This idea came from Startup Weekend (My team and I placed second overall) and just after 5 months of operation, I am already talking with RiceLabs Solutions, a local food manufacturing company, for a possible acquisition without ANY outside funding (Me and my partner bootstrapped the entire thing). We have been featured in TechInAsia, E27 and Yahoo! Southeast Asia.

Business Apprentice, Openovate Labs
Openovate Labs is the fastest growing software consulting company in Manila. We act as technical co-founders for mostly startups. I created the company's employee investment package and even created the pitchdeck for Galleon.ph, one of the company's prized startups, for 500 Startups. I negotiated and dealt with possible clients and closed on two projects, one for a world renowned spanish film maker for his film school and one for a trader from Finland who is also one of the first investors for Hotelzon.com

Associate Chapter Director, Startup Grind Manila
I was one of the first who brought Startup Grind in the Philippines and I am, as far as I know, the youngest host of the program at 18 years old. I contact potential speakers, which range from PayrollHero's Stephen Jagger to Lenddo's Richard Eldridge, for our meetups. I also introduced a new pitch segment which allows people from the startup community to introduce their product to the group and gain insightful feedback from fellow co-founders and investors.

Apart from this, I was a sports journalist for two major collegiate sporting websites (GoArchers.com and FullCourtFresh.com) for almost three years. I have also held some positions in several organizations, but the one that I am most proud of is my role as the Assistant Vice President in the Publications Department of La Salle Computer Society where I helped revive Bits & Bytes, the organization's official newspaper, from a 2 year hiatus.

I've had some volunteer experience as an academic consultant for the United Kingdom Education Advisory Service and know the structure of the British education system quite well (Although I'm not so sure if mentioning this is relevant to my application) and have helped 10 students overall in terms of getting into top universities in the United Kingdom.

I just recently written a paper entitled "Can Twitter Predict Attendance in Social and Political Demonstrations?", which was selected to be presented at the 2014 DLSU Research Congress but I just did not find the time to fully polish the manuscript. I've also attended several conferences, the latest of which is the Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations Conference in Harvard last Feb 14 to 17.

I'm looking at these achievements in the following months before I start my application to HBS:

1. Compete in the Global Startup Youth competition in Malaysia
2. Attend Yale University for their Global Pre MBA program this June
3. Join TwitMusic as a Sales Executive over the summer
4. Compete in Procter and Gamble's ASEAN Business Challenge

[mbamissionjenK]

Hi there,

Thanks for posting and sharing such detailed profile info.

In general I think you are on the right track for Harvard 2+2 in that you have a wide breadth of interesting, unique and respectable accomplishments, and have demonstrated determination, innovation, and leadership.

As you mentioned, I believe your GPA will be your greatest weakness at this point. And that is a tough one, even with your explanation (though that helps a small amount). One question is-- is this grading scale more of a Philippines scale? Or a US based scale? Sometimes even if it's out of 4.0, grading systems outside the US do not directly translate to the US 4.0 system, and as an applicant you would not need to translate it if so... schools like HBS examine them on their own merit in the country's context. So perhaps that would help if applicable??

Otherwise, sounds like a strong GMAT will be critical, especially with a lower GPA. And any coursework you can take, particularly in quantitative/finance/statistics/business-related areas, would help. You are still in school, correct? So could improve the grades still somewhat? I'd aim to do so if at all possible.

Otherwise your profile would be strong for 2+2, given your startup experience and achievements; personal and work experience accomplishments; nationality (?); international experience; communication skills (i.e. journalism experience).

Focus on those remaining grades; GMAT; and your career goals. Good luck and keep us posted!

[jeromeibanez95]

Hi

I'm Filipino and the first one in my family to go to college. I actually got very excited for the positive feedback you gave and I'm already studying for the GMAT (I'm planning on taking the test much later this year, perhaps in November or December).

Normal Philippine universities do not use the 4.0 scale (90% consider 1 as the highest grade with 0.25 increments). My university, on the other hand, use the traditional grade scale with 1.0 as the lowest passing score and 4.0 as the highest. My university's computer science department is absolutely notorious in the country for being the most difficult but I'm not so sure if HBS will look into that. Moreover, we operate on a trimestral calender (3 semesters per year) so everything is fast and hectic.A professor from NUS saw the dissertations being done here and he was surprised at how difficult it was and claimed that they are as difficult as the one being done by their PhD students.

I still have four semesters left before I graduate. When do you think is the right time for me to apply and do you have any other tips on how I can strengthen my profile as a whole?

Lastly, what do you think of my profile in terms of getting admission to Columbia? I adore Harvard and the time that I spent on campus was magical but I find Boston/Cambridge as incredibly boring. I visited New York both before and after my Harvard conference and absolutely loved the city.

[mbamissionjenK]

Hi there,

Well generally we can assume that HBS would evaluate your academic experience IN CONTEXT of your school/country etc... to what degree we can't say 100% but at this point there's only so much you can do about it.

I would say 1) work HARD and aim to get the best grades possible in any time remaining before you apply!! 2) if you are still choosing courses, consider courses that are quantitative or in areas of finance or statistics just to showcase skill in that area. 3) Nail that GMAT!!! 4) Continue to be involved in areas you are passionate about. 5) If opportunities arise, aim to go above and beyond... make an impact... motivate/inspire/lead/influence others.... work on a team.. etc. 6) Devote sufficient time and effort to brainstorming and essay preparation.

You would apply during your last year; the early deadlines are in Sept.

As for Columbia, generally you would have a decent profile WITH a strong GMAT, AND several years of full time work experience though.

Other schools with options specifically targeted at those out of undergrad include Yale and Stanford.

Good luck!

[jeromeibanez95]

Hi there,

Well generally we can assume that HBS would evaluate your academic experience IN CONTEXT of your school/country etc... to what degree we can't say 100% but at this point there's only so much you can do about it.

I would say 1) work HARD and aim to get the best grades possible in any time remaining before you apply!! 2) if you are still choosing courses, consider courses that are quantitative or in areas of finance or statistics just to showcase skill in that area. 3) Nail that GMAT!!! 4) Continue to be involved in areas you are passionate about. 5) If opportunities arise, aim to go above and beyond... make an impact... motivate/inspire/lead/influence others.... work on a team.. etc. 6) Devote sufficient time and effort to brainstorming and essay preparation.

You would apply during your last year; the early deadlines are in Sept.

As for Columbia, generally you would have a decent profile WITH a strong GMAT, AND several years of full time work experience though.

Other schools with options specifically targeted at those out of undergrad include Yale and Stanford.

Good luck!

Thanks for that!

How exactly do you build an alternative transcript? Will taking courses online via Coursera help or should I really take summer courses from legitimate universities?

[mbamissionjenK]

You can take courses from various sources; certainly the more legitimate the better. ;) And if you still have time in university to make class choices that impact your transcript-- that is your first priority!!