How I Got Into Harvard Business School with a GMAT Score of 660

We have the privilege of consulting some of the brightest, most innovative and thought-provoking minds in education. These individuals come from different walks of life, from all over the world, many of which are first generation immigrants. Although their stories are different, they are all passionate, determined and have the willingness to push the envelope further, making their way into top universities and MBA programs.We want to tell you about one client in particular whose story will inspire and break through any barriers you have as an Ivy League applicant.**Please note that some names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of our client.Humble BeginningsJohn comes from humble beginnings in a small town outside the United States. While living in a town of twenty thousand inhabitants, John recalls spending the most amazing 14 years of his life in that small town. Things that people often take for granted in other parts of the world John relished and appreciated. For example, he remembers one instance vividly. The first time he was exposure to technology is when his parents had to apply for a phone line and needed to wait two and a half years for the installation. This was a costly process for John’s family, and therefore John’s family had to wait two years in order to afford to pay for it. He remembers how exciting it was to hear the first call come in and listening to the voices of his grandparents, who at the time he had not seen in almost a year. This experience was the moment when John realized the possibilities and impact technology could have on people’s lives.John’s journey wasn’t always clear. Deep down, he had an innate desire to do something different than most of his friends. He refused to conform to the norms of that small town. Building on the example of hard work he saw from his mother, who had worked after hours toward a degree in accounting, and despite the bullying and the challenges John encountered from his peers, he decided to study hard for the college entrance exam.John’s hard work paid off. He was one of four students in his class of forty-five to be accepted into college, and he was the first in his family to enroll in a full-time university. This was a huge accomplishment, and for John, would be the start of many.A New ChallengeAfter college, John enrolled in a U.S. doctoral program and later went on to work for one of the most cutting edge companies in the world. After obtaining 10 years of post-college work experience, John decided to expand his education further by applying to business school. With little knowledge as to where to start, John consulted Ivy Advisers on how to curate a winning application strategy as someone with his unique cultural background.John worked tirelessly with our team to perfect his application, essays, and interview preparation. As an applicant with 10 years of post-college work experience applying in round 3, and with a GMAT score of 660, the odds were against him. Through guided one-on-one help from our admissions experts, and a personalized application strategy to his target schools, we are proud to say that John was accepted into Harvard Business School’s MBA Program.When Ivy Advisors was first formed, we never intended to be purely a for-profit only organization, but we always strived to create a sustainable model that could serve dual markets. Working with John was not only a humbling experience for our team, but through our own growth as a company, it has allowed us to afford, donate and extend our expertise and platform to serve select, purposeful clients.