How a Vietnamese student got into Harvard Business School

Ace Insider
Published on
Tháng 5 11, 2026
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Profile: Khánh Đoàn
MBA Candidate at Harvard Business School | Former Senior Financial Analyst at Chewy
GMAT 770 (2024)

Can you share a bit about your application results?

I applied to seven schools and received interview invitations from five of them. In the end, I was admitted to two schools: Harvard Business School and Chicago Booth. Harvard Business School had long been my dream school, so I made my decision pretty quickly.

Why did you choose to pursue an MBA?

First, I wanted to strengthen my leadership skills. To continue advancing in my field, I believe this skill set is extremely important.

I also think pursuing an MBA — and going back to school in general — is a great opportunity to connect and interact with people from many different industries and professional backgrounds.

Why did you choose Ace Mentorship?

When applying for an MBA, most people are already working full-time and juggling many responsibilities. Having a third party to support, mentor, and help refine your application is extremely valuable.

I had heard about and been introduced to Ace Mentorship several years ago. So when I decided to look for external support, I chose Ace Mentorship quite quickly and confidently.

What did you like most about Ace Mentorship?

I think what I appreciated most was having dedicated mentors who supported me from the very beginning all the way to the final stage. That’s incredibly important because MBA applications involve a huge amount of work, especially when you already have a busy schedule.

You need people with experience handling many different cases to help you improve your essays, prepare your application package, and even guide you on school selection strategies to maximize your chances of success.

What stood out most during my journey with Ace was that I always felt supported — not only by the mentors, but also by a community of fellow mentees who were applying alongside me and going through the same process. That made me feel very comfortable and confident asking questions whenever I had concerns.

In your opinion, what makes an MBA application truly stand out?

Besides a strong GMAT score, I believe the biggest differentiator is personal and professional experience.

From what I’ve seen, top business schools highly value candidates with diverse experiences. Diversity here doesn’t just mean how long you’ve worked in one field, but also exposure to different industries and different regions — for example, having worked in Asia, Europe, or the Americas. That kind of diversity can add significant value to your profile.

Recommendation letters are also extremely important. I was fortunate to have mentors, senior colleagues, and managers who were always supportive and willing to help when I needed recommendation letters.

Any advice for other mentees?

My advice is to start preparing early. Building a strong MBA application takes a great deal of time, preparation, and effort, so the earlier you begin, the better.

Personally, I also recommend finding experienced mentors to guide and support you throughout the process. It will help you feel much more confident while also saving you a lot of time during the application journey.

Thank you for sharing your story!

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