About Nicola

I always dreamed of going to Harvard. To increase my chances of achieving this, I made deliberate choices along the way—and managed to succeed. But let’s start from the beginning. Coming from rural Switzerland, I didn’t know anyone who had studied at an Ivy League university while I was growing up. Only later in life, I happened (by chance) to meet an MBA admissions consultant who gave me three simple tips: First, attend the best university in your country. Second, secure a job at an MBB consulting firm. Third, apply to your top schools with a compelling story. After hearing this advice, I withdrew from the University of Bern, where I had already enrolled, and instead joined the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland’s leading business university. I studied diligently, earned good grades, engaged in extracurricular activities, and held a part-time job. With a strong CV, I eventually applied to McKinsey, secured an internship, and received a full-time offer upon completing the internship. After two years at McKinsey, I finally took my shot and applied to HBS. Unfortunately, my GMAT score wasn’t outstanding. So, I invested significant time in crafting a compelling application story—with great success. I was admitted and achieved my childhood dream. After completing my MBA, I worked in consulting for just over two years as a team leader before transitioning to pursue entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA).