Retired Moderator
Joined: 23 Dec 2014
Posts: 284
Given Kudos: 5
Concentration: Social Entrepreneurship, Healthcare
GMAT 1: 700 Q44 V40
GMAT 2: 710 Q44 V42
GPA: 3.3
Re: Application strategy - Target more or less schools?
[#permalink]
28 Jan 2015, 17:17
That 30% is what I estimated for the "average" applicant, whatever average happens to be. (That is, assuming an 80% chance of rejection at each of the 5 schools). Do you happen to know what the average applicant would look like? I've seen the stats for the class profiles once accepted, but I'm not sure how much higher those stats are compared to the rejections.
As for me, I have a 3.3 GPA undergrad in a math major (did better in the major, I think about a 3.6 math GPA) as well as an MS in statistics. I haven't taken the GMAT yet, but before I started studying I took the free online practice test from Vertias and got a 690. I have a lot of time to prepare, am doing a 6 month study plan, and hope to get that up to the mid-700s. I also have some extracurricular leadership experience.
I think the top 5 for me would be a little bit of a reach, but I'd be happy with schools in the 5-15 range. I've been debating if I should also target a school like Georgetown as more of a safety, or if it's better to not go at all next year and reapply if I don't get accepted into the top 15.