R3 Applications...suicide?

The surest way of not getting is to not apply. Your profile is pretty solid, and I think you'd be very competitive in the earlier rounds. That said, R3 overall is tough to predict and very few people typically get admitted R3. I would apply if you think it would take minimal effort.

What other M7s are you in at?

I am debating the same thing didn't apply to H/S, but leaning towards not applying R3 as I'm am getting crushed with work, CFA study & Interviews.

I think that if you are planning to go to any of these 2 schools, you should try your luck with H/S. If does work, great, if it does not, no worries.

On the other hand, if you would prefer to postpone by a year to go to H/S then don't apply for R3 and apply next year for R1. Though it seems that it may not be the case as you are not an early applicant.

I'm planning on attending in the fall...no need to wait, as my options are already attractive. I'm just curious about the R3 disadvantage. I agree that if I was set on attending these schools, it would likely be prudent to postpone applying until next year (although R3 may be different this year than the historical norm, due to the different application distribution...). If I was set on attending H/S, I would have applied...I clearly didn't, and I got into my top choices at the time, now it's more of a lingering, "what if" type scenario...and I thought I'd ellicit feedback. I don't feel remotely bad about my situation, so I'm in data mining mode.

exactly what zoinnk said. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. Give one of them a try and know that you left it all on the field. If these schools didn't accept R3 applicants why would they have the round in the first place?

You really don't have much to lose - you're already in at two top schools and you intend to enroll at one of them if you don't get into H or S. I would go for it! Good luck!

Other than the time and the 250$ fees, there is much to lose. AND you can even take a more original/risky approach in your essays because you have other options...

Zoinnk,

I only applied to Chicago, Wharton, and Kellogg. I got into Chicago and Wharton, and then withdrew from Kellogg. I have a strong (bio)technology background, so I'm looking to fill the voids (finance, marketing, and strategy), so Chicago, Wharton, and Kellogg seemed good. I'm not one of those individuals who deeply investigated every program - I have family connections to the Chicago area and one of my good friend recommended Wharton (typical alumn), so that's the gist of the apps...now I'm starting to think a bit more about it and am curious about what I may have ignored...this forum's helpful.

If you did Wharton, Harvard's essays should be pretty easy for you to do. Stanford's essay should also port well. The only thing you'd really have to write from scratch is Stanford's most important to you essay. Shouldn't take very much incremental effort at least to apply to Harvard.

In short, you should only apply if you'd go to those schools before the other M7's you've been accepted to. It sure sounds like this is the case. Pick your top choice between your two admits, and see if you can delay giving the deposit. If you can't, pay it.

Spend a little time repackaging your essays and pay the few hundred smacks it takes to turn in your application. You've got some interviews under your belt and you know your essays work well. If you don't get in, you'll just fall back to your insanely awesome other options. It's better to be denied than to never know.

On a side note, I'm a little bit interested to hear what you'd like to do in your career. I understand the logic you used picking schools, but I also believe there's a big difference between rounding out your skills vs. going to a finance heavy school. If you want to go back to biotech or start your own business in that area, wouldn't it make sense to go with a school with an inherent scientific strength as well? That way you can round out your skills but have the bonus of actually being able to use your background as a strength during recruiting, etc. Of course all of the M7 will in theory get you wherever you want to go, but am I crazy in thinking a school like Stanford or MIT (or other non M7) might be a strong fit for your aspirations?