First post in the GMAT Club forum-

Below is a brief overview of my profile. My goal is to apply to a full-time program for fall 2013. My targeted track is in finance, and my goal is to get into the best school possible. I have no fear of rejection, so I was going to send out a number of applications to top schools, even if they were considered a reach. Programs I am considering are: Wharton, Sloan, Kellogg, Booth, Haas, Columbia, Stern, Fuqua, Darden, McCombs.

Facts:

-25 year-old white male (26 when entering program)

-3.32 undergraduate GPA from University of Georgia (Bachelor of Business Administration) - graduated in 2009
-3.38 graduate GPA from University of Georgia (Master of Accountancy) - graduated in 2010

-2 years of public accounting experience, specifically in external auditing (35 months when entering program)
-I began my career at a smaller public accounting firm (approx. 150 people) and transitioned to a Big 4 firm (both in a major market). I will have approximately 2 years of Big 4 experience by fall 2013
-I have the CPA license and will have the CMA (Certified Management Accountant) certification

-GMAT: 690 in 2008 (88th percentile overall); V38 (83%); Q46 (77%)
-I did very little studying in 2008. I'm hoping 100 hours or so will help me break the 700 barrier but it's very possible that the 690 is the score I will be taking into the applications.

-I have done some charity work in the area but not enough to really be considered relevant (the hours at work make it difficult but that's no excuse to an admissions agent).


Other relevant info:

-In college I started a tutoring service for pre-calculus and accounting. It started with helping friends but grew to multiple students per semester in each subject. The business spread through word-of-mouth but was fairly successful.
-I've received top reviews throughout my (young) career. The big 4 firms are very structured. Promotions simply don't come early. That being said, I was functioning at a level higher than my title and recently received a promotion. I have 2-3 people that I directly supervise. The top reviews should lead to some very helpful recommendations from my supervisors (emphasis on leadership, team skills, etc.).


A few questions:

-What schools do I have a realistic shot at from my list above?

-How can I improve my candidacy? I realize that I'm applying relatively soon, so I'm not sure what else I can do to really improve my stock before applying for fall 2013.

-Do I need to retake the GMAT? I have already signed up for it, so I'm going to take it. I was just wondering if you thought a 690 is that much different than, say, a 710.

-Will it look bad if I do worse on the GMAT in 2012, as compared to 2008?