There are people with lower GPAs and/or GMAT scores who have gotten into Top 20 b-schools. In my opinion something else is going on with your apps that's preventing you from having more success. The schools that you've targeted are definitely possible.

Did you enlist any help with your applications each year?
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First of all - you have some serious fortitude to go through this crazy process three times and not give up!
Looks to me like you might be having execution issues, as your stats are fine (not stellar, but fine). Leads me to believe that you are making some mistakes in the way that you are presenting yourself to adcomms.

I could give better advice with some more context:
1. How many times have you taken the GMAT? Results?
2. What did you study in College?
3. What are your post MBA goals?
4. Who (if anyone) helped you with your applications (buddy at work, former college friend who has an mba, consultants, etc)
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1. I have taken the GMAT three times. 620, 570, and 690
2. I studied business admin with concentration in finance and minors in Econ and Philosophy
3. post-mba goals are to shift in strategy consulting.
4. I consulted two individuals that I work with both of whom have MBAs from Stern. They also provided my recommendations.

A bit more bio info: I am a 27 year old African-American male. First in my family to go college. I have been with the same firm for 5.5 with steady promotions since I started at the company.

1. Three times for the GMAT is enough. You had major improvement the 3rd time. My only question would be what was your breakdown. Did you at least hit a Q45?

2. Did you have steady grades, an eclectic mix throughout all four years, upward trend, or downward trend? How did you do in your quant based classes? Did you write the optional essay in your applications?

3. Asset management to strategy consulting could make sense. Your issue here is likely to be in execution rather than the actual goals themselves. Is strat consulting your anticipated end game or is it a means to an end?

4. Alums are usually good sounding boards. However, if they graduated more than 5 years ago they may be a bit out of touch with the current application landscape. Also, how much input did you have into their recommendations? In what capacity do both of these people know you. Although I doubt their recommendations would have HURT your application they may not have helped it either.

The more you write the more I think there is an issue with your application execution and possibly a lack of leadership in your profile. This is my best guess based off the limited information given. Without seeing your resume, essays, etc. my gut has to lead on this one. Given your current age I'm thinking that you weren't successful your first year due to a lack of experience in comparison to other applicants. The last two years, if you've had steady promotions at work and improved your GMAT, and applied through the Consortium, and are a URM you are in line with others in your applicant pool. I wouldn't give up. Read the series of posts from Oh Denny on the Senator's blog http://thesenator2014.wordpress.com/201 ... -part-one/ (three part series starts with that post). There are others who have been in a similar position. OhDenny did it and I really believe that you have the tools to do it too. You just have to learn to use them.
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I'd like to thank you all for your recommendations. I had a great deal of input into the recommendations. I let my recommenders read my essays, and made sure to have them address the weak points in my application. As far as leadership, throughout college and my professional life, I think that I have demonstrated my ability to lead. I have a solid community service background and was an editor for the university newspaper for my last two years in undergrad. In my professional life, I was instrumental in avoiding any major losses at the height of the financial crisis, and spearheaded several organization changing initiatives.

At this point, I may just have to concede that this isn't in the cards for me. Assuming I get dinged by Ross, I am not sure if I have that much more relevant material for any essays going forward. I don't see how I can possibly sell myself anymore

You're a D1 football player - I would imagine less than 10% of all applicants were D1 athletes. This is a huge advantage.

You've worked at the same firm for nearly 6 years - use your supervisors / mentors to help you get your applications squared away. Did any of them go to a top 10 business school?

Tell a good story in your essays - make it unique, so you stand out. I think you've presented three salient points in your post that you can use to your advantage to seperate you from others who have similiar stats.

Remember, business and leadership experience go further than stats do in your applications.
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Hello,

I fully agree with previous replies to your thread.

Your profile does not seems to have any issue that can actually block your chances to top 15.

There are multiple factors that can lead to rejection such as

1) Wrong timing
2) Your stories in essays (especially the ones that can highlight your strengths and make you stand unique)
3) Clarity of goals (I have seen many successful candidates getting dings just because unclear goals that really confuse the adcom)

Did you really get the ding analysis done (not necessarily with an admission consultant) or did you seek feedback from the schools (believe me, if you seek feedback, some are more than happy to help with concrete feedback)

Last but not least, do not loose the battle.

I would suggest

1) Get ding analysis done and seek feedback from school
2) Devise strategies to improve weaker areas
3) You can choose to have multiple views on your strategies to improve on your areas (here at GC)

Hit the apps again... i am sure you would be a HAPPY person this time.

All the Best
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Your stats are not that weak, so I would have to think there was something else with your application that was poorly crafted, or probably hurt you. A top 25 is within reach, although a Top 10 may not. Also, once you apply to a school once, it is an uphill battle because you have to reapply, and they want to see how you've grown over the year. I would check out our comprehensive reapplicant guide for more information on how to be successful in the process: comprehensive-re-applicant-guide-131675.html

There is no reason why you can't get into a top school, you just have to create a better entire package. If it's your dream, I wouldn't let anything stand in your way. DOn't get down on yourself, and grow through the next application season. Also, don't give up on the school where you're on the waiting list. Do everything you can to try to get in!!! Check out my post here on waitlist management: waitlist-guide-to-earning-yourself-an-admit-129448.html

Also, to increase your chances, a GMAT retake might help, an admissions consultant or essay review specialist can help you build a better application, and growth within your company career etc... can get you there. Figure out what the problem is, and fix it.

Good luck!
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Dear SCBooth,

Just read the posts and thought of throwing my hat in here - just for one important reason - ur persistence. Like LRW said, doing the apps just once is enough to drain someone, persisting for 3 years is almost super-human! I really feel for u and pray that u don't give up on ur dream.

Now coming to what I think about here.
First, I have to agree with Cheets and LRW (although she's not gonna be a fellow Boothie!) here. The problem is OUTSIDE ur stats for sure. I don't recommend u taking the tests just as yet. It is more important to identify ur weak point(s) first. That is of utmost importance. All the suggestions given above are good; u must ask for feedbacks from schools and consultants.

Second, and this is what I just gathered after reading ur posts, u say that u have taken all ur feedbacks from ur two friends who are also ur recommenders, right?? Now, I see a lot of problems here and the MAJOR one is this - I assume that if ur colleagues have given u help on ur essays then naturally they must have helped u edit them too, right? On top of it, they wrote the reccos too. I can almost get a sense that ur essays and the reccos may be sounding alike!!!!! Giving the impression to the adcoms that u may have written the reccos ur self !!!!! Now, I am NOT saying that u did that, but is it possible that the English in these may sound similar??

One thing I can assure u is that if the adcoms get even a whiff of plagiarism or cheating anywhere, they will drop that person like a hotcake! In ur case, unfortunately,it may have been the other way round, since ur friends are writing ur reccos too!

Just have a hard look at ur essays; request ur colleagues to show u the reccos so that u can compare the prose/English/flow etc. Who knows, after reading ur essays, maybe one of ur reccomenders, in order to save time (as they all are busy), may have put almost the verbatim language in the recco too - and that is sure to spell doom.

This may be a long shot but I thought of giving u my two cents! I will be happy if my wild imagination emerges wrong but just in case it ain't, at least u know where the problem lies.

Best,
Sam

I wasn't going to weigh in here as I've agreed with most of what everyone's said, (and thanks to Cheetarah for the shoutout), but there is one thing that hasn't been mentioned yet.

Have you considered taking a year off from the application process? The conventional wisdom is that taking a year off will cause you to lose momentum, and give up the process altogether. However, when I made the conscious decision to regroup and rebuild, I felt really energized, and was able to wholeheartedly throw myself into my new job. I'm not saying you have to change jobs, but perhaps doing a pivot to increased responsibilities in your current firm, or getting additional leadership experience in a different practice-area or division. I realized for me, I had just run out of stories to tell that would differentiate me from the pack. The year off gave me a wealth of new stories to tell (overcoming a challenge, facing culture shock, beat expectations, etc.), and even helped me to crystalize WHY I wanted the damn MBA in the first place. In hindsight, I think I just needed that extra year to grow up more than anything else.

I don't think this is a panacea for every multi-year reapplicant, but it certainly helped me a great deal. Just thought I'd mention it for some extra perspective. Again - don't lose hope. You'd be surprised how much capacity people have (including yourself!).