mNeo wrote:
EDIT: Removing profile. Thanks for the suggestions, Paul
mNeo,
Your profile is very strong--no red flags that I can see--but I don't see the 'superhuman' or 'magical' aspects that Stanford and HBS favor. I agree you should aim for first round, but I think you should apply to more than 2 schools. Because your profile is so strong I think your option A makes more sense--there are plenty of top 10 schools where you will be competitive; I just don't see the 'extra'/unusual aspect that Stanford and HBS like.
It's true your apps get better as you go, but I don't think that means you should apply to the safety schools first and *then* your top-choice schools. After you've finished one or two apps you should be where you need to be. So I would recommend applying to a mix of first-choice and second-choice schools in the first round. You may just want to start working on your essays in mid-summer, so you've polished them by the time the first-round deadlines arrive.
In terms of schools given your goals, your odds should be decent at Haas, MIT, Wharton, Michigan. A safety school could be USC. HBS and Stanford could be long shots.
Good luck,