Am I crazy?

Aiming above Emory is a great idea. But do not apply to a school just because you got a GMAT score higher than expected. This is one of the classic mistakes that applicants make (According to Montauk).

Instead, research all the top schools out there and see which other schools will serve your needs (Just as you researched and chose Emory). Wasting one month of effort on essays / reco on a "just cos" application sounds too much trouble to me. Use that time on a school that you would really like to go to. I am not saying that you should not aim at Harvard. You certainly should. But, then, do not let the GMAT score be the reason to apply. If you don't have a better reason to apply to Harvard, then your "Why Harvard" will be so weak that you will not get accepted anyway.

what mNeo said...

but seriously, are there NO other schools you're interested in? (don't say Stanford, Haas, or UCLA please! ) I would read the profiles of the top 15 schools (Look in the "Ask Hjort" area for the UE and Elite schools for profiles) and see if any of them tickle you. Then maybe pick one or two of those to apply to. If you're in the South, maybe Duke and Darden can be good for you?

Let me guess - did you already self evaluate yourself and found Emory to be a school that would fit your profile.

Now that you have given the GMAT and got a good score, you want to see what your other options are (re-thinking about your profile after finding out that you can be a strong candidate and apply to higher schools)?

I may be wrong, but after reading your post I felt like that. In that case, I would say that your initiial strategy was wrong in the first place itself.

If you are basing your application just from the strength of your GMAT score, then you have to overhaul your strategy.

Instead of just applying to 5 random top schools, get a feel of what school is correct for you. If its the preference to stay in Mid-Atlantic, you might look into Darden, UNC Flagler and Emory.

If you really want to apply to a top 5, prepare yourself for it mentally.
The application is not like playing powerball.
It is similar to taking a shot in a dark hole, but the hole ain't that dark.

eh? I don't get it.

I started out in a situation just like you. My wife didn't want to leave the Boston area so I was focused on MIT as my reach and then BC, BU, and Babson. I prepped for the GMAT and was taking practice tests I was doing far better than I had thought I would before I really knew what the test was. Then I began researching MBAs beyond the second hand info and realized that there is a huge difference in programs, between a top 10 school and a second tier school like BC, BU, or Babson in terms of what a school's MBA does for your career. As I read about schools I determined that I may in fact be qualified enough to get into some really good programs. I decided that my GMAT would be the make or break of my applications, if I did extremely well I would apply to the top programs I thought I had a chance at and that appealed to me...if I hadn't done so well I may have settled.

I then showed my wife the huge differences in terms of career progression and options between an M7 or even a top 10 and a top 50 or second tier school. I had laid the ground work telling her it was a big difference but once I showed her the salaries/bonuses, which companies hire where, and a few articles she suddenly said she would go anywhere not just Boston or the Northeast.

I suggest you discuss it with your fiance, don't make it out to be that you are selfish for wanting to go someplace or that she will be terrible for not wanting you to. Just give her the facts on what it will do for your career options, point out that its just two years and an MBA from any top school travels very well where as a lesser school is very regional. Make sure you bring her on some visits to schools and promote the fact that a lot of schools allow significant others to get involved, let her know you wont make her move and then abandon her.

means.. we know that chances of getting into top b-schools are slim..(10-20%), but didnt we all do the math a few days ago, and find that we actually have a 35-44 % of getting in (discussed in some previous thread)

Was referring to that.. very very vague reference..
so dark hole.. but not that dark

Why not focus even more on Emory and try score a scholarship ?

ahh yes, now I understand Avi. =)

let's hope that 30-50% chance holds!

Like riverripper, I am in much the same situation. I was focused on Vanderbilt, but then scored a surprise 760 and sort of starting to spin things over. I've come full circle with it, because I think there's a good chance of a scholarship at Vanderbilt, so I'm doing the best I can for that. I'm still thinking of applying Emory for the same scholarship reason, and considering there aren't many top bschools that give scholarships like Emory and Vanderbilt, it works out pretty well that your fiance wants to stay there.

That being said, I agree with the rest of what riverripper said, that you should look around. There are more specific reasons I'm looking at Vanderbilt - the business I work for has a lot of its base there - and Nashville's a great place for entrepreneurship. Still, I've rounded out my list to include a few of the higher schools.

Riverripper, my story is much the same as yours. I knew I was a strong candidate prior to my GMAT, thinking I would score in the 720 range, but when I scored the 760 it made me look a whole lot more into other opportunities. I've done some research and I'm really thinking Harvard would be the best fit for me out of the top schools. This doesn't mean I am just going to apply without thought or effort. It will get my full attention. I have tried breaking down the salary and opportunities to my fiance, but she is a little skeptical about it. Of course, she was skeptical about pursuing a full time MBA at emory until I scored the 760. I get the feeling she thought I was smart, but I guess she didn't think I really had that kind of score in me. So, I'm guessing she gets the same feeling with a school like Harvard. She thinks I'm smart, but maybe not smart enough for Harvard.

I do plan on giving just as much concentration to my Emory app. as I would have prior to my GMAT. It is definitely in an effort to increase my scholarship chances. I actually still think emory is my top choice, but my mind could always change as I go through the application process.