I'm planning on applying this year and Stanford is by far my top pick. I believe Stanford will be the best fit for me given the program's curriculum. Studying for the GMAT right now. Got a late start due to my change in career and change of city.
I have been reading some of the posts and I am certainly glad I stumbled upon the forum. I think my hardest time will be obtaining a great GMAT score to offset the fact that I went to a third tier college, but I appreciated the fact that Stanford weighs heavily other life experiences during their application process. I was born in Argentina and came to the US when I was 15, learned the language and adapted to the social changes (it was a hard transition). I became a citizen by the time I was 21, completed a degree in accounting and became a CPA. I worked for one of the top 4 accounting firms in the nation for 3 years and was able to network and interview for a PE job, which required a change of scenery. During my job transition I had a lot of time to think of the goals inherent in my career, which I believe will make the essays flow a little quicker (hopefully); however, I'm still a little anxious about the whole experience. I don't know any Stanford GSB alumni, but I have an acquaintance who entered the program and I will probably pick his brain in the near future.
I am still researching all the specifics on Stanford and the other top MBA programs. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Please let me know if you have any questions or you think I can do anything for you.
Leo