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01 Aug 2007, 18:15
Generally I think hobbit is right, but my opinion is a little different on a couple things.
Your GMAT is important. My sense is that if you score in mid or even high 600's with 50/51 math, some (good) schools might view it unfavorably, and others might be fine with it. I will say that the rest of your profile probably makes you a strong candidate, so a sub 700 GMAT should not dissuade you from applying. It's a bit of a crapshoot even for people with all their ducks in a row, so just do the best you can and hope for the best!
I don't think your many degrees are a minus or question mark. They are all good and logical for finance, and they don't lead to an obvious, deep-rooted, unrelated career path, at least in what you've written. For example, if you had a law degree and was partnership track at a good firm, they might question why you want to now do finance.
As far as schools to apply, after you've honed in on schools that fit strongly with your interests, there may be a reasonable number left. This is one of the hardest parts in applying. If you aim too low, you could have missed out on a top program. If you aim too high, you might not get in anywhere. If you are willing to apply to more than one admissions cycle, one strategy is to shoot high the first time and go from there. The reason why I say that is that if you shoot low or diversify, you might leave yourself with a tricky decision on whether to take an offer at a lower ranked school.