hasanjaved:
Q1 - what are my odds for making it to these top schools? School-specific comments/advice would be awesome!
You are going for the hardest of the hardest, so when you get up to that level there's an element of randomness to the process. That being said, you're probably going to have more success with Wharton, MIT and Rotman than you would Stanford or Harvard. The statistics bear that out.
Q2 - I will start applying in the early bird rounds in August/September (3 months from now); how do I make my application stronger at this point?
You need to improve your extracurricular activities. Climbing/trekking is great, but it's very individualistic and not really community building - unless you led a trek or have more depth behind this activity. Otherwise, that part of your profile seems bare.
Q3 - should I give TOEFL/IELTS to make up for the low GMAT AWA? I would not retake the GMAT as I may not get a 750 again; is this going to be a problem?
The TOEFL is not a substitute for a low GMAT AWA. It's a different type of test. The best antidote to a low AWA is to put together well-articulated essays and perform fluidly in your interviews. You can always retake the GMAT without any downside since you have a great score in the bank. If you do worse on your second go, you just don't have to submit the score. Why not give yourself this second opportunity, particularly since you have the time before R1?
Q4 - scholarship advice would really help as funding may be one of the key factors for my making a final decision if I get multiple offers
Apply to lower-tiered schools too. Harvard does not grant merit-based scholarships. Their financial aid is need-based. If you only want to go to these top schools, make sure you make the R1 deadline. There is no scholarship-specific strategy. You already have good scores, which are usually part of the criteria. You could also apply to outside scholarships too, though that has nothing to do with the formal admissions process.
Q5 - given my nationality, background and MBA goals, which school would you recommend the most and why?
Your MBA goals are rather generic. Any of those schools on your list place many candidates at MBB. What do you want to do long-term? That is more important with determining a fit. Nationality has nothing to do with the right MBA program based on those schools you have listed.
Q6 - anything else that may be of use to me
You have to really ace these essays. That's a big X factor that could be the difference for someone with your background. I would also engage with the schools regularly and make sure you understand why specifically you want to go to each of them.
If you are considering hiring an admissions consultant, please reach out to us for a free consultation. We frequently work with candidates such as yourself who are targeting the top tiered programs.
https://admissionado.com/free-consultation/Good luck!