Etries, you should definitely hit us up for a free consult - just email
mba@amerasiaconsulting.com. Short answers though - we tend to think you avoid "explaining" weaknesses if that means apologizing for them or coming up with a tired excuse. But if you want to "explain" a weakness by demonstrating evidence of power in that same area, then by all means. So for low GMAT, you should show strong intellect, strong problem solving and problem management skills, strong quant skills, and strong verbal skills ... voila, you have now demonstrated the very things the test covers. Can you duck the numerical impact on the class average (and, thus, the rankings)? Not likely. But contextual arguments within the essays are the strongest way to mitigate a weakness. Never just state it and then give an excuse.
As for your age, it's nothing but a number. What matters more is where you are in your career arc, how you interact with different ages of people, can you integrate, lead + follow, and - most importantly - does the degree still make a ton of sense. If the MBA is appropriate, your age won't matter much at most schools. Some (ahem, HBS) are getting younger, no doubt about it. Others (Kellogg, Haas) are staying entrenched in a bit older numbers. The rest are more or less just finding great applicants and going with it - and more good applicants are younger these days, so the overall #s have inched down. But it's no grand conspiracy to cut out "older" applicants. If you are 33 and this degree makes since and you have a story to tell, own and sell it. Make it happen.
Hcueva, you are welcome.
GiJoedude, we liked it too, because it created such a massive information advantage for those in the know. So many people bungled that essay last year that obviously CBS had no choice to but to make some changes. Too bad for our clients and others locked in, because that was proving to be an easy way to stand out. That said, as our blog post indicates, we still think this application is like putting together IKEA furniture - follow the directions carefully, take breaks for Swedish meatballs, don't cut any corners, and then it will *usually* turn out just like you planned. Few MBA programs have shown their hand like Columbia and it's just up to everyone on this side of the fence to avoid the disaster errors and to scoop up all the points. Game time!
Thanks for commenting, all three of you.
Best,
Paul