Hi
psl26! Well, in terms of programs you might add to the list, I'd look for ones with good ties to the tech world. What about Anderson, McCombs, Foster?
I'd say that Sloan is your reach program here, so if you need to remove something, that's probably the most reasonable pick. Also do you meet the requirements for INSEAD in terms of languages? That's something that can catch folks by surprise, but maybe you know about this and will be okay.
In terms of what you can do to make yourself more appealing, I would worry less about changing your goals to be more trendy or something, and more about demonstrating awesome leadership and impact at work (at a startup that should be easier than at a big org), and instead of negative thinking, try to focus on what you're passionate about. For example: even if you did "generic" ECs, you must have liked something about them at the time, otherwise why do them? Bring that energy in when you talk about them and provide detail on how and why you threw yourself into these so they know you weren't just checking a box (but remember impact is paramount here; sometimes candidates give miles of old college extracurriculars and instruments they play and wonder how it will help; but the schools are looking for leadership and impact more than passive participation in a giant list of college ECs).
I hope this helps, please check out our website too for essay tips in the blog and in our free guides! Good luck!!
Warmly,
Julie-Anne Heafey
Senior Consultant
mbaMission