carolynniers:
I believe you once posted here before, but that's okay! Responding to your Q's:
1. As my profile stands, I still find it difficult to grasp how much of an overreach it is for me to get into some of these programs. To me it's clear that HBS is an overreach, but I truly have no idea what program would be a "safety application" given my profile. I appreciate the honest feedback.
A: HBS is a reach. Kellogg and Booth are more or less low reaches, which means possible but still probably difficult. Darden and Fuqua feel like good fits, or targets. Again, still not a guarantee but very much in range.
2. I am struggling to find inspiration to retake the GMAT. I am not happy with the 700, but realistically, I am not sure I will be able to take the time I took to study for those two attempts again. I know I can get 10-30 more points if I truly tried, but I do think that it's going to impact others aspects of my application which I think I need to start putting some time on. Based on my profile, is this something that would really swing the balance in case I scored say 20 more points?
A: It's a tough call. 20-30 points would definitely help, especially for those top 3 schools. I'm not sure based on this time of year (if you are looking at R1) if you'll be able to improve your profile with the same impact that 20-30 points on the GMAT would have on your overall profile. You'll be fine with a 700 but if you can muster up the strength for the next month or so to retake the GMAT (and actually bump up your score) you'll be happy in the long run.
3. If not covered answering Q1 and Q2, any suggested areas of focus?
A: Other than the GMAT, I would say start zeroing in on the essay, resume, and letters of recommendation. If you are targeting Round 2, you can potentially open up your plan to include additional extracurricular achievements that are part of your current repertoire or new additions to your profile.
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