Hi
WillESP,
[Please note that I previously / accidentally responded to this post in the wrong forum. I am copying my reply to the proper forum.]
Thank you for your post, and congratulations on the McKinsey sponsorship! That is a very strong and application-enhancing accomplishment in and of itself. So long as your GMAT score comes in the proper range (and you are prepared to mobilize deeply on the application, essay, and school research-and-engagement fronts), I think you should feel empowered to apply to competitive programs. With respect to the GMAT, 720 would be a nice minimum target, with 730 putting you more squarely around or on top of top schools' averages, and scores above that providing added benefit and potential differentiation. (I know it's much easier said than done!)
The schools you've listed make for a very competitive array of schools, though you would seemingly be applying with an equally competitive background. The dual degree in law and economics (and high performance at the top undergraduate program) is a unique combination as well, and I'd be curious to know the genesis of those dual interests and how that academic background / pairing has evolved and/or impacted your career. (As an aside, I usually find that applying with two years of experience to enroll with three is a little premature, but it's more natural in your case given your sponsorship timeline, and it sounds like you've got some other experiences as well. At the same time, you should be sure to unpack your leadership experiences to make sure they're present and palpable, and you should encourage your recommender(s) to touch on leadership, of course, but also professional maturity.)
For HBS and Stanford, I'd love to see you outperform your initial goal on the GMAT, and I think I'd really need to learn more about what differentiating passion(s) or experiences might enable you to break through at one of those programs. I don't quite see it in your post above, but the post is brief, and I'm sure doesn't do justice to the totality of your experiences, passions, interests, and goals.
For the others, make sure you really develop and articulate your career goals (short-, medium-, and long-term), the passion and purpose behind those goals, and why you need an MBA to achieve them. How does who you are and what you've done to this point -- plus the MBA -- equal or enable those goals? What knowledge, skills, and experience do you already have that are relevant? What knowledge, skills, and experience are you missing and therefore need to acquire via an MBA? How *exactly* does each program provide such knowledge, skills, and experience? How would you uniquely contribute? Get to know the ins-and-outs of each program, from their special programs to their unique culture and community. You can read more about how to think through several of these elements here:
https://www.avantiprep.com/blog/the-mos ... on-processOverall, I think you're right to be ambitious, though if you wanted to dial down the top-heavy risk profile of your current school list by one degree (and still wanted to shoot for the stars with HBS and Stanford), you might consider swapping one of Wharton, Booth, Columbia, and MIT out in exchange for another school that falls in between the M7 and UCLA Anderson. Again, you should aim high (pending your GMAT score, and especially if you can return to McKinsey and re-apply next year if you come up short aiming high this year), but there is a something of a tangible gap in your school list between the M7 and Anderson. Filling that gap would balance your strategy out a bit more.
I would be happy to elaborate further and answer your follow-up questions, so please feel free to sign up for a Free Consultation at your convenience:
https://www.avantiprep.com/free-consultation.html. (When are you scheduled to take the GMAT?)
Best Regards,
Greg