Profile evaluation - Journalist

Greetings,

I am 26-year-old, a female Indian journalist. I did my undergrad from Delhi University in India and worked at a national daily newspaper as editor for two years. Then I came to the US to do a masters in arts journalism from S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University (one of the top three J-schools in the US). I graduated in June 2011 (GPA 3.77) and have been working as writer/editor for a fashion/marketing website in New York City since then.

I volunteered at a non-profit in India for two years and collaborated with Indians abroad to raise money for charities. I was also the head of the Journalism Students Association and the Debating Society during undergrad and got the Goldring Merit Scholarship in grad school. I was also the general secretary at the Indian Student Association at Syracuse University and helped organize events, raise funds and create awareness about the organization's initiatives.

I am planning to apply for Fall 2013. From what I have seen in class profiles of most schools and discussions here, most candidates come from an IT, management or finance background. Research tells me that schools look for diversity while selecting candidates and that's where my application will stand stronger than other Indian applicants, who apply to B-schools every year. Is this true for the top 20 schools?

I haven't taken the GMAT yet. I plan to take it mid-September and aiming for a 710-720 score.

The reason I want to do an MBA is because I now want to work in the management side of a media house or at a non-profit. After gaining some experience, I eventually want to start my own magazine and an MBA would help there too.

The schools I am planning to apply to are:

1. Harvard
2. Chicago Booth
3. UCLA Anderson
4. Michigan Ross
5. UNC Kenan Flagler
6. University of Texas, Austin (McCombs)
7. NYU Stern
8. Kellogg
9. Emory (Goizueta)
10. Duke
11. Georgetown
12. USC Marshall
13. UC Berkley Haas

I will shortlist eight schools out of these and apply to those.

I will really appreciate any feedback that you may have for me.

Thanks.

- Avantika