profile evaluation, the EssaySnark way

LOL - thank you! The personalized requests are so unusual and very refreshing.

And just for the record, we're really not that snarky!!!

But here goes:
1. The obvious point that all the other consultants will also (hopefully!) comment on too is that you're at a major advantage because of your nationality. There just aren't that many Nigerians applying to bschool. That alone won't get you in, but it's going to make things a lot easier for you. Stanford in particular - yes we said "Stanford" - has put a big push out to the African continent and they are very interested in increasing diversity from your part of the world. The other schools too. So you have a nice setup just based on this fact.

2. You actually could apply with that GRE score - it's better to submit for an MBA with a GMAT but your quant score is great on the GRE. The verbal is low but some say that GRE verbal is more difficult. You could be fine with what you have. We don't want to let you off the hook, the GMAT would be of value in your app, but it might not technically be necessary. If you're already in full swing with GMAT prep then go for it - but if you're lacking confidence... maybe turn your attention to essays instead? It's hard to say, we can't actually remember telling people not to take the GMAT before so we're in uncharted territory by tossing out this advice. But there's a possibility. Round 1 is important but in your case, Round 2 could also work out. So look at the big picture and then go from there with these decisions. The essays take A LOT more work than anyone ever imagines so you'll want to get started on those soon. It's a lot to juggle. Make sure you're allocating your time in the right way.

3. Your undergrad marks are a bummer but you should inform the adcoms about the fact that you were self-supporting - and your UK Master's is impressive. That will help a lot. (This is partly why we're not convinced you need to bother with the GMAT - a 700 GMAT isn't going to tell the adcom that much more than what they already would get from bachelor's + master's + GRE).

4. Your school choices are VERY reasonable based on the stats in your profile - but we're not entirely seeing the logic of them based on your career goals. Are you focusing first on the finance side, since you have the energy industry expertise already? There's a bunch of other schools that are much much stronger for energy - Duke, the Texas schools, even Wharton. The ones on your list are a bit odd given that focus. They're all good for finance, sure - but you're carving out a very nice niche for yourself and not necessarily targeting the schools that will help you get there the easiest. Please fill us in on the logic behind these choices and we'll be in a better position to comment.

There, that wasn't so bad, was it?

Happy to take follow-ups, just let us know what you want to know!

EssaySnark