Hi ninetwosix:
To be very frank, you have a very interesting and somewhat compelling story, but you will not be competitive at a top 10 school. It's a very competitive applicant pool and with the lack of finance job, this places you further from the pack.
However, this is the situation today and tomorrow means more opportunity.
You seem like a pretty tenacious worker who can overcome a few obstacles thrown his way. I know this is a long term plan but what I would do is to find a finance related internship (non-paid) and start interning there. To pay the bills, you may have to get a job that is "beneath" your level of education. After gaining some experience over 2 years, and the economy picks back up, I would transition to full time employment in banking.
Then I would apply to part time MBA programs in your area. If there are top full time programs in your area, the part time equivalent would be a great back door to a top tier MBA.
I know this is a long road but I can imagine how kick-ass your story would be if you could pull this off. You can't go back in time so concentrate on tomorrow. Keep your chin up and head down as the above is no where near impossible to pull off. It just about how much you got in the gas tank. I hope this helps. Good luck.
Respectfully,
Paul Lanzillotti
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