Unbalanced GMAT

Question

Hi Alex--
Thanks for helping with this forum! I had posted this already in the general admissions consultants thread, but here is a repost: 
....

AlexMBAApply · Answer

I would probably not retake the GMAT if you have to still prep for it (which will take time away from the applications). The quant will be a concern at schools like Wharton and Columbia especially with your liberal arts background, but what at least helps is that you're in an analytically oriented job (banking and risk mgmt).

With Columbia, you really should apply ED (their round 1); same with Sloan (since they only have 2 rounds). Wharton, Yale and Stern (and any other school with more than 2 rounds), you can apply in Round 2.

So it's a tough one. I'd probably at least shoot for Columbia ED. Apply to Wharton Round 2 (since there's no difference in your chances between Rounds 1 and 2 in spite of what so many applicants each and every year seem to believe) - which will give you time to decide whether a re-take is worth it.

closetsnob · Answer

Thank you so much, Alex! That has been the most useful bit of advice I've received.

I just also wanted to get your input re: my profile; are the schools I'm applying to reasonable goals given my profile? I'm very keen on going next year, but at the same time haven't really considered "safety schools"--or rather, feel (probably foolishly) as though Stern or Yale should be reasonable "safety schools". Yikes, do not mean to sound pompous; I know for sure that both Yale and Stern are very, very competitive but my impression has always been that they are significantly less competitive than some of the others I listed despite having similar stats on their incoming classes.

Given my goal to definitely be somewhere next year (hopefully in the northeast), are there some other "safety schools" you'd recommend or are my current expectations reasonable enough?

Thanks!

AlexMBAApply · Answer

You're applying to a reasonable range -- you should be competitive for those schools.

Given that the top 16 schools have gotten so competitive, I don't think anyone really can assume schools like Yale or Stern as "true safeties" anymore - they're a little easier to get into than say schools like Columbia, Kellogg, etc. but not *that* much easier (and in some cases like Haas, it can be just as difficult for engineers because of the applicant pool to that school being very engineering heavy given its location near the Silicon Valley). In your case, you have a pretty good shot of getting in, but not a guarantee. If you're looking for true safeties, you'll have to look outside the top 16, and whether you think it's worth it or not is really a personal decision.

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