The Application Process

Hello,
I have short-listed to the following schools:
Wharton Georgetown Rutgers
NYU Penn State Smeal Baruch
Harvard Boston University Temple
MIT Boston College Drexel
Yale
Tepper
Columbia
Princeton (MS in Finance)
Cornell (1 Year program)

How many should I apply to and how do I choose amongst these. I have already applied to Wharton, am applying to BU, and am definitely applying to NYU.
Thanks a lot!!

Choose according to what you want. What is more important to you.. I mean kind of pedagogy, placements, location etc.

If you could give some more information, the advise would have been more discreet.

Sorry for the incomplete question.
Out of those 16-17 schools, I need to choose around 8 to apply to. However, I cannot decide between schools like (MIT VS Harvard) and (BU VS BC) and (Temple VS Rutgers VS Drexel) because of their similar rankings etc. I would like to study Finance and would want to stay in/near the tri-state area, hence the list.
I am targeting 4 top 10 schools, 2 schools in the 10-30 rankings and 2 schools in the 30-50 rankings. When making choices between the sets of schools, I need to decide which one will give me a better ROI and has a better "name".
Thank you!!

Now since you have that kind of clarity you will have to look these colleges Columbia University- Columbia Business School , Cornell University- The Johnson Graduate School of Management , New York University- Leonard N. Stern School of Business.

M.B.A.s at top programs can cost nearly, and sometimes in excess of, $100,000. So look at the ROI in terms Salary/Debt , years to recoup, final increment in salary and a few other factors.

In the comparison between MIT vs H , apply to both., down the road they are almost same. Infact what MIT looses in alumni strength it makes up in campus placements, which I guess you would prefer. If you are looking for Hedge Funds, VC, PE then choose Harvard and if you are picking IB (investment banking) then MIT is better by 100 percent.

In the run for BU vs BC I would choose NYU. By the way BU >BC

After coming so far to choose your colleges, let the list be 18 strong and look for your fit in these 18 and then bring it down to 8.

Yes sure:
Number of months worked: 40 months so far (applying for fall 2012)
GPA in Undergrad and Major: 3.9/4.0 In computer engineering from stevens institute of technology
Any major awards/scholarships: Best Senior Design project award, Edwin Scholarship (presidential)
Employer and Industry: Entrepreneurial venture (manufacturing garments and fashion accessories). Partner and Co-founder for 2 years!
GMAT score (or practice scores): 750 (V 40 / Q50 / AWA 4.5)
Number of direct leads: I didn't really get this question. leads to what?
Volunteer work: A lot in high school (helpage India, Mother Teresa Missionaries of Charity, Mother Teresa Beatification). Not much after that. I have quite a bit of extra-curriculars like sports, traveling, photography, art of living, etc.

Thank You!!

And please share your complete 18 college list too. We will rank them too for your profile.

Your profile, as I said earlier, is precariously perched.

Here's my college list:

Wharton
NYU
Harvard
MIT
Yale
Tepper
Columbia
Princeton (MS in Finance)
Cornell

Georgetown
Penn state Smeal
Boston University
Boston College

Rutgers
Baruch
Temple
Drexel

Take my word for it, you dont even need to go below Top 30. Choose 10 but dont go below that, you will make merry.

Thank You for the help!
Btw, I do have a 750 on my GMAT. Currently, I manage 12 employees directly (salesmen, marketing head and accountants).

Thats another rarity, as most of the applicants are coming here to punch their admission ticket to get what you are having. You can easily convince people that since you already have what others want, your goal(which will be your mission) is unique and greater.

And finally, "the want of the MBA" should be crisp and filled with hunger.(even when you have what other dont)

Thanks!
I'll make sure to highlight my want for an MBA uniquely.