Dear lsommer28 -

First of all - apologies for my slow reply - I drafted a response and thought I sent it, but I guess I did not!

Kudos to you for all of your scientific and engineering successes academically. I have worked with several candidates who have parlayed a PhD. track into gaining acceptance at highly-ranked business schools. ALL of them had clear long-term goals that would benefit from robust business and managerial training.

You mention not having enjoyed your experience at Merrill Lynch and subsequently knowing you "wanted to go back to science". I am afraid that this short nine-month stint at Merrill and your return to academia might raise questions with an Admissions Committee about your "fit" in business school. Be sure to understand this for yourself before you apply.

Also, is there anyone from Merrill who could write a recommendation on your behalf? While the professors you work with hail from well-regarded schools, be sure they can talk about you in settings that are relevant to the criteria Admissions Committee typically care to hear about. When have you led a team? Managed a project/budget/strategic imperative for your organization? How are you a leader? Etc.

In short, you certainly have a shot at business school, but you must refine your story and be clear about WHY an MBA
makes sense for you. Said another way, why can you not pursue VC without an MBA? If you can have a clear answer for this question, you will go a long way in making your case for admission to business schools.
Good luck,
Jennifer