Need Expert Advice for round strategy

The essays and application are certainly a critical part to your application, but it's definitely good to keep working on the GMAT as well. I'm concerned you're going to have enough time to put together great essays for 7 schools AND boost your GMAT. You're likely going to spend all that time on money on 7 mediocre applications (or maybe 5 mediocre, 1 amazing, and 1 bla app).

The other thing I notice is that your schools are all over the place--in terms of everything! Geography, size, specialty, culture, etc. Your first step should be to narrow your school choices to the 4-6 that you're REALLY psyched on. Maybe then you can add a couple of schools on top that you're kind of interested in.

I know your question was more about rounds, but my recommendation is to apply to 2 or 3 in the first round (unless you're unemployed, have tons of free time, or are otherwise a master craftsman) so that you can focus in on the GMAT. A 650 GMAT makes your 50/50 schools reaches and your safety schools, 50/50, so you're going to need to ensure that you can bang out that high score you want and need!

So my advice in short:
1) Narrow your list to schools that are a great match for you and your interests.
2) Study hard for the GMAT and score a 700+
3) Do an application for one school and see how long it takes you. Then put together a timeline from there that breaks down components into a week for each school.

I'll also add about your schools, that if you get in somewhere first round, you need to decide if you'd go there over any of your second round schools. So lets say round 1 you only get into USC. Are you going to accept it? That means no application to Haas. So if you really want to go to Haas--make sure it's one of your R1 schools (same for anything else)

And I'll echo Machi in saying that that's a ton of schools you have listed. Definitely try to find out what you want from a school before writing so many applications (and paying what would be thousands in app fees!).

Good luck!

You might want to get your R1 recommenders lined up now, as well. As an example of why, I went to ask my direct supervisor from my last job for a letter, only to find out he had just left for a two week vacation. Luckily we are still about two months out, so there is plenty of time for him to get back and write it. I would have been crushed if I were in a position where I had waited until September to have the same thing happen!

-Hunter

Wow - talk about effective crowdsourcing!

It's rare that we are in such solid agreement with the advice offered on the forums... but heyteach, you lucked out! You attracted excellent comments from a whole slew of peers here.

We echo everything stated here already. (We probably didn't need to pop on and say that but mostly wanted to offer the kudos to machichi, brightwinds and rhunter!!

EssaySnark