Hi there, I agree that your work experience seems quite impressive given your age and could be a significant differentiating factor in your application. The size of your portfolio, the level of responsibility you have, and the impact/contributions you've made to your firm will all play into making your work experience truly stand out. On the other hand, your GMAT is below average for the schools you're targeting, and I would recommend that you consider re-taking it, particularly given how early it is in the application season. It's not that this weakness in your candidacy couldn't be overcome with compelling work experience, crystal clear and ambitious post-MBA goals, and strong ECs, but why not increase your chances if you think that you still have upside in your score (particularly the quant). Overall, based on the information you provided, you appear to be a competitive candidate for your target schools and a well thought-out application and story-telling strategy will take you far.

Happy to chat further if you'd like. Best of luck!

-Melody

Fair enough, given your history, retaking the GMAT a fourth time probably won't result in a significantly higher score. Your best strategy will be to address your GMAT score in the optional essay - citing your CFA, work experience, and hopefully some coursework where you earned high grades, as evidence of your quantitative abilities. I would also urge you to have your recommenders address your analytical skills in their letters.

Best,
Melody