Profile Evaluation -- Please

[superalien]

Dear Consultants,

I would like to begin by thanking you and everyone on this forum for providing this valuable service and advice.

I have undergrad and graduate degree from michigan (industrial engineering) undergrad gpa was 3.14 oveall, and grad was 3.69

I have been working as a management consultant at a big 4 accounting firm for the past 4 years and have been promoted to manager level in 7/2008. i have experience working on projects in the greater china area in the form of strategic consulting, cost management, and process re-engineering.

Extra-curricular including toastmaster club meetings and a founding member of biking club at my company.

i applied to Kellogg last year (R2) and was rejected (with GMAT score of 680 Q42 V41)

I have retaken the GMAT again and scored 690 (Q49 V35) because I think my low quantitative score hurted my application from last year.

this year I am thinking of applying to the following schools:

Univ. of Michigan (R2) already submitted
Northwestern (R2)
UCLA

Please let me know if my list of school is reasonable, and what I can do to make my profile even stronger (I know the number of app significantly increased this year, and would my chance of being admitted be effected as management consultant?)

Thank you very much for your time and help!

[Jen Kedro]

Hello,

Reviewing your profile briefly, factors you have going for you are: solid GMAT score, strong work experience, grad school GPA, extracurriculars

Factors working against you: undergrad GPA.

Factors that are likely going to determine your admissions decision: your essays and overall "story" of how the MBA fits into your goals; recommendations/interview as applicable

Many applicants underestimate the importance of the essays, but with most other factors hitting about average for a particular school, the essays are where you differentiate. Your goal in the essays is to show what you will contribute to the MBA program, as well as what the MBA will contribute to you and your goals. You'll also need to be convincing in explaining why you are interested in each particular school.

Be sure you spend adequate time on your remaining essays, and have several people read them and provide feedback. Those may be admissions consultants, someone who knows you well, someone who is a good writer, someone who doesn't know you at all, or any combination of the above.

Good luck!

[superalien]

Thanks Jen for your insightful reply