Stacy!! Please help

[postivethinking]

Hi,

Could you please help me decide stretch/realistic/safety...

Background:
Nationality: Indian
GMAT: Male
Age: 26

Undergraduate:
Top 20 US School
Major: Accounting and Finance
GPA: Cumulative - 3.71 (Magna Cum Laude)
Dean's List - All quarters

Work Experience:
Big 4 Auditing Firm (3.5 years - Present)
Senior Auditor
Duties: Standard Big 4 Senior Auditor role.
Structured Progression

Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

Extra Cur: Heavily involved in undergrad recruiting and cross cultural activies (lead role)

GMAT: 660 (Q 47, V 34)


1) Wharton
2) Northwestern
3) University of Chicago
4) University of California -Berkeley
5) Darthmouth
6) Columbia
7) Yale
8) Virginia
9) Duke
10) NYU
11) UCLA
12) Carnegie Mellon
13) Cornell
14) U.T. Austin
15) Indiana
16) USC

Question:

I understand my GMAT is on the lower side of 80% ball park but I am thinking "CPA" should help me make a strong case for quant. Also, with solid recommendations and good essays can you please help me decide -

1. Stretch Schools
2. Realistic Schools
3. Safety Schools

Thanks,

[Lisa Anderson]

Dear positivethinking,

In my opinion, none of the schools on your list are safety schools. It is hard to really assess schools based on the information posted since it is minimal information about you. However, based on that information, I would say numbers 11-15 are probably realistic to stretch schools and numbers 1-10 are all stretch schools. Depending on what your career goals are, how strong a writer you are, and how well you interview, some of these schools might become more realistic and others might become more of a stretch. Perhaps try to narrow it down based on measuring these schools against a prioritized list of criteria you have for an MBA program? Then you can create your mix of schools and develop your strategy to stand out from the competition.

Good luck,
Lisa