In need of advice...

[dubose]

Background Info:
29yo. (as of last week)
White/Male

GMAT - 710 (48Q/40V - 6.0 AWA)

Academic (most recent first):
Community College-05/2010:Accounting I (4.0) (just to get back into the classroom spirit and get a foundation for an MBA)
New York Univeristy-School of Professional Studies - 01/2004 - Income property valuation program (3 classes @ 4.0 GPA)
Unversity of North Carolina- Chapel Hill- 08/2001-06/2003 - BA Economics (2.5 GPA) YIKES!!!!!
- Division 1 Lacrosse Player
- Economics Club
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Troy, NY - 08/1999-05/2000 - Business Administration (3.5 GPA) -transferred

Work Experience (most recent first):
A/R Manager - (01/2010-present) - Booming commercial construction, facility maintenance, environmental service company
Marketing Director - (2007-2010) - Property mgmt company specializing in Sr. residences owned by Lazard
Financial Services Representative - (2005-2007) - Managed a 4 office region on Long Island's Gold Coast, originating mortgages and being the in-house financial representative for major Realtor/Mortgage company
Property Manager - (2003-2005) - Managed multiple luxury apartment home communities including personnel management, budgeting, expenses, etc.

Extra-curricular:
JV Lacrosse coach
Flag Football player/coach
Member of 2 Senior advocate groups
Cancer walks/fundraisers, etc.

Rec's:
Chief Technology Officer at my current company. Former financial software engineer, and mechanical engineer (he will highlight my anaylitical side, we built a billing platform together, and he has witnessed my leadership ability in managing my dept.)
Executve Director at my old company- Licensed Social Worker (she will highlight my personality and versatility)

Essays:
I have some fantastic essay topics that not only will highlight why I would make a good MBA candidatem, but will also have some touching stories that have shaped who I am today (rather not get into detail on a public forum)

Target Schools:
MIT - My sister works there on an executive level
UPenn- my sister received her MBA at Wharton
Columbia
UCLA
USC
NYU - Will my professional course work give me any leverage?

QUESTIONS
1. Should I retake the GMAT and try to get atleast a 720-740? Or are the 20-40 pts not worth the time it will take away from my apps?
2. What chance do you think I have for admission? A lot of people post the Low GPA High GMAT success stories, but I'm not sure how realistic it is.
3. Should I add Northwestern and Chicago to my list and give myself a few more at-bats?
4. Will adcomms blend my GPA at UNC with my freshman year at RPI?

Thanks, sorry for the length, but I wanted to provide as much info as possible.

[Lisa Anderson]

Dear dubose,

1. Should I retake the GMAT and try to get atleast a 720-740? Or are the 20-40 pts not worth the time it will take away from my apps?
If you will be sacrificing your essays for a GMAT retake, then I don't think it is worth it. Your 710 is at or above the average for the schools on your list. It will be more critical for you to make a compelling case for admission through your essays and recommendations.

2. What chance do you think I have for admission? A lot of people post the Low GPA High GMAT success stories, but I'm not sure how realistic it is.
It is realistic--but these folks did not only have a GPA and GMAT in their applications. Their essays, recommendations and interviews also played an integral role in getting that offer of admission. It is not enough to have a high GMAT--you have to present a strong, total application package.

3. Should I add Northwestern and Chicago to my list and give myself a few more at-bats?
If you are going to add to your list, I encourage you to add a safety school. You have a list of reach and a couple reasonable options, but no true safety.

4. Will adcomms blend my GPA at UNC with my freshman year at RPI?
It will vary by school as some schools will combine and some will only take the GPA from the school where you graduated. Your professional coursework and community college coursework will be part of your evaluation, but not part of your GPA calculation. It will help to demonstrate your ability to succeed in the classroom and your commitment to doing well. The fact you took the courses at NYU will not give you any leverage per se, but it will indicate your familiarity with the school.

Good luck,
Lisa