Evaluation for a normal dude?

[dman25]

Buenos noches! I'm hoping you can give my profile a quick evaluation. All of my experience is in a manufacturing/production environment and I feel like a outsider since everyone seems to be in finance or consulting! Here are my details:

Programs: UCLA (dream school), Berkeley, Kellogg, USC, Stern, and MIT. Just for fun I'll throw in Harvard and Stanford.

26 year old white male
Double Major from a non-elite Pac-12 state school (ASU, UA, Colorado, Utah etc.)
-B.S. Finance and B.S. Supply Chain Management, 2007
-3.64 GPA
GMAT 700 (44Q 66%, 41V 92%), considering retaking to boost that terrible quant score

Almost 5 years of work experience at Honeywell Aerospace (still employed) in supply chain management.
-Started in a 2 year rotational program moving through 3 different procurement, planning, and production scheduling roles
-Next moved into a research and development planning position (15 months)
-Current role is a team lead in a strategic planning group responsible for planning multiple production lines producing a combined $15-20 million in revenue per month (no direct reports)
-In between my last two jobs I also was a key part of a team deploying a new planning system, responsible for troubleshooting and training about 75-100 people (while holding down my regular job). This lasted for about a year.
-Top performer in every role I have had. Not many of my colleagues leave for full-time programs (mostly part time).

Marginal Extra Curric's, nothing special
-Some intermittent volunteering at a local community center doing fundraising and tutoring
-In some clubs and intramural teams in college, standard stuff

Goal: To move into a supply chain or general management consulting role

Now my questions:
-Do you think it's necessary to retake the GMAT since my quant is so low?
-Will my admission chances be hurt by the fact that I'm in what is considered a non-sexy industry?
-One of the big reasons for my lacking XC's and staying with the same company all 5 years is because a parent developed early onset alzheimers so I transferred back to my home town 2.5 years ago to be a partial caregiver. I'm sure I'll be able to write some meaningful essays based on my upside-down personal life but do schools care about that kind of real-world family stuff (which I'm still dealing with)?

[Jon@Admissionado]

Hello!
and thanks for dropping us a line.
Let's get straight to the main course:

-Do you think it's necessary to retake the GMAT since my quant is so low?
Not necessary. Can be helpful only if you are confident of being able to score higher. You have about a month before you really have to start digging in on the applications. So if you can take it before then, great. If not, then forget about it.

-Will my admission chances be hurt by the fact that I'm in what is considered a non-sexy industry?
Not hurt but helped! Actually manufacturing is a good industry which not many candidates come from, although there are a good amount of jobs, and a need for people in this industry with an MBA.

-One of the big reasons for my lacking XC's and staying with the same company all 5 years is because a parent developed early onset alzheimers so I transferred back to my home town 2.5 years ago to be a partial caregiver. I'm sure I'll be able to write some meaningful essays based on my upside-down personal life but do schools care about that kind of real-world family stuff (which I'm still dealing with)?
Yes, they do. You have to find your own voice, and way to write it. But you don't need to "Excuse" not having done many XCs, but if its an important part of your life, you can tell us why and how.

One last thing: Since you have stayed in the same company for so long, one of the best things you can do to boost your profile is to show how you have moved up higher and faster than others at your level and age. so do what you can there.

[dman25]

Thank you very much for the feedback and perspective Jon, I really appreciate it. I've decided to give the GMAT another go at the end of June since I feel like I didn't do myself justice. Then it's on to the apps!

[Jon@Admissionado]

Wahoo! We are waiting to see some JUSTICE meted out!

[dman25]

Just retook on Saturday, pulled off a 750 (49/42)!

[Jon@Admissionado]

Oh lordy lordy lord!