Profile Evaluation Please!!

[jwatson0405]

Work Experience:
Currently work at a fast growing software company based in Minneapolis, ~$100MM. I am a project manager, have been for the past year.
I am also a commissioned officer in the Army - commissioned upon graduation from college in 2010, immediately left for training and then combat deployment (which is what I did from late 2010 until returning home and starting my job in May 2012). Member of Army for just over 6 years, held numerous leadership positions, typically leading groups of 40, though advised for groups of up to 132.

Education:
Majored in Management Information Systems from an accredited state university in Minnesota. 3.24 GPA, nothing spectacular. My only claim here is that I took 20+ credits a semester for the last two years on my enrollment (12 credits = full-time). This was due to a requirement to complete my undegrade degree to coincide my commissioning program.

Extra Curriculars:
VP, Info Systems club (major)
President/Founder, Military Science club
Member, Emerging Leaders group United Way Foundation
Tutor and Teaching Assistant for Application development courses throughout time at school.

GMAT- First attempt 690 (Q:43/V:41) - I will be retaking as I intend to pursue a career in consulting, and don't want this to be the piece that holds me back. I studied for about a month but the second half of my studying was a bit disorganized. Believe I could get to 730+ (so please use this figure for profile).

My GMAT/MBA experience was a bit strange. I went and toured a program here in Minnesota (Carlson) and was encouraged to apply (I toured last week in March, R3 deadline was April 1). I scrambed to put together my application got that in before the April 1 deadline, and was allowed to send along my GMAT results once completed. I studied from beginning of April to test date of 5/7, sent in unofficial scores and interviewed second week in May. Waiting for admission decision (official score must be received first).

I'm a bit torn, and this is what I'm asking for in regards to profile eval. I'm very excited about the Carlson program, I like the teaching methods used there, and there is good exposure to many of the companies I'm interested in. But, if I was to get in for 2013, I wouldn't know if I could have made it in to a top 10 school, for example, that may be an even better stepping stone to a top consulting firm. If I had a shot, I would strongly consider deferring (if I'm accepted this year) and putting applications out for R1 of next year.

I believe I could retake the GMAT and increase my Quant considerably with a few more months studying, and end up in the 730+ range. That, along with a bit more WE and my military experience, would I be a candidate at Booth, HBS, or Stanford GSB? I view my big weakness as my undergrad (school and GPA).

Thank you very much in advance!

[MBAApply]

If you're interested in management consulting jobs, you owe it to yourself to target the top 16 schools, since that is where they tend to hire the overwhelming majority of their post-MBA associates. It's analogous to sports: can you get drafted out of a non-D1 school? Yes. But the majority of those who get drafted are from D1 programs, and if you wanted to maximize your chances you would at least consider looking at D1 programs (honestly I don't know if that's the case anymore for the NFL or NBA, but you know what I mean). Again, consulting firms (especially the top ones like McKinsey, Bain, BCG, etc.) do hire from outside the top 16 in the US, but they spend most of their recruiting efforts on the top 16 and don't need to venture beyond that to fill their incoming associate classes, and to be blunt you'll have a much harder time getting access if you're at a non-target school.

In your case, your profile is competitive enough to warrant giving the top 16 schools as serious shot. Your GPA isn't great, but it's not horrible either and they will cut you a bit of slack given that you're an officer (since they covet US military officers - many of whom tend to have slightly lower GPA and GMATs than other applicants). As you probably know, in your case it's all about emphasizing your leadership experience in your applications.

Here's what I suggest:

Top 8: HBS, Stanford, Wharton, Sloan, Kellogg, Booth, Columbia, Tuck: choose 3-4 from this list
Top 16: Ross, Darden, Duke, Stern, Yale, Cornell, UCLA, Haas: choose 3-4 from this list

Choosing 6-8 schools from this list, and you should have a reasonable shot of getting in (and a reasonable shot of getting into mulltiple schools where you may have some choices as well).

And yes, you should retake the GMAT if you can. It's not fatal, but you want it to be 720+ to be extra safe especially if you have the opportunity to do so.

Good luck

[jwatson0405]

Thanks Alex, I think that was the reinforcement I needed to hear. I've been kicking around the idea of waiting to 2014 so I could apply to these other programs, but am torn between the possibility of starting a pretty good program this year. But like you say, I really do want to pursue management consulting, and so it makes the most sense to wait and see if I can get into one of these other programs.

[MBAApply]

Sounds like a plan. Good luck!