680(86%): 43Q(68%),40V(89%) - Good enough for top schools?

[JesseDean]

I just took the GMAT and got a 680. I'm hoping this score is good enough to apply to top schools; however, I'm very concerned about my poor performance on the quant section of the exam -- 43 (68%). I'm also a little concerned about whether I have enough professional experience.

Here's a little background information about me:
Undergrad: Washington University in St. Louis. GPA = 3.6, cum laude. Major: Psychology. Minor: Legal Studies. Senior Honors thesis in Behavioral Economics and Game Theory.
Professional Experience: 2+ years in Advertising at Young & Rubicam in New York City (will have 3 years by the time I start business school). Currently an Account Executive on a major GLOBAL electronics account. I was promoted to my position extraordinarily fast, and I have good relationships with very senior management. I am confident that my job responsibilities throughout my experience at Y&R will stand out amongst other applicants with a similar professional background.

With great professional recommendations (from very senior executives in the firm), and solid performance in Marketing/Advertising -- is a 680 too low to be competitive for a spot at Kellogg? I mention Kellogg in particular because it is known primarily for its Marketing program. Whereas, I do not expect a school like Wharton to consider me because it is traditionally viewed as a quant-heavy school (and my background isn't quant-heavy) -- is this a reasonable assumption?

I would very much appreciate any insight/advice on particular programs for which I might be best-suited for (and also any programs which I should probably avoid).

If I were to retake the GMAT, I suppose I could realistically raise my quant score to somewhere in the 70-80% on a good day (my highest quant scores on practice exams were 81% and 86% -- but the majority of my practice exams netted-out in the low-mid 70s.) Is it worth the time and effort to retake the test at the expense of using that time to develop my applications? I haven't started the application process yet, but if/when I do, I am hoping to apply round 2.

Any information would be tremendously appreciated!

Thanks,
Jesse

[Lisa Anderson]

Dear Jesse,

I think you have lots of positives in your profile--GPA, work experience--but you don't mention much about any extracurriculars. With a 680, you are in range for top programs but the low quant score might cause some concern. It is hard to know if it will be enough to make a difference on the decision.

You definitely want to put the time in on your applications as it will be a very competitive admissions year. Be sure to highlight any quantitative/analytical skills in your work experience. All schools, regardless of their reputation, will expect applicants to have strong quantitative skills. I think you could try to retake the GMAT and get the quant score up, but it will be futile if your total score goes down. Think about how best you can focus your efforts in the next couple of months and what you feel comfortable with in terms of your GMAT.

My advice is to apply to 1-2 top 15 programs and also a couple in the 15-40 range that appear to be a good match for your career goals.

Best of luck,
Lisa