Like every other post, please tell me how I look

[EthanS610]

I know all of these posts are the same, but here's my info:

Exp: 4+ years as a Surface Warfare Officer in the USN; led divisions and departments of dozens of technicians and supervisors in high paced, high pressure environment. 2+ years as a Project Management/Systems Engineering Mgmt Consultant for the Federal Gov't; PMP certified.

GPA: 3.65 from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in a humanities-heavy major.

Extracurricular: Heavily involved in the Navy Reserve as an operational staff officer.

GMAT: 680, V44 Q39. I know that's not great; I took it back in September and plan to take it in a month or two; most most recent MGMAT test was 680 V38 Q44 (I'm worried that however high a quant score I get it won't offset the decline in verbal)

So I want to go to Haas or Sloan. I know they're reaches. I would also like to focus on consulting or general mgmt (maybe entrep.)

Question 1: Is it too much of a gambit to retake the GMAT and lower my verbal even if my quant goes up a little?

Question 2: What can I do besides the GMAT to improve my chances at Haas or Sloan?

Question 3: If my first choices are a bridge too far, what other schools on the east or west coasts would better fit my profile?

I appreciate any advice you have and I greatly enjoyed the Manhattan class that I took, thank you,

Ethan

[mbamissionjenK]

Hi there,

Thanks for your post, happy to do my best to help! So your experience could be something to draw from as you describe yourself to b-schools; be sure to spend time really brainstorming about your past experiences to pull out the examples of leadership, and times you went above and beyond what was expected of you... and think about how you feel you are different from others with similar backgrounds!! That is one of your main challenges-- to stand out and set yourself apart in some way. In terms of the GMAT, I definitely support re-taking... note that schools take the highest score!! AND due to changes in rules last year, now you can choose to keep or cancel your score when you see it, and cancellations are no longer reported... so it would almost be surprising if you DIDN'T try again to be honest! Especially considering you are mentioning 2 of the top-4-most selective schools by many reports in the country, MIT & Haas!

In terms of what else to do, it's tough to say at this point based on the limited info I have; obviously you only have control over certain elements of your profile so you should focus on what you CAN still change... biggest factors being the GMAT, and your application essays... but depending upon how much time you have etc, you could look into getting involved in a community focused or volunteering project, and/or see what else if anything you can accomplish professionally between now and then, and consider who might be your recommenders and cultivate those relationships. Also take some time to really research schools, as well as better nail down your post-MBA career plans. In terms of other schools, if you stick with the 680 you'd have better chances at schools outside the top 10 or so give or take, but could apply to a range of schools and see... as a former GMAT instructor (and curriculum developer/program manager) for many years I would say it's quite common to improve from latest practice test scores, and staying confident can help, so stay positive! Good luck and keep us posted.