First of all you have an excellent profile:
- Great GMAT
- Great School
- Great GPA
- Great Industry.
I don’t know much about the strength of your employer, and I lack information also about any volunteer work or extra curricular activities you have, which would help me advise you.
I think you can apply to M7 plus LBS NYU Yale, but a few things about your strategy:
- You likely won’t have the time to make 10 schools in R1 if you start now. So choose the schools that are most important for you and start with those.
- There is also likely scholarship money to be had in R2. So you aren’t obliged to ONLY apply in R1.
- For scholarships basically you have to be a REALLY good candidate for the school you are aiming at. So for example, if your profile is good enough for Top 10 to get accepted, Top 10 won’t offer (much) money, but if you apply to Top 20 schools, some of the lower-ranked schools are likely to make an offer. The scholarships are based on the merit of your application and are basically a financial “gift” that the schools use to entice students to their program. So what that means practically for you, is that if you are a solid M7 candidate, it is unlikely they will offer you money but maybe some lower ranked schools (S16) will, and then you will have the tough (but happy) choice of having to choose between an M7 program with no money and a S16 program with money.
Other than that, what can I say, but get started RIGHT NOW on your applications!!!
You want to make as many applications as you can in R1.
I did some research in past few days. As you mentioned, indeed I don't have enough time for many schools. Maybe I should focus on Wharton, Booth and Columbia in the first round. Though I like HBS, MIT and GSB more (their names more), they are especially hard to get in, for a mainland Chinese guy.
My employer has a reputation in the industry, though small. I don't worry much about that. But the biggest problem is that I don't have much volunteer work or extra curricular activities, both at school or at work. It's a headache for me to demonstrate leadership, both in the essay and in the following interviews if any. After all, I'm the only young guy in the company, and all my colleagues are at least 10 years older and much more senior than me. My work is mainly on the supporting side and rarely involves responsibility calls.
Money is a factor but not the main issue. I'm going to take a loan anyway, if I get in any of my dream schools.
