come on, a HR story

I got your message and it seems that I am late to the party. People already post a lot of useful info.

I think you have yourself setup at the pretty good position. Your goal is also high and well, that means no "sure win" for you. top 10 Schools in Chicago, Boston, NYC, Philly and Bay area fit your bill (I guess U Mich is totally out of the picture).

You should not worry about your age. 26 is good even for Stanford. The only thing that may drag you down a bit is that your background from an overhead department (HR) could be a point-losing part on your resume. (I have to say something negative, it is my style