And then there were four ...

While I originally thought I'd apply to five or six schools, I've decided to cap my first round target list at four ... at least for now.

Applying to these four schools is a no-brainier. For reasons I've spelled out in detail, Duke, Tuck, Michigan, and Kellogg fit my requirements across the board. As such, I've decided to focus my efforts because applying to more schools might needlessly dilute my energy and tax my recommenders, at least all at once. Besides, if I finish my applications early, I can always submit more. If nothing else, I'll also be able send more apps in the second round.

So, now that I've established my first round targets, let's stack them up side-by-side against my quantitative stats for a little sanity check ...

It looks like my stats are as good (or, in some cases, a little better) than the average GMAT, GPA, and work experience of each program's students. Since this year's applications are projected to be more competitive than those from the last few years, I can assume that these numbers will tick up a tad ... meaning I'm probably about average in the quantitative categories. Luckily, I have the opportunity to differentiate myself through several essays and an interview.

Now that I know where I'm going to apply, I have to ...

• Start my online applications
• Begin writing my essays
• Order GMAT reports
• Line up my recommenders
• Schedule interviews

Of course, I'm going to have to prioritize these activities based on each school's application deadline. 2007/2008 application calendars look like this: Duke, Kellogg, Michigan, Tuck.

I can't wait to get started! I'm feeling good about my target schools and my chance of getting at least one acceptance letter. More to come ...