Clearly the safeness of a school is really related to your strength as a candidate. try: GMAT Tiers - strong schools for your GMAT www.find-mba.com/board/27082 I'd say Notre Dame and Indiana are okay safety schools for finance MBAs who are targetting the schools you mentioned.

What does your profile look like? I know some people who use NYU as a safety school if they can't get into Booth, given the differential between the two schools' average GMATs.

If you're looking for something safer, there are lower schools like Tepper, Jones and Darden that place a fair number of grads into finance roles. Notre Dame, as Duncan mentioned, is also a good secondary choice.

So it sounds like it comes down to my GMAT score? I've been scoring 740 and 750 in the practices.

Your GMAT score isn't going to be everything, but it's very important. Booth has gotten extremely competitive in terms of average GMATs, last year's average was I believe 756. Makes sense, though, it's a highly-quantitative program that demands people with above average quant skills, especially for those who are on the track you're on.

I think that with the other schools on your list, you stand a decent chance, depending on the rest of your profile (if you have a degree in a science or another analytical field, or if you've worked in an analytical role, this can help).

In terms of safeties, maybe something like the Simon School? Or Cornell?

In terms of safeties, maybe something like the Simon School? Or Cornell?

Thanks, this is exactly what I was looking for.