Ms. Strong Performer, Bad Tester

Let me just tell you that a 700 GMAT score is darn good. While we don’t know your splits, and therefore your quant score, the fact that you have done well at Bain speaks volumes for you, far beyond a standardized test which pretty much tests your ability to take a test. Your 3.8 GPA from a public Ivy also makes a big difference. But the fact that you are among the top 1% of performers at Bain, one of the truly world-class employers which is highly selective and intellectually demanding, should be more than enough proof for any admissions official that you belong in the class. If not, I would see it as their loss–not yours. Kellogg should welcome you with open arms. You will get other admits and will have to decide if Kellogg remains your first choice school. You are what I would call a no-risk admit, given your goal to return to Bain and your outstanding performance there already. I would also consider Dartmouth Tuck, Yale SOM, and possibly UVA Darden.

Your “strong performer, bad tester” byline gave me the impression of a far lower GMAT score. A 700 GMAT is indeed lower than Kellogg’s average, but it is still competitive. A GMAT that starts with “7” is considered “shiny” for M& AdComs, and you have crossed this threshold. The schools for which you indicate interest all accept the GRE, so it might be worth a practice test to see if you favor that option. If you are too far down the road for that, then I wouldn’t sweat your 700 score too hard, especially considering the other markers for intellectual aptitude and academic readiness that your application will signal.
Schools like Kellogg use external entities to do sifting for them: companies like Bain and educational institutions like University of North Carolina Chapel Hill carry weight. A top 1% ranking at Bain and a 3.8 college GPA show that you were super sifted by these trusted pedigree designators and came out on top. Had you attended a lower-tier school or if you work at a less prestigious company, your GMAT score would matter more, because it would be carrying more of the signaling burden. GMAT matters for everybody, no matter who their employer is or where they went to college, because GMAT averages are an important part of a schools ranking (which is the #1 metric that AdComs are managing towards), but in your case there likely won’t be serious questions about your ability to handle the academic rigor of school.
Strategic positioning for sponsored consultants is neat and tidy because you have guaranteed employment from a top-tier employer immediately post-graduation with great earnings and guaranteed tuition coverage. Post-MBA compensation and MBA employment % 3 month post-graduation are important metrics for ranking organizations and schools love an applicant who wouldn’t be angling or negotiating for a merit scholarship if accepted (no need to do this if your employer is paying your way!). For all these reasons, you are somebody who will boost the ranking of whatever MBA program you attend based on these metrics (even if your GMAT metric is a bit below average).
Now that we’ve established that your GMAT is not deal breaking (both because it isn’t on its face AND because of your application credentials holistically), what I would be more worried about, frankly, is convincing Kellogg that you will choose Kellogg in the likely event that you are awarded multiple acceptance. I notice that you are also looking at Chicago Booth. If you have a Chicago connection (e.g., work there now, seek placement in Chicago office post-MBA, are interested in social impact work that is Chicago-oriented), I’d make that a part of your application. Be careful, though, because you are Booth-qualified as well, so you’ll need to make your “why Kellogg” material really resonate. Kellogg is a top tier school with a low acceptance rate and a relatively lower yield compared to other schools of its caliber (yield = % of accepted applicants who matriculate into full-time 2 year program). Yield is perhaps the single most important metric for MBA rankings. It’s no wonder that the two consistently top-rate MBA programs, HBS and GSB, have the highest yield numbers. The problem is that many people who make it into Kellogg ALSO make it into higher-rated programs, and therein lies the yield challenge for Kellogg.
The best “Why XYZ” school material is that which is not easily found on the company website or course catalog. This kind of content is best mined through conversations with recent alums from the programs to which you were applying. Being a Bainie (and an extroverted Bainie at that… top ranked for culture…what?!) means that you’ll have that network to mine, and you won’t have to worry about signaling a “desire to leave” because it’s expected that top performers will attend MBA programs. So talk to your colleagues who are Kellogg alums and their friends who are Kellogg alums (particularly those making strides in the social impact space) and see how your ambitions in the social impact space intersect with Kellogg’s reputation and offerings. Really good answers to the “why Kellogg” questions will help answer address the defection fears the AdComs might have.
Kellogg’s app is pretty similar to GSB in its touchy-feeliness. You might as well apply there, too, because somebody with your credentials should do that (even though GSB is a long shot for just about everybody you are still qualified to apply). You also mentioned Booth, which has historically had prompts that are substantively similar to Wharton, so that would be an easy one to do after Booth. You’ll maximize your chances at an M7 acceptance by applying well to as many as possible. At the end of the day, this game is a bit about luck and applying prudently to more schools will increase the probability of at least one A (hopefully more!). Hold your head up high – you are an amazing candidate!