I finally took the GMAT and exceeded my expected score with a 780. I was thinking about applying to top schools like Stanford or Harvard, but I was wondering if there's a lower ranked school which might give me a break on my tuition for a higher than average score. Anybody have any idea?

I have 6 years of work experience in an accounting firm. Would like to transition to financial services. I will probably stay in the US, although high-profile international school suggestions with good placements in the financial services industry are appreciated.

780 on the GMAT?? Didn't know that this is possible. I doubt you get a fee waiver for that, though.

For the top schools with the highest GMAT take a look at this list:http://find-mba.com/lists/other-top-business-school-lists/us-mba-programs-with-the-highest-average-gmat-scores

These scholarships for high gmat actually exist:https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&rlz=1Y1PGWF_de___DE489&biw=360&bih=308&noj=1&ei=3O8iVO2wHaH-ygOUh4CAAQ&q=%22based+on+high+gmat%22&oq=%22based+on+high+gmat

Yes, sometimes schools will give scholarships to those who have above-average GMAT scores: these kinds of students help them raise their profile, making their cohort seem more high-caliber then it would be otherwise.

For the students though, these scholarships, while they obviously mean less of an initial investment, usually come at a cost in the long-term. The schools that have higher GMAT scores 9 time out of 10 have better post-MBA graduate salaries than those that have lower GMAT scores, and grads their tend to see larger increases over the pre-MBA salaries as well.

The rule of thumb is to get into the best school you can, because that means better ROI for you. You can search LinkedIn to find the MBA programs from which financial services firms recruit. This list here says that in the US, NYU - Stern, Columbia, Booth, and Wharton are good choices:

http://find-mba.com/lists/top-business-school-by-speciality/top-business-schools-for-a-career-in-finance

Also on that list are Rice - Jones, Tulane - Freeman, Yale, and Iowa - Tippie, which I think of more as niche schools for specific regions.

Thanks for that information, and I understand how a larger upfront investment makes sense over the longterm. I suppose I will focus on Columbia and NYU, since it would be nice to be in New York for a couple years.

Try EDHEC and Oklahoma.

Also read The sad facts about scholarships http://www.find-mba.com/board/37055

Thank you, Duncan.