While navigating the MBA admissions process, it is vital that applicants take advantage of all the great web-based resources that are available. Beyond the official school sites and test prep pages, there are several spots on the web that aggregate content or serve as general portals in MBA admissions space. Here are a few examples that some of you may already be familiar with:

2005 Applicants: http://hella.opencoder.org/mba2005apps/ Business Week B-Schools: http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/index.html MBA League of Bloggers: http://mbaleague.blogspot.com/

One of the newest additions to these portal-style sites is the Wharton Admissions Blog (http://adcomblog.wharton.upenn.edu/). Before you jump the gun and assume that Wharton’s site is too narrowly focused, take a look at the school’s brief description of the blog’s purpose:

This blog is designed to help answer questions that arise from the application process of applying full-time MBA programs. While it is managed by Wharton admissions, we will also cover topics relevant to applying to multiple schools… We hope that aggregating content in this way will help make this blog a useful ‘content management’ portal for MBA applicants, while updating with our own admissions-related articles.

If Wharton’s track record with their discussion forums and general admissions transparency is any indication, their latest offering should certainly be worth bookmarking…

In recent weeks, dozens of Clear Admit clients and blog readers have been asking the age-old question: Should I apply in round 1 or round 2?

Along the way we’ve heard dozens of theories and myths. In the interest of preventing applicants from making silly mistakes, here are a couple of examples of dangerous myths, along with our thoughts.

1) “Apply in round 1, even if you are pressed for time. The key is to be early.” This is false. While applying early is nice, you should never do so at the expense of a high quality application.

1) “Applicants to programs that use admissions ’rounds’ should apply several weeks in advance of a school’s deadline. Applying in early September for an October deadline will give you an edge”. This is false. Most admissions officers are busy with recruiting efforts and training of new staff in September and early October. There is really no benefit to sending in your file several weeks ahead of their deadline.

2) “Since the best applicants apply in round 1, it makes sense to ‘wait it out’ and apply in round 2. In addition, the schools accept the greatest number of applicants in round 2, so it’s best to be in that round.” False and false. Just because round 1 often contains many highly qualified applicants doesn’t mean that the admissions officers suddenly lower their standards in round 2! It’s not as though you can ‘hide’ your application in round 2 and hope that you somehow slip through. Keep in mind that the schools use waitlists to hold-over some round 1 applicants for round 2 as well! As for the number of applicants accepted, round 2 tends to lead the way at many schools, because it is the largest round (in terms of volume). This does not mean that the acceptance rates are higher.

It always makes sense to visit the MBA programs that you are considering. Here are a few basic tips on how to approach this process:

1) Before you go, be sure to look into the sorts of organized activities that the admissions office has on offer for prospective students. These may include any of the following:

-campus tour -attending a class -attending an admissions information session -lunch with current students -social events (MBA pub, happy hour, etc.)

In some cases you will need to sign up in advance for these offerings. It also makes sense to verify that your timing is ok, since some schools do not encourage visitors during the first few weeks of the semester, etc.

2) View your visits as a unique opportunity to gather data on the MBA program. You can use this fact-finding mission to ultimately make decisions about where you apply. You can also use the information you gather to add school-specific detail to your essays. For example, if you meet a current student who is following a course of study that interests you, try to exchange emails and keep in touch. Students can be a wonderful resource when it comes to up-to-date information about a given program. The more you know about the latest happenings on campus, the more likely your essays will reflect a genuine interest in the school.

3) Do not assume that your visits to the schools are exclusively designed to get “face time” with admissions officers, professors or other ‘influencers’ in the admissions process. Applicants that aggressively push for face time are generally viewed as a menace by the adcom. Of course, if a chance for discussion with a member of the adcom presents itself, great – just be sure you know what you want to talk about (since it’s a waste of time to ask questions that are easily answered on the programs web site).

4) Read up on the program before your visit. You’ll get more out of your visit if you have already developed a basic knowledge of the school in advance. You should also think of specific questions you’d like to be answered so as to focus your visit.

5) Know your ‘positioning strategy’ for the MBA admissions process before you start setting foot on campus and engaging others in discussion. You never know when an informal discussion with an admissions officer or student might veer into a sort of impromptu interview.