Over the past few weeks, we’ve been posting a number of tips about how to approach specific aspects of your application. Today, we thought we’d take a step back and present our readers with an overall timeline in order to give you a sense of how to pace yourselves if you are aiming to submit in Round one this fall.
By this point in the year, you would ideally have done the following:
1) Assess your candidacy – identify the strengths that you will want to highlight, as well as any weaknesses that will need to be addressed.
2) Take the GMAT
3) Visit schools that interest you to begin to develop your preferences and content for your essays.
It’s certainly not too late to take these steps, but it’s important that you get moving in order to effectively tackle the rest of the process as you move forward:
June and July:
1) Address your weaknesses – retake the GMAT, take outside classes, take up additional activities or increase your involvement in existing ones, etc.
2) Identify and research your target schools, arriving at specific courses and clubs that would be of interest to you.
3) Approach potential recommenders to present your plans for business school and determine whether they will support you.
4) Request college transcripts.
August:
1) Develop a one-page resume appropriate for the MBA admissions process.
2) Create a general career goals essay (that also covers your work experience and your reasons for wanting an MBA).
3) Sign up for interviews at schools that allow you to do so.
4) Meet with your recommenders again – provide them with your resume, career goals essay, and other materials, and discuss the letter they will draft on your behalf.
5) Begin to write other essays.
September:
1) Write and carefully revise your essays in order to produce the most polished responses possible.
2) Visit your target schools and interview, making sure that you present a message that is consistent with that in your essays.
3) Complete application forms with attention to detail and accuracy (don’t leave these until the last minute!).
4) Maintain contact with recommenders to ensure that they will finish their letters on time.
October:
1) Make your final revisions and put the finishing touches on your application materials.
2) Submit applications.
Good luck to everyone taking these first steps in the application process! Stay tuned to this blog throughout the summer for information on deadlines and essay advice as the questions are made available.
