As July moves quickly towards August, it’s critical for applicants to finalize school selection and develop a personal schedule based on published application deadlines. Today’s post focuses on those applicants who are considering first round applications and offers some basic advice on how to approach this process.
Let’s start by taking a quick look at the published Round 1 deadlines for the top MBA programs:
Oct. 11: Harvard
Oct. 11: Columbia (ED)*
Oct. 12: Dartmouth / Tuck (EA)**
Oct. 12: Penn / Wharton
Oct. 18: INSEAD
Oct. 18: Chicago
Oct. 19: Darden (EA)**
Oct. 20: Northwestern / Kellogg
Oct. 20: London Business School
Oct. 25: Stanford
Oct.25: UCLA / Anderson
Oct. 27: UNC / Kenan-Flagler (EA)**
Nov. 1: MIT / Sloan
Nov. 1: Michigan / Ross
Nov. 6: Berkeley / Haas
While there are still a few schools that have yet to report deadlines (NYU and Cornell are two that come to mind), the R1 landscape is nearly set. In light of this, most applicants should be wondering how to effectively plan their time and submit strong applications. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when creating your personal timeline:
1) Plan to be busy in August and September so that you have time to apply in the first round. This may go without saying, but thousands of MBA applicants squander the month of August only to wake up in September and realize that they cannot make their target deadlines. We know it’s tempting to work on your tan at the beach, but given that most office environments are relatively calm in August, it can also be a great opportunity to curtail your hours and spend some serious time working on your MBA applications in the evenings. Don’t forget that your time may be split between resume drafting, essay writing, recommendation coaching, GMAT prep, school research, visits and more…
2) Think carefully about the timing of various R1 deadlines. Looking at the deadlines above, it becomes clear that some deadlines may be easier to make than others. For example, candidates with an interest in both Harvard and Wharton (R1 deadlines of October 11th and 12th respectively) will be faced with the challenge of juggling two deadlines that sit right on top of each other. In contrast, a candidate targeting Wharton and MIT (with its first deadline perched on the 1st of November) should have a bit more time to prepare their files. This does not mean that one cannot attempt to apply to both Wharton and HBS in the first round. It simply requires that applicants build a schedule that offers them ample time to complete these files in August and September rather than waiting until the last minute.
3) Consider taking some time off from work. While we realize that many of you work 70 hours/week and haven’t had a day off in months, you may seriously benefit from taking a day or two out of the office to really focus on making the initial push with your applications. Applying to business is a serious undertaking and you will not regret taking the needed time to get it right. We also find that many successful candidates take a week off in late September to make the final push with their files too. It’s not a glamorous way to spend your vacation time, but an offer to attend a leading MBA program can make the sacrifice well worth it.
4) Get your recommenders on board early and be sure to include their tasks as you craft a timeline. While many of the schools have not yet made their online applications/online recommendation forms available, it’s never a bad idea to sit down with your recommenders in August and get them on board with regards to a timeline. You can take them to lunch or coffee and inform them of your MBA plans, offering them a rough sketch of the deadlines and describing the process to them. You can also agree to meet again once the forms are available and once you’ve had time to produce any background materials you will be providing them (copies of your resume, goals essay, etc).
5) Do not leave the online application forms for last. Again, while many of the online systems are not yet open for the 2006-07 season, we want to make sure that our readers are aware of the importance of this component. It’s easy to get lost in the essays only to find that you are faced with a lengthy online application form to rush through at the last minute. As former admissions officers, we’ve seen all sorts of incredible mistakes with application forms. While these mistakes can certainly be a source of amusement for the adcom, sloppiness of this nature reflects poorly on one’s candidacy.
* ED = Early Decision
** EA = Early Action
