It is hard to believe that December is upon us and the first round 2 application deadline is just over 4 weeks away (see deadline summary below). The holiday season is hectic for everyone, but for those of you working on your MBA applications, this can be a particularly challenging time of year.
*Deadlines are Round 3 Deadlines
You may be doubting whether you can get everything done in time. Personal MBA Coach prides itself on offering honest feedback so here is the good, the bad and the ugly!
What else you can do inside qs leap ?
The Good News:
Many of you can still meet early January deadlines! Wondering if you can really work your magic and finish in time? Ask yourself these 5 questions:
1) Have you already narrowed down your school list?
2) Have you taken (or are prepared to take) the GMAT/GRE?
3) Have you already selected and prepared your recommenders?
4) Have you begun brainstorming your essays?
5) Do you have a large portion of your holiday vacation set aside to work on your applications?
If you have answered yes to most or all of these questions, do not despair! Even if you have not put pencil to paper (so to speak) on your essays, resume and short answer questions, you can finish on time with the proper dedication.
We have successfully guided candidates with a shortened timeline for a limited number of schools (and adding additional schools in future rounds or years as needed). But do not wait much longer!
The Bad News:
If you answered no to a few of these questions, you have your work cut out for you; honestly, you may not be ready this year. In this case, particularly if you have not finished your testing and do not have recommenders nailed down or schools identified, ask yourself how crucial it is that you apply THIS year.
If now is really your time (perhaps you have 4+ years of experience and have plateaued at work or 2019 is an ideal year, personally, for you to start school), you may be able to meet the challenge.
However, if you do not have this level of urgency, I generally advise candidates to apply when they can submit the strongest applications, which might not be now. While you can successfully reapply, each application will remain on record; therefore, we do not advise submitting applications to which you have not given at least 100%.
The Ugly News:
If you have answered no to all of the questions above, January 3 may not be realistic for you (though some schools offer mid/late January deadlines that could still be feasible). This is particularly true if holiday obligations will prevent you from dedicating the majority of your time to your applications.
Regardless of which boat you are in this year, there is still plenty that you can do now. Even if you do not end up hitting submit in January, early planning can always work in your favor.
Still not sure which bucket you fall into or need additional help? For a more detailed and customized plan, and individualized support with various aspects of the MBA application process such as early planning, school selection, essay editing or interview preparation, visit Personal MBA Coach.
This article has been re-published from Personal MBA Coach’s blog.
