When to Apply

When is the best time to submit an application?

I am not impressed by attempts to win the MBA admissions game through timing. Guessing when competition is less or more intense foolishly ignores the reality: super stars and Average Joe’s and Joan’s apply during all rounds. Stop trying to evaluate less significant or non-existent factors that you have no control over and focus on those that really count. What counts above all? The quality of your application. You want to submit when it is at its best.

The argument that Round 1 is for superstars simply isn't true. Many superstars apply round 2 (and even later, but I am going to limit this discussion to Rounds 1 and 2). But when you wait (or procrastinate) to apply Round 2, many seats have already been given to Round 1’s accepted applicants.

At the same time, some applicants are absolutely determined to submit Round 1 because they want the "early advantage." They will even foolishly rush their applications and submit something less than their best in this mad dash to a R1 deadline. So who wins the big match? Let's call it a draw. The boxers can take off their gloves and pull up a chair. Listen to Linda's rule:

"Apply as early as possible PROVIDED you don't compromise the quality of your application."
I recently received an inquiry from an applicant who has been struggling with her GMAT and wants to attend a top 15 program. She is unlikely to be admitted with her current score, and cannot take the time to prepare for the GMAT and submit all her applications by the early deadlines. Yet, she insists on applying Round 1 with an inferior score. She is better off raising her GMAT and postponing her application to Round 2.

Someone else writes to a mailing list that he has good scores, grades, and work experience, but is in a common applicant sub-group and wants to apply round 2 because he believes competition will be less intense. Big mistake. Competition is intense both rounds. Instead of focusing on this timing question, he should be working to improve his profile, differentiate himself, learn about the schools, and start on his essays so that he can submit round 1 when there are more spots available.

Is there an advantage to applying early in a round, especially round 1? I don't think so. More importantly, there is an advantage to holding onto a completed first application and submitting it closer to the deadline (Any school, CBS for example, on rolling admissions could be exceptions to this part of this post) As you work on subsequent applications, you will improve your essays and see (and relate) experiences and goals with greater clarity. If you just put that first completed application away while you work on applications 2, 3 & N, then you can go back to Application 1 before that school's R1 deadline and tweak it before you submit. That first application will then benefit from your recent writing experience and greater clarity.

Don't, however, wait until the 11th hour to actually submit your app. Servers are frequently overloaded on deadline day. You don't want to miss a deadline on an application that was completed weeks earlier because you waited too long to hit SUBMIT.

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Article by Linda Abraham, President and founder of Accepted.com.

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