September 15th onwards, prospective MBA candidates heave a collective sigh of relief. Why, you many wonder. This date marks the beginning of the end of Round 1 of admissions for most of the prestigious business schools in the world.  

• Wharton closed Round 1 on 15th September, and will close Round 2 in January.
• The deadline for Stanford Graduate School for Business Round 1 was  15th September.
• Harvard closed Round 1 on 8th September, and Round 2 will close in January.

Did you miss it? 

No harm done! There is still time for the next round of applications. Most of the selective B-Schools have their Round 2 application deadline in Januaray 2020. Some applicants feel that by missing the deadline for Round 1, they have lost out on a huge chance for their B-school education. But that is not the case. 

Figures have shown that there is a marginal difference in acceptance rates between Round 1 and Round 2 of applications for admission to a B-school. If you have missed the deadline for Round 1, it is not too late. In fact, it is a better idea to wait until you are in fact completely ready. 

“Ready” is when:

• You have enough professional experience under your belt.
• You have the right motivation to use an MBA as a springboard for a career change, or to make the next jump. 
• You have the right letters of recommendation. For a good recommendation, it is important to have a contextual letter with precise examples of your capabilities. Another key element of the recommendation is Time. It may be a good idea to let a recommender have enough time to know you.
  If you have recently changed jobs (especially due to the corona crisis), you might choose to apply in Round 2 solely for a better letter of recommendation. 
• You have the right scores. You could be preparing for GMAT, or might not have had the opportunity to take the exam yet. You could be taking it now, or improving your scores. 
• You have the perfect SOP. A great Statement of Purpose is the beacon of every MBA application. You could be working on your essay version and might need a couple more months to perfect it.

So, when exactly is it the right time to apply to a B-school? When you are ready!

Too early, and you miss the opportunity it offers, too late, and you might never make it out of a professional slump. A great MBA can do much more for you than a stamp of approval on a resume. It requires enough experience, fine-tuned to the right point, to be able to kickstart your career. It can ignite a fire of passion and interest, sharpen your skills, but only if it happens at the right time. The pedagogy of an MBA requires students with ample experience because it is taught using case studies from personal backgrounds. 

While you may feel that Round 1 has passed you by, it is not too late to rally your forces and join hands with a great support system in order to take your career to new heights. 

For more guidance, get in touch with us here or on email.