MIT Sloan 2019-2020 MBA Application Deadlines

MIT Sloan today (July 8) released its 2019-2020 MBA application deadlines and essays. The school set a round one deadline of Oct. 1 with decisions by Dec. 18th.

The round two MBA application deadline is Jan. 21, with admit or deny decisions by March 31, while the round three and final cutoff is April 9, with decisions due by May 7. MIT said that decisions will be released early for some candidates who will be denied admission without an interview.

Applicants admitted in the first round must provide a reply to MIT by March 1. Round two admits have until May 1 to notify MIT of their decision to attend or not, while round three admits have until June 1.

MIT SAYS THERE MAY BE SOME ADVANTAGES TO APPLYING IN ROUND ONE

The school says that MBA applications are reviewed in three rounds, immediately following each deadline. “There may be some advantages to applying in Round 1, although applicants should apply when their application has been completed to the best of their ability,” according to MIT Sloan. “International applicants should apply in Round 1 or Round 2.”

The school’s essays have been reduced to a single cover letter of 300 or fewer words in recent years that should include one or two examples that provide evidence of the following criteria:

“MIT Sloan seeks students whose personal characteristics demonstrate that they will make the most of the incredible opportunities at MIT, both academic and non-academic. We are on a quest to find those whose presence will enhance the experience of other students. We seek thoughtful leaders with exceptional intellectual abilities and the drive and determination to put their stamp on the world. We welcome people who are independent, authentic, and fearlessly creative — true doers. We want people who can redefine solutions to conventional problems, and strive to preempt unconventional dilemmas with cutting-edge ideas. We demand integrity and respect passion.”

ROUND ONE INTERVIEWS TAKE PLACE IN LATE OCTOBER TO EARLY DECEMBER

Sloan also asks candidates for a quick one-minute video clip in which applicants are asked to introduce themselves to their future classmates. “Include a bit on your past experience and why MIT Sloan is the best place for you to pursue your MBA,” advises Sloan. “Videos should be a single take (no editing) lasting no more than one minute and consisting of you speaking directly to the camera. We recommend using an application such as QuickTime or iMovie to record yourself.”

If you’re invited to interview at MIT Sloan, you’ll sit face-to-face with a professional staff member of the admissions committee who has read your application. Round I interviews will occur in late October-early December, Round II usually occurs in late February and March, and Round III interviews take place in May. The admissions office is looking for specific examples of how you have built relationships, influenced others, and made decisions, along with a candidate’s English ability. There will be one interviewer and the session will typically last 30 to 45 minutes.

SOME 5,560 APPLICANTS VIED FOR 409 CLASSROOM SEATS IN 2017-2018

In a down year for MBA applications during the 2017-2018 admissions cycle, MIT Sloan ranked among the most coveted tickets among prospective students. Technically, MIT endured a 4.1% decline in applications during the 2017-2018 cycle – a percentage that’s still lower than Wharton (-6.7%), Chicago Booth and (-8.2%). It also compares favorably with Harvard Business School (-4.5%) and Stanford GSB (-4.6%). At the same time, the school reports an 11.5% acceptance rate for the Class of 2020. In other words, nearly 9 of every 10 applicants who sought a seat in the incoming class were rejected.

One reason? The class is loaded with academic firepower. Last year’s class scored a 728 average GMAT, a six point jump over the previous year (and a 15 point rise in just 5 years). The median improvement was even more impressive: a whole ten points to 730 – tying it with Harvard Business School just three miles up the Charles River. By the same token, the percentage of women held steady at 42% of the class, eight points better than the school’s gender balance five years ago. Unlike peer schools, which have seen sharp decreases in international student populations, MIT Sloan swam strong against the current. 38% of the Class of 2020 hails from overseas, up five points.

Academically, the class represents a significant shift. A solid engineering foundation, however, wasn’t one of them. This year, 31% of the class earned engineering-related degrees as undergrads, just a point down over the 2019 Class. Traditionally, business majors account for a fifth of the class – and the 2020 Class is no different at 20% (a point down from last year). The big difference? The percentage of economics majors nearly doubled from 11% to 20%. That wasn’t the only noticeable difference. The percentage of humanities and social sciences majors rose three points to 14%. By the same token, the number of math and sciences majors plummeted four points to 7%.

Among professional backgrounds, the composition of consulting and financial services swapped spots – literally – with the 2020 Class. Consultants make up 21% of the class as financial services professionals take up 19% of the seats – numbers that were reversed with the previous class. Technology again held an 18% share, followed by government and public sector (14%), industrials (8%), energy (7%), healthcare (6%), and consumer goods (5%).

ADVICE FROM RECENT MIT SLOAN GRADUATES

“Sloan really believes that past performance is an indicator of future success. Focus on working right now on the amazing things that you’re interested in and being a leader in driving impact in the world. Be fully committed to those things and work to see them through. The stories you can tell about your past successes will far outweigh any fluffy pontificating and musings about what you hope to be. What are you today?” — Janelle Heslop, Class of 2019 MIT Sloan MBA Graduate

“As cheesy as it sounds, my best advice is to be yourself. Coming from a non-traditional MBA background, I assumed that certain elements of my background were more important to highlight than others for the purposes of appearing business school-ready. I remember preparing to send in my Sloan application, and realizing that my essay didn’t highlight some of the most important aspects of my identity. I ended up writing a completely new essay for Sloan on a topic I had not written about for any other school, but something that I knew was uniquely and truly me. When I received my Sloan acceptance, it was confirmation that this school knew me, and knew that this is where I was meant to be.” — Alyssa Murray, Class of 2019 MIT Sloan MBA Graduate

“My best advice to applicants is to make sure they understand MIT Sloan’s mission, program, and culture, to ensure that Sloan is a good fit for them. Do they share the mission? Do they need hands-on experience or adhere to the action-learning method? Do they share MIT Sloan’s culture? And why (to all questions)? Those who know how to answer these questions, and if the answers are conclusive for a good fit, I would recommend to apply and to portray a compelling story.” — Eilon Shalev, Class of 2019 MIT Sloan MBA Graduate

“MIT’s motto is Mens et Manus, or “Mind and Hand”. At Sloan, we strive to live by this motto every day. As an applicant, you have an opportunity to show Sloan how you have applied your knowledge or expertise to actually going out into the world and having a positive impact. What have you created with your own hands?” — Faina Rozental, Class of 2019 MIT Sloan MBA Graduate

WHY THEY CHOSE MIT SLOAN FOR THEIR MBA EXPERIENCE

“As an engineer, if MIT is offering you a degree, you take it. Moreover, though, I chose Sloan because I loved the students and community which is truly the best part of this experience. The student’s here are at once brilliant and humble, analytical and creative, career-driven and thoughtful about their place in the world, and the list could go on. Sloanies are one-of-a-kind business school students – they care about being successful but even more about leaving a net positive imprint on others and the world. I love this so much about this community.” — Janelle Heslop, Class of 2019 MIT Sloan MBA Graduate

“I chose Sloan because of the emphasis on analytics and student culture. In my pre-Sloan career, our middle school worked to ensure that every academic decision we made for students was supported by achievement data. I loved working with data, but most of my knowledge was self-taught and I knew I had a lot to learn. MIT’s reputation as an analytics powerhouse has proven to be very true! I just completed a project at a fashion startup in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for a Global Entrepreneurship class, where we used a series of regression analyses on historical sales data to create a demand forecasting system for the brand. I never dreamed I would be able to do something like that – thank you, Sloan! From speaking with students during the application process, I also continuously heard about Sloan’s supportive, non-competitive student culture. Getting to know my amazing classmates has been one of the highlights of my Sloan experience.” — Alyssa Murray, Class of 2019 MIT Sloan MBA Graduate

” I chose MIT Sloan for three reasons.

The Mission. MIT Sloan’s mission is to develop principled, innovative leaders who improve the world and to generate ideas that advance management practice. This mission is patent in the way the courses are structured, and the way the professors teach and talk about business. I wanted to belong to a place with such a mission, and I am proud to be a part of this community today.

The Program. MIT’s motto is Mens et Manus, Mind and Hand. MIT Sloan embodies the same motto with the action-learning teaching method. There are more than 10 official action-learning labs, and many additional project-based courses. I wanted to start my own company during the MBA Program, and MIT Sloan offers a slate of hands-on classes that are crucial if one wants to hit the ground running. In addition, the program offers the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Track, and hence a variety of entrepreneurship-focused courses. I couldn’t be happier with the program.

The People. Sourcing information from at-the-time MIT Sloan MBA Candidates, I learned how supportive and inclusive the community is. Moreover, students kept lauding the faculty and staff, and after spending almost two years at Sloan, I am happy to concur.” — Eilon Shalev, Class of 2019 MIT Sloan MBA Graduate

“MIT Sloan was my top choice for business school because I knew it would allow me to bridge my interests in finance and sustainability. Sloan is unique in allowing students to custom-tailor their academic experience starting in their first year. I wanted to hone my financial analysis skills while deepening my commitment to leveraging finance as a tool for generating positive social and environmental impact. I have been able to do both – both in an academic setting, but also in the community. The synergies between the” — Faina Rozental, Class of 2019 MIT Sloan MBA Graduate

DON’T MISS: MEET THE MIT SLOAN MBA CLASS OF 2020 or 2019-2020 MBA APPLICATION DEADLINES AT LEADING SCHOOLS