Toggle navigation
MBA Watch Logo
MBA Watch Sponsor
Stanford GSB | Mr. Anti W2
GRE 331, GPA 3.0
MIT Sloan | Ms. Sassy
GRE 329, GPA 3.46
Kellogg SOM | Mr. HealthAI
GMAT 700, GPA 3
MBA Watch Sponsor
Harvard | Mr. Global Consultant Leader
GMAT GMAT FE 705, GPA 7
INSEAD | Mr. SE To PM
GMAT 675, GPA 3.0
Harvard | Mr. Data Econ
GMAT 750, GPA 4
MBA Watch Sponsor
Harvard | Mr. Energetic Indian
GMAT 760, GPA 9
Stanford GSB | Ms. Multifaceted Desi
GRE 309, GPA 4
Tepper | Ms. MRI Gal
GRE N/A, GPA 3.3
MBA Watch Sponsor
Columbia | Ms. Big4 CPA To MBA
GMAT 730, GPA 3.69
Cornell Johnson | Ms. Indonesian Tech
GMAT 740, GPA 3.02
Stanford GSB | Mr. IB To TFA
GMAT 750, GPA 3.4
MBA Watch Sponsor
NYU Stern | Ms. CA – Controller
GRE 321, GPA 8
Chicago Booth | Ms. Low GPA High Impact Care
GMAT 685, GPA 2.56
Columbia | Mr. CRMprofff
GMAT 760, GPA 3
MBA Watch Sponsor
PQ Logo
Featured Schools
Auburn Herbert College of Business logo
UVA Darden Logo 440 x 200 University of Virginia
IESE Business School logo 440 x 200
IE Business School Logo Horizontal 440 x 200
Indiana Kelley School of Business
Today's Featured Schools
Featured Schools
Auburn Herbert College of Business logo
UVA Darden Logo 440 x 200 University of Virginia
IESE Business School logo 440 x 200
IE Business School Logo Horizontal 440 x 200
Indiana Kelley School of Business
  • Home
  • Main Menu
  • Most Recent
  • This Week’s Most Viewed
  • GMAT Master
  • Videos
  • Podcasts
  • Events
  • Study In UK
  • Special Reports
Rankings
  • MBA
  • Online MBA
  • Specialized Masters
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Executive MBA
  • Undergraduate Business Schools
News & Features
  • All Business School News
  • MBA
  • International MBA News
  • Online MBA
  • Specialized Masters
  • Admissions
Inside Business Education
  • THE Register
  • Thought Leadership
MBA
  • School Profiles
  • Rankings
  • News
  • Jobs
  • Faculty & Leadership
  • Best 40 Under 40 Professors
  • Events
Students
  • News & Features
  • Meet The Class
  • Best & Brightest MBAs
  • Best & Brightest Online MBAs
  • Women In Business School
Careers & Pay
  • News, Advice, & Trends
Online MBA
  • News & Advice
  • School Profiles
  • Rankings
  • Events
Masters Degrees in Business
  • News & Advice
  • Specialized Masters Directory
  • Rankings
  • Business Analytics
  • Master's In Management
  • Events
Financing
  • Financing Your Degree
Study IN Series
  • Study In France
  • Study In UK
Admissions
  • News & Advice
  • Admissions Consultant Directory
  • Your MBA Game Plan
  • Admissions Gateway
  • Getting Into HBS, GSB, & Wharton
  • Handicapping Your MBA Odds
  • MBA Watch
  • Events
GMAT & GRE
  • News & Advice
  • GMAT Master
More Resources
  • FREE: Insider Guides
  • FREE: Successful Essays To The GSB & HBS
  • Special Reports
Events
Videos
Podcasts
Executive MBA
Undergrad
Full Archive

About | Privacy Policy | Advertising| Editorial | Contact Us

Follow Us

Subscribe | Login

  1. Home
  2. Sponsored Blogs: Insights & Advice From MBA Admissions Consultants
  3. What The MBA Application Decline Means For You

What The MBA Application Decline Means For You

by: Karen Marks, founder of North Star Admissions Consulting on February 08, 2023 | 1,293 Views
February 8, 2023
    • Copy Link
    • Share on Facebook
    • Share on Twitter
    • Email
    • Share on LinkedIn
    • Share on WhatsApp
    • Share on Reddit

If you’re applying to business school or thinking about it, you have likely seen the headlines about a recent MBA application decline. In addition to reporting fewer applications, schools including Duke, Tuck, and Kellogg are adding additional rounds, and selectively waiving testing requirements. Given these dynamics, is now the right time to apply?

  • Maybe, If You Are a Laid Off Tech Worker (or similar).

If you were recently laid off from Microsoft, Google, Amazon or Twitter, and were planning to apply to business school soon anyway, you might want to take advantage of this small window of opportunity. Before applying now, though, please make sure that you actually want to spend the next two years in school. Also, as with anyone who is applying to business school, please think carefully about the career outcome that are you really hoping for. Do you need an MBA to get there? Is business school worth the financial investment, and the opportunity cost of stepping out of the workforce?  

  • Can You Submit a Strong Application?

Do you really have time to write amazing essays? Are your recommenders available to advocate for you? Do you need to take additional courses (or the GMAT or GRE, even if they aren’t required), in order to present the strongest candidacy? If so, you might want to wait. Despite the fact that there are still seats available in the class of 2025 at many business schools, the last rounds are historically more competitive. If you are denied and decide to reapply, it’s important to have submitted a strong application that will reflect well on you in the future.

  • Consider Historical MBA Admissions Cycles.

When the economy is bad, historically, business school applications tend to rise. (Applicants are traditionally averse to leaving rewarding, stable jobs, but feel that they have less to lose when their employment opportunities aren’t as alluring.) It’s obviously impossible to say for sure what will happen next, but if layoffs continue and the economy weakens further, it’s conceivable that the MBA application decline will reverse. In that case, especially if you have a lower GPA or other areas of potential weakness in your profile, it might be worth applying now.

 


North Star Admissions Consulting LogoKaren has more than 12 years of experience evaluating candidates for admission to Dartmouth College and to the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Since founding North Star Admissions Consulting in 2012, she has helped applicants gain admission to the nation’s top schools, including Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Wharton, MIT, Tuck, Columbia, Kellogg, Booth, Haas, Duke, Johnson, Ross, NYU, UNC, UCLA, Georgetown and more. Clients have been awarded more than $49 million dollars in scholarships, and more than 98% have gotten into one of their top choice schools.

Trending

The Ultimate MBA Application Timeline: A Step-By-Step Guide

who-should-work-with-an-mba-consultant

Who Should Work With An MBA Consultant?

How To Get Into HBS? Part 2 Of 2

Choosing The Right EMBA Program MBA or EMBA

Part 1: Executive’s Guide To Choosing The Right EMBA Program

avoid-being-a-copycat-applicant

Avoid The Trap Of Being A Copycat MBA Applicant

how-to-get-into-HBS-part-1

How To Get Into HBS? Part 1 Of 2

Cassandra Pittman Fortuna

What You Need To Know To Get Into INSEAD & LBS

Caroline Diarte Edwards

5 Top Tips To Maximize Your MBA Application Process Now

Tagged: Applying to business school, laid off tech workers, MBA application decline, North Star, North Star Admissions Consulting

Post navigation

Previous Article: Gaining Global Business Experience On Vlerick’s Online MBA
Next Article: Meet UCLA Anderson’s MBA Class Of 2024
  • Stay Informed. Sign Up! Login
    Logout
    Search for:
  • Personal MBA Coach's Chicago Booth Essay Tips
  • Partner Blogs

    GRE vs. GMAT For MBA: Which Test Should You Take?

    by Judith Silverman Hodara, Fortuna Admissions (18 hours ago)

    The Real ROI Of An MBA: Still Worth The Investment?

    by Caroline Diarte Edwards, Fortuna Admissions (2 weeks ago)
    NEW Karen Marks Photo

    Advice Column: Real Talk About The MBA Waitlist

    by Karen Marks, North Star Admissions Consulting (3 weeks ago)
    Fortuna Admissions MBA

    The Future Of MBA Careers In An AI-Driven World

    by Heidi Hillis, Fortuna Admissions (3 weeks ago)
  • Specialized Masters Program Directory Business Analytics Hub MBA Admissions Consultant Directory Online MBA Hub Home Assess My MBA Odds

Our Partner Sites: Poets&Quants for Execs | Poets&Quants for Undergrads | Tipping the Scales | We See Genius

About Poets&Quants | P&Q News Archives | Privacy Policy | Advertising & Partnerships | Editorial | Contact Us | Sign In / Register

Copyright© 2025 C Change Media, LLC All Rights Reserved.

Website Design By: Yellowfarmstudios.com