Advice Column: Is It Too Late To Apply To Business School Round 1?

Hello P&Q readers, and welcome to my advice column! My name is Karen Marks, and I am the Founder and President of North Star Admissions Consulting. I have been helping people get into their dream schools since 2012, and prior to that I was the Associate Director of Admissions at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Today, my goal is to give applicants the accurate, insider information that they need in order to succeed and make good decisions. Want your question answered in a future column? Ask away, no topic is off limits!

Over the past few weeks, I have heard from multiple people who are wondering if it’s too late to apply to business school round 1. (The earliest deadline is HBS on September 3rd, although most of the early round applications are due several weeks later.)

The short answer? No, it’s not (necessarily) too late to apply to business school round 1! There are a few things to consider, however, and several steps that you need to take ASAP.

Testing

Are you close to or at your goal GRE or GMAT score? Ideally, if you are planning to apply round 1 to the schools with early September deadlines, you should be test final by mid-August. (At the latest.) Especially if you are close to your goal, there is lots that you can do in a month to move the needle. (A good tutor can be especially helpful.) Depending on which schools you are applying to, and your academic background and overall profile, you might also be able to apply for a test waiver. However, if your scores aren’t where you need or want them to be, and it’s unrealistic to get there soon, it might be better to wait until round 2.

Goals

Do you have clarity about why you are applying to business school? Can you articulate what you want to do when you graduate, short and long term, and why an MBA will help you get there? If not, you need to figure this out ASAP. Goals are the cornerstone of your candidacy. You do have time to do this (a good admissions consultant can help), but I would solidify your path before moving forward. By the way, even if you’re a fan, do NOT use AI for this part of your candidacy. AI can’t, in my experience, strategically weave together your background with your goals in a convincing way. I have seen an overreliance on AI lead to some very incoherent goal statements.

School Research and Interactions

Did you have a chance to interact with your target schools when they were in session? Are you on email lists, and have you attended recruiting events? This stuff matters in MBA admissions, so consider how much you have been able to investigate and learn about the options.

Recommenders

By August 1 or so, you want to have your round 1 recommenders selected and on board. (Again, if you are applying to schools with early September deadlines.) Is this feasible?

Your Schedule (and work style)

Do you have big summer plans that will preclude you from focusing on your applications? Or a job that requires you to work 90 hours a week? I have helped people write successful applications to the most selective schools, including HBS and GSB, in a weekend, so it can be done. However, be honest with yourself about your ability and desire to prioritize your applications.

Is Round 1 Necessary/ The Right Choice?

Traditional MBA admissions wisdom says to apply in the earliest round for which you are ready. Generally speaking, this holds true – and for people with lower GPA’s or test scores and non-traditional profiles it can be especially important to apply early. However, last cycle it was actually easier (statistically) to get into some top schools second round. Furthermore, every year I work with clients who apply round 2 (or 3!) and get into their dream schools.

So, bottom line – yes, you still have time to apply to business school round 1, if your circumstances align with the schedule. However, there are multiple paths to success. Either way, start now – round 2 will also be here before you know it.

Ready to go for it? I am offering clients a free school if they decide by August 1st to work with me on 2+ applications.

Karen has more than 15 years of experience evaluating candidates for admission to Dartmouth College and to the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. In addition, 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 $85 million dollars in scholarships, and more than 98% have gotten into one of their top choice schools.

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