3 Reasons To Apply To Business School In Round 3

Most round 1 and 2 deadlines have come and gone, but you had it in your head that you were applying to business school this year. So what do you do? Should you really consider applying in round 3?

Every year many applicants are faced with a similar dilemma. Round 3 has long been a cautiously avoided application round for most applicants. It is in fact the round where the least spots are typically available so the apprehension has merit. However, there are reasons why an applicant should consider applying in Round 3.

1. Many schools have strong Round 3 acceptance rates.

Think you have no chance getting in if you apply Round 3? Think again!  Admissions officers at Stanford GSB, Wharton and across the top-tier MBA programs have openly stated that they would simply eliminate Round 3 if they did not consistently admit candidates from the final round.

Schools with relatively higher acceptance rates of Round 3 applicants include Cornell Johnson, UNC Kenan-Flagler, Carnegie Mellon Tepper, Emory Goizueta and Georgetown McDonough, according to data provided by MBA Data Guru. If you’re applying to schools outside of the top 15 MBA programs you are more likely to be accepted in Round 3.

2. There were extenuating circumstances which prevented you from applying in an earlier round.

Some applicants have extenuating circumstances that prevented them from applying in an earlier round. Admissions Officers will certainly keep this in mind while reviewing your Round 3 application, so feel free to include legitimate circumstances in your optional essay. This might include an overseas military deployment, atypical professional obligations such as working on a political campaign, or other circumstances where it is easy for the admissions officer to see that submitting an earlier application would have been nearly impossible. Do not feel an obligation to list an excuse for applying in Round 3, but if you have extenuating circumstances you may include them. Our Veritas Prep consultants can help you determine whether to mention a possible extenuating circumstance in your application or leave it off.

3. You’re a stellar applicant with a stellar application.

Round 3 partly gets a bad reputation from those applicants who throw together their applications at the last minute (rather than having to wait to apply in next year’s admissions cycle) and end up getting rejected. “See,” they say, “I knew I wouldn’t get in. Round 3 is impossible.” But Round 3 wasn’t the problem… their applications were what held them back.

An impressive set of qualifications can make round 3 and frankly any round attractive to candidates with impressive profiles. Candidates with strong GPAs and GMAT scores, and blue chip resumes can often still be competitive even with the limited spots left in round 3. If your application measurables align with or exceed target school class profile numbers then round 3 becomes a realistic option.

Join Veritas Prep for a free webinar on January 16th at 1 PM Eastern on the Veritas Prep YouTube channel. We’ll offer tips on how to submit a successful application in round 3 and answer your questions. Sign up at https://www.veritasprep.com/business-school/free-online-mba-admissions-workshop/.


Veritas Prep Logo

If you need help or have questions, give Veritas Prep a call at 800-925-7737 to speak with an MBA admissions expert, or request a free MBA admissions consultation for personalized advice for your unique application situation! Be sure to check out Veritas Prep’s Round 3 Guarantee – whether you decide to apply in Round 3 or postpone to Round 1 in the fall, Veritas Prep has you covered every step of the way! For more insights and advice, check out Veritas Prep’s blog, and be sure to find Veritas Prep on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.

Veritas Prep  is the largest privately-owned test prep and admissions consulting company in the world. Since 2002, Veritas Prep has helped thousands of applicants gain admission to their dream schools using its team of experienced consultants and a personalized game plan for each client.

Questions about this article? Email us or leave a comment below.