Revisited: Submitting MBA Applications in Eight Months

In January, I wrote a blog about the steps candidates needed to take to be on track to submit MBA applications in the fall – essentially 12 months to business school applications. With a couple of days until May, the application season inches closer and closer. Now with only 5-6 months until 1st round application deadlines and about 8 months until 2nd round deadlines, if this is your year, then now is the time to get very serious about the process.

Let’s consider the 2nd round application deadline, which you are likely targeting if you haven’t yet ramped up your application process. The four phases to the application process are the same regardless of the months until the deadline, but some things now need to be condensed and work done in tandem. For example, in January, I suggested taking two months for phase 1 on understanding the application process and components. With only eight months until the deadline, I would shorten that to one month.

Phase 1: Understand the application process and components (1 month)

The first thing you want to do is understand how the MBA application process works and learn about each components of the application, such as GMAT, transcripts, essays, recommendations and interview. You also want to assess where you stand – what will be your strengths in the application process? Where will you struggle? So many candidates jump into the application process without a plan for completing it. Don’t make that mistake. In order to develop a plan through you have to know the key tasks to complete, milestones to hit, and potential pitfalls to avoid.

Top Priority: GMAT Preparation. As you are learning about the whole process, focus a great deal of attention on the GMAT. Figure out how you are going to study for and ace this exam. The GMAT is not the most important component of the application, but it is certainly the most time-consuming and greatly impacts your school selection, so get on this ASAP.

Phase 2: Strengthen your profile and story (3 months)

After you understand the application process, it’s time to strengthen your profile and develop your MBA story. Basically you want to have strong professional and leadership examples and evidence that you can handle the academic and quantitative rigor of an MBA program. Figure out how to minimize your application weakness and showcase your strengths.

Top Priority: Doing well at work (you need strong recommendations – ideally from your manager)

Other Priorities: GMAT, defining your career goals and how an MBA can help you achieve them, school research

Phase 3: Build your network and brand (3 months)

Throughout the process, you should network with as many people as possible who have their MBA degrees and professionals who work in the industries that you are interested in pursuing after business school. But phase three is where your main relationship management occurs, largely because business schools tend to hold most of their networking events between August and November. You want to use these events to learn more about your target schools and how to strengthen your application.

Top Priority: Relationship Management

Other Priorities: GMAT (if you aren’t finished yet), school research

Phase 4: Draft your application (2-3 months)

Finally, you have to put your application together. You have already spent time strengthening your story and profile and on relationship management, so in this phase focuses on presenting cohesive, high-quality, and error-free applications. Expect that phases three and four will almost completely overlap, so you will have to balance networking with drafting your application (all while still managing the other areas of your life, including work. Expect October through December to be super hectic.)

Top Priority: Essays

Other Priorities: Every other component of the application

Lots of successful MBA applicants woke up the previous May with a newfound determination to go to business school. You still have time to find the right schools, and position yourself for admission. Time is of the essence though…so get on your grind.