5 Essential Pieces of Advice for the Second Round Countdown
There are about two weeks until the Round 2 MBA deadlines for the top business schools (January 4 for Harvard Business School and Wharton, January 5 for Stanford GSB). Even though MIT Sloan and Berkeley Haas have delayed their R2 deadline for laid-off tech employees, if you're applying to top MBA programs, this is the time to go all out.
What precisely does this mean for you? It entails being deliberate about where you direct your attention and energy. It was possible for you to mold your profile six months ago, but with only a couple of weeks left—interrupted by several holidays—all it's about polish and presentation now. Here are five pointers for making the most of this time:
1. Take holiday season into consideration
Check in with your recommenders to see where they are in the process and to make sure you know when they are available. Do not underestimate the pandemonium that comes with the end-of-year Festive season. The last thing you want is to receive an out-of-office response from your recommender's email address, only to realize they've gone on vacation and won't be able to send their letter before the deadline. This is when your skill to manage comes into play. Anticipate what will be required and create the ideal conditions for recommenders to send you a glowing and meaningful letter of support.
2. Examine for authenticity and clarity
MBA schools like as Dartmouth Tuck, NYU Stern, Yale SOM, Carnegie Mellon Tepper, UVA Darden, Duke Fuqua, and UCLA Anderson will experience an increase in round 2 applications from people who were denied in round 1. Given this fact, it is even more important to be persuasive and genuine throughout your application. Every school also wants to know they were your number one choice, so to win their acceptance, show them the love.
3. Check for COherence and consistencY
Every aspect of your application should work together to provide a complete, compelling, and true picture of you - where you've been, where you're going, and how the MBA will help you fulfill your full potential as a business leader. It's also critical to eliminate excessive repetition or duplication - make the most of your limited real estate. Pose the following questions to yourself:
What is the main message I'm attempting to express, and is it being received?
Are there any holes or discrepancies in my story, such as between the essays and letters of recommendation?
Is there any extraneous duplication between sections?
What is lacking in terms of creating a memorable and consistent image?
4. Ask someone else to look over the final draft
In addition to reviewing your application for its overall story and essential points, it will require a thorough proofread by someone with fresh eyes. If, and only if, you believe it is 90% to 95% complete, notify your reviewer (to avoid a last-minute rework of an entire essay). It should be a question of polishing by the new year; you don't want to be composing fresh stuff with only a few days to go. Details are important, so double-check self-reported information on the application form with your transcript. It's always painful to see a fantastic application ruined by a careless error, such as copying one piece of an essay from another application and leaving out the erroneous school name.
5. Consider the next phase
Concentrate on submitting a superb application, but remember to look beyond the deadline to predict a successful next round. You should also begin preparing to be an excellent interview candidate; this is not a quick process. If you are invited to an admissions interview, make sure your understanding of the program is up to date. Continue to study about your target programs to do this. Keep in touch with admissions blogs, social media, newsletters, and virtual events. Maintain any relevant contacts you've made with alumni, current students, and/or professors. Admissions committee members are known to query about links stated in your essays or application, so be prepared if they do.
Here Is What You Should Do After You Have Submitted Your MBA Application.