When To Hit “Submit” on Your MBA App?
You don’t have to submit your MBA application weeks before the actual MBA application due date. If it’s rolling admissions or early decision for example at Columbia or even at Tuck, then yes hit submit ASAP. If it’s rolling admissions, the earlier you submit, the sooner they will review it, the sooner you’ll have an interview invite (or not), the sooner you will get your interview and the sooner you will get your decision.
A prior client at Amerasia Consulting had worked for a private equity firm out of Miami. He really wanted to go to Columbia, he applied four weeks early, they got his application and they contacted him within two or three days (they must’ve really wanted him). He got the interview within a week of applying. His interview was with an admissions committee representative who was going to be at a conference in Miami that very week representing Columbia. He got accepted within ten days. That was great, because Columbia was where he really wanted to go to business school.
Here’s a word of caution though:
Say Columbia is not the only school you want to apply to. Let’s say you’re also applying to Harvard, Wharton and Stanford, as well as Columbia early decision. Just know that the sooner you submit your application, the sooner they get back to you, and the sooner they (possibly) accept you.
If Columbia does accept you, you have to pay a $6500 deposit in US dollars to secure your place for early decision. They give you three or four weeks to get that money together and send it in. Meanwhile, you haven’t heard anything from Wharton, or Harvard, nor have you heard from Stanford. So if your MBA application is competitive at Wharton, Harvard or Stanford, and you know you’d pretty much get the interview there, you just wasted a $6500 deposit. Or, you could just waste $250 applying to Columbia with regular decision. So, the early bird may get the worm, but at Columbia you may get the worm at the wrong time.
So, what are you to do?
What we at Amerasia recommend, is to apply on the last day of early decision. The business school is not going to think you are not really dedicated to going there. No, you made the deadline for applying to early decision and that's it. Although, you may get lost amongst all the last minute applications coming into Colombia on the last day of early decision. Therefore, it will take the admissions committee a little while to get through all the applications. But if you’re competitive, you’re competitive. More importantly though, you will know by the time Columbia gets back to you, and interview you, you will know whether or not you have interviews at Harvard, Wharton or Stanford.
Scenario #1
If you have interviews at two out of the three schools, or three out of three schools, or even if you just have the interview at Wharton, you have to ask yourself how much cash do you have to burn in your bank account? However, if you’re really nervous and you want that Columbia option, then commit to Colombia and say yes. Interview at Wharton and see how it pans out, but you’re pretty much going to Columbia at that point. Unless Wharton comes up with something very compelling.
Scenario #2
Say, you do decide to burn $6500 and then Wharton comes through with a great offer, what do you do? Columbia has no recourse, if you email them respectfully telling them that you’re not going to come in the fall then that’s it. Columbia will email you back (and we at Amerasia know this from experience), they say, "Thank you. We’re taking your name off the list..." in a short perhaps even terse email, but still professional and to the point. This is not the case at all schools. Duke is very different (from experience) so be mindful.
Scenario #3
If Wharton liked you, and you did well in the team based discussion, you’re probably going to get in. Say Wharton gives you a compelling offer, then go for it.
Point being, you have to watch the timing on some of these early decisions. When you hit “submit app” it may not be any benefit to you submitting your application really early with a rolling decision.
Beyond that, you don’t have to wait until the last hour, or the last minute to submit your Harvard app. If you get it done two weeks early don't be one of those people who say, “I just want to submit and I just want to get it done” — by all means do it if it pleases you. But here at Amerasia, we never recommend hitting submit two weeks early. There may be an answer or something you learn in the subsequent two weeks before the deadline that you really would want to change. But now you can’t unring the bell as they say… it’s too late, you’re already hit “submit” and that’s it. So why submit early? To get some fleeting sense of accomplishment? Don’t be fooled, it’s only nerves!
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