Admissions Tip: Late Round Considerations

by Clear Admit, Mar 2, 2012

After a relatively sleepy February, March will soon be upon us with its extensive list of application deadlines and decision notification dates. Lets take a look at part of the long list of Round 3 (or 4 or 5) deadlines spread over the next two months:

March 1: LBS R3, Michigan/Ross R3

March 5: Tepper R3, Wharton R3

March 8: Duke R3

March 14: Cornell R4

March 15: Marshall R3, NYU R3

March 21: INSEAD R3 (Sept. intake)

April 2: Tuck R3

April 4: Darden R3, Chicago R3, Stanford R3

April 5: Kellogg R3

April 10: HBS R3

April 11: CBS RD

April 12: Yale R3

April 18: LBS R4, UCLA R3

April 23: Tepper R4

While its always best to apply as early as possible, the difference between applying in Round 1 and applying in Round 2 is, for most applicants, a marginal one. However, the later rounds are a very different game. Because most of the seats in the incoming class will have been given away by the time Round 2 decisions are released, the acceptance rate in the third round is dramatically lower than that for the first two deadlines of the season.

To maximize your chances of a later round acceptance, demonstrating your interest in the school and submitting thoughtful and error-free written materials will be crucial. Applying in Round 1 is generally taken as a sign of interest in a given program, and by the same token, applicants submitting their materials in a later round need to work extra hard to convince the adcom that they are genuinely interested in the school and are not simply applying as an afterthought because interview invitations didnt come through in Round 2. Demonstrating that you would make a valuable contribution to the community and providing evidence that you have taken steps to engage current students and alumni will work to your advantage.

As always, wed like to recommend the in-depthClear Admit School Guides to those applicants who are targeting the later deadlines and just beginning to investigate certain programs, and we encourage those whove visited the campus and interviewed to share their experiences in theClear Admit Wiki. Potential R3 or R4 applicants are also welcome tocontact Clear Admit directlyto discuss the strength of their later round candidacies and learn more about our one-on-one counseling services.