Stage, 1, Stage 2, Stage 3? Benefits of early application?

[upkarsgrewal]

I have been doing a lot of reading on these forums and websites and it seems that the general consesus is to send those apps in before Stage 2 elapses (Jan 1-15th). I am trying to get my GMAT out of the way by the end of December and I have a few target schools in mind (Rutgers, Pepperdine are a few examples).

My question is -- why the rush to get them in before Stage 2? Is applying in Stage 3 (Jan - May1st) a bad idea? I figure some of my apps will before in Stage 2 but some will be in 3 and I am trying to find out why the rush to get them in prior to 3.

Thanks a lot for the answer in advance!

[Tyler@MBAPrepSchool]

There has been plenty written in the forums about the perils of applying in Round 3. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but Round 3 is like one of the rings in Dante's inferno -- a place of heart break and eternal suffering. Unless your profile is truly exceptional and even exotic and you are one of the luckiest people you know, you'd be joining a game that is pretty much over. Anecdotally, admissions committees accept half the class in Round 1 and the other half in Round 2. By Round 3, they are filling in a few open seats with the superstars who were off saving the world and didn't have time to apply when it was sensible.