Is it always better to apply early?

[mediterranean]

Hello,

I am new to the forum and I'd like to ask if it is always better to apply in the first round inspite of a stellar applicant poll in the first rounds?

And I will have taken the gmat 3 times by the first round..Would the ADCOM frown upon that?I am from a diverse background with 5 years of international work experience but I had serious GPA issues.I need to go over 700+ in my 3rd attempt to help offset my bad GPA..

I am aiming for top 20 and think of applying in october.


Thank you very much[/u]

[PurpleReign]

1) I've seen and heard from many that there's nothing abnormal about taking the test 3 times and that they won't frown on it.

2) I've heard from current MBA students that applying 1st round is better because they have more scholarship money to give out. But if your application isn't up to par by the Round 1 deadline, it's better to wait for round 2 before submitting a lackluster app.

[mediterranean]

Thanks for the reply.My application will be all ready by the 1st round deadline.But my concern is if I would get lost in the very stellar applicant pool in the first round? Even if my app is ready by the 1st round,Should I wait for the 2nd round to apply?

[bln123]

If your application is ready, go for it and hit the "send" button!

I don't know if applicants in Round 1 are really better than those in later rounds (as you seem to believe). However, it seems to be a fact that there are simply more applications relative to open spots in later rounds.
Based on those two bits of information, I would always apply in Round 1 (have done so myself and it worked out, not that this is any proof)

[doclkk]

In Montauk's book, he makes a few points:

1. If you're in a traditional candidate group (consultants / engineers / bankers) - then you're more likely to stand out in R1 than R2. Take for example - if you're the 15th consultant they've read vs. the 150th. Also, my GMAT instructor once said, they have roles that they want people to fill and the consulting / banker role only needs to be filled to a certain extent. A few ad com consultants have said same thing when crafting stories.

2. If you were the ad com, you feel a lot better if your class is 40% filled by January than only 15% and you're waiting on the R2's. That said, they probably are pretty good about forecasting yield or maybe in an off year, if yield is lower, maybe R2 becomes a little easier, but then again, R2 is probably still competing against R1 WL - so I still would Argue point 2 still makes a case for applying early.

3. Only apply later if you have something big that's coming up (promotion, big raise, big project etc).

4. At Kellogg's info session, they straight up said, we have three rounds, but its really only 1 and 2. R3 is for extreme cases. Although there are some schools that say its all the same (Anderson says odds are just as likely R3)

[mediterranean]

I've actually heard the opposite. In the third round, you're actually competing with not only other third rounders, but also people who were waitlisted during the 1st and 2nd rounds. Check out these blogposts from an admissions consultant:

Actually,I just wanted find out about the differences between R1 AND R2...I am not considering R3 at all..

If you could shed some light on the dilemma between applying in R1(which has the most stellar applicants) and R2(where most people apply), I would appreciate it..

Thanks

[mediterranean]

Also,to put it in another way,I am not a "superstar applicant" as it seems to be the case with the R1 applicants..My concern is Should I really wait for the R2 to compete against more normal applicants rather than trying to challange the R1 sharks:)

Thank you all

[essaysnark]

Also,to put it in another way,I am not a "superstar applicant" as it seems to be the case with the R1 applicants..My concern is Should I really wait for the R2 to compete against more normal applicants rather than trying to challange the R1 sharks:)

PurpleReign, thanks for posting those links to our blog - we only just discovered this discussion (sorry that we're late to the party).

mediterranean, if you think your app will have a hard time standing out in R1, it will REALLY have a hard time standing out in R2. There are a lot of superstars who apply in R2, too, and just a lot more volume.

PurpleReign already posted the links where we've said this before, so hearing it from us again is likely useless since you seem unconvinced. But a good Round 1 application has a much (MUCH!) better chance of success at any school. In fact, we've seen candidates get offers in Round 1 who we strongly believe would not have been (as) successful in Round 2 (based on our dataset of similar candidates who were successful, and not, in different rounds at the same school over many years).

We say, you should go for it - be a superstar yourself - apply in Round 1! Besides, if it doesn't work out, there's still Round 2 (at other schools) giving you more options later.

Just our two cents.
EssaySnark

[Kavita_Singh]

essaysnark,

Thanks for pointing out. I was going to reply to an undergraduate early admissions query on another forum which I had open in another window. Looks like I mistakenly posted it here. I have posted my thoughts in a comment below.

Regards,
Kavita Singh
FutureWorks Consulting

[essaysnark]

Hi Kavita_Singh, welcome to Beat the GMAT.

It sounds like you're very knowledgeable about undergraduate admissions, however this forum is for people interested in getting an MBA. The points you raise don't fully apply to grad school.

Just to respond to a few of your points so that people on this forum don't get confused: Harvard Business School has never had an Early Action/Early Decision option; Princeton doesn't even offer an MBA. The financial aid question, while important, would be better regulated to whether or not you want an MBA at all, or from a particular school at a particular price point, rather than using it as a factor in determining which round to apply in.

We've got an explanation on bschool Early Decision/Early Action on our blog here https://essaysnark.blocked/2010/07/ ... early.html that covers bschools which (last year at least) offer this option. Bschools sometimes change their policies from time to time. Columbia Business School is still the one that has the most significant Early Decision process. Other schools which in the past have also offered these application rounds include Duke, Tuck, and Cornell; they may or may not have them in this upcoming admissions season. We'll be monitoring this closely, since it can have a big impact on your application strategy.

EssaySnark

[Kavita_Singh]

While most points have been covered by various people here, I would like to take this opportunity to summarize & re-iterate some good points made, them being-

When it comes to a choice between aiming for deadlines, its always better to apply early due to a) More spots are available b) Chances to stand out are more, especially for traditional group applicants and c) Chances of getting a scholarship become more; again due to lesser competition at the Round 1 stage.

Also, it's very important to have confidence in yourself and your application. Eventually, selected applicants from all rounds will be in the same class and a competition with the supposed 'stellar applicants' at some stage is inevitable. Going ahead with the strategy that there will be applicants excelling in some specific areas; however, you can still present yourself in a way that highlights your strongest points well and helps you compete on the same level is the best approach in such a case.

Good Luck!!
Kavita Singh
FutureWorks Consulting

[sawdle]

no - I have heard so many times - that it is NOT better to apply round 1. not worse but not better.

[mediterranean]

I do appreciate all the input from all the forum members...Most are under the impression that applying round 1 is better...

It is still,when you think about it,like making a blanket statement to say;"definitely apply in the 1st round" "your chances for scholarship is low in the later rounds" etc....these are the general ideas held by MBA counselors and potential applicants.


However,how about the individual uniqueness or other parameters some schools desire to have in the applicant? If an MBA program is looking to make an offer to a person from a specific country due to its importance in today's status quo in the world,Wouldnt they let the applicant in the later rounds??I think they would.

Or how about last minute deferrals? or an applicant from an underrepresented country? The last round worked for my cousin who got into Berkeley...


I agree with the fact that spots are limited but at the same time we cannot make blanket statements.That might put some applicants off,who might otherwise be very well accepted into a top program in the later rounds...After all,Isnt business administration all about strategy today? Some timing strategy could definitely would work for some people.We better refrain from making generalizations...If there are 3 rounds,they are there for a reason...and they do accept applicants in those rounds as well.

As for me,I am applying in the first round:D

[beatthegmat]

I just wanted to add my opinion to this discussion thread. The best time to submit your app is when you think you are ready to submit your best application. There is a lot of pressure I see in this community for members to do everything possible to submit in R1. All things equal, perhaps there are some advantages to applying as early as possible. However, the biggest determinant of your admissions success is how good your application package is. If it takes you longer to prepare a great application, then don't hesitate to apply a little later.

[essaysnark]

The best time to submit your app is when you think you are ready to submit your best application.

Absolutely agreed, Eric. The assumption underlying all our posts is always that a candidate will work hard to submit a solid application, and only then is when the strategies of rounds/timing should come into play. Your point is well taken! A stronger app in round 2 is always preferable to a hasty one in the first round.

EssaySnark