If you are considering submitting MBA applications in Round 2, will you be ready in time for early-January deadlines? Will your application be the strongest application you can submit? Or might you be a substantially more compelling candidate in September of 2025?
As you contemplate your next steps, here are six questions you should be asking yourself. Your answers could be “Yes,” “No,” or “I’m not sure yet!”
1. Am I at peace with my standardized test score?
The GMAT, GRE, or EA is just one component of a holistic evaluation that, along with your undergraduate transcript, allows the admissions committee to determine whether you are ready for the rigor of its school’s program. Look at the median score and 80% ranges for your target school(s). If you are just 10–20 points below the GMAT average, or 4-5 points below the average GRE score, you should not be too worried. If you are 30–40 points below on the GMAT or 8–10 on the GRE, however, you must show quantitative competencies elsewhere, perhaps through analytical tasks at work or quantitative coursework.
2. Is my work experience solid and sufficient?
On average, incoming students at the top MBA programs have four to five years of post-undergraduate professional experience. Admissions committees will be looking for evidence that you have made contributions and impact—perhaps by managing people, projects, or budgets. If you are on the lighter end with respect to work experience and have a promotion or big project on the horizon, you will likely be a stronger candidate if you wait until the 2025–2026 admissions cycle.
3. Is my leadership profile compelling?
MBA programs are in the business of developing future business leaders, but they do not create leaders. They are looking for candidates who have previous leadership experience and have been shaping their leadership profile. Did you hold any leadership roles as an undergrad? Have you spearheaded projects at work? Are you actively engaged with a community activity or corporate initiative? An MBA will allow you to hone your leadership skills, but you can’t be starting from nothing.
4. Will my recommenders call me “best in class”?
When considering recommenders, you want to select individuals who will be your champions and who can share details about how you have contributed in your role and what—very specifically—you have done to make an impact. Most admissions committees expect to see a recommendation from your current immediate supervisor. If you are not able to ask this individual, use the optional essay to explain why, and provide the application reviewers with insight into why those you selected are well-positioned to comment on your qualifications. Once you have selected your recommenders, provide them with guidance and give them sufficient time to submit strong and specific input. As one of my colleagues often says, “Asking a recommender to write five or six business school recommendations the Monday before Thanksgiving is like gifting them with a holiday fruitcake.”
5. Have I taken time to get to know the programs to which I am applying?
Each MBA program’s admissions committee has crafted essay prompts that it believes will elicit responses that will help identify the best applicants to form a diverse cohort. You must immerse yourself in webinars, coffee chats, and student conversations so that you can demonstrate your fit with your target programs. Beyond what you hope to take from the programs you are applying to, be sure to articulate how your presence in an MBA community will enhance the experience for your classmates.
6. Do I have a compelling narrative?
Do you have a story to tell that showcases why you need an MBA, why now is the right time to earn one, and what role you would like to pursue post-MBA? What are your short- and long-term goals? How do your past experiences inform the direction you hope to take? And what skills, knowledge, and relationships do you need to develop during an MBA program to prepare you to achieve your goals? You should be able to tell this story in a one-minute elevator pitch as well as in a 250- or 500-word essay in your application.
Need help staying on track over the next two months? Or want expert input on your readiness to apply? Reach out to Stratus for a free consultation.