Mission Admission is a series of MBA admission tips; a new one is posted each Tuesday.
For some reason, the conclusion of the American Thanksgiving weekend tends to signal the beginning of the rush toward second-round deadlines. Many candidates who are just contemplating their applications tend to call us and ask, “How many schools can I apply to at this stage?” The answer to this question is not that simple.
First and foremost, the answer is “quality before speed.” As a candidate, you are far better off completing three schools with 100% of your effort than five schools at 60% effort. MBA Admissions Offices will notice sloppy mistakes, and they will weigh the fact that you did not show consideration in your application and thus may not care all that much about their respective programs.
One thing some candidates forget or don’t realize is that they do not need to commit to a specific number of schools up front. Most often, we suggest that candidates master one application and then apply what they have learned to the next. Generally, attacking five schools simultaneously can be problematic, but if you make significant progress on one school and then launch into the next, you can do so with the confidence that you will be completing each with a degree of excellence.
For each candidate, the number of target schools will vary depending on the candidate’s professional and personal schedules, written communication abilities, risk profiles, ambitions, etc. It is important that you approach your applications methodically, recognizing what is realistic and then working aggressively—but not haphazardly—toward your ends.
Read the full article: Mission Admission: The Second Round Rush