Welcome back to MBA Myth Busters: the series in which we review and disprove the popular myths surrounding graduate business education.
Myth: Applying to MBA programs in Round 1 will give you a massive advantage over applying in Round 2.
Truth: Each Round has its own advantages.
Round 1 and Round 2 offer different things to the candidates that choose them.
Round 1, for example, allows candidates to rest easy in the early knowledge that they have secured their spot in an MBA program. They can take a step back from the application process, or set their sights on higher schools with the knowledge that they have one successful application in the bag.
Admission rates are a bit higher in Round 1 too, and scholarships more readily available; though the quality of candidates tends to top other rounds, meaning that these higher rates don’t really affect chances of success.
And, finally, Round 1 can offer a higher likelihood of admission to overrepresented groups, which include candidates from consulting and finance backgrounds, white males, and Indian male engineers. Since admissions officers may admit only a limited number of applicants from these backgrounds in an attempt to craft diverse cohorts, applying in Round 1 (before these limited places have been taken up) could aid chances.
Round 2, on the other hand, offers one main advantage to applicants who apply within it: time. With Round 2 deadlines usually coming in four months after those in Round 1, candidates have far more time to finesse their applications, retake GMATs and GREs, gather the best possible recommendations and even to take on more responsibilities at work. It’s especially good for applicants who fall shorter than they would in one of these areas. Be warned, however, that Round 2 is busy and competitive—waitlisted Round 1 applicants carry over to Round 2.
Which Round to Go For?
Round 1, then, suits candidates from overrepresented backgrounds who have prepared early and have a strong application ready to go. Round 2 may offer more success to students who wish to retake an exam, rewrite an essay, or simply need a bit more time to put their best foot forward.
In either round, the quality of your application is key; Round 1 is only advantageous if your application is already as good as it can possibly be. There are, in addition, some schools which have done away with rounds altogether. If this sounds more in line with your own application preferences, check out schools such as IE Business School, which offers “rolling admissions,” reviewing and acting upon MBA applications as they come in.
