Summer is here, and MBA programs are posting their applications and essay prompts for the 2019/2020 admissions season.

With round 1 deadlines looming, prospective students will want to finalize their lists. A few preliminary steps:

  • Register for the mailing lists of all schools that might possibly appeal to you, if you haven’t already. Schools will keep you in the loop, informing you of admissions updates. Too, if admissions officers happen to be visiting your part of the world this summer, you’ll be invited to meet them.
  • Take or retake the GMAT or GRE.
  • Begin preparing your recommenders.
  • Contact everyone you can find who attended or is attending one of your preferred schools. Alum lists from your university are a great place to start. Check LinkedIn for students with whom you have something in common — same hometown, same employer — and reach out to them for insights and tips.

Now you’re ready to start on your list. I usually recommend that clients plan to apply to 8-10 schools total. Everything else being equal, applying to 8-10 schools will result in an average of two or three acceptances, giving you some choices. And I typically suggest that you apply to half of your list in round 1 and half in round 2 so that you can devote adequate time to each application without burning out.

Top of the list? Your dream school. Don’t tell yourself that it’s impossible; they are going to admit someone and it might as well be you. It’s only impossible if you don’t apply, and if you love the school for the right reasons (not because of its ranking) the odds are greater that it will love you back.

For the rest of the list: include a range of programs that you would be happy to attend. Being realistic here is a good idea; I’ve worked with clients who had weak GPAs/test scores and applied only to top ten programs. Sometimes it worked out for them, sometimes it didn’t. I usually only recommend schools in the top tiers — about 25 programs altogether — but there are plenty of fine programs at schools not named Harvard, Stanford, or Wharton.

After the schools post the applications, create an account and take a look inside. Some applications are detailed and require extra work, while others are straightforward.

When you put the final touches on your list, make sure you’re applying to your favorites in the first round. If you’re waiting until round 2 to apply to a school that you’d love to attend, you risk having to lose a substantial deposit on a school that doesn’t excite you as much.

More questions? Contact me!