QUESTION:<\/p>\n
I tried to get some applications in during Round 2 this year, but work got in the way and I had to push back to Round 3. Everyone I talk to says Round 3 is nearly impossible, but I\u2019m eager to start b-school this fall. Am I making a mistake applying in Round 3? Is there anything I can do to increase my chances of getting in?<\/p>\n
ANSWER:<\/p>\n
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, dude, but what everyone is telling you is right. Round 3\u00a0is<\/em> tough. Really tough. But on the flip side, there wouldn\u2019t BE a Round 3 if no one got in, so you just gotta build yourself an application that\u2019s gonna beat the odds.<\/p>\n There\u2019s no magic formula for that, and as much experience as I have working with MBA applicants (we\u2019ve done nearly 12,000 here at PE), I can\u2019t tell you with 100% certainty what\u2019s gonna work for ya. What I DO know is this: there is no room for error on a Round 3 application.<\/p>\n Your essays are gonna have to be SPOT on. And I\u2019m not just talking about answering the prompts; I\u2019m talking creative, memorable, compelling, etc. The adcom is tired. He or she has spent the past 6 months reading application essays and, naturally, it\u2019s aaaaall blending together. You\u2019re gonna have to pop off the page if you wanna get his or her attention. And the way to do that is to have smart answers, strategic career goals, examples of leadership, and lots and lots of specific details to back it all up. Oh, and it\u2019s all gotta be wrapped up into an essay that grips him or her, and holds on to the end.<\/p>\n And then your LORs will have to complement that nicely. And your resume will have to be TIGHT.<\/p>\n But there\u2019s also one more VERY important thing you\u2019re gonna have to work in there, \u00a0and it\u2019s an explanation for why you waited so long to apply. Why didn\u2019t you apply in Round 1 or 2? Why wait until the 11th<\/sup> hour? That\u2019s gonna need to be addressed, dude. After all, if you really wanted to attend this particular b-school so badly, you would have crushed those applications earlier in the year. So you need to explain your reasoning while also proving to the adcom that you\u2019re serious and passionate about getting an MBA.<\/p>\n Weaving aaaall of that together into an application isn\u2019t easy\u2026 and that\u2019s why Round 3 is so tough. It\u2019s a complicated dance (not unlike The Dougie), but if you do it right, you\u00a0can <\/em>prove all those people wrong, and\u00a0reach your goal of starting b-school this Fall.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re up for the challenge, go for it. And if you need any help, well, that\u2019s why we\u2019re here.<\/p>\n \u2013 Jon Frank<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" QUESTION: I tried to get some applications in during Round 2 this year, but work got in the way and I had to push back to Round 3. Everyone I…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":140,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,11,817,775,113,10,243],"tags":[791,793,39,794,792,790],"class_list":["post-10648","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-gmat","category-mba","category-admissionado","category-admission-consultants","category-applications","category-interviews","category-blog","tag-bschool-admissions","tag-jon-frank","tag-mba-admissions","tag-precision-essay","tag-re-applicant","tag-round-3","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\t\t\n