{"id":59854,"date":"2023-11-02T13:05:10","date_gmt":"2023-11-02T20:05:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/how-long-do-mba-applications-take-and-am-i-behind-for-round-2\/"},"modified":"2023-11-02T13:05:10","modified_gmt":"2023-11-02T20:05:10","slug":"how-long-do-mba-applications-take-and-am-i-behind-for-round-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/how-long-do-mba-applications-take-and-am-i-behind-for-round-2\/","title":{"rendered":"How Long Do MBA Applications Take and Am I Behind for Round 2?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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There are many takeaways we could share from our experience advising hundreds of MBA applicants over the last decade or so. However, we think one of the most important is that the vast majority of MBA hopefuls vastly underestimate the amount of time it takes to prepare strong<\/em> MBA applications.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re not saying this to scare you or to spur you to hire an MBA admissions consultant like us in a panic, we\u2019re truly not. The message is simply that we\u2019ve been around this block, so to speak, and we\u2019ve seen the difference in application quality when someone scrambles at the last minute versus taking the time to do the process right. So, how long do<\/em> MBA applications take? Are you already behind the eight ball if you are applying in Round 2?<\/p>\n

The overarching headline is that, while it\u2019s certainly not too late, if you\u2019re applying to MBA programs in Round 2, now is the time to buckle down and make sure you are adhering to a realistic MBA application timeline. While January may seem far away, there is a lot that goes into strong MBA applications and an MBA application timeline can help ensure you don\u2019t procrastinate.<\/p>\n

Ideally, you already have a well-developed application strategy and personal brand<\/a> that you\u2019re leveraging to start thinking about how to approach one of the most critical and time-intensive aspects of the applications: the essays. If you\u2019ve done this upfront work and are hitting the ground running right now, bravo!<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re sitting here wondering \u2018how long do MBA applications take?\u2019 because you\u2019re just starting, below is a suggested MBA application timeline for how to best use the next nine weeks before the first deadlines hit.<\/p>\n

Your 9-Week MBA Application Timeline<\/h4>\n

For the weeks below, we\u2019ve listed what we would expect our clients to have completed or accomplished by the end of that week, give or take. Please note that by this point we expect that you have a GMAT\/GRE score or firm test date already so that you can focus more on the actual application. If not, you can assume that test prep is concurrent to the items below.<\/p>\n

A few key notes: we recommend at least five drafts of your resume (this small document is critical to your application) and 6-10 drafts of your first essay set. For each draft, we recommend getting feedback from a variety of different people \u2013 alumni of that school, co-workers, a consultant, and\/or friends and family who know how the process works. You won\u2019t know the background of the person reviewing your application, so it\u2019s best to get multiple perspectives.<\/p>\n

Many of our clients complete 10+ drafts of each essay set, and we normally do 5-8 rounds of editing on a resume. The number of drafts doesn\u2019t correlate with English skills, time spent or overall intelligence. Iteration makes for a better product, so we view drafting as part of the process of getting to success. Many people think better when they can react to something on paper, so getting pen to paper helps spur the creative process. Below we laid out what this might look like at a minimum, but of course it varies by person.<\/p>\n

To Dos for the week of November 6th (or ideally before this point):<\/h5>\n