3rd round or wait till next year?

Question

I don't think I will manage to submit my application until 3rd round. Do you think I should apply or wait till next year?

clobo · Answer

It depends on what your profile is and what schools you are applying to.

riverripper · Answer

I suggest you wait unless your profile is far above the schools averages. Meaning you are M7 material but want a regional school. Your chances are extremely slim in the final round, especially if you have a pretty common profile.

aceman626 · Answer

Next year for sure.

kamilaak · Answer

Here's my quick profile: 
I'm 30 years old, female. I have 2 years of Investment Banking (not Wall Street though), 4 years of M&A at a healthcare company and about 2 years in Product Management (Market Research) at the same healthcare company. I graduated with 3.78 GPA from Washington University in St. Louis and have yet to take GMAT. I would like to focus on strategy/marketing for my MBA.

I'm currently looking at Washington University (St. Louis - either full time or part time), Columbia Business School in NYC. Maybe Kelley Indiana. Any suggestions for other schools I should consider?

riverripper · Answer

You definitely are better off waiting until next year. Research schools to find which fit your needs, there are tons of schools so you want to make sure you get the right one. Focus on the GMAT and do as well as you can, see how your score compares to the schools you want and go from there.

aceman626 · Answer

I'll take back what i said.

It all depends on your GMAT. If you're taking it soon and score 700+, give Columbia regular decision a try end of Jan/early Feb, since they're rolling. You still have a shot since they love girls with high stats.

For Washington and Indiana, you have a shot still since they are not extremely competitive.

For any other top 15 schools, do next year R1, your chances will be much higher.

rhyme · Answer

Any reason you aren't aiming higher? 2 years IB, 4 yrs M&A and 2 yrs in Research is a strong background, combined with the fact that you are female, I'd venture it's probably at least somewhat uncommon. A high GPA, combined with a strong GMAT performance and ideally some decent extracurricular involvement would at least put you in the "ballpark" for other top schools.

kryzak · Answer

Based on your profile, I would suggest that you spend some extra time focusing on GMAT, get a 700+ score, research some UE/Elite schools (other than Columbia), and apply next year. The only schools where there are any significant spots in R3 are the 4 round schools like Berkeley and UCLA, both good schools that you have a good chance at getting into.

Unless you take a week or two off work to focus 24/7 on GMAT/apps/school research, I don't think you can make the R3 deadlines for even Berkeley/UCLA (Jan 30th and Feb 20th respectively), and you're already too late for many R2 3-round schools.

Hope that helps!

Ozmba · Answer

Look at Columbia J-term, which starts in Jan 2008 and you will be part of Class 2010

3rd round or wait till next year?

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