Welcome 2025-2026 Darden Applicants Welcome, all Darden class of 2028 hopefuls. Let's use this platform to know each other, exchange ideas, and discuss app strategies. Who all are applying? Let us know by commenting below. Follow the thread and bookmark this post. https://gmatclub.com/forum/download/file.php?id=71511 https://gmatclub.com/forum/download/file.php?id=71421 https://gmatclub.com/forum/download/file.php?id=71522 Darden MBA Deadlines 2025-26 Round Application Due Decisions Released Early Action Sep 4, 2025 Oct 22, 2025 Round 1 Oct 1, 2025 Dec 10, 2025 Round 2 Jan 7, 2025 Mar 18, 2026 Round 3 Apr 1, 2025 May 4, 2026 Darden MBA Essays 2024-25 Essay 1: Short Answer 1 https://gmatclub.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/transparent100-1.gif What would you want your classmates to know about you that is not on your resume? (200 words) Essay 2: Short Answer 2 Please describe an example of building community within your personal or professional life. What impact did this have on you and those around you? How will this experience contribute to the way you will build community at Darden? (200 words) Essay 3: Short Answer 3 At this time how would you describe your short-term, post-MBA goal in terms of industry, function, geography, company size and/or mission and how does it align with the long-term vision you have for your career? (200 words) Darden Application Stats Class of '25 Applicants 2,834 Accepted 1,116 Acceptance Rate 39.4% Enrolled 352 Yield Rate 31.54% Darden Class Profile Class of '26 Class Size 355 Median GPA 3.58 Avg. GPA 3.56 Avg. WE 68 Average GMAT 718 Median GMAT 720 Avg. GMAT Domestic 714 Avg. GMAT International 730 % GRE 36% Avg GRE Quant 159 Avg. GRE Verbal 160 Avg. Total GRE 321 Median GRE 320 International Students 30% First Gen. Students 14% View the full Darden Class Profile --> https://www.darden.virginia.edu/mba/admissions/class-profile Darden Employment Data Class of 2023 Employed 3 Months 96% Employed 3 Months 94% Average Salary $167,899 Average Bonus $37,588 Salary and Bonus $205,487 View the full Darden Employment Report Class of 2023 --> https://www.darden.virginia.edu/mba/career-support/employment-report Top Hiring Companies for Class of '23 Amazon Bain & Company BCG EY Parthenon J.P. Morgan Chase McKinsey & Compay Darden2.jpg

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Calling all Darden MBA Applicants: 2026 Intake Class of 2028

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WA@peterjustin15

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20 Dec 2025, 04:36

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atqueoptio

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20 Dec 2025, 04:54

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Thank you😂😂

You’re welcome ☺️

WA@otj2096

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warlock1210

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Schools: Duke '26 (A$) Kellog '27 Darden '26 (A$) Ross '26 (A$)

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20 Dec 2025, 10:19

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Official score reports can take up to 2 weeks to be released if it goes into scrutiny. Normally it will be released within 3-4 days. You should plan on taking it in last week of December itself.

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20 Dec 2025, 10:19

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hi guys , i plan on taking the GMAT in first week of jan to try to improve my score. Until when can we take it since Darden requires official scores to be sent considering the deadline is 7th ?

Technically, you can take it on the day of the deadline. Don’t recommend it but you could 😇

This is because you only need your unofficial score to enter into the application and submit the application. The official score can come weeks later. This is because the admissions team doesn’t run to check and verify that your scores are matching until a much later time.

The danger of the strategies that if something goes wrong and your test gets interrupted or you have to retake then you’ll have no score to enter when you submit the application. But if they decide to have administrative review of your score, that’s just a delay and not really a problem. Some people had to wait a month for their administrative review to take place last year and wasn’t really an issue

warlock1210

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20 Dec 2025, 10:21

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Technically, you can take it on the day of the deadline. Don’t recommend it but you could 😇

Darden requires you to send the score reports

Before submitting the application

You can’t submit the application until the report is validated

WA@kwf3492

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WA@otj2096

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WA@otj2096

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warlock1210

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20 Dec 2025, 10:24

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I do have a score , but I wanted to improve it by retaking the exam

Submit the application with the current score if you aren’t able to get the score report for the latest attempt in time.

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20 Dec 2025, 10:24

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You can’t submit the application until the report is validated

This seems like a chicken in the egg. I’ve never heard of this. This seems very unusual. Let me ask someone who applied in the first round or early round. I’ve never heard of a school requiring to validate a score. Never.

warlock1210

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20 Dec 2025, 10:24

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You can submit the new score after the application deadline

WA@kwf3492

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20 Dec 2025, 10:25

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@gmatheld - did you have to validate your score before you submitted your application to Darden?

warlock1210

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20 Dec 2025, 10:25

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I applied in Early action and I couldn’t submit the application without the official report. I had sent an email to the Adcom to confirm if we need to send the report via gmac.

They asked me to do that

WA@otj2096

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warlock1210

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20 Dec 2025, 10:26

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Reach out to adcoms. They will best advise

I had asked this to an Adcom. They said that they will consider the new score. But there is no guarantee of that being considered if your application has been reviewed and your profile was not shortlisted for an interview. So send it asap.

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20 Dec 2025, 10:27

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That’s very interesting. Usually you just send the score and you just have to send it and they show you the status that it’s been validated weeks later.... Super weird. I guess I learned something new 😇