Which schools in which round, any strategy advice?

Question

I can't seem to find any advice about the strategy how the schools I plan applying to should be distributed between R1 and R2.

Initial idea: Reach schools in R1, and competitive schools in R2.
This way, if I were to be accepted at any of my reach schools, I could use the time afterwards to get ready for the move and b school rather than spending another 2 - 3 months on applications.

However, I started thinking "what if I do it the other way around?", i.e., competitive schools in R1 and reach schools in R2.
This way, should I already get accepted during R1 I would have some safety that I won't end up dinged everywhere and could therefore be more "aggressive" with my R2 applications, reducing the possibility of overthinking everything.

How are you approaching this topic?
If you've already been admitted, what's best worked for you?

Admissionado · Answer

Hey there!

Well, it's good to get a mix of stretch, safe and competitive schools in each round where possible. Actually one of the first two considerations which you haven't mentioned is deadlines. It will be harder to apply to five schools in round one that ALL have their deadlines in the first week of October, than to choose five schools with staggered deadlines, a week or two apart. Second consideration is essays. some schools will have less essays or essays that are similar, and it might make things easier if you bunch those together to maximize the number of schools you will apply to in R1.

Hope this helps,
Jon

CrackverbalGMAT · Answer

One other aspect to think about -

Let's say you apply to a Safe/Reach school in R1 and a Dream school in R2.

You may get an admit to the Safe school and to secure your seat, you'll have to put down a deposit. Later, if you get into your Dream school and you want to take up this offer, you will have to forfeit your deposit.

Keep this in mind when deciding where to apply in each round.

Regards
Gowri

Gowri N Kishore
Admissions Coach

cosmopolitan · Answer

Hi Jon,
Thanks for pointing out the deadlines - I haven't given that too much thought yet as I aim to have most applications ready before deadlines get close. I'll consider your input as I progress, since I might add one or two more schools where this might make a difference!

HI Gowri,
I've been thinking about the point you've made in regards to whether or not to apply to Columbia ED given the high deposit.
However, with the other schools, I'd lose $1,000 - 1,500. Whenever I've got to buy something, e.g., a laptop, I'll research and compare shops for weeks in order to get the very best deal but when it comes to business school and the $200k+ price tag on it, I start thinking that 1k more or less isn't really going to make a difference anymore.

JatinBhandari1 · Answer

Do not front load your application season with all your dream schools. Your first application will not be your best work. So, have some of them in the second round. However, schools tend to be generous in the initial rounds( ED and First), and you got to hit some of them when they are just starting.

Have a mix of Dream and Reach for both your rounds. As Jon correctly pointed out, not all of your deadlines will be staggered around the same week.

And with Columbia, you will not lose your deposit of $6,000. When you apply, you will be getting into an agreement that will bind you to join Columbia if you are admitted. I will not recommend reneging on that( Check the website of Columbia for terms and conditions).

engineer1234 · Answer

I'm debating the same thing and right now and leaning towards putting the dream school in R2. I'll have more time, better essays/story, more leadership experience at work and hopefully interview practice.

On top of that I think I'll be slightly more comfortable meeting new people at that point. I was never a fan of networking mixers and such so getting in that practice with visits to other schools might make me a bit more polished when I meet the dream school admission officers for the first time.

However I could still push and do all 5-6 schools in R1... I'll probably make a final decision around July after seeing how tough it is and how committed I've been.

Posted from my mobile device

bdepp · Answer

Also keep in mind that the application process is a grind, especially when you apply to 4+ schools in one round. I applied to all five of my schools in R1, and when I finished that process I know that I would not have been as engaged if I had to do R2 applications (even if it was for H/S/W). Your applications probably get marginally better as you go along, but don't underestimate the physical (traveling to interviews) and especially mental (essays, nervously awaiting notification deadlines, essays, interview prep, essays) toll that the process takes.

If you think you can knock out 4-5 R1 apps and still have the adrenaline drive to do 3+ in R2, then you should go for it. But in my experience, you wear down after a long R1. Again, that was my experience and I know that won't be the case for everyone. Also, knowing that all your app work will be done before the holidays is pretty nice. I decided that I was not going to spend my holiday time off pulling my hair out over essays.

Bottom line, I recommend R1 if possible. Of course if you want to apply to eights schools, I wouldn't recommend packing them into one round. But if you're aiming for five schools, my advice is to crank them out in R1. Good luck.

mgg234 · Answer

I applied to my safety/match school (UCLA) in Round 1, I got in with scholarship...I DEFINITELY recommend this strategy, as even though I lost the $1500 down payment:

1) It signaled to me where I stood....if I got rejected there, or got in without scholarship, it would've changed a school I applied to in R2 (I probably would've done Ross instead of Booth).

2) Gave me confidence going into my R2 interviews.

3) Learned from my mistakes and built on my knowledge base on the R2 apps.

4) Most importantly, gave me SANITY for Three months. Business school apps are ridiculously stressful, way more stressful than I expected. It was nice to know in Mid-December that I was going to to business school. I do not envy at all the people who didn't know if they were going to business school until the end of March.

That said, if I had gotten in Kellogg R1, my life would've been easier... But if I had ended up in UCLA or Duke, my life would've been much, much more stressful during the winter. I don't think you need to apply to your weakest 3 schools in R1, but put at-least one of your weaker choices there, I def wouldn't do the hardest three.

Which schools in which round, any strategy advice?

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