Are you using your time management skills to manage your MBA application deadlines?
This month has been packed with multiple Round 2 business school application deadlines. How much stress with regards to time did you undergo? Let's discuss how you could manage your future MBA application deadlines effectively.
You’ve most likely chosen a diverse range of schools from aspirational to safety schools. Most of these business schools have submission deadlines within days from each other.
1. MAKE A CALENDAR OF THE MBA APPLICATION DEADLINES: INCLUDE DATES AND TIMES IN THE CORRECT TIME ZONE
As soon as you’ve chosen your MBA target schools, make a calendar. Include the MBA school submission due dates as well as the times relevant in your time zone. This will save you a lot of headache when you reach that last-minute crunch time moment. Then work yourself backwards from the submission due date. Decide when to set smaller realistic deadlines for recommendation letters, resumes and so on. Keep in mind, leave yourself plenty of time. It is generally considered to rather defer and application, than it is to submit something that is not ready.
2. YOU DON’T HAVE TO ATTACK THE EARLIEST MBA APPLICATION DEADLINE FIRST
Attacking the business school with the earliest deadline might not be the right approach. Most applicants prefer to grind on their dream business school first, no matter what the deadline. Others prefer to start working on their safety MBA schools. Having the intention of knowing their story will become more refined after a couple of applications. Whatever the approach you take, keep in mind that it’s not just the MBA application deadline you should focus on. You should also focus on the effort that is required to produce the best quality MBA application.
3. MANAGING YOUR RECOMMENDERS FOR YOUR MBA APPLICATION DEADLINES IS VERY IMPORTANT
Apart from the final submission deadline, managing your recommenders is another very important deadline to focus on. This is essentially the only part of your application that is out of your control. Start early to reach out to your recommenders, and chart out when to schedule follow up emails and revised recommendation letters.
4. GIVE YOURSELF MINI-ARTIFICIAL DEADLINES TO TACKLE YOUR MAIN MBA APPLICATION DEADLINE
Give yourself artificial deadlines to complete the work you have to finish on your own. If you are writing your own essays, fetching your own transcripts and visiting schools, set yourself a goal by which you want to finish these tasks. If you let yourself get behind on your schedule, you will become overwhelmed. This will result in crossing out schools from your list and in turn, decrease your opportunities to get into your potential MBA schools.
5. BE FLEXIBLE AND HOLD YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE WHEN WORKING WITH A CONSULTANT – THIS IS A TWO-WAY STREET
If you are working with a consultant, let them guide you how to manage your deadlines effectively. This can be very helpful keeping you on track and on schedule. You should also try be open-minded to adjusting a timeline with your consultant. This can only benefit you if the outcome means producing better quality work. Stay open-minded with the smaller self-imposed deadlines you set for yourself too. Remember this is a two-way street. Give your consultant enough time to produce the best possible work. At the end of the day, this will only benefit you and your chances of getting into your dream business school.
6. DON’T WAIT FOR CREATIVE INSPIRATIONS TO HIT YOU TO START WORKING ON YOUR MBA APPLICATIONS
Lastly, try not to wait for the creative inspiration to hit you in order to work on your applications. Sometimes it is great to wait for those creative bursts but doing things only when you feel like it is very risky. After all, this is not how business school works, the sooner you get used to it, the better.