Which Apps are Out? MBA Deadlines & Essays
*Updated August 10, 2020
By now, most of the top MBA programs have released their application deadlines and essay topics for the 2020-2021 season. Below we’ve summarized what’s out so far so you can stay on top of it.
Remember, when to apply matters. Early action programs tend to have higher acceptance rates but are typically binding commitments. Round 1 is the optimal round for most applicants, especially those with 4+ years of work experience or who are applying from an over-represented background like banking or consulting. But at the end of the day, the most important factor is actually what you submit. So, our advice is typically to weigh the factors but don’t sacrifice quality for speed (see our longer article on Round 1 vs. Round 2 if you’re debating right now).
| Early Action | Round 1 | Round 2 | Essays | |
|
Chicago Booth
|
Sept 24 | Jan 12 | Live! | |
| Columbia | Oct 2 | Jan 6 (scholarship) | April 9 | Live! |
| UVA Darden | Sept 2 | Oct 5 | Jan 4 | Live! |
| Duke Fuqua | Sept 23 | Oct 20 | Jan 7 | Live! |
| HBS | Sept 8 | Jan 5 | Live! | |
| INSEAD (Sept entry) | Sept 11 | Nov 6, Jan 8 | Live! | |
| Kellogg | Sept 16 | Jan 6 | Live! | |
|
Michigan Ross
|
Sept 14 | Jan 4 | Live! | |
|
Dartmouth Tuck
|
Sept 1* | Sept 28 | Jan 4 | Live! |
| Wharton | Sept 15 | Jan 5 | Live! | |
| Yale SOM | Sept 15 | Jan 7 | Live! | |
| Stanford | Sept 15 | Jan 6 | Live! | |
| MIT Sloan | Oct 1 | Jan 19 | Live! | |
| Haas | Sept 24 | Jan 14 | Live! | |
| NYU Stern | Sept 15, Oct 15** | Nov 15 / Jan 15 (R3) | Live! |
* Tuck: All applicants who submit a complete application by September 1, 2020 are guaranteed an interview.
** NYU Stern: Fashion & Luxury MBA and Andre Koo Tech MBA round 1 deadline is September 15, 2020. The Full-Time MBA round 1 deadline is October 15, 2020.
Katie is a passionate mentor and coach, helping her clients craft a unique, compelling story by leveraging her experience as a corporate executive, alumni interviewer, and campus recruiter. Before completing her MBA at Kellogg, Katie spent five years in banking where she learned practical finance skills as well as how to operate in a demanding, high pressure environment. She pursued an MBA in order to transition to an industry role where she could utilize her finance knowledge to drive change within an organization. Post-MBA, she worked in finance and strategy for a leading CPG firm, progressing to an executive role leading the finance function for a $2B business segment. Her experience managing diverse teams led to a passion for developing others. In addition to her day-to-day responsibilities, she led her firm’s MBA recruiting efforts and served as an alumni admissions interviewer for Kellogg.