Yesterday, we shared guidance from the head of admissions at Yale School of Management, and today we’ve got advice from MIT Sloan’s director of admissions. When it comes to applying in Round 3, it turns out they have similar things to say.
In the opinion of Bruce Delmonico, Yale SOM assistant dean of admissions, prospective applicants “have everything to gain and nothing to lose by applying in Round 3.”
In a recent post to her Admissions Director Blog, MIT Sloan Director of Admissions Dawna Levenson tackled the same question. Her answer: “If you are now ready to pursue your MBA, it’s not too late! Apply Round 3.” The deadline to be considered as part of MIT Sloan’s Round 3 is April 9th.
Up until three years ago, MIT Sloan didn’t even have a Round 3. Among the reasons the school decided to add it was because Levenson and her team realized that some applicants only become ready to apply later in the traditional MBA admissions cycle.
“In fact, we were initially surprised by some of the circumstances that led people to apply later in the year,” Levenson wrote, citing the examples of one applicant whose company was bought by a larger firm and another whose department was being eliminated.
“The Round 3 application deadline was designed to give these individuals—whose professional or personal circumstances have unexpectedly changed—an opportunity not to have to wait another year,” she continued. “So if this sounds like you, and you are now ready to begin your MBA studies next fall, I encourage you to apply!”
Levenson pointed out that Round 3 has traditionally been the school’s smallest round, which she notes makes it a great opportunity for strong candidates to stand out. She also confirmed that she and her team do always accept some applicants in Round 3.
Levenson did not address a point that Delmonico tackled in his blog, namely whether Round 3 is open to international applicants. Some schools discourage international applicants from applying in the latest round for fear it might not allow sufficient time for visa processing and other logistical concerns faced by students from abroad. If you have questions about whether or not MIT Sloan encourages international applicants in this latest round—or any other questions—Levenson encourages you to send an email or register for the an upcoming online chat with MIT Sloan Admissions on April 4th.
If you have other questions about applying in Round 3, check out this recent Clear Admit post: “Three Reasons to Apply to MBA Programs in Round 3.”
And stay tuned for an upcoming Clear Admit MBA Admissions Podcast episode, which will also delve into the topic in greater detail.
