Hesiod, an early Greek poet believed to have lived around the year 700 BC, knew nothing of the MBA
application process when he said, “Observe due measure, for right timing is in all things the most important
factor.” Yet Hesiod’s wisdom endures… and is especially relevant for prospective business school students.
Apply too soon and you submit an overall weak application. But let it go too long and it becomes questionable
whether an MBA is still relevant for you.
So how do you determine if it’s the right time for you to go to business school? The answer lies within a serious
and brutally realistic self-analysis that takes into consideration a variety of factors to assess your readiness.
Taking InventoryAs you go through this self-assessment process, you’ll be asking yourself some key questions for which,
clearly, you should already know the answers. For example, are you fully committed on a path to thbusiness
world or are you still considering other fields? Do you have a clear vision of what you want to achieve and how
you believe an MBA will help you achieve your goals? Do your credentials align with the admissions
requirements of the schools you’re considering? Can you contribute the kind of diverse experience and business savvy that will add depth to the educational experience of the entire MBA class?
Uncertainty about any of these questions can be a signal that it might be wise to delay your application. The
first reason is that you may not be ready to make the most of the business school experience, which
represents a major investment of both time and money. Moreover, the ability to articulate clear goals, strong
qualifications, demonstrated achievements and academic ability to the admissions committee plays a
significant role in determining whether you’re admitted. If you can’t readily define your strengths in a personal
assessment, chances are good you won’t be able to convince the admissions committee.
On the other hand, let’s say your commitment is absolute and your goals are clear, but you’re light on
experience. The first, most obvious option is to pursue the work experience necessary to strengthen your
application. The other option is to consider a school that supports Early Career Initiatives.
Early Career Initiatives
The potential to achieve optimal benefit from an MBA program and become a valuable member of the learning
community need not be the exclusive domain of seasoned business professionals. Several business schools
such as Harvard, Stanford and Chicago have developed Early Career Initiatives, recognizing that new or
recent college graduates can possess exceptional personal achievements as well as demonstrated leadership
potential that greatly enhance the classroom experience. The relaxed requirements of early career programs
help make the MBA more accessible, especially for women because they remove some traditional barriers.
For example, women are less likely to be encouraged by their employers to pursue the MBA, but the opportunity to
go to business school directly from college allows women to maintain the momentum of their education. Yet
another reason is that many women see a demanding business school experience as incompatible with family
life-not surprisingly, since the average age for starting business school is approximately 28, about the same
time most women focus on marriage and children. Early career programs can allow women to get on the MBA
track earlier, before the age when family issues force a choice between the two.
Harvard Business School, for example, has no minimum age or work experience requirements. Instead, the
school looks at the content, quality and impact of an applicant’s experience. Academic ability and leadership
potential are the school’s primary considerations, followed by the candidate’s maturity and quality-rather than
quantity-of experience. In fact, the signature case study teaching method used at HBS is driven by different
perspectives and experiences, and is therefore enhanced by bringing fresh perspectives and a more diverse
age range to the classroom.
The absence of specific quotas or formulae for admission is also characteristic of the Stanford MBA program.
Rather than minimum levels of work experience, the school focuses on the candidate’s ability to “benefit fromand
contribute to-the academic community,” based on the philosophy that a diverse student body makes the
school a more stimulating place to learn.
Like that of Harvard and Stanford, the admissions requirements of the Chicago Business School include no
quotas or arbitrary cut-offs with respect to work experience. The school also offers the GSB Scholars Program,
which allows fourth-year students in the College of the University of Chicago to apply for the full-time MBA
program and receive an automatic enrollment deferral of two-to-three years, rather than waiting three-to-five
years after graduation, the norm for the majority of business schools. The deferral period enables students to
gain the substantive experience that will position them for success at GSB.
application process when he said, “Observe due measure, for right timing is in all things the most important
factor.” Yet Hesiod’s wisdom endures… and is especially relevant for prospective business school students.
Apply too soon and you submit an overall weak application. But let it go too long and it becomes questionable
whether an MBA is still relevant for you.
So how do you determine if it’s the right time for you to go to business school? The answer lies within a serious
and brutally realistic self-analysis that takes into consideration a variety of factors to assess your readiness.
Taking InventoryAs you go through this self-assessment process, you’ll be asking yourself some key questions for which,
clearly, you should already know the answers. For example, are you fully committed on a path to thbusiness
world or are you still considering other fields? Do you have a clear vision of what you want to achieve and how
you believe an MBA will help you achieve your goals? Do your credentials align with the admissions
requirements of the schools you’re considering? Can you contribute the kind of diverse experience and business savvy that will add depth to the educational experience of the entire MBA class?
Uncertainty about any of these questions can be a signal that it might be wise to delay your application. The
first reason is that you may not be ready to make the most of the business school experience, which
represents a major investment of both time and money. Moreover, the ability to articulate clear goals, strong
qualifications, demonstrated achievements and academic ability to the admissions committee plays a
significant role in determining whether you’re admitted. If you can’t readily define your strengths in a personal
assessment, chances are good you won’t be able to convince the admissions committee.
On the other hand, let’s say your commitment is absolute and your goals are clear, but you’re light on
experience. The first, most obvious option is to pursue the work experience necessary to strengthen your
application. The other option is to consider a school that supports Early Career Initiatives.
Early Career Initiatives
The potential to achieve optimal benefit from an MBA program and become a valuable member of the learning
community need not be the exclusive domain of seasoned business professionals. Several business schools
such as Harvard, Stanford and Chicago have developed Early Career Initiatives, recognizing that new or
recent college graduates can possess exceptional personal achievements as well as demonstrated leadership
potential that greatly enhance the classroom experience. The relaxed requirements of early career programs
help make the MBA more accessible, especially for women because they remove some traditional barriers.
For example, women are less likely to be encouraged by their employers to pursue the MBA, but the opportunity to
go to business school directly from college allows women to maintain the momentum of their education. Yet
another reason is that many women see a demanding business school experience as incompatible with family
life-not surprisingly, since the average age for starting business school is approximately 28, about the same
time most women focus on marriage and children. Early career programs can allow women to get on the MBA
track earlier, before the age when family issues force a choice between the two.
Harvard Business School, for example, has no minimum age or work experience requirements. Instead, the
school looks at the content, quality and impact of an applicant’s experience. Academic ability and leadership
potential are the school’s primary considerations, followed by the candidate’s maturity and quality-rather than
quantity-of experience. In fact, the signature case study teaching method used at HBS is driven by different
perspectives and experiences, and is therefore enhanced by bringing fresh perspectives and a more diverse
age range to the classroom.
The absence of specific quotas or formulae for admission is also characteristic of the Stanford MBA program.
Rather than minimum levels of work experience, the school focuses on the candidate’s ability to “benefit fromand
contribute to-the academic community,” based on the philosophy that a diverse student body makes the
school a more stimulating place to learn.
Like that of Harvard and Stanford, the admissions requirements of the Chicago Business School include no
quotas or arbitrary cut-offs with respect to work experience. The school also offers the GSB Scholars Program,
which allows fourth-year students in the College of the University of Chicago to apply for the full-time MBA
program and receive an automatic enrollment deferral of two-to-three years, rather than waiting three-to-five
years after graduation, the norm for the majority of business schools. The deferral period enables students to
gain the substantive experience that will position them for success at GSB.