The MBA Application Roadmap: The Essential Guide to Getting Into a Top Business School
Most applicants spend a great deal of time agonizing over their school list. This is viewed as a crucial first step that must be finalized before embarking on the process. Many applicants begin with a very long, ambitious list of schools and as they move forward some schools fall off, and others are added, for all kinds of reasons; the school list evolves, as does the applicant's story. Obviously, you need at least one school to start, but much of your list can be determined as you work through the process. As you become more invested in going to business school, and your story solidifies, you may decide to add additional schools. As you clarify your goals, you may consider schools that you had never looked at in the past. Similarly, this exercise may cause you to drop schools from your list. As you form your list, one important question to ask yourself is: How committed am I to going to school next year? Am I dedicated to one or two top-choice schools, or to going back to school- period? Some applicants are content in their careers, and will only go back to school to attend a top choice. This is a fine decision- just realize that applying to one school is a risky strategy, no matter how qualified you may be. Other applicants put together a broader list in order to maximize chances of success. This is a personal decision- just be honest with yourself when assessing where you want to be next year. It's also important to be aware of the different types of programs available. Depending on where you are in your life you may decide that a traditional 2-year, full-time program located across the country is just not an option. Fortunately, there are many alternatives, with more springing up regularly.