Managing Uncertainty in this Year's MBA Application Process

Applying for an MBA is always an uncertain process. Success is never guaranteed, and over-thinking and second-guessing plague everyone. Those pitfalls have become deeper and more numerous due to Covid-19 and the political situation in the US, by which I mean the uncertainty over visas for international students along with the — sadly — apparent rise in prejudice against minorities/immigrants.

Based on conversations with my international clients, I am heartened that many of them think that one year from now, the US will be a healthier and more welcoming place, that life will look more recognizable, and MBA classes will be held in person and not online. (Among students starting this fall and facing a Zoom first-semester, the outlook is more ambivalent.) Though no one knows to what extent, the high deferral rate for the class entering fall 2020 will undoubtedly impact this year’s application results; if a glut of fall 2020 deferring students start fall 2021, there will be fewer spaces available for this year’s applicants. Simple math. And this “deferral bubble” might stick with us for the next few years, hopefully deflating year-by-year as programs seek ways to return to full capacity.

So what does this mean for potential applicants this year? Bottom line: nothing. Let me repeat that, nothing has really changed. Yes, there is more uncertainty surrounding application results, but the process remains the same, if not easier this year. You still need to do well on your tests. You still need to write powerful, revealing essays. You still need to manage your recommenders and prepare for interviews. At the same time, time-consuming and expensive campus visits that yield little tangible benefit are no longer a consideration. And knowing that applicants might be discouraged this year, more schools are accepting EA (Executive Assessment, an easier test than GRE or GMAT) and scaling back their application demands with fewer required essays and LOR.

One of the things I dread hearing the most is, “But I heard that…” or “My friend told me…” — meaningless rumors that distract and discourage but have no impact on the application process. For every rumor I’ve heard (and I’m not going to repeat them here), I know of many cases that disprove it. In fact, we specialize in helping our clients beat the odds when they have sub-optimal test scores or other major weaknesses in their applications, so I’m inherently skeptical of these rumors.

With so many unknowns and variables potentially affecting the application process, especially this year, there is only one question you need to answer:

Am I going to apply or not?

If the answer is “yes”, then congratulations! You are behaving like a leader by making an important decision to act despite extreme uncertainty. You can now ignore everything else and dedicate yourself completely to crafting the absolute best application packages you can for your chosen schools. Of course, there are many other questions you’ll need to answer along the way (which schools should I target? who should I choose as recommenders? how do I develop my goals?), but without committing to applying, nothing else matters, pandemic or not.

If your answer is “no”, then congratulations! You have made a decision that is right for you at this time.

Could there be advantages to applying this year? Possibly. Application numbers might decline, making the pool less competitive. MBA schools are now allowing for deferrals much more than in the past and making adjustments for international applicants who are denied visas or unable to get one in time, implying more flexibility in the MBA application process than ever before. Your efforts will not be wasted, though you might start your program later than you had expected.