As Round 1 MBA decisions start rolling in for both interview invitations and acceptances, now is the time to think about a Plan B—including which MBA programs, if any, you might wish to target for Round 2. Remember that to land a seat at your dream business school, you need to be a strong applicant AND submit a strong application. If you aren’t sure where you fell short, see “MBA Ding Analysis (or Why You Didn’t Get In).”
Let me begin by reassuring you that there is still time to create a compelling application for nearly all the new programs you will be looking at, but the time to start is NOW.If you’re regrouping after Round 1, here are seven things to do before you hit “Submit” again.
1. Decide Whether to Apply in Round 2 or Reapply Next Year
If you don’t have to be in business school in 2026 and are comfortable starting a year later, figure this out NOW. Being a reapplicant can be an advantage (roughly 10% of Harvard Business School [HBS] students didn’t get in on their first try). But remember that you need to have something new to say to each school you are reapplying to, so make sure you improve your profile in a meaningful way. Perhaps this means getting a higher test score. Alternatively, you might be up for a promotion early next year and will be taking on new projects through which you will be managing people and budgets. Or maybe you recently accepted a board position or leadership role with an organization outside of your day job. Any and all of these will strengthen your profile for next year. See “Six Tips for Business School Reapplicants” for more guidance.
2. Fix the Weak Spot in Your MBA Application (Test Scores, GPA, or Recommendations)
If your GMAT or GRE score is less than stellar, there is still some (though maybe only a tiny amount of) time to fix that weakness before Round 2 deadlines. Beware, though; if you can’t work on both addressing your fatal flaw and writing stellar applications, one will have to go. If your fatal flaw is possibly a lackluster recommendation that was thrown together over Labor Day weekend, consider revisiting your recommender strategy.
While the idea that your recommender didn’t invest the appropriate level of effort may seem absurd, I recently reviewed an MBA recommendation that read as if it had been created by ChatGPT. Despite using flattering superlatives, the recommendation contained nothing specific about the applicant that could help the admissions committee assess what the candidate would be like as a student and how they might contribute as a community member.
If your fatal flaw is a GMAT or GRE score that falls below the 80% range, consider reassessing your test preparation strategy. If you have been studying on your own, you may have developed some bad habits that you need to break before you will be able to secure a better score. Reach out to our friends at GMAT Ninja and share your detailed score report to get insight on what you might do to improve your test score.
3. Build a Smarter Round 2 School List
Many applicants only apply to their dream MBA programs in Round 1. If that’s the case with you, Round 2 is your chance to broaden your list of schools to include a healthier dose of “target” and “likely” or “safety” schools.
At Stratus, we recommend applying to six to nine schools: one-third reaches, one-third targets, and one-third likelies. Is this what you did in Round 1? If not, maybe this should be your Plan B for Round 2.
Every applicant has their own risk tolerance and approaches the mix on a different timeline. Some of my clients opt to submit applications to a combination of target and likely programs in Round 1 to dust off their writing and interviewing skills with more achievable schools.
Assuming you have applied to programs you would actually WANT to attend next year, you might find yourself in a situation where applying to your DREAM (and possibly stretch) school(s) in Round 2 creates a total upside because you already know that you will be enrolled in business school in 2026. If that is you, go ahead and apply to HBS and/or Stanford GSB! I can guarantee that if you don’t apply, you will NOT be accepted!
4. Deepen Your MBA Research to Write Better Essays
Whether you are applying to an MBA program in Round 1 or Round 2, you must really get to know each school well so you can explain why it is the right one for you and why you are a great fit for it. Now is the time to do this.
Don’t stop at reading a school’s website; follow each program on social media to understand what it is celebrating and connect with some students and recent alumni. The insights you can glean from several one-on-one conversations will provide you with a very nuanced understanding of a program. For more insight, see “Nine Tips for Learning More About MBA Programs Through Students and Alumni.” As we head into the end-of-year holidays, be mindful of recruiting and academic schedules when asking for time on a student’s calendar. And make it easy for them to say “yes” by sharing your calendar (check out Calendly, a free scheduling app) when you ask if they might be willing to chat with you.
The most compelling applicants are the ones who are dying to go to a particular business school and can explain why. Be that applicant. Trust me; if it isn’t you, it WILL be someone else!
5. Identify “Doppelgänger” MBA Programs That Fit You
Although you might have focused on your dream schools in Round 1, a ton of other great programs are out there waiting to be found. For tips on identifying them, see “How to Find the Best Business Schools for You.” “Doppelgänger” programs share a lot of the same characteristics with your number-one choice and will provide everything you need from a business school education but aren’t quite the same reach for you. We discuss them in this blog post. A doppelgänger is a double or twin—though for our purposes, it might mean the perfect business school for you.
Want a quick summary of top MBA programs? Go here for Stratus’s free guides to the top MBA programs.
6. Explore Part-Time, Online, or Executive MBA Options
A two-year, full-time MBA program might be the most popular format and the one most talked about in the media. However, depending on where YOU are in your career, there could be other options that will allow you to develop the skills, knowledge, and relationships necessary to achieve your goals. Check out “Full Time, Part Time, or EMBA: Four Steps to Choosing Your B-School Journey” for more guidance.
If you are looking to stay within your current industry, you might explore part-time or even online MBA programs. If you are more advanced in your career, perhaps a mid-career, full-time program or an executive MBA program would be appropriate. If you want to pursue a role in tech, maybe a tech MBA would be a great option. (If so, see “Is a Tech MBA the Right Path for Your Career?”) If you position yourself well, you might even be able to attend your DREAM school, just in a different format and on an adjusted timeline.
7. Consider Specialized Business Master’s Programs
If you have only worked for two or three years since earning your undergraduate degree, you fall on the lower end of the average years of work experience for the class profiles at top MBA programs. As much of the education process involves engaging with and learning from peers, you won’t add as much value as those with more years of experience. If you will have fewer than two years of experience at program start, you might consider pre-experience business master’s degree programs instead of an MBA. See “Top Pre-Experience Business Master’s Programs” for more details on these specialized degrees.
Whether you’re regrouping after a Round 1 setback or simply widening your school list, remember that every MBA journey is different. With the right strategy and support, Round 2 can be your strongest round yet! Reach out to Stratus for a free consultation to build your personalized Round 2 MBA plan.