How Does Coronavirus (COVID-19) Affect My Round 3 Business School Application?

The global Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has upended nearly every aspect of life as we know it. For those of you who are still wrapping up your business school applications for the class of 2022, what does this mean for you?

Many top business schools have extended deadlines for Round 3 and deferred MBA applicants. Additionally, business schools realize that many people who had no intention of applying to business school this year may now suddenly find themselves out of a job, causing them to re-evaluate their career plans and making applying to business school seem like a good option. These extended deadlines and relaxed testing deadlines give them a chance to apply. Read on for school-specific information and helpful links.

Harvard Business School

Instead of April 2, 2020, the 2+2 new application deadline is June 1, 2020 at noon ET. Decisions will be released on July 28, 2020 at noon ET. In a blog post published by Chad Losee, Managing Director of HBS Admissions, HBS reaffirmed its commitment to international students. “Today I want to reaffirm that HBS MBA Admissions will continue to admit the most talented international and domestic applicants, irrespective of citizenship, as we strive to build a class of leaders who will make a difference in the world…Any international admitted student who is unable to start the program due to a visa issue despite their best efforts will be deferred to next year’s MBA class."

Stanford GSB

Round 3 deadline remains April 8th, 2020 at 2pm PT. Applicants are allowed to submit required exam scores after the Round 3 deadline. If you cannot submit your scores before they post decisions on May 21st, 2020 and you are considered to be a competitive applicant, they may invite you to join the waitpool until they receive your scores and can further consider your candidacy. Test scores are accepted up until August 1st, 2020. You may be invited to interview without test scores but you will not be admitted without a test score.

Wharton

The deadline Round 3 has been extended to April 15th and for Advance Access to May 27th. Round 3 and Advance Access applicants can submit their applications without having sat for a standardized test. Please see the admissions website for instructions on how to enter your scores into the application. If admitted to Wharton, you will be admitted with the condition that official testing will be submitted before arriving on campus on August 10th, 2020 for Round 3 applicants and before December 31st, 2020 for Advance Access Applicants.

Tuck

We will maintain our Round 3 deadline of March 30, and we will also allow applications on a rolling basis thereafter in a one-time Round 4 for those who need additional time. You can submit a Round 4 application on a rolling basis from April 1 to June 1. We’ll return decisions on a rolling basis -- as soon as possible from May 11 to July 1. You will still need all required materials to apply, including test scores. International applicants, especially those currently residing outside the U.S., are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible to account for expected visa delays at international embassies. Applicant-initiated interviews have been suspended for the remainder of the application cycle, while committee-initiated interviews will be conducted virtually for this cycle.

Chicago Booth

The Round 3 deadline has been extended from April 2nd, 2020 to May 31st, 2020. Applications submitted after April 2nd will receive decisions on a rolling basis. Due to global GMAT/GRE test center closures, for applications submitted by the deadlines noted above, we will accept test scores through an extended deadline of July 1, 2020.

MIT Sloan

Round 3: The timeline for MBA Round 3 remains the same. All applications must be submitted by 3:00pm EST on April 9, 2020.

Early Admission: The timeline for MBA Early Admission applications has been extended, the new deadline is June 2, 2020. All applications must be submitted by 3:00pm EST on June 2, 2020. Applicants invited to interview will be notified in mid-June and all interviews will be conducted via Skype. Final decisions for MBA Early Admission will be released on July 15, 2020.

Standardized Tests: MBA Early Admissions applicants who are unable to take and/or secure official test scores due to limited access to test facilities should email us at earlymbaadmissions.mitsloan@mit.edu to request a temporary waiver to complete the exam. If admitted, your offer will be conditional upon a minimum score set forth in your offer letter.

The Best MBA Deferred Admissions Programs (to apply to when still in college)

Update 4/20/2020: We’ve written an updated version of this article with the latest information and programs.

College is a great time to apply to business school. Applying now gives you another opportunity for admission, a potentially less competitive peer group to compete against, and much greater flexibility on when to attend. An offer of admission from a top program also enhances your resume prestige and hedges your career risk. There really is no downside. Offers of deferred admission usually give students a guaranteed spot in a future MBA class provided they spend two or more years getting business experience (which you will need anyways to get the most out of business school). Here are the top programs that offer such deferred enrollment options: 

Harvard Business School 2+2

Perhaps the most famous of the deferred admission MBA programs is Harvard’s 2+2, established by its famous former director Lee Leopold. Seen as a tactic to pluck out high-prestige students who might otherwise be attracted by the prospect of law school, 2+2 is now a leading feeder of STEM students, among others, into its rigorous case-based classes. 60% of 2+2 admits come from STEM backgrounds and 20% come from international students.

Students in college or graduate programs (attended directly after college, but not PhD programs, law school or medical school) can apply and defer attending the 2-year MBA program for between 2 and 4 years. To be considered for admission to the 2+2 Program Class of 2022 (entering fall 2020), you must graduate from your program between October 1, 2017 and September 30, 2018. 2+2 applicants save $150 on the application fee compared to regular applicants.

Stanford GSB Deferred Enrollment

An excellent way into the US business school with the lowest acceptance rate. Stanford actually offers direct enrollment opportunities for college students, however in almost every case this deferred enrollment option is more advisable. Deferred Enrollment is open to those graduating between October last year and September this year from either college or a graduate program you immediately enrolled in after college, as well as current law school and medical school students. In most cases the deferral requested by GSB for the student is 2 years. Candidates for this program can apply in any round, though Round 3 is slightly preferred, and the application fee is $100.

Stanford intimates that this enrollment option is aimed at college seniors who seek to work in post-MBA industries that either require work experience (consulting) or previous work experience in that same field (private equity, biotechnology).

Wharton Moelis Advance Access Program

The newest deferred admission program on the market! Open only to undergraduate students studying at the University of Pennsylvania, the Moelis Advance Access Program is a deferred admission program that gives Penn undergraduates a guaranteed pathway to the Wharton MBA while they pursue quality work experience. Moelis Fellows access the Wharton network and resources during their deferment period and will be considered for a $10,000 per year fellowship during the 2-year full-time MBA program. Applications open in March with Round 3.

Yale SOM Silver Scholars Program

Truly unique among the “deferred admission” programs is Yale’s Silver Scholars. A three year program, Silver Scholars spend the first year completing the core curriculum at Yale, the second year in an extended internship, and third year taking elective coursework back at Yale before graduation. Extended internship placements include start-ups, government education departments, general management roles in large corporations, and investment firms. Though the Silver Scholar is different in character than the traditional MBA programs, it offers students a “first class ticket” at this prestigious business school that is rocketing up the rankings.

Chicago Booth Scholars Program

Booth offers two programs aimed at college students. The first is the Booth Scholars Program, which provides fourth-year students studying at the University of Chicago a special opportunity to apply to Booth’s Full-Time MBA Program prior to graduation and defer enrollment for three years. During the deferment period, Booth Scholars are expected to seek substantive work experience that will position them to succeed at Chicago Booth and beyond.

Booth also accepts applications from college seniors looking to directly attend Booth after college. These candidate apply through the regular process, but their application fees are waived.

BONUS secret program: MIT Sloan

Though MIT never explicitly states that it has a deferred admission program, it does! You can see implicitly from its FAQs, notably

• "We offer fee waivers to the following applicants:... Current college seniors who are U.S. citizens and who will graduate from a U.S. university in 2018"

• Q: "Do you offer deferrals?"
  A: "Our general policy is not to defer admission, except in the case of college seniors who wish to get work experience before returning to school."