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May 25, 2020

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MBA Admissions Turn a Corner, Thanks to HBS…

MBA admissions turn a corner, thanks to HBS

Amidst the angst, chaos, and exhaustion of the last rounds of 2020 MBA admissions disrupted and in many cases extended by the COVID-19 pandemic, a sign of new life, a ray of light… Normalcy never glowed so appealingly: Harvard Business School has announced its 2021 MBA application deadlines.

Harvard Business School 2020-2021 application deadlines

RoundApplication DeadlineDecisions Released
1September 8, 2020December 10, 2020
2January 5, 2021March 30, 2021

While the online application will not open until mid-June, the essay question will remain the same as last year. [Click here to read our HBS application essay tips!]

Again, HBS is the first to set sights on the next application cycle. It will shortly be followed by many top MBA programs. And with only 2 rounds last year, the HBS adcom was slightly less mired in the COVID crisis (dealing with accepted applicants’ upended lives but not also managing and recalibrating active rounds) than most MBA programs.  

This turn to the next application cycle – to the future – is significant.  In HBS’s webpage announcement of these plans, there is recognition of the pandemic. While no specific actions or changes are cited in response to the pandemic, the adcom affirms that its holistic approach to application review will now include consideration of how the pandemic affects applicants. In other words, COVID-19 is now among myriad factors the adcom sees as potentially affecting applicants – it is part of the current gestalt.  

How will COVID-19 impact your MBA admissions journey? Watch the free webinar to find out.

HBS and other top MBA adcoms have slogged through the upheaval of this spring’s dramatic global virus eruption. Each MBA program has adapted and adjusted in its own way, from extended deadlines and test requirement waivers to increased deferral requests, going virtual, and recruiting changes. Most of the top MBA programs offer courses about leading in uncertainty and change – they couldn’t have been more challenged to walk the talk! It’s a changed world now, a new normal. Although the COVID dust hasn’t quite settled, HBS has gathered its resources to look and plan ahead. Other programs are doing likewise. 

What does that mean for you, who are applying in the new application cycle? In practical terms, it means each program will be adapting in its own way, both in admissions processes and academic approaches. Many adcoms, like HBS, will be using the same essay questions as last cycle – so you can review them and start thinking about essay ideas and strategies. It also means you should review each program’s website carefully to understand how the program is adapting to COVID-19 – there will likely be changes in attendance requirements, new online options, etc. Clarifying how these fit with your needs can be part of your presentation. 

By moving forward – making concrete plans for a new admissions cycle, a new academic year, and a new reality – HBS turns a corner on some dark times. It’s a welcome example.

Are you applying to HBS or another top MBA program? Do you have questions about whether now is the best time to apply to and attend business school? Work one-on-one with an MBA admissions consultant to assure that your application strategy is on track to help you meet your educational and career goals.

Register Now!

Cindy Tokumitsu, admissions expertCindy Tokumitsu has advised hundreds of successful applicants, helping them gain acceptance to top MBA and EMBA programs in her 20 years with Accepted. She would love to help you too. Want Cindy to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

  • MBA Action Plan: 6 Steps for the 6 Months Before You Apply, a free guide
  • Harvard Business School MBA Application Essay Tips & Deadlines
  • Incoming MBAs Can Choose Deferment at HBS

Article by Cindy Tokumitsu / MBA Admissions / COVID-19 MBA, Harvard Business School

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