MBA Admissions: The final countdown

by David Simpson, Admissions Director, MBA & MiF

I’d like to talk about how the admissions year works here at London Business School.

We operate a ‘staged admissions’ process, just like most top schools.

We find that there are patterns that reoccur every year and in order for us to maintain our unique international and professional diversity, we must observe the market patterns and respond accordingly. I’m not going to tell you which groups tend to apply later in the year, every year, as I don’t want to jinx a time honoured trend! But what I will say is that you can be sure that if you as an applicant are strong enough, there will be places available right through the admissions season.

On the MBA, we have four rounds, starting in September and running through to a final round in April. That final round is later than most of our US competitors, but not uncommon for European schools. On other programmes we extend even longer, especially for part-time programmes where the candidate decision making process is quite different.

For us on the MBA, although a large portion of our places are filled in rounds one and two, it is essential that we hold back places for the final rounds, in order to build the very particular kind of class we are seeking. What we don’t want to do is front load our admissions process and sacrifice our class quality. Aside from having the world’s most flexible programme, an excellent London location and outstanding employment success, one of the key points our students love about us, is the class diversity – typically around 70 nationalities, with no more than 20% from any one country.

Although we aim for classes to have roughly similar proportions of different groups, these are not strict quotas and we see differences each year. Differences in the nationality mix, professional backgrounds and definitely applicants employment aspirations, take a look at our current class for yourself.

The main thing you need to know is that whilst admissions deadlines are open, you honestly have every chance.

So if you’re sitting there thinking ‘is it too late to apply in rounds three or even four?’, then let me reassure you, no, it’s not – but I recommend you get moving!

Go for it! And good luck.