EssaySnark

  • about
  • contact
  • help
  • sign up
  • login
CLICK FOR MORE!
  • Essay Questions
    • Harvard
    • Stanford
    • Wharton
    • Chicago Booth
    • Kellogg
    • MIT Sloan
    • Tuck
    • NYU Stern
    • Columbia
    • Yale SOM
    • Berkeley Haas
    • UVA Darden
    • Duke Fuqua
    • Michigan Ross
    • UCLA Anderson
    • Cornell
  • Strategy Guides
    • MBA Interviewing Guide
    • Getting Off the Waitlist
    • Applying in Round 3 mini-guide
    • Applying to European Business Schools
    • School-Specific MBA Application Guides
      • Columbia 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • Harvard 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • Kellogg 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • MIT Sloan 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • Chicago Booth 2020 MBA Strategy Guide
      • *MORE SCHOOL-SPECIFIC GUIDES HERE*
  • MBA Consulting
    • Free essay reviews
    • What stage are you in?
    • Military MBA
    • BIPOC Program
    • Testimonials & Reviews
    • Guest Posts
  • My SnarkCenter
    • My Strategy Guides
    • My Favorite Posts
    • Discounts & Offers

So really. What about Round 3?

March 17, 2020 by EssaySnark Leave a Comment

Update April 19 2020: This post was only written a month ago - A MONTh! OMG the world is changing so quickly right now. What the 'Snark offered here may or may not be totally accurate in terms of what the MBA admissions environment looks like for you based on when you're reading this (and if you're reading this any year besides 2020, it totally won't be accurate at all). Please check out all of the coronavirus posts to get the latest thinking from the 'Snark on how this situation might impact you and how you can take best advantage of it, depending on your timing and profile.

What we know: Nothing.

What we suspect: Round 3 will be much more of an option this year than it has been ever before!

We’ve already offered some generalized discussions of how this situation may impact things in our posts over the past week ( especially here and here).

All the schools are worried that they’re not going to get any more applications this season. They’re pulling out all the stops to try and attract applicants, by advertising their webinars and sending emails with application tips and all sorts of other encouragement to get you people to apply.

If you’re like many people we know, though, your state of mind is frazzled and your concentration is shot to hell under the stress of this virus thing.

You’re in no position to write essays right now.

And even though the schools are trying to make allowances in letting you take the GMAT later, well past the actual app deadline, what good will that do when nobody even knows when they’ll be allowed back to work?

Lots of regions are putting shelter-in-place orders into effect now. It’s not an actual quarantine, but it’s not that far off from one.

There’s no way that you’re going to be able to ignore all that’s going on in the world and hunker down and write essays. Not with this uncertainty and the fear that’s going ’round. Not when the stock market is in the midst of another 1,000-point swing.

If you’ve already got an application all built out for some school and were already planning on submitting in Round 3, then by all means, submit it! The only reason not to do so is if you’re concerned that the school won’t be back in service as a regular school by the time Fall rolls around. However, if on the outside chance they stay a virtual or online-only program that long, you won’t have the option of declining to enroll if you don’t apply now. So go ahead and apply. You can decide later if online isn’t your thing. We’re doubtful that the schools wouldn’t be back in session with on-campus classes by that time, though.

What if you would be starting from scratch with the essay-writing? If you’re someone who’s unfazed by the worldly chaos we’re living through now — or you’re someone who best deals with stress by getting a task and being productive with it — then sure, dive into some essays. See what you come up with. Now is a prime opportunity to go for it, if you’re feeling up to the challenge.

But for many BSers, applying to bschool now would only introduce one more variable of massive uncertainty, and the level of uncertainty that many of us are already dealing with because of coronavirus is vast.

If you want to try now, absolutely go for it, since it could totally work out well in the end. Even applications with rather significant weaknesses could still have a good chance at lots of very good schools — places like Duke and Yale and Ross and Darden. That’s because those schools also are facing all this uncertainty, and they’re going to be more open to candidates with lower GMAT scores right now than they would otherwise be.

It also means that the chances could be higher that you end up on the waitlist. Which would be even more uncertainty and stress.

EssaySnark’s bet is that come May or early June, the coronavirus problems will have peaked in the U.S., and some semblance of normal life will be resuming. That’s when many students planning to matriculate at a grad program in the Fall are quitting their jobs and getting ready to move. It’s a little late in the year to be only first making the decision to attend bschool at all, but it’s not too late to pull everything together and get ready to do so, if the cards play in your favor.

Will there still be all this uncertainty about coronavirus in the May/June timeframe, such that the bschools won’t even know if they’ll be able to resume on-campus classes for Fall?

Somehow we doubt it.

But we don’t really know.

Essentially, the main thing you risk with a Round 3 application right now is your app fee. But hey, maybe some entrepreneurial-minded admissions folks will get the idea to waive app fees for the final round, too, and make it that much easier for you people to apply.

If you want help on your Round 3 essays, we’ve reduced prices today* too! The standalone Essay Decimator is $549 and the Complete Essay Package is $879. And we always have the option of sending in a draft for a possible freebie review on the blahg.

 
 
 
 

* Please review terms of purchase carefully before buying. All services are sold by subscription and must be used before the stated subscription expires; again, read carefully so you know how it works. No adjustments or refunds for prior purchases. Offer may change at any time without notice.

 
 

Filed Under: Round 3, the world

« Previous: What to do now?
Next: What is likely to happen in America over the next two quarters »

So who the heck is EssaySnark, anyway?!

We're the snarky experts in MBA admissions!

Sometimes amused and often appalled by what candidates write in their MBA applications to top bschools, EssaySnark created this little blahg to share common mistakes. Learn from them and avoid making admissions directors laugh (or want to hurl) when they read your essays. If you are hoping to have your essay reviewed anonymously on the blahg for free, submit it for consideration.

Want EssaySnark's personal assistance with your MBA applications? Start with our menu of consulting services and please read the Help FAQ to learn how we operate. Still have questions after doing all that? Email Team EssaySnark at gethelpnow at essaysnark dot com.

Good luck on your apps, Brave Supplicant!

Tell us what you think. Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sign up for the 'Snark via email

Enter your address to get weekday blahg posts by email.

UPCOMING MBA APP DEADLINES

  • INSEAD Jan '22 Intake Rd 2
    in 0 weeks, 4 days, 17 hours
  • (expected) HBS Class of 2024 app requirements released
    in 2 weeks, 3 days, 18 hours
  • Columbia Class of 2023 final deadline - EXTENDED!!!!
    in 1 month, 1 week, 5 days, 22 hours
  • INSEAD Jan '22 Intake Rd 3
    in 1 month, 4 weeks, 1 day, 17 hours
  • (expected) Columbia J-Term/ED app to open
    in 1 month, 4 weeks, 1 day, 18 hours
   
From a BSer January 2020:
"love the guide books!"


CLASS OF 2023 MBA APPLICATION STRATEGY GUIDES

     
    The 2020 Berkeley-Haas MBA Application Guide - updated for the Class of 2023 application!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Berkeley Haas - refreshed and updated, with brainstorming exercises and structured maps to help you focus your stories!
   
    The 2020-2021 NYU Stern MBA Application Guide that covers the main essay, the EQ Endorsement and Pick Six!
SnarkStrategies Guide for NYU - discusses your requirements for the Class of 2023 essays!
   
    The 2020-2021 Columbia MBA Application Guide
SnarkStrategies Guide for Columbia Business School for 2020-2021 applications
   
    The 2020 Harvard MBA Application Guide - completely overhauled and updated for the coronavirus era!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Harvard Business School!
   
    The 2020-2021 Duke Essay Guide - covers the 25 Random Things essay and all the rest too!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Duke Fuqua - up to date for the current season!
   
    The 2020-2021 MIT Essay Guide covers the org chart, the contacts for two references, and additional tips for the cover letter and 'introduce yourself' video -- and everything else you need to know!
SnarkStrategies Guide for MIT Sloan MBA - totally revised for the Class of 2023!
   
    The 2020-2021 Tuck Essay Guide has been refreshed with latest insights and advice for your essays about "investing generously" and "why Tuck"!
SnarkStrategies Guide for the Dartmouth Tuck MBA - completely overhauled for 2020, to help you demonstrate how you are nice, aware, etc stuff!
   
    The Yale SOM MBA Application Guide for Class of 2023 candidates!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Yale SOM - updated for 2020-2021
   
    The 2020-2021 Chicago Booth MBA Application Guide - ready to go to support your Class of 2023 essay strategy!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Chicago Booth for this year's MBA app!
   
    The 2020 Wharton MBA Application Guide - even more advice on how to get to a win with those essays!
SnarkStrategies Guide for The Wharton School - with new tips for 2020!
   
    The 2020 Kellogg Essay Guide - with a full methodology to identify your 'lasting impact' and your 'values' -- plus tips on 2020 world events and applicability to your essays!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Kellogg MBA - updated and revised for the new realities of 2020!    
      The 2020 Stanford MBA Application Guide - for "what matters most" in your MBA application!
SnarkStrategies Guide for Stanford GSB for the Class of 2023
   
    The 2020-2021 UCLA Anderson MBA Application Guide - updated for Class of 2023 on "impact"!
SnarkStrategies Guide for 
UCLA
   
   

Brave Supplicants' latest reviews on The 'Snark


Feb 11, 2021
by hopeful on MBA Interview Prep: Custom Practice Questions
Helpful

Just wanted to say thank you for these questions! A lot of them were really tailored to my profile, ... Read more

Apr 10, 2020
by George on EssaySnark
Great Starting Point

I thought getting over the GRE/GMAT hurdle was fairly straightforward--disciplined study then test execution... Read more

Apr 10, 2020
by George on Single Shot Express MBA Essay Review
Worth Every Penny

I used the Single Shot Express to decimate essay #1 at my first-choice school. Paired with the school... Read more






Not sure where to begin with EssaySnark?
Our Snark Selector
will tell you!



What were we snarking about at this time in past years?

  • 2020: This is why tuition at top schools shouldn't be reduced
  • 2019: The secret to how to get into HBS
  • 2019: ($) Canceling your GMAT score is a bad idea (plus, how many schools should you apply to?)
  • 2018: ($) Deciding between the U.S. and a good school at home
  • 2018: Our quasi-annual predictions on the coming MBA application season
  • 2017: International student headed to the US for school? DO NOT BREAK THE LAW.
  • 2017: ($) The reality of GMAT scores and top schools. Featuring Darden.
  • 2016: The other likely driver of increased MBA app volumes
  • 2016: Really, Columbia?
  • 2014: Apparently we’re giving free services to assholes.
My Tweets

See the Top U.S. Business Schools on a Map!


EssaySnark is currently available! We're accepting new clients! Standard turnarounds apply. If you're in a hurry, Speedy Review is available!

EssaySnark® is a registered trademark. All content copyright © 2010–2021 Snarkolicious Press · Privacy Policy

Where should you start with EssaySnark?

Which EssaySnark service is right for you? Answer a few questions to find out!

This field must be set to Everyone - then in the Settings -> HTML -> After Fields screen there's JavaScript to hide it.
Sending