($) Explaining Early Action, Early Decision, Early Admissions, and all these confusing options

Let’s take care of the easy one first: “Early Admissions.”

As usual, MIT has to be unique: The MIT Sloan “Early Admissions” application option is for college students who are looking to apply to an MBA program while they’re still in school. It is the same as what other MBA programs might called “Deferred Admission” and it’s what HBS pioneered as its 2+2 program, and Yale has as Silver Scholars, etc. etc. etc. At this point, pretty much every business school has launched this type of deferred-start program. It’s only for those who are still in their bachelor’s or master’s studies and are applying for the MBA while currently in an academic program.

Don’t get confused by “Early Admissions”; it’s an unfortunate name that MIT really should reconsider. (Because why!??)

The other options — Columbia’s Early Decision, and Duke and Darden’s Early Action — are more like rounds within the admissions cycle, and these are a crucial matter of application strategy that must be considered carefully.

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Should you apply to an Early Decision option at a top MBA program?
 
 

 
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Do you have any questions for how this works at these schools? It can be tricky to figure out your exact strategy, though help is available with that through our Comprehensive Profile Review if you’re interested.

Our Columbia 2021 MBA Application Guide is also available — totally overhauled to support you on the new application requirements this year! Includes a full discussion of the options for Early Decision and rolling admissions, too!