Harvard Business School 2018-2019 Application Deadlines

HBS has moved to two application deadlines instead of three by eliminating the third round deadline.

Only 2+2 candidates can apply during the third round.

Historically, most top MBA programs in the US have had three rounds and this recent move by HBS is a departure from the norm for US schools. It will be interesting to see if other schools like Stanford GSB and Wharton will move towards a similar strategy.

This is a smart move on the part of HBS because it enables the adcom to see the entire pool by January instead of extending this process through to March. Eliminating the third round gives the adcom more clarity when making admissions decisions in two rounds instead of worrying about filling the class before seeing the entire pool of candidates.

This is also a practical decision for the adcom that will help them manage their operational resources better.