If you are thinking about joining Darden’s Executive MBA Class of 2023 here are five things to know in advance of the 2021 application launch in mid-August.
1. Don’t worry about starting an application right now. We are excited to share updates to our Executive MBA application very soon — including some new short answer questions! Hold off on working on your application until the new application is live. The application launch will be announced here on the blog, so stay tuned and mark your calendars!
2. We will continue to require just one recommendation. The 2020 Executive MBA application only required one recommendation, and we found this approach worked well for both our applicants and the Admissions Committee. Though only one recommendation is required, candidates may submit up to three recommendations.
Pro Tip: Now is a good time to begin having conversations with your supervisor and/or recommender(s) about your interest in our program. Join our Application Planning webinar on Wednesday, 29 July, at 11:00 a.m. ET for insights about approaching these conversations (and many other aspects of our application process).
3. Reapplicants can now copy an existing application to the new period. We know how busy our Executive MBA applicants are and we are excited to offer reapplicants the opportunity to copy their previous application to use for the 2021 period.
Here’s how it works: If you applied to our Executive MBA program this year and you plan to reapply in the 2021 period, please submit the re-applicant request form, and we will copy your prior application. Easy! Please note that you will need to provide answers to any new questions, and it is always a best practice to review previously submitted information for accuracy.
4. Deadlines will follow a similar timing as this year. In the Executive MBA Program, there are monthly deadlines that run from September through June, or until the class fills. All deadlines for the 2021 application period focus on the cohort’s start in August 2021.
Each deadline functions as a discrete round, with its own target interview period, decision release date and deposit deadline. We offer multiple deadlines to provide maximum flexibility, but we encourage candidates to apply as soon as they feel they can put together a strong application. We have more flexibility and more scholarship money earlier in the cycle, but applying earlier also allows you and the many stakeholders in your life more time to prepare for your Darden experience.
5. We will have an additional update in the coming weeks about our standardized test requirements for the upcoming application period. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we introduced test flexibility in the final rounds of our 2020 period to accommodate candidates who were unable to take a standardized test. We are in the process of finalizing our testing requirements for the upcoming cycle, and we know this is one of the most common questions applicants have! Be sure to keep an eye on the blog for more information.
Pro Tip: Over the coming weeks continue learning about our program by tuning into The ExecMBA Podcast. Find weekly conversations with members of our Executive MBA community — students, faculty, staff and alumni. The podcast is a great way to get a sense of the people who shape and define our program. Tune in. Turn on. Pod out!
Now is also a great time to begin preparing the many stakeholders in your life — both personal and professional — for your MBA journey. Share with them why you’re interested in taking this step. Help them understand what the time commitment will likely entail. Having these conversations early and often will pay dividends in the short- and long-run.
Check out faculty thought leadership published on Ideas to Action. And stay connected with us via social media: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, WeChat
