Over the past few weeks, top MBA programs—such as Stanford, Wharton and Stern—have started announcing their Round 1 deadlines for the 2017-2018 application season. While those September and October dates might seem far away right now, we assure you that the next four months are going to go by in a flash.
We can also guarantee that many of your fellow applicants are already diving into the MBA process, especially since some schools, such as Columbia and Stanford, have also confirmed their essay questions. You can expect that most programs’ full applications will be available online in the coming month or so.
So how can you go about getting your head in the game when the thought of pulling together application materials doesn’t exactly seem urgent just yet?
First and foremost, it’s never too early to start a list of potential recommenders. You’ll want to consider managers and co-workers who know you extremely well and can speak to both your professional achievements and personal qualities.
You can also start thinking about your essay responses for schools who have released their questions . . . or for some of the more commonly asked queries, such as “What are your future career goals?” and “Why School X?”.
Even if you intend to wait a few more months to begin drafting responses, letting ideas brew in the back of your mind in the meantime can only help you come up with more possibilities for compelling themes.
Contemplate what makes you tick, what you’re truly passionate about, and what you honestly want to do in the future. Then consider the “whys.” Why does a certain cause speak to you? Why do you know you’d be happiest working in Field X? Why do you care so much about improving the healthcare system in your country?
Here in the U.S., we’re preparing for Memorial Day weekend at the end of May, which many consider to be the unofficial start of summer. By the end of summer—Labor Day weekend in early September—you’ll be finalizing your MBA Class of 2020 materials.
The best way to keep from becoming a huge ball of stress and anxiety in the process is to pace yourself, and there’s no time like the present to get going. | 
