MBA Admissions Gantt Chart

The MBA admissions process is both long and complicated. It is important to stay organized from beginning to end. A Gantt chart will keep you on track and help you meet the myriad obligations and deadlines of the application process.

Gantt charts can vary greatly in complexity, but the basic format is always the same. As with other graphs, you are charting data vertically and horizontally. In the case of a Gantt chart, your data is a set of tasks and the time periods in which they must be completed in relation to an overall time period. Generally, "tasks" are input on the vertical axis, and "time" is input on the horizontal axis. "Time" must be broken into increments appropriate to the time frame of the project. So, in the case of the MBA admissions process, a Gantt chart could cover a span of several months, but would be broken into weekly increments (if not smaller). Simply put, the time increments must be useful in charting the duration of your tasks within a project. For instance, a graph with monthly time increments would not be useful in charting tasks that must be completed within a week's time.

Gantt charts are so beneficial to the MBA admissions process because applicants need to be able to efficiently juggle many time sensitive obligations. MBA applicants must organize and maintain an overall time frame, while meeting individual deadlines such as taking the GMAT, writing essays, scheduling interviews, and sending in undergrad transcripts and recommendations.

Many of these application criteria have specific time requirements. For instance, it is important to know how long it will take your GMAT scores to reach your school choices, or the time it will take your previously attended school to mail out your transcript after you make the request.

Many of these tasks affect your ability to move on to the next one. A Gantt chart is able to highlight these dependencies between tasks. For instance, many applicants wish to leave time to take the GMAT a second time if necessary. The GMAT can only be taken once a month, so it is important to leave enough time to take the GMAT twice and have the scores reach your school choices in time. Now, some schools prefer to interview an applicant after his/her application package is turned in and GMAT scores have been received. Needless to say, it can be hard to maintain a schedule that meets these demands, even for one school.

Now, consider the fact that MBA programs have widely varying application deadlines and requirements. So, the trick becomes outlining one schedule that will fulfill the obligations of all the schools to which you are applying.

It should be mentioned that Gantt charts are useful in viewing the big picture. You will still need a method to keep track of the individual details that make up the tasks on your chart- a day planner is key.

The MBA application process can be overwhelming. Staying organized will make the process as stress free as can be (of course it will be stressful to some degree) and improve your chances of getting accepted to your MBA program of choice.

For more information on how to create a gantt chart, click here.

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