Still Thinking About an MBA? It鈥檚 Not Too Late to Apply to the Tepper School
- Email ckiz@andrew.cmu.edu
- Phone 412-554-0074
If you鈥檝e been thinking about pursuing your MBA but feel like you missed the window, you haven't. As emphasized in a recent Clear Admit webinar featuring first-year MBA students from 麻豆村鈥檚 Tepper School of Business, it鈥檚 absolutely not too late to apply for Fall 2025.
Sam Lin, Olivia Demkowicz, and Jake Rafalson, all current Tepper School MBA students, shared their stories of applying later in the cycle and how it paid off. Rafalson, a U.S. Army veteran, put it powerfully: 鈥淚 disarmed bombs for a living, and I was still nervous about applying. Don鈥檛 count yourself out. You miss every shot you don鈥檛 take.鈥�
Lin, now Student 麻豆村s Chair, applied in Round 4 and has been vocal about breaking the myth that late applicants are at a disadvantage. 鈥淟ife doesn鈥檛 happen in neat stages,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou might be coming to business school for entirely different reasons and on a different timeline, that鈥檚 okay. The Tepper School was designed with that flexibility in mind.鈥�
Demkowicz shared similar concerns worries about scholarships, housing, and adjustment, but found those fears quickly eased once she took the leap. 鈥淓verything worked out, from financial aid to getting settled. When the pre-work started in June, I jumped in right alongside everyone else.鈥�
One major hurdle for many last-minute applicants is standardized testing. But the Tepper School offers test waivers for qualified applicants and the panelists confirmed that requesting one does not hurt your chances. 鈥淚t鈥檚 completely neutral,鈥� Lin assured. 鈥淚f you鈥檝e got a solid academic or professional record, talk to admissions about whether a waiver makes sense for you.鈥�
The Tepper School continues to stand out for its strong ties to the tech and consulting sectors, as well as its analytics-driven curriculum. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to Google, Meta, Deloitte, Blue Origin,鈥� Lin noted. 鈥淭he career paths are global and diverse.鈥� The school's tailored career services and expansive alumni network only add to the value.
Most importantly, the students emphasized authenticity. 鈥淏e honest about your goals,鈥� Lin said. 鈥淎nd be clear on how the Tepper School fits into your journey.鈥� Demkowicz added, 鈥淒on鈥檛 try to be who you think they want. Be yourself鈥攖hat鈥檚 who they鈥檙e looking for.鈥�
Round 4 applications for the Tepper School's full-time and online hybrid MBA are due on May 5; online hybrid MBA has one additional, final deadline on June 9.