Starting business school doesn’t have to be a race. For many candidates, waiting a year or two to apply can lead to a stronger application and a more meaningful experience once enrolled.
As MBA programs continue to emphasize work experience and readiness, postponing applying can often be a strategic decision.
Here are four signs that prospective candidates should delay their business school aspirations.
Desire to Get More Work Experience
Prior work experience is highly useful and desirable in business school. The more work experience an applicant has, the more they can contribute in the classroom, as MBA programs are built around discussion, collaboration and problem-solving, experts say.
“You just have more life experience to draw from, more confidence in yourself as well,” says Marc McAllister, director of graduate programs at Coastal Carolina University’s Wall College of Business in South Carolina.
[READ: 7 Ways to Stand Out When Applying to Business School]
In recent years, the average work experience of matriculated MBA students increased from four to five years, says Susan Cera, MBA director at Stratus Admissions Counseling, an MBA admissions consulting company.
“What that means is if you’re younger in your career, you are less competitive than people who have a year or two more of experience than you,” she says. “Because one of the big things about business school is unlike undergrad, where your professors are teaching you, (students) have experience.”
Dan Moshavi, dean of San Diego State University’s Fowler College of Business in California, says that “if you have substantive experience to bring to the classroom but are also able to take away key learnings and bring them back to work, that’s the optimal kind of dynamic.”
Uncertainty About Career Goals
Before applying to an MBA program, applicants should be able to clearly explain their career goals. Business schools don’t expect applicants to know their entire career trajectory, but they do look for intention and direction, experts say.
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“If you’re in a company where you don’t need an MBA and you’re happy to stay there, going to business school is a huge opportunity cost and an out-of-pocket cost,” Cera says. “You should not be doing this unless you know what your career goals are and where you’re trying to go with this.”
Without a clear goal, applicants may have a hard time articulating why now is the right time for business school. Applicants should have “an understanding of how their past experiences connect to their future aspirations, and how an MBA helps with that,” Moshavi says.
Limited Quantitative Skills
Applicants who majored in fields such as accounting, finance or engineering will likely have the quantitative skills needed for business school. But applicants from less quantitatively heavy backgrounds may need additional preparation since it’s one of several skills assessed on the Graduate Management Admission Test and Graduate Record Examinations.
“Schools are going to look closely at those (sections) to ensure that your quantitative skills are what they need to be going into business school,” Cera says.
Applicants who feel less confident in this area can strengthen these skills “through coursework, certifications and refresher classes,” Moshavi says. “It’s important, but those are skills that are further developed once they’re enrolled.”
Low Test Scores
Standardized test scores play an important role in admissions, so don’t underestimate the level of preparation required, experts say.
“You can’t expect to just show up and take the test,” Cera says. “You’ve got to do your homework. And it’s sometimes hundreds of hours of studying to prepare for that test.”
[Read: GMAT vs. GRE: Key Differences Between the Tests]
Applicants should plan to take the GMAT or GRE more than once and request accommodations if needed, she adds.
According to a 2025 Graduate Management Admission Council survey, 19% of respondents cited their test scores as a barrier to getting into business school.
For a candidate with a lower score, postponing applications to business school can provide the opportunity to study more and prepare strategically. Taking advantage of online practice tests, prep courses and retakes offer applicants the best chance to strengthen their results, experts say.
Business school applicants should also be emotionally prepared, as MBA programs are demanding. Academic and professional readiness are not the only criteria — candidates must consider whether they have the support system in place to manage the demands of the program.
Support “aligns with success,” Moshavi says. “If you don’t have support, it can be a real challenge.”
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4 Reasons to Delay Applying to Business School originally appeared on usnews.com