The first round of applications for Johns Hopkins Carey Business School officially closed on October 16, with decisions released on December 11.
We're already in late October, with only 20% of 2024 left!
The 25Fall graduate application season has entered an intense sprint period. By year's end, a large number of schools will have deadlines clustered together—almost every day, some program is closing its application portal.
Yet there are still many students who are on the fence:
- Overwhelmed by coursework/internships/research, with no time or energy left for applications
- GRE/GMAT prep dragging on, still unable to get scores
- Unexpected situations mid-application, unable to submit the online application for now
- Post-graduation job plans disrupted, hesitating between job hunting or pivoting to grad school applications
- Pure procrastination, with not even a shred of application prep done
Even more frightening, some students are already receiving admission offers.
Rolling Admissions / Multiple-Round Deadline Programs
Many graduate programs at various institutions have special application policies. Besides Priority Deadline/Early Round, they also set up later deadline rounds suitable for late applicants.
Rolling Admissions
Some graduate schools adopt rolling admissions. For example, some programs at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education typically conduct rolling admissions after the priority round.
Rolling admissions are even more common in universities in Commonwealth countries. For instance, the London School of Economics and Political Science's official website clearly states: Master's programs have rolling admissions, with the first batch of offers starting to be released from January.
However, it's important to note that rolling admissions programs generally adhere to the "first come, first served; filled until capacity" principle. Especially for popular study destinations like the UK, Hong Kong, and Singapore, applying too late may mean there are no spots left.
Rounds
Round-based applications are common in business schools. Programs set multiple deadline rounds, and applicants can choose to apply in a particular round.
For example, the master's programs at the University of Rochester's Simon Business School have up to 5 application rounds. After each deadline, a batch of admission decisions is released. With all hard requirements met, early applicants generally have an advantage and a higher success rate.
Additionally, some round-based programs explicitly state that the final round is not applicable to international students, such as Round 3 of the University of Chicago's Computer Science program.
Despite having multiple rounds, to avoid delays in visa processing and other procedures that could postpone enrollment, international students are also advised not to apply too late.
Late-Deadline Master's Programs Roundup
CheersYou（清柚教育） has also compiled a list of the latest 100 master's programs with deadlines after January 15, 2025, to help with late applications!
*Some program deadlines have conditions; please refer to the school's official website for the latest information.
It's not over until it's over. The application season is also about who can stay calm and have the last laugh—late application can still lead to a stunning turnaround.
Success Stories from CheersYou（清柚教育） Late Applicants
*Click the text or image to view the case
GPA Under 3.0, UCI Senior's Late-Application Sprint: 7 for 7, Admits Including Ivy League!
Late Application Against the Clock! U of T Senior Overcomes Recommendation Letter Hurdles, Mixed Applications to US/Canada/Hong Kong Result in Five Straight Admits!
December Late-Application Sprint! She Scrambles to Supplement Experience, Lands Columbia Dual Offer — MPH in Sociomedical Sciences and Human Development!
Late Application Under Time Pressure: Low GPA But a Spirited Sprint, UCR Senior Successfully Secures a Top 20!
For late applications, it's even more important to rationally assess your own situation, choose the most suitable plan, and then you can achieve the optimal solution for landing your desired offer.
Best of luck to all students—may you succeed in securing admission to your dream school!
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