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MBA Cycle 2026-27: What's Changed in applications
20 programmes profiled side by side — essays with word counts, LOR requirements, round deadlines, test waivers, English test rules, and what has changed from last cycle.
- Essays
- Business-Minded (300 words) — how your choices have influenced your career path and aspirations.
- Leadership-Focused (250 words) — what experiences have shaped how you invest in others and how you lead.
- Growth-Oriented (250 words) — an example of how you have demonstrated curiosity and how it has influenced your growth.
- Unchanged from last cycle.
LOR requirements2 professional letters.GMAC LOR acceptedNo. Proprietary form with ratings grid and required 150-word comment.Rounds & deadlinesR1: 9 Sept 2026 (decision 10 Dec). R2: 5 Jan 2027 (decision 25 Mar). Both close 12:00 noon ET.Test waiversNo. GMAT or GRE required.English testTOEFL or IELTS if undergraduate degree not in English.What changedNothing. Same three essays and LOR structure as last cycle. HBS is the outlier that did not change anything.Sources
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