IMD’s sudden introduction of new essay topics that will replace the present MBA application essay questions for January 2015 admission has suddenly got applicants asking me whether to apply now for Round 1 or use the new questions for later rounds. Since R1 has been extended an extra days (If you still prefer to apply using the existing essays and application, an extra 10 days will be granted, giving you until Monday, February 10th, 2014 midnight (Swiss time) to su bmit your application.), it may make sense to get in the application by the 10th for R1.
If you prefer the old questions and can finish your application in time, I see no specific reason to wait assuming you are submitting an application that you really consider to be your best work. I don’t recommend submitting a bad set of essays because you don’t like the new questions. Also, I see no inherent advantage in terms of chance of admission to apply to IMD in R1 as R2 would be just as fine. It really is just a question of whether you will be ready to submit a good application by the 10th of February.
The new essay set is indeed different. For those who have not come close to finishing the old IMD essays or who have written similar essays (INSEAD), just focus on the new questions, which I have already analyzed.
-Adam Markus
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