# MBA Journey Roadmap: [Your name, programme type and target intake]

> The whole MBA path on one page: from about 18 months before you apply to six months after you graduate, in ten
> stages (decide, test, apply, interview and decide, pre-MBA, core year, summer internship, second year, graduation,
> first job). Each stage has a time window relative to your programme start date T, the outcomes it must produce, a
> go or no-go gate, the traps that cost people a year, and the templates in this library that do the work. It is for
> people weighing an MBA, applicants to full-time, one-year and executive programmes at the leading international
> schools, admitted students and current students who want to see what comes next.
> Source basis: the public admissions processes and core curricula common to leading international programmes,
> GMAC and ETS test information, AACSB, EFMD and AMBA accreditation descriptions, and US Department of Education loan
> guidance, each as checked on the official page in October 2026. Replace every [bracketed] value and every row marked
> *Example*. This is a planning aid, not admissions, legal or financial advice, and it is not affiliated with any
> school.

<!--
Guidance: How to use this template
- Set T first: the first day of your programme (orientation or the first class). Every window in this roadmap is counted in months from T.
- Pick your variant (two-year full-time, one-year full-time, executive MBA) in the "Programme variants" section and shift the windows as that section says.
- Read the stage you are in now and the next one. Do not try to act on all ten stages at once.
- At the end of each stage, answer its gate question honestly in the decision gates worksheet before you spend money or time on the next stage.
- Use the linked templates for the actual work; this page is the map, not the workbook.
- Move each dated fact into your own calendar only after you have opened the official page yourself.
- Related templates: mba/mba-master-checklist, mba/mba-two-year-plan, mba/mba-decision-roi, mba/mba-readiness-self-assessment, mba/mba-application-tracker, mba/mba-admissions-test-plan, mba/pre-mba-roadmap-12-weeks, mba/mba-core-curriculum-map, mba/mba-recruiting-plan, mba/mba-post-mba-career-plan, mba/mba-glossary, mba/mba-reading-list, career/ninety-day-plan, career/offer-comparison
-->

## Contents

1. Document control
2. How to read this roadmap
3. The journey at a glance
4. Timeline relative to T
5. Stage 1: decide
6. Stage 2: test
7. Stage 3: apply
8. Stage 4: interview and decide
9. Stage 5: pre-MBA
10. Stage 6: core year
11. Stage 7: summer internship
12. Stage 8: second year
13. Stage 9: graduation
14. Stage 10: first job
15. Programme variants
16. Dated facts to check
17. Decision gates worksheet
18. My roadmap workbook
19. Quality checklist
20. Common mistakes
21. Self-test
22. Sources and further reading
23. Answer key
24. Revision history
25. Standard and licence note

## Document control

<!-- Guidance: Fill T, the variant and the target round before anything else. Every date below is computed from these three fields. -->

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Document ID | [MBA-ROAD-001] |
| Owner | [Your name] |
| Programme type | [Two-year full-time / one-year full-time / executive MBA] |
| T (programme start) | [YYYY-MM-DD], *Example*: 2028-08-21 |
| Target round | [Round 1 / Round 2 / Round 3 / rolling], *Example*: Round 1, early September 2027 |
| Target schools | [School A, School B, School C], see mba/mba-school-list-strategy |
| Post-MBA goal (short version) | [Function, industry, region], see mba/mba-goals-essay |
| Current stage | [S1 to S10] |
| Version | [0.1] |
| Last updated | YYYY-MM-DD |
| Reviewed by | [Mentor, coach or trusted colleague] |
| Classification | Personal |

## How to read this roadmap

<!-- Guidance: Read once. The T convention and the gate idea are what make the rest of the page usable. -->

**The anchor T.** All windows are written as months before or after T, the first day of your programme. A two-year
full-time programme that starts in late August has its Round 1 deadline (where a school uses rounds) roughly 11 months
before T and its Round 2 deadline roughly 7 to 8 months before T. *Example*: with T = 2028-08-21 and a Round 1
deadline of 2027-09-08, the deadline is about T-11.4 months; a Round 2 deadline of 2028-01-05 is about T-7.5 months.
Writing everything relative to T lets you move the whole plan by one intake without rewriting it.

**Stages overlap.** Testing starts during the decide stage, essays start before the last test attempt, and
recruiting for some industries starts before the first class. The windows below are typical, not fixed; your
schools, your target industry and your personal constraints move them.

**Gates.** Each stage ends with one gate question. A gate is a deliberate stop: you look at the evidence you now have
and decide go, adjust or stop. The commonest expensive mistake on the MBA path is drifting into the next stage
because the previous one is "nearly done": applying with a test score you already know is below your schools'
range, or accepting an offer of admission before you have a funding plan. The decision gates worksheet records each
gate in writing.

**Templates do the work.** Every stage lists the templates in this library that produce its outputs. Slugs such as
mba/mba-decision-roi are the template names in the library; open them from the template gallery. Where a template
exists outside the MBA category (for example career/ninety-day-plan), it is named the same way.

**Facts that change.** Test formats, deadlines, loan rules, visa rules and school AI policies change. This roadmap
gives them as dated facts (as of October 2026) with the official page to check. Check again before you act.

## The journey at a glance

<!-- Guidance: The diagram shows the ten stages and the three places where people most often loop back: retaking a test, reapplying, and re-planning recruiting after the internship. -->

```mermaid
flowchart LR
    S1["S1 Decide<br/>T-30 to T-20"] --> G1{"Gate 1: is an MBA<br/>the best route?"}
    G1 -- "yes" --> S2["S2 Test<br/>T-26 to T-13"]
    G1 -- "no" --> ALT["Other route:<br/>job move, specialist master's,<br/>certificate"]
    S2 --> G2{"Gate 2: score in range<br/>for my school list?"}
    G2 -- "not yet" --> S2
    G2 -- "yes" --> S3["S3 Apply<br/>T-18 to T-7"]
    S3 --> S4["S4 Interview and decide<br/>T-10 to T-4"]
    S4 --> G4{"Gate 4: admit with<br/>a workable funding plan?"}
    G4 -- "no admit" --> RE["Reapply next cycle<br/>or another route"]
    RE --> S2
    G4 -- "yes" --> S5["S5 Pre-MBA<br/>T-6 to T"]
    S5 --> S6["S6 Core year<br/>T to T+9"]
    S6 --> S7["S7 Summer internship<br/>T+9 to T+12"]
    S7 --> G7{"Gate 7: return offer<br/>I want?"}
    G7 -- "yes" --> S8["S8 Second year<br/>T+12 to T+21"]
    G7 -- "no" --> S8R["S8 Second year with<br/>full-time recruiting"]
    S8R --> S9
    S8 --> S9["S9 Graduation<br/>T+19 to T+21"]
    S9 --> S10["S10 First job<br/>T+21 to T+27"]
```

The diagram follows the two-year full-time variant. A one-year programme removes S7 and compresses S6 and S8 into
one year; an executive MBA keeps the candidate in a job throughout, so S7 does not apply and S10 is usually a step
in the same organisation or a planned move. See "Programme variants".

## Timeline relative to T

<!-- Guidance: Copy the "Example date" column into your calendar after replacing T. Each window is T plus or minus whole months. -->

| Stage | Window | Example dates (T = 2028-08-21) | Main outcome | Gate question |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1 Decide | T-30 to T-20 | 2026-02 to 2026-12 | a written case for or against the MBA, a long list of programmes, a funding picture | Is an MBA the best route to my goal, at a cost I can carry? |
| S2 Test | T-26 to T-13 | 2026-06 to 2027-07 | a GMAT, GRE or EA score (and an English test if needed) in range for your list | Is my score inside the range of my school list, or is one more attempt worth it? |
| S3 Apply | T-18 to T-7 | 2027-02 to 2028-01 | submitted applications: resume, essays, recommendations, short answers, video | Is each application the best I can do by this round, or should it move to the next round? |
| S4 Interview and decide | T-10 to T-4 | 2027-10 to 2028-04 | interviews done, decisions in hand, one offer accepted | Do I have an admit with a funding plan I can live with? |
| S5 Pre-MBA | T-6 to T | 2028-02 to 2028-08 | quant, accounting, finance and Excel ready, budget set, move done, recruiting plan drafted | Am I ready to keep up in core courses from week one? |
| S6 Core year | T to T+9 | 2028-08 to 2029-05 | core courses passed, learning team working, internship offer secured | Is my internship the right test of my post-MBA goal? |
| S7 Summer internship | T+9 to T+12 | 2029-05 to 2029-08 | a strong final presentation and, ideally, a return offer | Do I want this return offer? |
| S8 Second year | T+12 to T+21 | 2029-08 to 2030-05 | electives, leadership roles, possibly exchange, a full-time offer | Is my first job lined up, or is my search plan funded and active? |
| S9 Graduation | T+19 to T+21 | 2030-03 to 2030-05 | degree completed, loans and visas checked, alumni setup done | Are all exit tasks closed? |
| S10 First job | T+21 to T+27 | 2030-05 to 2030-11 | a 90-day plan delivered, loan repayment running, network maintained | Is the job delivering what the MBA was for? |

```mermaid
gantt
    title Example two-year full-time MBA, T = 2028-08-21
    dateFormat YYYY-MM-DD
    axisFormat %Y-%m
    section Before the programme
    S1 Decide :s1, 2026-02-01, 2026-12-01
    S2 Test :s2, 2026-06-01, 2027-07-01
    S3 Apply :s3, 2027-02-01, 2028-01-01
    S4 Interview and decide :s4, 2027-10-01, 2028-04-01
    S5 Pre-MBA :s5, 2028-02-01, 2028-08-01
    section In the programme
    S6 Core year :s6, 2028-08-01, 2029-05-01
    S7 Summer internship :s7, 2029-05-01, 2029-08-01
    S8 Second year :s8, 2029-08-01, 2030-05-01
    section After the programme
    S9 Graduation :s9, 2030-03-01, 2030-05-01
    S10 First job :s10, 2030-05-01, 2030-11-01
```

## Stage 1: decide

<!-- Guidance: The decide stage is cheap and the later ones are expensive. Spend real time here: a weak "why MBA" shows up in every essay and every interview. -->

**Window:** T-30 to T-20 (about 18 months before a Round 1 deadline). **Goal:** decide whether an MBA is the best
route to a specific career goal, which format fits your life, and what you can afford.

Key actions:

1. Write your career goal in one sentence (function, industry, region, role level) and list three routes to it, of
   which the MBA is only one. A specialist master's, an internal move or a certificate may get you there faster.
2. Estimate the full cost (tuition, living costs, lost salary, interest) and the plausible benefit range with
   mba/mba-decision-roi. Treat school salary reports as one input, not a promise.
3. Assess your readiness honestly with mba/mba-readiness-self-assessment: quantitative comfort, work experience
   depth, leadership evidence and English if it is not your first language.
4. Compare programme formats and schools with mba/mba-program-comparison (accreditation, format, length, cost,
   location, curriculum, career outcomes) and log what you learn about each school in mba/mba-school-research-log.
5. Build a funding picture with mba/mba-funding-scholarship-plan: savings, scholarships, sponsorship, loans. If you
   will study outside your country, start mba/mba-international-applicant-plan now: visa, work rights after the
   degree and loan access differ by country and change often.
6. Read widely for vocabulary and fit: mba/mba-reading-list and mba/mba-glossary.

**Gate 1:** Is an MBA the best route to my goal, at a cost I can carry? Go only if the goal is specific, the MBA
clearly beats the alternatives for it, and a funding path exists.

## Stage 2: test

<!-- Guidance: Plan for more than one sitting. Most applicants underestimate preparation time and book the test too late to retake before their round. -->

**Window:** T-26 to T-13. **Goal:** a score in range for your school list, early enough to retake once before your
target round.

Key actions:

1. Choose the test with mba/mba-admissions-test-plan: GMAT Focus Edition, GRE General Test or, for executive and
   some experienced-professional programmes, the Executive Assessment. Check that every school on your list accepts
   it, and whether any school offers a test waiver for your profile.
2. Take a diagnostic, set a target from your schools' published class profiles (dated, from the official page) and
   plan study weeks backwards from the test date.
3. If English is not your first language and your schools require proof, plan the English test with
   mba/mba-english-test-plan. TOEFL iBT changed its score scale in January 2026, so check how each school states its
   minimum.
4. Book the first sitting so that a retake still lands before the target round deadline, allowing for the waiting
   time between attempts and for score reporting.
5. Use pre-mba-quant-refresher (mba/pre-mba-quant-refresher) if the diagnostic shows gaps in algebra, statistics or
   rates.

**Gate 2:** Is my score inside the range of my school list, or is one more attempt likely to move it enough to
matter? If not, adjust the school list (mba/mba-school-list-strategy) rather than delaying indefinitely.

## Stage 3: apply

<!-- Guidance: An application is one story told through several documents. Write the narrative before the essays, and brief recommenders before they write. -->

**Window:** T-18 to T-7. **Goal:** complete, consistent applications submitted by the chosen round.

Key actions:

1. Finalise the school list (mba/mba-school-list-strategy) and set up mba/mba-application-tracker with every
   deadline, essay, fee and recommender for each school.
2. Check each school's policy on generative AI in applications with mba/mba-ai-use-policy-check before you draft
   anything. Policies differ between schools and change from cycle to cycle; you write your own application, you
   follow each school's stated rule, and you disclose AI use when a school asks.
3. Write the core narrative (mba/mba-personal-narrative) and the one-page resume (mba/mba-resume), then the essays
   by prompt type: mba/mba-goals-essay, mba/mba-why-school-essay, mba/mba-values-essay,
   mba/mba-leadership-impact-essay, mba/mba-setback-growth-essay, mba/mba-optional-essay and, if you applied before,
   mba/mba-reapplicant-essay. Add mba/mba-short-answers and mba/mba-video-essay-prep where schools use them.
4. Ask recommenders early (eight to ten weeks before the deadline is a common minimum) and give each a brief built
   with mba/mba-recommender-brief.
5. Executive MBA applicants: secure time off and any financial sponsorship from the employer with
   emba-sponsorship-proposal (mba/emba-sponsorship-proposal).
6. If you are a final-year student or very early in your career, check deferred admission routes with
   mba/mba-deferred-admission-plan.

**Gate 3:** Before submitting each application: is this the best version I can produce by this round? Moving a
strong application to the next round is sometimes better than submitting a weak one now, but later rounds can have
fewer places and, for international students, less time for visas.

## Stage 4: interview and decide

<!-- Guidance: Interviews test whether the person matches the paper. Decisions test whether you can compare offers without letting the first admit decide for you. -->

**Window:** T-10 to T-4. **Goal:** strong interviews, then one accepted offer with a funding plan.

Key actions:

1. Prepare for one-to-one interviews with mba/mba-interview-prep and for group or team-based formats with
   mba/mba-team-discussion-prep. Formats vary: some schools use blind interviews by alumni, some use admissions
   staff who have read the file, some add a group exercise or a written reflection after the interview. Check each
   school's current instructions.
2. Write a reflection within 24 hours of each interview (mba/mba-post-interview-reflection); some schools ask for a
   short written reflection after the interview.
3. If waitlisted, follow the school's instructions exactly and, where updates are allowed, use
   mba/mba-waitlist-update-letter.
4. Compare admits with mba/mba-admit-decision (fit, career outcomes, total cost, scholarship, location, family) and,
   where a school invites it, ask for a scholarship review with mba/mba-scholarship-negotiation-letter.
5. Note deposit deadlines: they can fall before you hear from another school. Decide in advance what you will do.

**Gate 4:** Do I have an admit with a funding plan I can live with? If not, decide between reapplying (back to S2
or S3 with the lessons logged) and another route.

## Stage 5: pre-MBA

<!-- Guidance: The months before day one are the cheapest time to close gaps. The core year moves fast and does not slow down for missing basics. -->

**Window:** T-6 to T. **Goal:** arrive ready for the core courses, settled, funded and with a first recruiting
hypothesis.

Key actions:

1. Re-take mba/mba-readiness-self-assessment and follow pre-MBA roadmap mba/pre-mba-roadmap-12-weeks.
2. Close the gaps it shows: mba/pre-mba-quant-refresher, mba/pre-mba-excel-modeling-drills,
   mba/pre-mba-accounting-primer, mba/pre-mba-finance-primer and mba/pre-mba-economics-primer. Keep
   mba/mba-formula-sheet open while you work.
3. Learn how to read and prepare a case before your first case class with mba/mba-case-reading-guide.
4. Set the budget for the whole programme with mba/mba-budget-during-program and plan terms, clubs, recruiting,
   exchange and wellbeing with mba/mba-two-year-plan.
5. Draft mba/mba-recruiting-plan: target industries, functions and companies, and the dates when their recruiting
   opens. For some industries, notably investment banking and some consulting firms, networking and applications
   start very early in the first year or even before it; check your career centre's calendar.
6. Handle logistics: visa and arrival (official sources only), housing, health insurance, moving, banking.

**Gate 5:** Am I ready to keep up in core courses from week one? Use the readiness self-assessment score, not a
feeling.

## Stage 6: core year

<!-- Guidance: The core year has three jobs that compete for the same hours: learning, recruiting and community. Plan the trade-off on purpose. -->

**Window:** T to T+9. **Goal:** master the core, build a working learning team and secure the internship that
tests your post-MBA goal.

Learning. Map every core course to its guide and cards with mba/mba-core-curriculum-map. The course guides cover
financial accounting (mba/mba-financial-accounting-guide), managerial accounting
(mba/mba-managerial-accounting-guide), corporate finance (mba/mba-corporate-finance-guide), microeconomics
(mba/mba-microeconomics-guide), macroeconomics (mba/mba-macroeconomics-guide), decision analytics
(mba/mba-decision-analytics-guide), marketing (mba/mba-marketing-guide), operations (mba/mba-operations-guide),
strategy (mba/mba-strategy-guide), leadership and organisational behaviour (mba/mba-leadership-guide), negotiation
(mba/mba-negotiation-guide), ethics (mba/mba-ethics-guide), AI for managers (mba/mba-ai-for-managers-guide) and
entrepreneurship (mba/mba-entrepreneurship-guide). Each guide links its concept cards, for example
mba/mba-npv-irr-card or mba/mba-five-forces-card.

Case method and teams. Prepare each case with mba/mba-case-prep-sheet, write case analyses with
mba/mba-case-write-up, track contributions with mba/mba-class-participation-log, set up your learning team with
mba/mba-learning-team-charter, give and receive feedback with mba/mba-peer-feedback and report team projects with
mba/mba-group-project-report. Reflect weekly in mba/mba-learning-journal.

Study tools. Use mba/mba-concept-flashcards for spaced retrieval, mba/mba-error-log for mistakes and
mba/mba-exam-prep before each exam period.

Recruiting. Run mba/mba-recruiting-plan with mba/mba-networking-tracker and mba/mba-coffee-chat-notes. Prepare by
track: consulting (mba/mba-case-interview-prep, mba/mba-market-sizing-drills, mba/mba-case-practice-log), finance
(mba/mba-banking-technical-prep, mba/mba-paper-lbo) and product or technology (mba/mba-product-interview-prep). All
tracks need behavioural stories (mba/mba-fit-stories).

Leadership. Use mba/mba-leadership-360-reflection and mba/mba-interpersonal-dynamics-journal; if your programme
has a global trip, plan it with mba/mba-global-immersion-plan.

**Gate 6:** Is my internship the right test of my post-MBA goal? If the only offer points elsewhere, write down what
it will and will not test before you accept.

## Stage 7: summer internship

<!-- Guidance: The internship is a ten to twelve week interview. Plan it like a project with a final deliverable from week one. -->

**Window:** T+9 to T+12 (two-year programmes; typically 10 to 12 weeks). **Goal:** deliver visible results, learn
whether the role fits and, ideally, earn a return offer.

Key actions:

1. Agree scope, success measures and check-ins in the first week with mba/mba-internship-plan.
2. Build the final presentation from week four, not week nine, with mba/mba-internship-final-presentation.
3. Keep a weekly log of feedback and evidence; it feeds the return-offer conversation and your second-year plan.
4. If a return offer arrives, compare it with other options using mba/mba-offer-negotiation and
   career/offer-comparison.

**Gate 7:** Do I want this return offer? If yes, second year can focus on learning and leadership; if no, second
year includes a full-time search that starts in the first weeks of term.

## Stage 8: second year

<!-- Guidance: Second year is the most flexible part of the programme. Without a plan it fills with whatever is urgent. -->

**Window:** T+12 to T+21. **Goal:** depth in your chosen field, leadership experience and a confirmed first job.

Key actions:

1. Choose electives and any concentration with mba/mba-elective-concentration-plan.
2. If you take an exchange term, plan credits, recruiting and costs with mba/mba-exchange-semester-plan.
3. Do applied work: mba/mba-field-project-sow and mba/mba-field-project-report for client projects,
   mba/mba-capstone-project-report where a capstone is required, mba/mba-case-competition-prep for competitions.
   Executive MBA students usually complete a strategic project for their own organisation
   (mba/emba-strategic-project).
4. Take a leadership role (club, conference, teaching assistant, admissions ambassador) chosen for what it lets you
   practise, not for the title.
5. Without an accepted offer, run full-time recruiting from the start of term with the same tools as in S6.

**Gate 8:** Is my first job lined up, or is my search plan specific, funded and active?

## Stage 9: graduation

<!-- Guidance: Exit tasks are boring and time-limited. Several of them carry deadlines that are easy to miss in the last busy term. -->

**Window:** T+19 to T+21. **Goal:** finish cleanly: degree requirements, money, legal status and network.

Key actions:

1. Confirm degree requirements with the registrar: credits, required courses, any capstone, holds.
2. Plan loan repayment before the grace period ends with mba/mba-loan-repayment-plan; complete any required exit
   counselling for your lender.
3. International students: check post-study work rights and their application windows on the official government
   pages (mba/mba-international-applicant-plan lists where to look).
4. Set up your alumni presence and keep-in-touch rhythm with mba/mba-alumni-network-plan.
5. Write mba/mba-post-mba-career-plan: the first five years, the skills to build and the signals that would tell
   you to change course.

**Gate 9:** Are all exit tasks closed (degree, loans, visa, references, alumni records)?

## Stage 10: first job

<!-- Guidance: The MBA return is earned in the first years after graduation. Treat the first six months as the last stage of the programme. -->

**Window:** T+21 to T+27 (six months after graduation). **Goal:** a strong start, money under control, and the
network maintained.

Key actions:

1. Build a 90-day plan with career/ninety-day-plan: stakeholders, early wins, learning goals.
2. Run the loan repayment plan (mba/mba-loan-repayment-plan) and update mba/mba-decision-roi with your real salary
   and costs: it is the first honest test of the decision you made at S1.
3. Keep the alumni and classmate network active (mba/mba-alumni-network-plan): a short, regular rhythm beats an
   annual burst.
4. Review your post-MBA career plan at six months.

**Gate 10:** Is the job delivering what the MBA was for? If not, what will you change in the next 12 months?

## Programme variants

<!-- Guidance: Pick one row and shift the windows. The stage names stay the same so the library's templates still apply. -->

| Feature | Two-year full-time | One-year full-time | Executive MBA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical length | about 20 to 22 months with a summer between years | about 10 to 16 months | about 18 to 24 months, part-time, while working |
| Typical candidate | about 3 to 6 years of experience, career switchers and accelerators | similar or more experience, clearer goal, often a switch with less time to test it | about 10 years or more of experience, often with management responsibility |
| Test | GMAT, GRE, sometimes waivers | GMAT, GRE, sometimes waivers | often Executive Assessment, GMAT or GRE, or waivers; check each programme |
| Summer internship (S7) | yes | usually no; projects replace it | no |
| Recruiting | core-year internship recruiting, then full-time | starts at or before T, very compressed | usually not through the career centre for internships; career moves often inside the employer |
| Employer sponsorship | rare | rare | common; see mba/emba-sponsorship-proposal |
| Applied project | electives, field projects | field projects, consulting projects | strategic project for own organisation (mba/emba-strategic-project) |
| How to shift the windows | as written | S6 is T to T+5 (core), S8 is T+5 to T+11, S7 is removed, S9 is T+10 to T+12, S10 is T+12 to T+18 | S5 is short (T-3 to T), S6 runs T to T+12, S8 runs T+12 to T+22, S7 is removed, S10 is a planned move or promotion |

These are typical ranges across leading international programmes, not rules; programme lengths and formats vary
(some two-year programmes run quarters or modules instead of semesters, some one-year programmes have several
intakes a year). Check each programme's official page. mba/mba-master-checklist marks every task with the variants it
applies to.

## Dated facts to check

<!-- Guidance: These facts were checked on the official or primary pages in October 2026. They will change. Open each link again before you act and record the date you checked. -->

| Topic | As of October 2026 | Check before you rely on it |
|---|---|---|
| GMAT Focus Edition | three sections (Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, Data Insights), 45 minutes each, total score 205 to 805, all three sections count | https://www.mba.com and https://www.gmac.com |
| GRE General Test | about 1 hour 58 minutes; one Analytical Writing task, two Verbal Reasoning and two Quantitative Reasoning sections (format in place since 22 September 2023) | https://www.ets.org/gre |
| Executive Assessment | about 90 minutes, three sections (Integrated Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning), total score 100 to 200 | https://www.mba.com/exams/executive-assessment |
| TOEFL iBT | since 21 January 2026 scored on a 1 to 6 band scale in half-band steps aligned with CEFR; a comparable 0 to 120 score is also reported during a two-year transition | https://www.ets.org/toefl |
| Admissions rounds | many US programmes use a Round 1 deadline in early September, Round 2 in early January and Round 3 in spring; *Example*: several leading US programmes set Round 1 deadlines of 8 or 9 September 2026 for the 2026 to 2027 cycle. Other schools use rolling admissions or different dates | each school's own admissions page |
| AI in applications | school policies on generative AI differ (from "not allowed for essays" to "allowed for editing, the work must be yours") and some schools ask applicants to disclose use | each school's application instructions; mba/mba-ai-use-policy-check |
| US federal graduate loans | for new borrowers from 1 July 2026, Grad PLUS is not available; graduate (non-professional) students can borrow up to USD 20,500 a year and USD 100,000 in total in unsubsidised Direct Loans; an aggregate lifetime limit of USD 257,500 applies; an interim exception covers some students already borrowing for the same programme. How an MBA is classified is set by the Department's rules | https://studentaid.gov and https://fsapartners.ed.gov |
| Student visas and post-study work | rules and fees change, sometimes several times a year, and some are under litigation | the official immigration site of the study country (for the US, https://www.uscis.gov and https://travel.state.gov) |
| Accreditation | AACSB members ratified the Global Standards for Business Education on 20 April 2026, replacing the 2020 standards over a transition period; EQUIS (EFMD) accredits institutions, AMBA accredits programmes | https://www.aacsb.edu, https://www.efmdglobal.org, https://www.associationofmbas.com |

Nothing in this table is advice on what you should do about a loan, visa or tax position. Use it to know which
questions to ask and where the authoritative answer is.

## Decision gates worksheet

<!-- Guidance: Write the evidence before the decision. If the evidence column is empty, the gate has not been passed. -->

| Gate | Question | Evidence I have | Decision (go / adjust / stop) | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G1 *(Example)* | Is an MBA the best route to my goal? | goal: product management in climate technology in Europe; MBA vs internal move compared in mba/mba-decision-roi; internal move blocked for 3 years | go, two-year programme, Europe and US | 2026-11-30 |
| G2 *(Example)* | Is my score in range for my list? | GMAT Focus 655 on first attempt; list medians [from class profiles, dated]; one retake planned for 2027-06 | adjust: retake, keep list | 2027-04-15 |
| G3 | Is each application the best I can do by this round? | [ ] | [ ] | YYYY-MM-DD |
| G4 | Admit with a funding plan I can live with? | [ ] | [ ] | YYYY-MM-DD |
| G5 | Ready to keep up from week one? | [readiness score, gaps closed] | [ ] | YYYY-MM-DD |
| G6 | Is the internship the right test of my goal? | [ ] | [ ] | YYYY-MM-DD |
| G7 | Do I want the return offer? | [ ] | [ ] | YYYY-MM-DD |
| G8 | First job lined up, or an active search plan? | [ ] | [ ] | YYYY-MM-DD |
| G9 | All exit tasks closed? | [ ] | [ ] | YYYY-MM-DD |
| G10 | Is the job delivering what the MBA was for? | [ ] | [ ] | YYYY-MM-DD |

## My roadmap workbook

<!-- Guidance: Answer in full sentences. These answers become the raw material of your goals essay and your interviews. -->

1. My goal in one sentence (function, industry, region, level): [ ]
2. Three routes to that goal, and why the MBA is or is not the best: [ ]
3. My T, variant and target round: [ ]
4. The two stages where I expect the most difficulty, and what I will do early to reduce it: [ ]
5. My non-negotiable constraints (family, money, location, visa, employer): [ ]
6. People who will support me (recommenders, mentor, partner, manager) and what I need from each: [ ]
7. What I will stop doing to make time for the next stage: [ ]
8. The signal that would make me stop or change course: [ ]
9. My next action, with a date: [YYYY-MM-DD, take a timed diagnostic test]

## Quality checklist

<!-- Guidance: Run it at every gate. -->

- [ ] T, variant and target round are filled in Document control.
- [ ] Every stage window is converted to real calendar dates in my calendar.
- [ ] Every dated fact I rely on was re-checked on the official page and the check date is written down.
- [ ] My current stage has its linked templates open and in use.
- [ ] Each passed gate has written evidence and a date in the decision gates worksheet.
- [ ] The application plan leaves time for one test retake before the target round.
- [ ] Recommenders are asked at least eight weeks before the first deadline.
- [ ] The funding plan covers the whole programme, not only the first year.
- [ ] Recruiting dates for my target industry are in the calendar before T.
- [ ] The roadmap was reviewed by a mentor or coach.

## Common mistakes

<!-- Guidance: Each of these has cost real applicants a year. Read them at S1 and again at S5. -->

| Mistake | Why it hurts | Better habit |
|---|---|---|
| Starting with the school list instead of the goal | you choose by brand and cannot explain fit | goal first (S1), then schools |
| Booking the test too late to retake | one bad day decides the round | first sitting at least three months before the deadline |
| Writing essays before the narrative | essays contradict each other and the resume | mba/mba-personal-narrative first |
| Asking recommenders two weeks before the deadline | rushed, generic letters | ask eight to ten weeks ahead with a brief |
| Using AI tools without checking the school's policy | can breach the application's terms | mba/mba-ai-use-policy-check before drafting |
| Treating rounds as equal for international applicants | late rounds leave little time for visas | aim for an early round when a visa is needed |
| Accepting the first admit under deadline pressure | the deposit decides instead of you | decide your rules before results arrive |
| Skipping pre-MBA preparation | the core year starts at full speed with recruiting on top | close gaps in S5 |
| Postponing recruiting preparation until after orientation | some industries recruit very early in the first year | recruiting plan drafted at S5 |
| Joining every club | no time for depth, leadership or rest | pick a few with a purpose (mba/mba-two-year-plan) |
| Ignoring loan and visa exit tasks | missed deadlines are hard to undo | S9 checklist with dates |
| Relying on remembered rules | test formats, loan limits and visa rules change | check the official page and date it |

## Self-test

<!-- Guidance: Answer from memory, then check the Answer key. -->

1. What is T in this roadmap, and why are windows written relative to it?
2. With T = 2028-08-21, about how many months before T is a Round 1 deadline on 2027-09-08?
3. Name the gate question that ends the test stage.
4. Which two stages does a one-year programme compress, and which stage disappears?
5. Why should the first test sitting be booked well before the target round deadline?
6. Name three templates that serve the apply stage.
7. Which stage includes loan exit tasks and alumni setup?
8. Give two reasons an international applicant might prefer an earlier round.

## Sources and further reading

<!-- Guidance: Official pages for facts that change, then reading on the MBA itself. Check dates. -->

- Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). GMAT Focus Edition and Executive Assessment information,
  https://www.mba.com and https://www.gmac.com (checked 2026-10-28).
- Educational Testing Service (ETS). GRE General Test structure, https://www.ets.org/gre, and TOEFL iBT scores,
  https://www.ets.org/toefl (checked 2026-10-28).
- AACSB International (2026). AACSB members ratify Global Standards for Business Education, news release, 20 April
  2026, https://www.aacsb.edu (checked 2026-10-28).
- EFMD Global. EQUIS accreditation, https://www.efmdglobal.org; Association of MBAs (AMBA), programme accreditation,
  https://www.associationofmbas.com.
- US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid. Loan limit changes effective 1 July 2026, https://studentaid.gov
  and https://fsapartners.ed.gov (checked 2026-10-28).
- Each school's own admissions page for rounds, essays, interview formats and AI policy.
- Further reading (by name only): Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., and Willingham, D. T.
  (2013). Improving students' learning with effective learning techniques. *Psychological Science in the Public
  Interest*, 14(1), 4-58, for the study methods used in the pre-MBA and core-year templates. See also
  mba/mba-reading-list.

## Answer key

<!-- Guidance: Check your answers, then reread the stage behind any wrong one. -->

1. T is the first day of the programme. Writing windows relative to T lets you move the whole plan to another intake
   without rewriting it and makes the lead times (test retake, recommenders, visa) visible.
2. About 11.4 months (T-11.4).
3. Is my score inside the range of my school list, or is one more attempt likely to move it enough to matter?
4. It compresses the core year (S6) and second year (S8) into about one year; the summer internship (S7) disappears.
5. So that a retake, the waiting time between attempts and score reporting all fit before the deadline.
6. Any three of: mba/mba-school-list-strategy, mba/mba-application-tracker, mba/mba-ai-use-policy-check,
   mba/mba-resume, mba/mba-personal-narrative, the essay templates, mba/mba-short-answers,
   mba/mba-video-essay-prep, mba/mba-recommender-brief, mba/emba-sponsorship-proposal,
   mba/mba-deferred-admission-plan.
7. Stage 9, graduation.
8. More time for the student visa process after the admit, and more places or scholarship funds typically remain in
   earlier rounds at many schools (check each school's statements).

## Revision history

<!-- Guidance: Record each gate decision and each re-plan. -->

| Version | Date | Author | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | YYYY-MM-DD | [Name] | First version from template |
| [0.2] | YYYY-MM-DD | [Name] | [Gate 2 passed, school list adjusted] |

## Standard and licence note

Based on the public admissions processes and core curricula common to leading international MBA programmes, with
test, loan and accreditation facts checked on the official GMAC, ETS, US Department of Education and AACSB pages in
October 2026. The text, stage model, windows and examples are original. No school, test owner or accreditor has
endorsed this template and it is not affiliated with any of them. Check the current official pages before you act.
Template licence: MIT.