A thoughtful school selection strategy is one of the most important — and overlooked — steps in the MBA application process. The smartest approach is to apply to a balanced mix of reach, target, and safety schools.
Reach schools are your aspirational choices — the highly competitive programs where admission is possible but not guaranteed. Target schools are those where your profile closely aligns with the average admitted student, giving you a solid chance of success. Safety schools are ones where your qualifications exceed typical admission benchmarks, making acceptance highly likely.
This diversification allows you to aim high without putting all your hopes on a handful of ultra-selective programs. It also helps ensure that, by the end of the process, you have multiple offers to choose from — increasing your flexibility with scholarships, locations, and program formats.
By contrast, applying only to dream schools or making decisions based on location or essay length can severely limit your options.
In MBA admissions, balance is not about lowering your ambitions — it’s about increasing your odds. A well-rounded list lets you dream big while ensuring you have strong, realistic pathways to your MBA goals.