MIT Sloan Creates New R2 Deadline for Laid-Off Professionals

MIT Sloan School of Management wants to help recently laid-off professionals pivot to b-school and has added a new, later R2 deadline specifically for these applicants. In contrast with the announcement by Kellogg School, which targets laid-off tech workers, Sloan has chosen not to specify any one industry, as layoffs have affected a large swath of professionals.

The deadline for this affected group is February 23, 2023. The admissions team at Sloan feels that three months is enough time for candidates to complete an application package that includes sitting for a GMAT or GRE test. (Kellogg waived the test requirement for laid-off tech workers because the Round 2 deadline for the full-time MBA program is still January 10, 2023.)

There is some precedent for business schools to respond to world events in ways that accommodate affected MBA aspirants. We need to look no further than the extended deadlines offered in spring 2020 at the start of the pandemic. With a dip in overall applications, it makes sense for top business schools to reach out to laid-off professionals who are a strong pool of potential students.