Yes, I think you are right.

It's a good question. Generally speaking as Duncan pointed out you are correct. It makes sense to apply to US schools first in their early rounds. There is variance, some US schools R1 conclude by Sept while for others it may conclude only by Oct end/Nov mid.

You may want to prioritize your schools, spread your risk and then time your applications accordingly the best you can so to have all decisions at the same time making it easier for you to decide without anxiety.

I'd say that you should first narrow your goals.

Those who apply to programs in Europe and US usually don't have a clear sense of what they're looking for, which impacts their school selection and prioritizing.

Figure out what you want to do with your MBA first, then pick a location from there, and finally, pick the schools.

Interesting and thank you.
Does not this go into a circular argument though? B school location likely affects the type of job opps post-graduation which in turn is influenced greatly by the job market in the respective location. So if the goal is global mobility should not I look for high ranking schools in my function or for b-schools with graduates that are employed in the specific locations I am interested in? Am I missing something?



[quote]I'd say that you should first narrow your goals.

Those who apply to programs in Europe and US usually don't have a clear sense of what they're looking for, which impacts their school selection and prioritizing.

Figure out what you want to do with your MBA first, then pick a location from there, and finally, pick the schools.[/quote]

For global mobility it would make sense to look for the best possible school you can get into. The top schools have much wider global networks and brand name recognition.

But even for global mobility, you have to start somewhere.
Usually it is best idea to study where you want to work afterwards. Keep in mind the language barrier (click on Duncan's profile to see a link to read about speaking the local language).

[quote]
Does not this go into a circular argument though? B school location likely affects the type of job opps post-graduation which in turn is influenced greatly by the job market in the respective location. So if the goal is global mobility should not I look for high ranking schools in my function or for b-schools with graduates that are employed in the specific locations I am interested in? Am I missing something?[/quote]
That's exactly what I'm suggesting.