Best Age For MBA: Don't Wait To Apply To A Top B-school!

What's the best age to apply for a top-ranked MBA, and does the window of opportunity close as you get older? Views from admissions directors from HEC Paris and Duke Fuqua

Deciding on the best age and level of experience for an MBA worries many business school applicants, so we've consulted MBA admissions directors to find out if your age is something that could keep you out of a top-ranked MBA program.

While age is one of many factors taken into account by admissions committees, the general message seems to be: don't procrastinate!

We spoke with Philippe Oster, Communications, Admissions and Development Director for the HEC Paris MBA, and Megan Lynam, MBA Admissions Director at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business.

The HEC Paris full-time MBA is currently ranked 21st in the world by the FT, and Duke Fuqua's is ranked 18th.

Philippe said that there are three major factors that come into play when deciding on the best time to apply for an MBA: career progression, your personal situation and preparation.

Career progression

This is all about why people want to do an MBA in the first place. They generally fall into three camps. The first group are people who like their sector, but there’s a glass ceiling and they think they will hit it in two or three years.

A second group think the company or industry they are in will encounter difficulties in the next few years. Both of these camps should apply for an MBA...