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Can I meet Polimi thesis deadline with a 15-page paper?

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I have a Business Administration MBA course that requires a 15-page thesis for the Polimi submission deadline in two weeks. My group presentation and two case study reports are also due the same week, and I’ve already drafted the outline but can’t find time for a full write‑up. I tried allocating evenings to write, but progress is painfully slow and I’m worried I’ll miss the deadline.

1 Answer

Technically, yes, you can meet the deadline with a 15-page paper, but the real question isn't whether the length is sufficient, but whether the depth of your analysis holds up under academic scrutiny. In most MBA programs, a 15-page requirement is often a minimum threshold or a suggested guideline rather than an arbitrary limit, meaning your professors are looking for quality and synthesis over sheer volume. If your outline is already solid, you’ve done the hardest part of the structural heavy lifting. The common misconception here is that you need to fill every page with dense, flowery prose to prove your worth, when in reality, a concise, data-driven argument is far more impressive to a grading committee than 30 pages of fluff. If you can articulate your core thesis, provide robust evidence, and demonstrate critical thinking within those 15 pages, you’ll likely satisfy the requirements. The trade-off you’re facing is between perfectionism and completion, and this is where most students get stuck. When you’re juggling group presentations and case studies alongside your thesis, your biggest enemy is the "sunk cost" of trying to write linearly. Instead of trying to write from page one to fifteen, treat your sections like standalone modules. For instance, imagine you’re writing about a supply chain optimization strategy for a retail firm; don't try to craft the perfect introduction first. Write the methodology and the results sections while your brain is fresh, then plug in the introduction and conclusion once the logic is fully mapped out. This modular approach prevents the "painfully slow" progress you’re experiencing because it allows you to tackle the most straightforward parts of your argument when your energy levels are low, saving the more complex synthesis for your most productive hours. However, you need to be careful about the edge cases regarding formatting and citation density. Even a short paper can be rejected if the references are sloppy or if the formatting doesn't adhere strictly to the school’s style guide. Since you’re on a tight two-week timeline, don't leave the bibliography for the final night. Use a citation manager or a simple spreadsheet to track your sources as you go, because nothing kills a submission window faster than scrambling to find a missing DOI or page number at three in the morning. If you find yourself hitting a wall, prioritize the clarity of your executive summary and the strength of your conclusion, as these are the two sections faculty members will scrutinize most closely. You have enough time to deliver a high-impact, concise document if you stop worrying about the page count and start focusing on the logical flow of your arguments. Trust your outline, stay disciplined with your daily word count goals, and remember that a finished, coherent paper is always better than an unfinished masterpiece.

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