US B-Schools Woo Undergrads With Deferred MBA Admission

MIT Sloan has become the latest to join a growing list of elite Business Schools in the United States to offer undergraduate students the facility to apply for a deferred MBA admission.

MIT Sloan MBA Early Admission allows undergraduate students in their final year to apply for the MBA program and if accepted, will be able to take up a profession of their choice and gain work experience for two to five years before joining the full-time MBA Program.

“There is increasing market demand for this type of early admission among MIT undergraduate students and top students around the world. This is a very positive addition to our offerings,” says Rod Garcia, assistant dean of admissions at MIT Sloan.

Assistant Dean of Admissions Dawna Levenson concurs with Garcia. “This is a wonderful new option for prospective students who want to proactively manage their future and make a difference. These are students who have already demonstrated the potential to be principled and innovative leaders who will make a positive impact on the world,” she says.

The MBA Early Admission at MIT Sloan is at present, open to enrolled students who will complete their bachelor’s or first degree by July 2019. The application deadline is Monday, April 8, 2019. Applicants will be notified of decisions on May 8, 2019.

“We’re looking for students who have demonstrated leadership and an impact on their community, whether it is in the classroom, clubs, athletics, or internships. Thriving in a collaborative team environment, these are students from a diversity of majors who will enhance the MIT Sloan community with their intellectual abilities, drive and experiences,” says Levenson, noting that the application fee is waived for all MIT Sloan MBA Early Admission applicants.

For the 2+2 Program, HBS says it is looking for innovative thinkers who have demonstrated leadership and analytical skills and want to develop their knowledge and passion to make a difference in the world.

To apply, students must submit a cover letter, resume, video statement, academic transcripts, two letters of recommendation, and test scores. However, the GMAT/GRE is not required for current MIT students who meet the eligibility requirements. Interviews are required and will be scheduled by invitation only after an initial evaluation of a complete application, MIT Sloan said in a press statement.

The other schools offering similar programs are the Harvard Business School with HBS 2+2, Stanford GSB Deferred Enrollment, Yale Silver Scholars, the Wharton Moelis Advance Access Program, Darden Future Year Scholar Program and the Chicago Booth Scholars Program.

For the 2+2 Program, HBS says it is looking for innovative thinkers who have demonstrated leadership and analytical skills and want to develop their knowledge and passion to make a difference in the world.

Upon graduation, admitted 2+2 students spend a minimum of two years (maximum of four years) working in a professional position in the public, private, or nonprofit sector. While the school encourages students from STEM and humanities disciplines to apply, the Program attracts accomplished students from all fields of study.

To be eligible for the program, candidates need to have gone directly from undergraduate to graduate school. For admission to the 2+2 Program Class of 2023 (entering fall 2021), you must graduate from your program between October 1, 2018, and September 30, 2019.

Stanford GSB Deferred Enrollment is open to full-time students graduating from a degree program between October 2018 and September 2019 as also those in a full-time law or medical program.

Those pursuing a combined undergraduate/graduate program (pursuing bachelor’s and master’s degrees simultaneously) are eligible as also those in a graduate program entered directly from an undergraduate program. (If there is a gap of one or more academic years between the two programs, you do not qualify for deferred enrolment.)

Stanford says those choosing to defer enrolment are expected to be productively engaged (such as in full-time work or full-time study) during the deferral period. You are required to pursue opportunities that enable you to build expertise, enhance your skills and knowledge, expand your perspective and develop professional judgment and self-confidence. In the application itself, you will be asked the details about your plans for the period between graduation and enrolment for the MBA program.

Yale School of Management says its Silver Scholars Program is open to only current college seniors with graduation date on or after December 1, 2018. You must be scheduled to graduate (complete all coursework and submit a final transcript with proof of undergraduate degree conferral) by August 1, 2019.

As a Silver Scholar, you will spend your first year at Yale SOM developing the basic skills and mindset of a manager through our innovative core curriculum. During the second year, you will complete a full-time internship; this extended work experience will help you put your business education into practice, develop your leadership skills, and give you a competitive advantage as you pursue a permanent position.

In your third year, you will return to campus for the conclusion of the MBA program, taking electives at Yale SOM and elsewhere at the university in the areas that most interest you and support your career goals.

The Moelis Advance Access Program is a deferred admission program that offers Penn undergraduate seniors a guaranteed pathway to the Wharton MBA after pursuing two to four years of work experience. The program accepts a highly selective cohort whose academic and career interests expand traditional notions of business education.

Seniors in the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Engineering and Applied Science, School of Nursing, the Wharton School and all coordinated dual degrees are eligible to apply. Applications will be accepted during Round 3 of the MBA Admissions Cycle.

Darden’s Future Year Scholars Program offers exceptional college students the opportunity to gain acceptance into one of the world’s top MBA programs before beginning their professional journey. Admitted scholars may choose to begin their MBA after gaining two, three or four years of work experience.

This year, Future Year applicants will have three opportunities to apply: March 1, May 1 and August 1. The March 1 deadline was added this year as the school wanted to cater to those applicants who may have already taken a standardized test (GMAT or GRE) and are ready to apply.

The Chicago Booth Scholars Program is open to undergraduate students in their final year who are considering an MBA in the future. It allows you to complete the MBA application process while still at your undergraduate institution, then begin the program at Chicago Booth after a conditional two to four year deferment period for professional experience.