One-Page Guide for Deferred MBA Applications

Deferred MBA programs are typically offered to students in their final year of undergraduate degrees or 1-year master’s degrees (via 4+1 programs). Students are admitted and typically begin their program ~2-4 years after graduation, but there are some edge cases (e.g., Yale SOM’s Silver Scholar Program). There are three main steps–testing, applying, and interviewing–to earn admission. In fifteen bullet points, I attempt to summarize my main strategies for each of these three steps. Please click on the hyperlinks to find additional resources I used throughout my process.

1. Testing: Take the GRE or GMAT

  • Take a diagnostic test of the GRE and GMAT exams to decide which you prefer

  • Set a test date for ~6-8 weeks out to hold yourself accountable and work backwards

  • Find practice books to work through problems and mark missed questions

  • Review missed questions each time you study to strengthen your testing

  • Leverage free practice test from official sites: GMAT practice, GRE practice

2. Applying: Select schools & craft your story

  • Identify all schools that offer programs of interest and make your application list

  • Reflect on your experience and synthesize your aspirations in one sentence

  • Use your sentence to guide your story and start with a holistic essay prompt (e.g., the GSB’s)

  • Look to reuse parts of the holistic essay to answer prompts from across schools

  • Send your drafts to peers, friends, and mentors for feedback–and selectively iterate

3. Interviewing: Bring your story to life

  • Research the interview structure and dynamics for each school

  • Connect with previous Admits on LinkedIn via the “Personalized invite” button

  • Schedule 1:1 chats with previous Admits to ask about their experience

  • Complete any required post-interview work (e.g., reflections, essays)

  • Email a thank-you note to your interviewer(s)–use the general inbox, if needed

I hope you find these resources helpful. Should you have any questions about or suggestions to improve this document, please contact me (email: sis35@cornell.edu; cell: (818)-404-8601).