WHY accept non-H/S deferred mba offer??
I’ve seen so many LinkedIn posts/WSO posts about these deferred MBA programs and have had many reach out to me asking for advice.
My question pertains mostly to those on the IB —> PE track that are reaching out.
Why are you accepting deferred mba offers from non H/S schools? Maybe I just don’t understand how these work. But I’m assuming if you accept a Kellogg offer and defer 4 years, you can’t/won’t reapply to H/S down the road?
Clearly the H/S deferred programs are tailored toward non-finance students. So, naturally, your odds are much lower than they would be if you applied in 4 years. So if you’re set on the hyper-competitive path to PE, and consider yourself a strong candidate, why would you lock in an offer 4 years in advance to Chicago, Columbia, MIT, etc?
Disclaimer — not saying those are bad mba programs. But, rational or not, the private equity world is notorious for its preference of H/S (and occasionally W) MBA’s.
Most of these programs have relatively few strings attached so you don’t miss out on much other than your deposit if you choose to apply to H/S down the line and it’s nice to have a solid backup plan. Also, if you’re not set on PE (or have a future pivot planned) there are valid reasons for choosing, say, Booth for quanty finance or Kellogg for tech or marketing.
Interesting, didn’t know schools are giving out these offers with no strings attached. I guess it makes sense as a back-up plan, but I’ve also seen many trying to leverage these non-H/S deferred admissions to get a leg up in pre-mba buyside recruiting. Bad idea IMO
Definitely agree with your last point. I was more curious about those chasing the PE path
I think there’s a bit of information asymmetry right now due to how new most of the deferred programs are. None of them are binding and deferred admissions are generally even more competitive than main rounds, so securing a deferred M7 offer (even non-H/S) should be a strong signal of achievement and preparation. There’s also a ton of other advantages like early access to school networks and resources, flexible matriculation dates (imagine how useful that would have been this year) and so on.
However, older generations that aren’t aware of this won’t see the prestige and will only question why someone is settling for a non-HS bschool. Maybe in a few years when deferred becomes a de facto path for overachieving undergrads and everyone becomes more familiar with its intricacies then it will be more useful for the IB—>PE pre-MBA track. Until then, I’m inclined to agree with you.
Great point. I’m seeing the information gap first hand at my fund because many of us are/were confused by the thought process of these incoming analysts taking whatever deferred offer they can get. But my firm tends to be known, unfortunately, as a bit of a branding whore, so I’m sure it’s more of an issue here than at other firms.
What type of firm are you at? Trying to understand if including a non-HSW M7 deferred admittance on a resume for PE recruiting is frowned upon by all firms.
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Is it true that these deferred programs prefer non-finance students? I was really excited to apply as someone working at a BB but hoping to use an MBA to open more doors. Should I even bother applying to these deferred programs because they require a lot of work and research? I don't want to put all that time in only to get rejected all because of my industry category.
Short answer is while that may be a stated preference (2+2) it’s not end all be all. I know plenty of people, including myself, who are more “traditional” that have been admitted to HSW and/or non-HSW deferred programs. It’s worth a shot for sure! You just need to explain why getting admitted now is beneficial to you vs. four years from now. In general though i’d steer away from the IB->PE->B School->PE career path in the application process.
Feel free to follow up via PM if you want more specifics.
I'm in a similar situation. Are you at a target + strong gpa or less prestigious undergrad?
I'm at an Ivy with a 3.9 and solid extracurriculars + diversity but based off these comments I'm not sure that any of that matters if I'm going right into IB, unless I can brand myself as not going down the regular PE trajectory
It's true that they prefer candidates from non-traditional backgrounds. I personally know a few friends from top target schools with incredible GPAs/test scores and are heading to BBs/EBs who were denied by H/S/W.
Honestly if you're going into IB and come from a decent UG, I'd recommend only taking the GMAT. You can just apply in a few years and have a much better shot at the top programs.
Do you think non-conventional includes first-generation and low income? I saw HBS considered this "non-conventional". I'm not STEM and am going into IB but fit that demographic
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