Pros and Cons of Deferred MBA Programs
I'm trying to do management consulting and I'm aiming to lock in an FT in the next several months. Given that the traditional trajectory within consulting is to do a 1-2 yr MBA program, what are the pros and cons of writing my GMAT within this year (my final year of undergrad) and applying to MBA schools in the US.
My view: if I get accepted, I have one less thing to worry about, I can dedicate more time without fear of school or work, the firm would probably pay part of or all of the cost to attend and it would help rotate offices to US or other locations with the gap year/two years to close off current projects without losing seniority in the firm or switching firms.
The evident con is that I'd be geographically locked down to where I get accepted to and that the firm may not offer any payment for whatever reason.
Any thoughts on this? I'm also outside of US, so the cost may be exorbitant. Also, I'm east-Asian male.
Edit: @Linda Abraham - Acceptance to a deferred admit program doesn't prevent you from later declining that offer or applying elsewhere.
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Graduated from an M7 MBA program a couple years ago. You seem to have a good grasp of the pros and cons. One other aspect is that there are a lot more resources available: online / firm mentors / etc. for the traditional application track. I know that some of the first deferred applicants at my school felt a little like they were “flying blind” through the process. I don’t really see the harm in applying if you’re serious about b-school. The worst thing that can happen is you decide not to go and lose your deposit / burn a bridge with one school, but there are always 15+ other schools worldwide that can give you awesome career opportunities.
Many people speak of b-school as a means to pivot from one career to another. I'm having a bit of trouble grasping the specific benefits of why consultants with sensible job security enter into it and what they typically specialize in before rejoining their firm.
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