Reflect | dMBA Weekly Check-In: February 3, 2025
Why do you want an MBA? And, why now?
Welcome back!
January always feels like the longest month ever, doesn’t it?
With deferred MBA application deadlines over 2 months away, it’s easy to get distracted. Midterm exams, presentations, club drama… trust me, I get it.
I hope today’s Tip of the Week can help you feel more grounded and motivated in your deferred MBA journey. So, without further ado, let’s get to it!
In today’s email…
On Your Radar: This week’s deferred MBA admissions events
Tip of the Week: Reflect.
Join the MBAxcel Club on Discord and LinkedIn!
Join fellow deferred MBA applicants on Discord and LinkedIn to discuss admissions tips, share feedback, and navigate the world of dMBA programs together.
In our Discord, you’ll find…
School-specific forums
Channels for specific application requirements (GMAT, GRE, essays, interviews, etc.)
Voice channels/study lounges
Live webinars
And more!
On Your Radar
Here are some of the best events coming up in the next few weeks for deferred MBA applicants like you!
Haas (UC Berkeley): Accelerated Access Info Session
When: Tuesday, February 4, 2025, 9:30 AM to 10:00 AM PST
Where: Virtual
Details: Curious about Accelerated Access, the deferred admission application pathway to Berkeley Haas's top rated full-time MBA program? In this session, you'll learn about the value of an MBA, what makes Berkeley Haas special, and what we look for in outstanding candidates to the program.
Darden (UVA): Future Year Scholar Program Information Session
When: Tuesday, February 4, 2025, 2:00 PM to 2:45 PM EST
Where: Virtual
Details: Interested in learning more about the MBA degree and the deferred enrollment pathway? Join Katherine Alford and Merav Frazier from Darden Admissions to learn more about this opportunity.
Harvard (HBS): 2+2 Program Information Session
When: Wednesday, February 5, 2025, 12:00 PM to 12:45 PM EST
Where: Virtual
Details: Calling all college students! This virtual information session, hosted by a member of the MBA Admissions Team, will outline the enriching journey of the HBS MBA program, the admissions process, and financial aid.
Kellogg (Northwestern): Kellogg Future Leaders Virtual Information Session
When: Tuesday, February 11, 2025, 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM CST
Where: Virtual
Details: Please join us for a virtual information session on the Kellogg Future Leaders deferred enrollment program. Kellogg admissions team members will give an overview of the program and provide context on the application itself.
Columbia (CBS): Deferred Enrollment Program Campus Visit
When: Tuesday, February 11, 2025, 1:15 PM to 3:15 PM EST
Where: Columbia Business School - Kravis Hall, 665 W 130th St, New York, NY 10027
Details: Join us for a Deferred Enrolled Program Campus Visit at Columbia Business School! Campus Visits are a great opportunity to have your questions answered by Admissions and visit our campus in Manhattanville.
Harvard (HBS): 2+2 Alum Insights: AMA Edition
When: Wednesday, February 12, 2025, 5:00 PM to 5:45 PM EST
Where: Virtual
Details: Join Harvard Business School MBA students for an Ask Me Anything about the 2+2 program. This session will give you the opportunity to engage with students who have already been where you are and benefitted from all the 2+2 program has to offer.
Looking for a full list of dMBA admissions sites?
Check out our FREE updated 2025 dMBA admissions guide here!
MBAxcel Tip of the Week: Reflect.
No, really. That’s it. That’s the tip of the week.
Put your pencil down from your GMAT prep book. Turn off your computer. Do something that makes you happy. For me, it’s taking a walk around my neighborhood.
Then, really think about it.
Why do I want an MBA?
And, specifically, why do I want one now?
I’m not expecting you to come up with an answer immediately. Maybe there are several answers spinning around in your mind, none of them coherent. That’s how I felt for months before I hit the submit button.
If it’s any inspiration, here’s what my thoughts boiled down to in my application (at a very general level):
I studied business during undergrad and absolutely loved the case method. Fundamentally, I wanted to continue learning in this type of collaborative, energetic environment with similarly excited peers.
I was entering a very stable job in consulting post-grad, but I realized that I wanted to pursue entrepreneurship to make an impact and join like-minded students who I could learn from. With no previous entrepreneurship background, I thought an MBA would be a wonderful introduction to the startup world.
Why now: To be very frank, I thought that my chances of entering a top MBA program were higher as a high-achieving undergrad than five years down the line, when I am one of thousands of similar-background consultants seeking admission.
Your answer may not be anything like mine, and that’s perfectly fine! If anything, my answer to the question “Why do I want an MBA” was one that evolved through multiple iterations before I figured it out — and, chances are, my answer may completely change by the time I decide to matriculate.
Answering this question is an iterative process.
This question will follow you around throughout your admissions journey, from now until you write your essays, and even until you sit for your interview.
It’s a good idea to start thinking about “Why dMBA” early so that your answer by the time April deadlines come will be the deepest, most truthful version of itself.
The goal is to press the submit button on an application that fulfills, energizes, and excites you. That is an application that radiates your passion and speaks to your character.
Write it down!
I’m a big fan of journaling as a method of reflection: my thoughts are much more coherent when I write them down. Try this: jot down your answer to “Why MBA” in bullet points. Be completely unfiltered. Then, set a reminder to do this again in 3 to 4 weeks.
Putting pen to paper is incredibly motivating and reassuring. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by how your answer changes over time!
Postscript.
If you have friends applying to deferred MBA programs, I’d love it if you could share MBAxcel with them! I hope to provide this free resource to as many students as I can, and I couldn’t do it without your support.
Have a topic you’d like me to cover about deferred MBA admissions? Let me know in the comments or shoot me a message!
See you next week!