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7 Things You Should Know About Columbia Deferred MBA program

MBA and Beyond 0

Hello, Applicants!

We all know about regular MBAs, but if you are a college senior wanting to explore the option of securing a seat in the world’s best B-Schools before entering the job market, then a deferred MBA is for you!

A complete guide about Columbia Deferred MBA where we’ll discuss everything from the program, eligibility, application requirement, fees, and deposits, deadlines, class profile, difficulty level, what the school seeks from you, and a lot more.  

Whether the regular or deferred MBA, as an applicant, you might get lost in the ocean of information, and getting authentic insights will always be a task. Taking directions from an experienced person with intensive knowledge about top B-schools will always be worth it. You can avail the opportunity of getting our limited number of complimentary profile evaluations each week. Book a 1:1 profile evaluation session with our experts to understand how you can maximize your chances of getting into Columbia's deferred MBA.

columbia-deferred-mba

Suggested Readings

  1. Deferred MBA programs: MBA for college seniors

  2. Round 3 MBA or Defer your MBA?

Quick Snapshot

What is the Deferred Enrollment Program?

Deferred MBA programs are an opportunity designed for students in their final year of an undergraduate or master's degree who want a guaranteed spot in a future class to gain relevant professional work experience. After admission, students have a deferment duration of two to five years, during which they can pursue a career, explore new industries, become entrepreneurs, and discover what drives them.

1) Who is Columbia Deferred MBA program Looking For?

The school is looking for those with strong leadership, intellectual capabilities, and a collaborative nature who can work in teams. They want to know the logical and clear reason why you see Columbia will be unique in helping you achieve your goals. They want students 

from various academic and extracurricular backgrounds. Once admitted to the program, they want students to consider themselves a member of the Columbia Deferred MBA Community and willing to participate in events, conferences, school-wise resources, and interact with the Columbia alumni network.

To know more about: What Business Schools look for in Candidates for the Deferred MBA?

2) How difficult is it to Get Into the Columbia Deferred Program?

As Columbia is one of the most competitive and world-renowned MBA programs in the world, with a wide range of students with extraordinary academic achievements and extracurriculars. They represent 23 countries and 80 undergraduate schools.

Like the regular, full-time MBA program, in a deferred program, interviews are required for admission and are given by invitation only. This will be conducted by an admissions committee member and can be taken virtually on campus. Applicants who are not offered a seat in the deferred program are encouraged to apply again later for a full-time MBA. There is no concept of “re-applicant” for a deferred MBA.

3) Eligibility for Columbia Deferred MBA Program

  • If you graduate from a bachelor's degree program during the current academic year. If you graduate between September 1, 2022, and August 31, 2023, you can apply for the 2023 Deferred Enrollment Program admissions cycle. 

  • If you are completing a graduate degree program. Sometimes candidates must have started the graduate degree program immediately after completing their bachelor’s degree to be eligible for the Deferred Enrollment Program.

  • If you have enrolled in Ph.D. programs, medical or law school is not eligible. You must apply through the standard MBA or EMBA application process. 

4) Application Requirement

  • Online application form

  • Academic official transcript

  • Standardized test scores (GMAT, Executive Assessment, or GRE)

  • Current resume

  • One letter of recommendation from a professor, mentor, internship supervisor, or employer. They ask recommenders to consider the following when writing their recommendation (recommended limit - 1000 words):

A. Please share how you feel the applicant will contribute to the Columbia Business School classroom and community.

  • Two short answer questions

A. Why are you interested in obtaining a Columbia MBA in the future? (maximum 300 words)

B. Who is a leader you admire, and why? (maximum 300 words)

5) Fees and Deposits

  • No application fee for those students enrolled in an undergraduate or eligible graduate-level program. 

  • Once a student is admitted, they must submit a $500 non-refundable deposit two weeks after admission. 

  • Subsequent deferral continuation fees will be due each year that you defer. 

  • The year you decide to enroll, you will also be required to submit evidence of your work experience during the deferral period and submit deposits for your entry point.

6) Deadlines

  • The Deferred Enrollment application will open in November 2022, and the deadline is April 15, 2023.

  • The review process for completed application will begin after April 15, 2023,

  • Interview invitations will be sent on or before May 15, 2023,

  • Final decisions will be released on a rolling basis and within two weeks of your interview being conducted. A $500 deposit is due within two weeks of your admission date.

7) Class Profile

Admitted 235
GMAT Range 530-780
GPA Range 3.3 - 4.18
Number of Schools Represented 92
Number of Countries Represented 24

8) Fellowships and Scholarships

Once you send your letter of intent to start the MBA program, you will be considered for merit-based fellowships and be able to apply for need-based scholarships. 

US-Based Scholarships

  1. https://www.hbs.edu/mba/financial-aid/tuition-assistance/Pages/default.aspx

  2. https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/programs/mba/tuition-financial-aid 

If you want to book a seat at Columbia Deferred MBA, you must pull up your socks and deep dive into the overall development of your personality and build skills that are likely to enhance your leadership skills, social impact, innovation, etc. If you want to know some success stories and talk to an expert or alums who have been through this journey and want great insights, then we have something for you. 

We have organized a coffee chat with alums and the admissions team of top B-Schools that will prove to be a hallmark for you to learn the strategies we employ to facilitate our applicants in acing their MBA. In addition, this will be a golden opportunity for you to discuss your doubts with an expert and listen to other candidates to know more about your surroundings. 


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