By Aayana Anand
Last July, I first became aware of the world of deferred MBAs: an opportunity to apply for your
MBA in your senior year of college, securing a place in a program years down the road. Being
accepted to such a program would allow one to gain work experience, perhaps even take risks
in their work during this time, with the insurance of a seat in a top MBA program for whenever
they were ready to matriculate. As someone who’s always seen an MBA as part of their
long-term career vision, I saw this as the perfect opportunity for me to be proactive and take
control of my future. With this being said, committing to this process meant leaving behind the
vision I once had of my senior year, one with less stress and fewer commitments outside my last
few academic requirements. Furthermore, it meant signing up for the dreaded GMAT Focus
Exam.
Just one week after first learning what a deferred MBA was, I decided to take the leap and sign
up for my first GMAT preparatory course. My routine became rigid: After working at my
internship from 9AM-5PM, I would sit in live GMAT class from 7PM-9:30PM, and the rest of my
freetime was spent completing homework for class itself. I carried this into my fall semester,
struggling to manage my GMAT preparation alongside my college coursework and
extracurriculars. Still, I persisted, reminding myself to “Expect Challenges.” I iteratively modified
my study schedule to fit around the needs of my other commitments, making sure that I was still
prioritizing good grades and leadership positions on campus. Ultimately, I wrote my first exam at
the top of the year.
It was around this time that I was also able to apply for a grant from the BLI. This generous
$1,500 award, which covered the entire cost of my summer prep, enabled me to seek even
more resources in the winter semester, considering that I had virtually spent none of my own
money. I continued to pay for a course that allowed me to continue studying until my final test
date in March. In this second round of prep, I had to remember the habit of “Start Where You
Are.” Now that I had a semester under my belt learning the fundamentals, I needed to
differentiate my topical strengths from weaknesses, honing in on chapters and problem types I
struggled with across all three sections of the exam.
Since the start of this process, I have gotten halfway to my goal score. With application due
dates coming up, I have been able to utilize options like test waivers to still demonstrate
quantitative aptitude to admissions committees. I’ve submitted half of my applications and even
begun receiving interview notifications! Even if I am able to gain acceptance to a program, I aim
to continue this prep and build on the momentum I’ve generated thus far. The BLI’s financial
assistance has made this entire trajectory much easier for me. Even though this hasn’t been the
“chill” senior year I’d originally hoped for, having the financial relief from this grant has given me
peace of mind. Success or fail, I’d like to thank, once again, the Grants and Funding Team for
helping me achieve my goals.
