Deferred Admission Common Questions

What is the difference between the MIT Sloan MBA Early Admission and the traditional MBA Program?
The difference between the MBA Early Admission and the traditional MBA Program at MIT Sloan is that MIT Early Admission applicants will apply between 2-5 years before they intend to begin their MBA. Both applications lead to the same program; the Early Application allows for a deferral period, where traditional MBA applicants will join the MBA class the fall after admission.

What is the process to join the class after 2-5 years?
MBA Early applicants are required to check in with us each year of their deferral to indicate whether or not they plan to matriculate or defer for another year. Once you have indicated on the Yearly Check-In that you are ready to begin the program, you will schedule a pre-matriculation phone call with a member of the admissions team. During the phone call, we will discuss your MBA readiness. If you are approved to matriculate the following year by Admissions, you will be prompted to submit a brief Update Application form by December 1, 2024. We cannot guarantee enrollment in the upcoming MBA class if your application is submitted after the December deadline.

Is my seat in a future class confirmed?
If you are admitted to MBA Early, you will be required to pay an annual $750 deposit to reserve your seat in a future class. The annual deposit is non-refundable but will be applied to your tuition in the year you matriculate. In the year you matriculate, and officially join an MBA Class, you will be required to pay the same seat deposit as other incoming MBAs that year. More details will be shared during the pre-matriculation process.

When I come to MIT Sloan, will I be part of a separate program?
Nope! MBA Early Admission is simply an alternate application process for students who are interested in pursuing the MIT Sloan MBA program after a deferral period. It is not a separate program. During your deferral period, you will have many opportunities to get to know fellow MBA Early admits, and once you matriculate, you will be seamlessly integrated into that year’s traditional MBA cohort.

How do I know if I am eligible to apply through MBA Early Admission?
You can apply for deferred admission if you are a current undergraduate or graduate student and meet the following criteria:

You are an undergraduate student who:

• Is in your final year of undergraduate studies; and 
• Will graduate between August 2024 and September 2025; and
• Will not enroll in an MD, JD, or PhD program immediately after completing an undergraduate program; and 
• Have not had any prior full-time work experience except for internships or co-op experiences 

OR you are a graduate student who :

• Is in your final year of a graduate program; and 
• Will graduate between August 2024 and September 2025; and
• Started graduate school immediately after obtaining their undergraduate degree; and 
• Have not had any prior full-time work experience except for internships or co-op experiences; or
• Are currently enrolled in their final semester of either the MIT Sloan MFin or MBAn program

If you do not fit the above criteria, you should follow these instructions to apply for the MBA program.

Do I need work experience to apply?
No. In fact, MBA Early Admission is designed for applicants who are just embarking on their professional careers. As such, to be eligible to apply through the MIT Sloan MBA Early Admission process, applicants cannot have full-time work experience. Internships, co-ops, and other short-term professional experiences are acceptable. See the MBA Early eligibility requirements above.

Does having part-time work experience make you ineligible?
No. Working part-time while fully enrolled as a student is fine.

What does the Admissions Committee look for in an applicant?
Our admissions committee is looking for accomplished, well-rounded individuals who aspire to earn an MBA at MIT Sloan. Some of the qualities we’re looking for are:

• Thoughtful leadership with the ability to inspire others 
• A collaborative spirit and focus on community
• Exceptional intellectual abilities, intellectual curiosity, and analytical strength 
• Creativity to generate new solutions to existing challenges, with determination to put their stamp on the world

Is the program binding?
Accepting your offer through MBA Early Admission is not binding. We understand the possibility of AdMITs wanting to pursue other opportunities academically or professionally. We have an annual update process (we call it a “Yearly Check-In”) that asks AdMITs to keep us informed of their decision to remain in the MBA Early cohort. If an AdMIT decides to pursue other opportunities, they can simply share that decision with us and be withdrawn from their deferred status.

MBA Early AdMITs are required to submit an annual $750 deposit which is non-refundable but will be applied to their future tuition.

Are there specific types of work experience that will make me a more desirable candidate?
Rather than focus on specific categories of work experiences, applicants should focus on their roles, responsibilities, and what they have learned from the types of work experiences that they have been involved in. The admissions committee will look at the scope and depth of the applicant's work experience when evaluating the applicant's preparations ahead of joining our MBA program.

If I apply through the MBA Early process and I'm not admitted, will it negatively affect my chances of acceptance to MIT Sloan in the future?
No. As an MBA Early applicant, you have limited experiences from which we can evaluate your candidacy so not all applicants are successful in gaining admission through the Early process. We strongly encourage MBA Early applicants who are unsuccessful to apply directly to the MBA program after they’ve gained full-time professional experience.

Would I need to decide whether I will work for 2, 3, 4, or 5 years when I apply? Or when I am admitted?
You will have some flexibility with this decision. Once you are admitted, we’ll ask you to submit the Yearly Check-In form each August. This allows you the ability to adjust your expected matriculation date yearly, giving you the flexibility to take advantage of opportunities that may come your way! After two years of full-time work, you will be eligible to matriculate. That being said, most AdMITs decide to work longer (4 or 5 years) before starting the MBA program! Check out the MBA Early Class profile to see the average work experience of our incoming cohort.

Do I need an undergraduate degree in a specific major to apply? Does MIT Sloan prefer students who have more quantitative background, due to MIT’s strength in that area?
We’re looking for people from a variety of backgrounds, whether it’s in business, STEM, or the liberal arts. All have something to offer. With that said, we do want to ensure you’re ready for the rigorous curriculum, particularly from a quantitative aspect. You can demonstrate this through quantitative courses you’ve taken, your GMAT/GRE scores, or quantitative work in your internships.

I have a three-year bachelor's degree from outside of the U.S. Am I eligible to apply?
Yes. Candidates with a three-year bachelor’s degree from outside of the U.S. may apply.

Can you tell me my chances of being admitted given my academic and professional background?
The admissions process at MIT Sloan does not include a pre-screening of resumes. (Our admissions team doesn’t have the capacity to do this for every applicant!) However, it may be helpful to look at our MBA Early Class profile to get a sense of the backgrounds of our current students.

How important are extracurricular activities?
We are interested in learning about what is important to you and how you spend your time. You might consider mentioning extracurriculars in your resume, cover letter, and/or in your video.

Is there an application fee?
There is no fee to apply for MBA Early Admission.

If I am admitted, will I have to pay a deposit?
Yes. To accept your offer, you will pay a $750 deposit at the time of admission to secure your spot in our MBA Early cohort. Additionally, MBA Early admits will submit an annual $750 deposit in each subsequent deferral year. All deposits are non-refundable but will be applied to your future tuition.

Is an interview required?
Yes. After the application deadline, we review all applications and invite a subset of applicants to have a one-on-one interview with a member of our team.

What is the format of the interview?
If you are invited to interview, you will meet one-on-one with a member of the Admissions Committee. We conduct behavioral interviews in which we’ll ask you to provide specific examples of your personal and professional behavior, such as how you persuade others, work as part of a team, and solve problems. Your interview will last about 30 minutes. All interviews will be conducted virtually.

What are you looking for when interviewing candidates?
Our goal with the interview is to get to know you better! We look forward to hearing specific examples of how you have built relationships and demonstrated leadership. This will help understand the strengths you’ll bring to the MIT Sloan community. Additionally, we look for professional presentation and communication, as well as English language proficiency.

Do I need to convert my GPA? What if I did my undergraduate studies outside of the U.S.?
You do not need to convert your GPA for the online application. Simply enter in the grading system used by your school. We are familiar with the various grading systems and can evaluate it on our end. No need to try to translate an international GPA into a U.S. one.

My university does not provide a cumulative GPA. What should I do?
If your university does not provide a cumulative GPA, please calculate your GPA to the best of your ability, and include an explanation for how you calculated it in the text box provided. Please include all courses that counted towards your degree and factor in the number of credits and grades for each class. Please note that the system does not accept letter grades or integers less than 1.

If my university does not provide class rank, what should I do?
Many schools do not provide a class ranking system, so you can leave this blank.

Do I need to mail in copies of my transcripts?
As part of the application, you are required to scan and upload a legible copy of your current transcript(s) from all colleges and universities you attended or are currently attending.

If admitted, you will receive further instructions on submitting your final official signed and sealed transcript from all schools attended. Later, when you decide to matriculate, we will ask you to submit your official transcript(s). Any discrepancies between the scanned transcripts and official transcripts may result in a rejection or a withdrawal of our offer of admission.

If my transcript is not in English, should I get it translated?
Yes! You are required to upload both the original transcript and a certified translation into English. We accept translations issued by an institution or professional translating service, such as World Education Services (WES).

Do you require GMAT/GRE scores?
Standardized tests, specifically the GMAT (Focus Edition and 10th Edition) and GRE are a critical component of the application and play an important role in our holistic evaluation process. The MIT Sloan Admissions Committee expects that you will submit a GMAT (Focus Edition and 10th Edition) or GRE score to be reviewed as part of your application. Both the remote and in-person versions of these exams are accepted with no preference. If your current situation prevents you from being able to submit a test score, you may request a test waiver explaining the situation; the Admissions Committee will take your request under advisement and let you know if the waiver has been approved. If the waiver is approved, and you are later admitted, the Admissions Committee reserves the right to offer conditional admission such as but not limited to receiving a certain score on the GMAT (Focus Edition) or GRE or taking a supplemental class. The test waiver request form is not intended to be a Statement of Academic Readiness and should focus only on the circumstances surrounding your inability to take a GMAT or GRE.

I am an MIT Senior, do I need to take the GMAT or GRE to apply for MBA Early?
If you are an MIT Senior with a 4.2 GPA or higher, you will be able to submit the application without the test score requirement.

Is there a minimum acceptable GMAT/GRE score?
MIT Sloan does not require a minimum test score. View our MBA Early Class profile to see the average GMAT and GRE scores of our current students.

Do you prefer the GMAT or the GRE?
We have no preference between the two exams, and you are welcome to submit either exam. We also accept both in-person and online GMAT (Focus Edition and 10th Edition) and GRE scores.

What is MIT Sloan’s code for the GMAT?
Please enter Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - MIT Sloan School of Management

Can you confirm receipt of my GMAT score?
We cannot confirm receipt of your GMAT score. Please check with ETS to confirm that you have designated Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - MIT Sloan School of Management to receive your score.

What is MIT Sloan’s code for the GRE?
The School’s code for the GRE is 3791 when applying to the MBA program.

Where can I get more information on the GMAT?
You may visit MBA.com for more information on the GMAT, including sample questions and information on test registration.

Where can I get more information on the GRE?
You may visit GRE.com for more information on the GRE as well as test registration information.

If I have taken both the GMAT and the GRE, can I submit both scores? What if I took the GMAT or the GRE several times? Do you receive each score?
Yes, you can submit multiple scores. We only require you to submit one (your highest test score), so we don't necessarily look at how many times you have tested or how many different types of tests you took unless you report them in the application. If you have taken the exam several times, we do not view this negatively!

Do I have to send you the official GMAT/GRE score report now? Or, must it be sent upon admission?
We require that the self-reported GMAT (Focus Edition and 10th Edition) /GRE test scores be sent to us by the application deadline. We understand that sometimes it takes 1-2 weeks for the test centers to release the scores. Therefore, it is acceptable if we receive the scores shortly after the application deadline.

Is the TOEFL or IELTS required to apply?
No, we do not require that MBA Early applicants take the TOEFL, IELTS, or any other English proficiency test.

What is the Admissions Committee looking for in the recommendation letters?
For MBA Early Admission, we require two letters of recommendation. Ideally, one letter is from a professional source (like your manager from a recent internship) and the other letter is from an academic source (like a professor who knows you well). In both letters, we are looking for substantive examples of your abilities and strengths, compared to your peers.

Does MIT Sloan accept peer recommendations from either current MIT Sloan students or alumni?
We do not recommend using MIT Sloan students or alumni as your official recommenders, unless they can speak to your academic or professional abilities and achievements (i.e., your professor or direct supervisor is an MIT Sloan alum).

Can I submit two letters of recommendation from the same source, either academic or professional?
We ask for two letters of recommendation, one from a professional source and the other from an academic source so we can have a well-rounded view of all your experiences. Ultimately, the choice of who to ask for a recommendation is your own.

How important are extracurricular activities to the Admissions Committee?
We’re interested in learning about what is important to you and how you spend your time, whether it’s related to work or not. Please feel free to include details of your relevant extracurricular activities and hobbies on your resume and/or in your video.

Should I include only professional experience in my cover letter...or is it okay to also include some personal interests to paint a more complete picture of myself?
Please include whatever best highlights who you are. If that’s a mix of professional and personal examples, then go for it!

You want me to introduce myself to my future classmates in my video question 1. What is the Admissions Committee looking for in this video?
We’re simply hoping to get to know you better. Just be authentic. Introduce yourself to your future classmates as if you are meeting them for the first time. Make sure you record your video in a single take (no editing), with you speaking directly into the camera. And remember, it should last no more than one minute (60 seconds). Keep the focus on you, so please avoid using background music and subtitles. We’re looking forward to seeing and hearing the real you.  

Can I apply for dual degrees as part of MBA Early Admission?
You can definitely pursue a dual degree, but you will need to apply in the year that you plan to matriculate. As an MBA Early admit you will be asked in August each year if you are eligible to matriculate and whether you wish to do so. During that year you will complete the elements of the application directly through the dual partners' website (LGO, HKS, DUSP) to gain admission to that program.

Is there a list of approved or recommended companies to work for during the required pre-MBA work experience?
No. Admitted students have the flexibility to explore career options in a multitude of industries, from traditional companies to startups as long as their positions help develop their personal and professional skills.

What is the best way to stay connected with MIT Sloan throughout the deferral period?
If admitted, you will gain access to our online AdMIT portal for Early adMITs and a Slack channel. We will share invitations to special virtual events and regional in-person networking events for our Early AdMIT cohort there.

How do I know when it’s the right time to come back and when will I be eligible?
To be eligible to matriculate, you must have completed 24 months of work experience within your deferment period. It is your choice if you would like to matriculate after 2 years or after 3, 4, or 5 - this time frame looks different for everyone! Each year, in your Yearly Check-In, you will indicate to us whether you would like to defer for another year or if you are ready to join the class. Once you have indicated on the Yearly Check-In that you are ready to begin the program, you will schedule a pre-matriculation phone call with admissions. During the phone call, we will discuss your MBA readiness. During that conversation, we will decide whether enrolling that year may or may not be the appropriate next step based on your work experience.  After your call with a member of the admissions team, if you are approved to matriculate the following year, you will be prompted to submit a brief Update Application form due by early December 1, 2024.

What should I do during my deferral period?
We would like you to utilize this period to engage in meaningful full-time work experiences. Having work experience can help leverage the opportunities at MIT Sloan. Students who already have a framework of experience against which to apply their education, and who understand workplace issues, generally get more out of the program and contribute more to classroom discussions and team projects. Although students have an average of 5 years of work experience, use your own judgment in deciding the best time for you to pursue an MBA. 

Please note while we will look at your internship experiences during this time, it is not considered full-time employment.

Does it matter if my goals shift in the 2-5 years before beginning my MBA?
Not at all! As you gain more work and life experience, we expect your goals to shift slightly or significantly. Understanding how an MBA might be valuable to your career is great, but we don’t explicitly ask for your post-MBA goals in the application. Many people begin an MBA program with one goal and graduate intending to pursue something else.

Are there scholarships available for MBA Early applicants?
Yes! You will be automatically considered for a merit-based fellowship in the year that you choose to matriculate. Our Admissions Committee will evaluate all applicants and award fellowships to exceptional students who have shown academic excellence, professional achievements, and potential to enhance the MIT Sloan community.

When would I be notified if I am awarded a fellowship?
After submitting your Updated Application in the year that you hope to matriculate, you will receive your official AdMIT package with the Round 1 MBA AdMITs (typically mid-December) which will also include any awarded fellowship.

Are international students eligible for fellowships?
Yes, all incoming students are eligible to receive a merit-based fellowship.

What support systems exist for admits who need financial aid?
The MIT Sloan Student Funding Office will share additional information about financial aid options and timelines the year before you matriculate. During that year, you will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with a member of the Student Funding Team to discuss your specific situation and learn more about options that are available to you.