HBS’s 2+2 deferred MBA program (also called X +
2 by Dee Leopold who runs it) is one of the most prestigious programs sought
out by college seniors around the world. Admits to this program have to work
for at least 2 years (some choose to work for 3-4 years at the school’s
discretion) before starting in the HBS full time MBA program.
During my engagements and interactions with
some of the brightest clients from India (read IITs, NITs, St. Stephens Delhi, St.
Xaviers Mumbai and Kolkata etc.), I found more and more college seniors (final
year students) considering a deferred MBA option, especially from global B
schools. This is not difficult to understand. A deferred MBA has many
advantages. Click here
to learn more.
The HBS adcom describes desirable applicants as
– “Innovative thinkers who have demonstrated leadership and analytical skills
and want to develop their knowledge and passion to make a difference in the
world”. The topic at hand however is – how can an applicant from the uber
competitive Indian applicant pool secure an admit in the HBS 2+2 or similar
elite deferred programs from Stanford GSB, U.Penn Wharton etc. Like the HBS
full time program, the 2+2 program is also extremely competitive – admit rates have
ranged from 9-12% over last 3 years (approximately 100-120 admits out of 1200
applicants). Let’s dig in:
First, let’s understand why the program came
into being. HBS, being the pre-eminent brand in business education, wanted to
appeal to the non-traditional, non-business undergraduates (read STEM grads).
By providing a deferred MBA to college seniors, HBS wanted to ‘develop’ a new
segment where non-business students would start considering a management career
(for which MBA has been already established as a preferred degree). So while
the FT HBS MBA has 35-40% STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)
education representation, the HBS 2+2 has more than 50% STEM grads (2023 class
had 57% STEM students). So, if you’re
a STEM grad, you fall in their preferred
profile.
Second, the entering 2023 class of HBS 2+2 has
43% women same as FT MBA. While the traditional FT HBS MBA has 30-35%
international students, the 2+2 has only 15-20%. Combine the two and you find
that being an international female candidate puts you in a sweet spot for
consideration.
Third, average GPA of a 2+2 admit in the 2023
class was 3.79/4.0. So, you’ve got to have an impressive academic record. While
in a traditional MBA a rapid career progress can present a different and
attractive data point to the adcom, the adcom weighs academics much more for
2+2 since they don’t have any professional experience to consider.
Fourth, the average GMAT and GRE scores for a
2+2 admit is similar to that for a FT MBA admit. Average GMAT is 730 (Q48, V41),
GRE (Q 163, V 163). Clearly, one has to score high to impress the adcom.
Fifth – a stellar profile! While point 3 and 4
above will demonstrate your capability to academically thrive in the rigorous
HBS MBA, they almost appear like the ‘entry price for consideration’. Once you
have these in control, how can you stand out? HBS looks for candidates who have
a Habit for Leadership, Analytical Aptitude and Appetite and Engaged Community
Citizenships. It’s time to ensure those high profile internships where you made
an impact, leadership positions on or off campus and evidence of mastery of
quantitative/analytical concepts is demonstrated
Sixth, your letters of recommendation – your
recommenders should not only recommend but almost lobby for you. In addition, only
praising the candidate will not do – they’ll have to provide specific instances
of impact by the candidate accompanied by key competencies observed such as
leadership etc. Quantitative comparison of how high they rate you within the
larger pool they’ve managed along with supporting rationale would help your
case tremendously.
Seventh, maturity. The school expects a 2+2
candidate to demonstrate maturity that defies years. How you’ve faced
challenges in the past, how you’ve reacted to criticism and how you’ve been
able to influence detractors to your ideas and ensure progress and impact will
be key.
Eight, super impressive achievements. Many
applicants view the application like a checklist; good internship - check; high
test score – check; volunteering experience – check! What they forget is asking
themselves – how easy is it to secure the achievement or position they’ve
mentioned? What truly impresses a HBS or top school adcom is the level of
competition involved in an achievement – Fulbright scholarships, Rhodes
scholarships, an internship with Google self driving car project, MBB
internships – Yes! Other way to think is you don’t want to communicate to the
HBS adcom that your 2+2 application is the first time you’re really competing
with a top class pool.
Leopold views the 2 years prior to HBS as an
incredible opportunity to do new, amazing and wonderful things. You should be able
to articulate your plans for those years very well. May be it’s working in a
new culture, maybe it’s trying out something out of your comfort zone that will
provide you important skills. All-in-all, it’s a special process that’ll make
you introspect and teach you how to put your best foot forward.
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