For Undergrads Seeking An MBA
Vanderbilt offers graduating seniors a clear pathway to obtain their MBA through our deferred admissions programs. Graduating seniors who are U.S. citizens and seeking to enroll in an MBA program after gaining work experience can apply and be accepted into the Vanderbilt MBA program at the end of their senior year. After spending two to four years working in the private, public, or non-profit sector, admitted students come back to Vanderbilt and begin their MBA classes.
Graduating seniors outside of Vanderbilt who are U.S. citizens are invited to apply through our Pathway2MBA Program. Vanderbilt graduating seniors are invited to apply through our VU2MBA Program.
For Non-Vanderbilt Undergrads: Pathway2MBA
Learn More: Pathway2MBAFor Vanderbilt Undergrads: VU2MBA
Learn More: VU2MBABenefits of the Pathway2MBA Program
No Application Fee
Undergraduate students who apply to the Pathway2MBA Program will have the MBA application fee waived.
Get Ahead
Pathway2MBA gives undergraduate students the opportunity to prepare early for your MBA and graduate with confidence knowing what is ahead. Knowing that business school plans are set gives you freedom and flexibility to focus on your career instead of worrying about applications. The deferred admission process allows you to explore your career goals before returning to earn your MBA, strengthening your skill set and advancing your career.
Dedicated Support
You will benefit from personalized 1-on-1 support throughout the admissions process and as you prepare to start the program. Your dedicated Recruiting Manager will be there to guide you through the process as you build experience and prepare to begin your MBA.
Pathway2MBA Application Instructions
Pathway2MBA applications are accepted from graduating seniors who are U.S. citizens beginning in the spring of their senior year during Round 4 and Round 5.
When you begin your MBA application please select “Pathway2MBA” as your program type on the program information page. Then complete all components of the MBA application, which include:
- A submitted online application
- Academic transcripts
- Evaluative interview
- Letter of recommendation
- Official GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment (EA) score or approved test waiver
- Resume
- Video response
- Written statements
For a complete listing of application instructions, please view our MBA Application Requirements page.
Please note that the required written statements for the Pathway2MBA Program vary slightly than the required written essays detailed on the website. The Pathway2MBA Program written statements are detailed below.
- Statement 1: Please share what you hope to accomplish professionally before beginning your MBA at Vanderbilt. How does the MBA come into your plans and what are your short-term career goals after obtaining your MBA?
- Statement 2: Discuss a time when you made an impact or exhibited leadership. How has this experience equipped you to contribute to the Vanderbilt community?
- Statement 3: Reflect on a challenge or stressful situation you have faced. How did you respond to this challenge, and what did you learn about yourself through the process?
- Optional Explanatory Statement: You may provide an additional statement to explain anything that you think is important for the Admissions Committee to know about you that is not already addressed elsewhere in your application. Many applicants use this statement to explain significant gaps in full-time employment, lack of recommendation from a current supervisor, or subpar academic performance.
What do I need to know about enrolling?
- After graduation you must spend a minimum of two years (maximum four years) in a professional position in the public, private, or nonprofit sector.
- Avoid employment gaps other than typical 2 to 4-week transition times from graduation to work and between work and return to the Vanderbilt MBA program. Admissions staff will evaluate any extraordinary employment circumstances causing longer than a four week gap (e.g., company layoff or closure) on a case-by-case basis.
- If offered admission, you will be asked to submit a non-refundable deposit of $500 to secure your place in the program. In the year that you plan to matriculate, your application will be reviewed for scholarship, you will be issued an updated offer letter and you will be asked to submit an additional $2,000 deposit to secure your spot in the class. Admissions deposits are credited to your student account the year that you matriculate.
Benefits to the VU2MBA Program
No Application Fee
Undergraduate students who apply to the VU2MBA Program will have the MBA application fee waived.
Get Ahead
VU2MBA gives Vanderbilt undergraduate students the opportunity to prepare early for their MBA and graduate with confidence knowing what is ahead. Knowing that business school plans are set gives you freedom and flexibility to focus on your career instead of worrying about applications. The deferred admission process allows you to explore your career goals before returning to Vanderbilt to become a Double 'Dore.
Dedicated Support
You will benefit from personalized 1-on-1 support throughout the admissions process and as you prepare to start the program. Your dedicated Recruiting Manager will be there to guide you through the process as you build experience and prepare to begin your MBA.
VU2MBA Application Instructions
After graduation you must spend a minimum of two years (maximum four years) in a professional position in the public, private, or nonprofit sector. Avoid employment gaps other than typical 2 to 4-week transition times from graduation to work and between work and return to the Vanderbilt MBA program. Admissions staff will evaluate any extraordinary employment circumstances causing longer than a four week gap (e.g., company layoff or closure) on a case-by-case basis.
If offered admission, you will be asked to submit a non-refundable deposit of $500 to secure your place in the program. In the year that you plan to matriculate, your application will be reviewed for scholarship, you will be issued an updated offer letter and you will be asked to submit an additional $2,000 deposit to secure your spot in the class. Admissions deposits are credited to your student account the year that you matriculate.
The Recruiting and Admissions team streamlined the process and made every step, from essays to interviews, easy. By working with me one-on-one during the admissions process, the Recruiting and Admissions team demonstrated the personal nature that makes the Vanderbilt MBA unique.