Rice / Jones MBA News
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The Week Ahead: Round 2 MBA Decisions, March 10-14, 2025
Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week! Round Two continues. Final decisions for Round 2 are now rolling out. Monday, March 10, Rice Business is scheduled to start releasing its Round 2 decisions. Wednesday, March 12, UVA / Darden and Emory / Goizueta are scheduled to release their Round 2 decisions. Thursday, March 13, Dartmouth / Tuck is scheduled to release its Round 2 decisions. Friday, March 14, Duke / Fuqua, Michigan / Ross, Vanderbilt / Owen, Notre Dame / Mendoza and Georgia
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Real Numbers of MBA Admissions: Average GRE Scores by Top U.S. Business Schools
Average GRE scores by business school can provide applicants with a sense of the rigor of the MBA program, expectations of the adcom and general competitiveness of the applicant pool. While the GMAT used to be the only accepted admissions exam at leading MBA programs, many have opened up to other options, including the GRE. Starting in September 2023, the GRE consists of a 30-minute Analytical Writing section, which includes one essay. An additional Verbal Reasoning section features two sections with 18 minutes allowed for 12 questions and 23 minutes allowed for 15 questions, respectively. Another two
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Published: February 26, 2025
Real Numbers of MBA Admissions: Average GMAT Scores at Top U.S. MBA Programs
See where your GMAT score lands among the top U.S. MBA programs, as we report the average GMAT scores in the chart below. If you have yet to take the GMAT, you can also get a sense of what score you need to target. Business school admissions use the GMAT score as a sign of applicants’ academic abilities and a high score can help you stand out in admissions. Also, average GMAT scores play a role in schools’ rankings. If you completed the GMAT Focus edition, with a score ending in 5, please refer to Coming
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Published: February 24, 2025
Real Numbers of MBA Admissions: International Student Statistics
International students statistics can showcase an element of diversity at leading business schools. In the chart below, see the percentage of international students at U.S. business schools. U.S. School % International ASU W.P. Carey School of Business 48% Babson College Olin 85% Boston College Carroll School of Management 24% BYU Marriott School of Business 32%* Carnegie Mellon University Tepper School of Business 39% Columbia Business School 46% Cornell University SC Johnson Graduate School of Management 35% Dartmouth College Tuck School of Business 30% Duke University Fuqua School of Business 41% Emory University Goizueta School of Business 45%
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Published: February 22, 2025
An MBA for Business Owners: The Whats and The Whys
Entrepreneurs have made somewhat of a disruptive name for themselves. Their career paths tend to exist outside of the realms of institutions and convention, and many are famous for lacking degrees or formal education. There are, however, some true benefits to business owners to be found in an MBA or in a Masters in Entrepreneurship. In fact, many MBAs hope to become entrepreneurs one day, and some start businesses right after graduating. Why Might Business Owners Consider an MBA or a Specialized Masters in Entrepreneurship? There are a number
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Published: February 17, 2025
The Financial Times 2025 Global MBA Ranking
The Financial Times (FT) Global MBA ranking for 2025 is out–and we take a closer look at where the top 100 programs landed. To start, here is a quick look at the top 10 of The Financial Times 2025 Global MBA rankings (2024 positions are in parentheses): Ranking School 1 The Wharton School (1) 2 Columbia Business School (3 tie) 3 Iese Business School (5) 4 (tie) INSEAD (2) 4 (tie) SDA Bocconi (3 tie) 6 MIT Sloan School of Management (6 tie) 7 London Business School (8)
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Published: February 12, 2025
Real Numbers of MBA Admissions: Percentage of U.S. Minorities at Top U.S. Business Schools
The percentage of U.S. minorities at top U.S. business schools can provide a sense of the diversity you will find in your MBA program. Business school students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and self-identify as African American or Black, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian American, Hispanic American or Latinx, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, or those who are multiracial or multiethnic are considered a minority. See the percentage of minorities as reported by top business schools in the chart below. U.S. School % U.S. Minorities ASU W.P. Carey School of Business 41% Boston College
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Published: February 10, 2025
Real Numbers of MBA Admissions: Percentage of Women MBA Students
Over the past decade, the percentage of women MBA students has been on the rise across leading business schools. USC Marshall was the first leading business school to achieve gender parity while others have achieved or continue to strive for that benchmark. The Forté Foundation has also consistently reported that women have been gaining or holding their ground on b-school campuses–and, in both 2023 and 2024, reported record highs. Look at the chart below to see the percentage of women MBA students at leading business schools
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Published: February 3, 2025
Real Numbers of MBA Admissions: Cost of MBA Programs in the U.S.
In this edition of Real Numbers of MBA Admissions, see the total cost of a full-time MBA per year at U.S. schools. Tuition comprises most of the cost of each program. Other factors, including room and board, program fees, books and supplies, health insurance, transportation and other expenses, have been added to provide the total cost of an MBA in the U.S. by year. Most business schools provide a breakdown of the expenses, which are posted under the financial aid or admissions section of their websites. Schools also typically take the total cost of attendance into account
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Published: January 29, 2025
Real Numbers of MBA Admissions: Class Size of Top U.S. MBA Programs
Business schools come in all shapes and sizes and the class size of top MBA programs can be a factor in considering fit. From networking to a tight-knit culture to campus opportunities, class size can reveal much about an MBA program. No matter which program you choose, the top MBA programs strive to ensure relationship building during full-time b-school life. Some larger programs, such as Harvard Business School and CBS, mainly break the student body down into cohorts/sections/clusters of dozens of students. Other U.S. business schools, like Wharton, also have Learning Teams, groups of 5-6 students who
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Published: January 20, 2025
U.S. News 2025 Online MBA Rankings: Indiana University–Bloomington Keeps Top Spot
U.S. News & World Report has released its 2025 Best Online Programs rankings, including online MBA programs. Once again, Indiana University’s Kelley Direct Online MBA program leads the online MBA ranking. Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper Online Hybrid MBA program and UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA@UNC Online MBA program traded places compared to last year, with the former moving from second to third and the latter moving from third to second. There is then a tie for fourth between the University of Washington Foster Hybrid MBA program and the
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Published: January 5, 2025
The Week Ahead: MBA Deadlines & INSEAD Decisions, January 6-10, 2025
Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week! Busy Week for Round 2 Deadlines! Many Round 2 application deadlines for top MBA programs are scheduled for this week. Monday, January 6, Harvard Business School, Dartmouth / Tuck, Michigan / Ross, UCLA Anderson, Emory / Goizueta, Georgetown / McDonough, CMU / Tepper and Rice Business have their Round 2 application deadlines. Cambridge / Judge has its Round 3 application deadline. Oxford / Saïd has its Stage 4 application deadline. Tuesday, January 7, Chicago / Booth,
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Published: December 19, 2024
GMAC Common Letter of Recommendation Analysis for MBA Applicants and Recommenders
Applying to business school entails a great deal of work for prospective students – and almost as much effort for the people writing their letters of recommendation. An effective MBA recommendation provides rich information about the candidate’s strengths, key accomplishments, and leadership abilities. It’s also important that a recommendation fully address every question that is asked by the admissions committee. So, when an applicant is targeting six schools that ask different questions across their recommendation forms, this can translate to a great deal of time and effort for already-busy recommenders. To alleviate some of this pressure,
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Published: December 12, 2024
A Guide to Test Waivers: Should You Request a Waiver for Submitting a GMAT or GRE Score?
It is no secret that standardized tests are not the part of the MBA application process that applicants most cherish. Some applicants simply aren’t good at standardized testing; others feel they do not have the time to invest in studying properly. With competition for applicants continuing to rise among schools, test waivers became a more prevalent option in b-school admissions. Whether you’re hesitant or excited about the GMAT or GRE, what are valid reasons to request a test waiver? Even if you have a valid reason, does it make sense to request a test waiver? In this piece, we take
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Published: December 8, 2024
The Week Ahead: Many MBA Decisions & Boston Carroll Deadline, December 9-13, 2024
Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week! Busy Decision Week Many final decisions are now being released. Monday, December 9, Rice / Jones is scheduled to release its Round 1 decisions. Tuesday, December 10, Boston College / Carroll has its Round 2 deadline. Harvard, UPenn / Wharton and Georgetown / McDonough are scheduled to release their Round 1 decisions. Wednesday, December 11, Northwestern / Kellogg, UVA / Darden, UNC / Kenan-Flagler and Johns Hopkins / Carey are scheduled to release their Round 1
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Published: November 13, 2024
Round 2 MBA Application Deadlines 2024-2025
To help you stay organized, we’ve compiled all of the Round 2 MBA application deadlines (and some Round 3 ones) all in one place. You’ll find links to our corresponding Essay Topic Analysis in the “Essay Analysis” column. School Deadline Decision Essay Analysis Application Live? INSEAD (R2 August Intake) 11/5/2024 1/10/2025 Yes Yes Michigan State Broad 11/15/2024 1/31/2025 Yes Yes Minnesota Carlson 12/1/2024 2/1/2025 Yes Yes Indian School of Business
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Published: October 13, 2024
The Week Ahead: MBA Admissions, October 14-18, 2024
Welcome back to the series, The Week Ahead, in which we provide a brief rundown of what is happening in MBA admissions this week! Late Round 1 Deadlines & More Monday, October 14, Rice Business has its Round 1 application deadline. Tuesday, October 15, The Consortium has its Early Application round deadline. Texas / McCombs, Arizona / Carey, Boston College / Carroll, Indiana / Kelley, Notre Dame / Mendoza and Florida / Warrington have their Round 1 application deadlines. Wednesday, October 16, NYU / Stern has its Round 2 application deadline. Friday, October 18, Imperial College is scheduled to release
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Published: September 11, 2024
Real Humans of the Rice Business MBA Class of 2026
We are excited to kick off our Real Humans: MBA Students series for students matriculating in the Fall of 2024; as we meet new MBA students studying around the world, our first stop is Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business (Rice Business). 158 students joined the Rice Business MBA Class of 2026. Thirty-nine percent are women and 37 percent are international students. U.S. underrepresented minorities make up 28 percent of the new class. During their undergraduate years, the class averaged a GPA of 3.46. Twenty-three percent of the new students were first-generation college
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Published: September 9, 2024
Admissions Director Q&A: Coni Zingarelli of Rice Business
In this installment of our Admissions Director Q&A series, we welcome back Coni Zingarelli, the executive director of recruiting, admissions and student financial services at Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University (Rice Business). Previously, Coni served in roles with Temple University’s Fox School of Business and University of California Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business. She is passionate about helping students find the right graduate program to further their personal and professional aspirations. Coni spent the first 12 years of her career in the hospitality industry working in
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Published: August 14, 2024
MBA Degrees & Majors with a STEM Designation
The past few years have seen a surge in business schools that run MBA programs with a STEM designation. MBAs, that is, that are now classified as a science, technology, engineering or mathematics degree. The new STEM MBA designation is promising students a multitude of new opportunities – but what is it, really? Read on to find out what a STEM MBA is, which schools offer it, and what this all might mean for you. What Is a STEM MBA? The structure of a STEM MBA is relatively simple. The foundational knowledge and core concepts of
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Published: August 8, 2024
Weekly Refresh: Latest MBA Essay Questions, Analyzed – Plus Deadlines & Rec Forms
It’s time for another Weekly Refresh, in which we list this week’s admissions advice and updates on the Clear Admit site. Essay Tips Drafting your application essays? See the latest of our experts’ advice in our Essay Topic Analysis. The following schools recently released their essays—click for our advice: Rice Business UNC Kenan-Flagler Deadlines Released See the admissions deadlines that have rolled out: Carnegie Mellon Tepper UCI Merage UNC Kenan-Flagler You can also bookmark our deadlines page for reference. Recommendation Questions Let your recommenders know, the following MBA
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Early & Round 1 MBA Deadlines 2024-2025
To help you stay organized, we’ve compiled a chart of the earliest deadlines, including Early Action and Round 1, of the top business schools in one place. For schools that have announced their essay topic(s), you’ll find links to our corresponding Essay Topic Analysis in the “Essay(s) Released” column. We will continue to update this table as more Round 1 MBA deadlines and essay topics are announced. Deadlines are for Round 1 (unless otherwise noted). Last updated: August 19, 2024 School Deadline Decision Essay(s) Released? Application Live? Cambridge / Judge 8/27/2024 Yes
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Weekly Refresh: Latest MBA Essay Questions, Analyzed – Plus Deadlines & Rec Forms
We are back with another Weekly Refresh, a roundup of admissions advice and updates on the Clear Admit site, as we prepare for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle. Essay Tips Drafting your application essays? See the latest of our experts’ advice in our Essay Topic Analysis. The following schools recently released their essays—click for our advice: Georgetown McDonough Indiana Kelley Johns Hopkins Carey MIT Sloan Stanford GSB Washington Foster Deadlines Released See the admissions deadlines that have rolled out: Georgetown McDonough Johns Hopkins Carey
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GMAC Common Letter of Recommendation Analysis for MBA Applicants and Recommenders
Applying to business school entails a great deal of work for prospective students – and almost as much effort for the people writing their letters of recommendation. An effective MBA recommendation provides rich information about the candidate’s strengths, key accomplishments, and leadership abilities. It’s also important that a recommendation fully address every question that is asked by the admissions committee. So, when an applicant is targeting six schools that ask different questions across their recommendation forms, this can translate to a great deal of time and effort for already-busy recommenders. To alleviate some of this pressure,
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The Consortium Expands to 25 Member Schools
The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in graduate business education and American business, recently expanded to 25 member schools. The Consortium partners with top-ranked MBA programs across the U.S. to increase the representation of underrepresented minorities in business education and corporate leadership. Following the addition of Duke Fuqua earlier this year, Chicago Booth was subsequently selected to become its 25th member school. A Long History at Fuqua In its announcement of the nomination of Duke Fuqua,
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