Ross School of Business – University of Michigan

FAQ

What is the tuition for Ross’s MBA program?

The tuition for Ross’s MBA program is $66,048 for Michigan residents per year and $71,048 for non-Michigan residents per year. The total cost of the Ross MBA program is $91,054 per year for Michigan residents and $96,054 for non-Michigan residents; this includes budgeted living expenses.

How hard is it to get into Ross’s MBA program?

The acceptance rate for Ross is 35.9% It is important to consider the acceptance rate in the context of the student profile of those who are admitted. For example the average GMAT score is 710.

What is the average GMAT score for admission to Ross’s MBA program?

The average GMAT score for the incoming class at Ross is 710. The GMAT range is middle 80% 660 – 750.

Does the Ross MBA program accept the GRE?

Yes. The Ross MBA program has accepted the GRE for a few years now.

What is the average GRE score for admission to Ross’s MBA program?

The middle 80% GRE scores for the incoming class at Ross range from 153-167 for both Quant and Verbal.

What is the minimum number of years of work experience required for admission to Ross’s MBA program?

Ross does not state a minimum requirement for years of work experience. However, it is important for candidates to be aware that they are being considered against other candidates with an average of 5.3 years of experience.

What is the average number of years of work experience for admission to Ross’s MBA program? (or, What is the average age of a Ross student?)

The average number of years of work experience among students in Ross’s MBA program is 5.3.

What is the average starting salary for graduates of the Ross MBA program?

The average starting salary for Ross MBA graduates is $129,197. The salary will vary by industry, with consulting and finance jobs generally commanding the higher salaries.

How long is Ross’s full-time MBA program?

Ross offers a traditional 2 year MBA program.

What are the application deadlines for Ross’s MBA program?

The Round 1 MBA application deadline is September 14, 2020. The Round 2 application deadline is January 4, 2021. The Round 3 deadline is March 29, 2021. The Round 4 deadline is June 1, 2021.

What percent of Ross MBA students are women?

The percentage of the class at Ross that are women is 43%.

What type of interview does Ross use for MBA admissions?

Ross offers interviews by invitation. The interviews are resume-based. This means the interviewer has not had access to the application materials. Ross also offers an option team exercise, for invited interviewees.

VIDEOS

Admissions

The Class Profile

The average GMAT score among the 358 students in the Ross Class of 2022 was 710, with 80% of the class scoring between 660 and 750.  

The majority of the Class of 2022 came from quantitatively focused academic backgrounds; a full 42% of students have undergraduate degrees in business, while 35% entered with a degree in STEM fields (science, engineering, mathematics, or technology) and 23% in the humanities. Students in the Class of 2022 entered the MBA program with an average of 5.3 years of work experience. The class consists of 18% international students from 28 countries. Women constitute 43% of the Class of 2022, and 36% of the class identify as a U.S. students of color.

Application Procedures

Prospective students can apply to Ross in one of four admissions periods, which typically occur in mid-September, early January, late March, and early June. To be considered for admission to the MBA program, applicants must submit a current résumé, application form, essays, undergraduate and postgraduate transcripts, one letter of recommendation and a nonrefundable $200 application fee.  The admissions committee also requires that applicants submit GMAT or GRE scores and, if applicable, scores from the TOEFL or IELTS exams. Michigan Ross is offering candidates to the Full-Time MBA 2020-2021 application cycle the ability to request a waiver for the standardized test requirement. Candidates may apply to waive academic proficiency tests (GMAT, GRE) and English proficiency tests (TOEFL, IELTS, and PTE).

The school notes that participation in a “team exercise” held either on campus in Ann Arbor or at one of several international locations is highly recommended.  Interviews are required for admission to the program and are conducted on an invitation-only basis, typically by a member of the admissions staff or an alumnus.

Application Checklist

• Data Forms
• GMAT/GRE and TOEFL/IELTS Score(s)
• Résumé
• Application Fee
• Recommendation
• Academic transcripts
• Essays

Interview Reports

Michigan Ross Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Second-Year Student / Zoom

Interview was very casual and over Zoom. My 2Y student was very conversational, seemed interested in what I had to say, and was taking light notes while I was speaking and asked a couple follow ups after each question. Interview was broken up into 3 parts, which she explained the format of before we started. […]

Michigan Ross Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Second-Year Student / On-Campus

Out of all the schools I applied to, Ross by far had the most structured day and was the most well-coordinated, well-planned and immersive experience. I really appreciated this about Ross. Everything from the complimentary notebooks, breakfast spread, tight schedule and availability of adcom/students really made a very good impression on me. Check-in started early […]

Michigan Ross Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Second-Year Student / On-Campus

I interviewed on February 15, 2020. Despite single-digit temperatures, the visit was very pleasant. The Ross admissions team did a great job of welcoming us in, creating a supportive and positive atmosphere, and structuring an entire day for us. I came in on a Saturday, and they had several second-year students come in and speak […]

Michigan Ross Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Second-Year Student / On-Campus

Interviewed on the Consortium interview day with a current student. All in all pretty relaxed. Asked standard questions plus some behavioral: 1. Tell me about yourself. 2. Why MBA? 3. Why Ross? 4. Tell me about a time you had to deal with people with different working styles than yourself and how did you manage […]

Michigan Ross Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Second-Year Student / On-Campus

Interviewed at Michigan Ross in Ann Arbor.  Broken into halves in a total room full of 70 or so interviewing students. I was part of the second group so we were first spoken to by various student led organization leads. When it was time for my group’s interviews, we were all led to the elevators […]

Michigan Ross Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Alumnus / Off-Campus

My interviewer was an alumnus (19′) and was very nice, open, and friendly. Since we work in the same building, the conversation started off naturally and was a good ice breaker. The first intro was in Japanese, interview was all in English, and QA was in Japanese. It was mostly behavioral questions and we actually […]

Michigan Ross Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Second-Year Student / On Campus

I interviewed on campus with a 2nd-year student. The interviews take place in two sessions in the morning – a blue round, and a maize round. I was in the first round, so I interviewed around 8:40am. My interview was very conversational. We chatted for about 5-10 minutes before even getting into the classic “Tell […]

Michigan / Ross MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Second-year student / On Campus

I attended the Interview Day event that ran from 8am to 3pm. After breakfast and short introductions from the adcom, half of the interviewees were taken to interview while the other half interacted with staff and students associated with different Ross clubs. The interview itself with the MBA2 was casual, and conversational. I got asked […]

Michigan / Ross MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Alum / Off-Campus

The interview was conducted at a local Starbucks by an alum who had read my resume briefly. He started with tell me about yourself and I walked through all of my resume experience – after that there wasn’t much questioning related directly to the resume. He also took notes via computer which was unusual for […]

Michigan / Ross Interview Questions & Report : Round 1 / Second Year / On Campus

I interviewed with a second year student, and the interview was very informal and relaxed. The whole process seemed much more fit-oriented than resume-oriented. I received my admissions decision and was rejected. However, from my experience, I found the school to be a great fit for someone who is looking for b-school to be as […]

Ross Q&As

Admissions Director Q&A: Soojin Kwon of the University of Michigan Ross School of Business

In this edition of our Admissions Director Q&A, learn all about the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.  Soojin Kwon is the Managing Director for Full-time MBA Admissions and Program and a lecturer of Business Communication at Michigan Ross. Soojin has led MBA Admissions since 2006 and, since 2016, also […]

Admissions Director Q&A: Soojin Kwon of the Michigan Ross School of Business

Welcome to another edition of our series, Admissions Director Q&A!  This week, we are excited to feature Soojin Kwon, the Managing Director for Full-time MBA Admissions and Program at the Michigan Ross School of Business. Kwon has led MBA Admissions since 2006 and, since 2016, the student experience and academic advising of the MBA programs. […]

Admissions Director Q&A: Soojin Kwon of Michigan’s Ross School of Business

We began interviewing admissions directors at leading business schools back in 2008, and we circle back regularly to capture changes and new developments in the dynamic field of graduate management admissions. We are thrilled to continue the Clear Admit’s Admissions Director Q&A Series with Soojin Kwon, who has led MBA admissions at the University of Michigan’s […]

Ross LiveWire and DecisionWire

Academics

Faculty

There are approximately 150 full-time faculty members at Ross, with an additional 70 or so adjunct or visiting professors, whose classes span 13 areas as well as the undergraduate, master’s and Ph.D. programs. Ross’s professors also contribute to the school’s 20 research centers and institutes, which range in focus from entrepreneurship to tax policy research.

Curriculum

Professors at Ross teach using a mix of case studies, classroom discussion and lectures with an emphasis on experiential learning. This emphasis is particularly notable in the school’s Multidisciplinary Action Projects (MAP), in which teams of students spend a term completing consulting projects for real companies. Ross also offers a variety of courses, extracurricular opportunities and competitions for students looking for further practical experience. First-year students are typically divided into six sections of approximately 80 students each, and each section takes the same required first-year courses together.

The academic year for the full-time MBA program begins in early September and ends in late April. The first year is divided into four seven-week terms, with students taking three to four classes for the first three terms and concluding with MAP for the last term in late spring. Students at Ross may also pursue a term-long independent study project if they are in good academic standing. In the second year, students take elective courses that last either seven or 14 weeks. There are short breaks between the fall, winter and spring terms.

Ross requires each full-time student to complete 57 credits worth of classes in two years in order to graduate with an MBA degree. A total of approximately 30 of those credits are completed through the 10 core courses first-year students take. These courses span from accounting to marketing and are almost all eligible to be waived.  To waive core courses or other degree requirements, students may opt for an exam, demonstrate prior academic or professional experience in the material or cite a professional designation such as a CPA. Along with the core courses, students must also complete the required course “Competing in the Global Business Environment” and fulfill requirements in communication and business law by choosing from a list of eligible courses or securing a waiver. Ross students are required to complete at least 25 credits worth of electives, 10 of which can be graduate coursework in other University of Michigan departments. While Ross does not offer any majors, the school does break down its courses by department and offers career path guides to aid students in selecting elective courses. Students looking to gain further exposure to international business may also spend a semester studying abroad at one of Ross’s 19 exchange partner schools.

Other MBA Degree Options

In addition to its two-year full-time MBA program, Ross offers an online and weekend part-time MBA programs, a 21-month Executive MBA program, and a 16-month Global MBA in which students spend three months abroad in Asia followed by thirteen months in Ann Arbor. Ross has established more than 20 dual degrees with other University of Michigan – Ann Arbor departments in areas such as law, engineering, education and more regionally based studies. Students also have the option to create their own dual degree programs within the University.

Academic Departments at Ross

• Accounting
• Business Communication
• Business Economics and Public Policy
• Business Law
• Finance
• Management and Organizations
• Marketing
• Strategy
• Technology and Operations

Degree Offerings at Ross

Full-time MBA Program
https://michiganross.umich.edu/graduate/full-time-mba

Online/Weekend (Part-Time) MBA Program
https://michiganross.umich.edu/programs/evening-mba

Global MBA Education
https://michiganross.umich.edu/programs/global-mba

Executive MBA Education
https://michiganross.umich.edu/programs/executive-mba

Campus Life

Clubs, Conferences & Competitions

Students at Ross contribute to an extensive range of clubs and other extracurricular activities. Currently, there are over 70 clubs open to full-time MBA students, covering professional, community, diversity and social interests. One popular club is the Community Consulting Club (CCC), through which undergraduate and graduate students perform nonprofit consulting projects for Southeastern Michigan organizations. Members of the CCC complete 10 to 15 projects per year, such as designing a growth strategy for the Ann Arbor Hospice or creating a base of corporate sponsors for Habitat for Humanity. Ross students may also participate in more traditional career-based clubs such as the Finance Club and the General Management Club or in more casual, socially oriented clubs like the Ice Hockey Club and Risky Business, the rock band at Ross. Ross’s clubs and research centers work to host a number of conferences each year on topics including business in Asia, and energy-efficient markets, among others.

In line with its emphasis on experiential learning, Ross students are offered multiple opportunities to compete in business-related competitions. For instance, the Leadership Crisis Challenge puts student teams in the position of senior executives facing a crisis scenario at a major company as they compete for a scholarship and other prizes. Meanwhile, the Ross Energy Club offers an annual renewable energy case competition each February in which teams of MBA students from top business schools travel to Ross to present solutions to cases written by the club.

Campus Spaces

The Ross School of Business building lies at the southern end of the University of Michigan’s central campus and encompasses most of the business school’s classrooms, faculty offices and informal meeting areas. The building also includes a large auditorium, a fitness center and a café, in addition to a reception hall and a full-service hotel. Meanwhile, the Davidson Winter Garden—a glass-enclosed lounge area—serves as a common meeting place for students, faculty and guests.

Both on- and off-campus housing is available to full-time MBA students. The Northwood Community Apartments is Michigan’s on-campus housing facility for graduate students, students with families and faculty, though demand for the apartments runs high. Off campus, a majority of students rent apartments in such popular neighborhoods as South U, South of Hill and Southeast Side.

MBA Careers

Career Services

The Office of Career Development (OCD) takes a two-pronged approach to assisting students’ career search efforts. The career counseling staff individually counsels students on their job searches and offers regular career workshops. Meanwhile, the recruiter relations staff oversees the on-campus interview process, job postings and recruiter events. The OCD provides students with a variety of means to meet recruiters, including networking hours, on-campus presentations and off-campus site visits. Interviewing for full-time positions begins the last week of September, and interviewing for internships begins in late January. 

Career Statistics

Roughly 92% of the Ross Class of 2019 seeking employment had received a job offer at the time of graduation, and that number climbed to 97% within three months of graduation. The mean base salary for a Ross graduate was $129,197 with an average signing bonus of $30,703.  Consulting was the most popular function post-graduation, claiming 35% of the class; meanwhile, finance and marketing functions attracted nearly 18% each of the class.  About 13% of 2019 graduates found general management roles, while the rest took positions in strategic management, operations or other functions.

The most popular industry by far for the Class of 2019 was consulting, as 32% of students entered that industry.  Almost 22% percent of the class entered the technology and telecom services industry, while financial services and investment banking combined accounted for 15% of the class and 8% entered the consumer goods industry.  Other industries of interest to Ross graduates included public healthcare and manufacturing, both receiving 9% or fewer of the class.

Following a common trend among business schools, Ross sent approximately 35% of its 2019 graduates to jobs located in the same region as the school: the Midwestern U.S.  About 23% of the class went to the Western U.S., and 18% of the class headed to the Northeast.  An additional 10% of the class took positions overseas, and the remainder opted to work in other regions of the U.S.

Financing

Tuition for the 2020-2021 academic year was $66,048 for Michigan residents and $71,048 for non-residents. With the addition of textbooks, housing expenses and other personal expenditures, Ross estimates that the total cost of attending is $91,054 for in-state students and $96,054 for those from out of state.

To help finance their education, students are automatically considered for scholarships when they are granted admission, and no additional application is necessary. These scholarships are awarded based on academic, professional and personal accomplishments and potential value to the community, with awards ranging from $10,000 to full tuition. Ross also offers scholarships through the Tauber Institute for Global Operations and the Frederick A. and Barbara M. Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise. In addition, students are encouraged to apply for other scholarships offered by the University of Michigan, as well as private scholarships. Students seeking further financial support may apply for a federal loan through the Federal Direct Lending Program if they are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. International students may secure loans through private lenders, although the school notes that these loans will require a U.S. co-signer.

Cost of Attendance (per year)

Tuition

• MI State Resident $63,646
• Non-MI State Resident $68,646
• Food & Housing $16,502
• Books & Supplies $1,716
• Federal Loan Fees $224
• Personal $6,350
• Mandatory Fees $214
• International Student Service Fees $500 per semester

Total

• MI State Resident $91,054
• Non-MI State Resident $96,054
• International Students under J or F visa $98,054

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