Owen Graduate School of Management – Vanderbilt University

FAQ

What is the tuition for Vanderbilt’s MBA program?

The tuition for Vanderbilt’s MBA program is $58,400 per year. The total cost of the Vanderbilt MBA program is $85,819 per year; this includes budgeted living expenses.

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

The average GMAT score for the incoming class at Vanderbilt is 680 (median score).

Does the Vanderbilt MBA program accept the GRE?

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

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

Vanderbilt does not publish an average GRE score for its incoming class, but does accept the GRE for admissions.

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

Vanderbilt 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 5.4 years of experience.

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

The average number of years of work experience among students in Vanderbilt’s MBA program is 5.4. The average age of a Vanderbilt MBA student is 28 years.

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

The average starting salary for Vanderbilt MBA graduates is $111,168. The salary will vary by industry, with consulting and finance jobs generally commanding the higher salaries.

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

Vanderbilt / Owen offers a traditional 2 year MBA program.

What are the application deadlines for Vanderbilt’s full-time MBA program?

The Round 1 MBA application deadline is October 12, 2020. The Round 2 application deadline is January 11, 2021. The Round 3 deadline is March 29, 2021. After May 15, admissions are rolling.

What percent of Vanderbilt MBA students are women?

The percentage of the class at Vanderbilt that are women is 30%.

VIDEOS

Admissions

The Class Profile

The Class of 2020 is comprised of 179 students. They have an average age of 28, with a range of 24 to 44. The class has a mean undergraduate GPA of 3.3, a mean GMAT of 680, and a mean TOEFL score of 101. Students have an average of 5.4 years of work experience. Women comprise 30% of the class, whereas international students made up 16% of the class.

Application Procedures

Vanderbilt Owen gives its MBA applicants the choice of applying in one of three admissions rounds, which usually take place from mid-October through early April.  After the third round, admissions are rolling. The application requirements for Vanderbilt Owen include completing the school’s application forms and submitting a written essay, a video essay, a résumé, two letters of recommendation, $200 application fee, and unofficial college and graduate transcripts. Applicants must also report their GMAT and, when applicable, TOEFL/IELTS scores. Interviews are required for admission, and Owen encourages applicants to schedule an interview along with a campus visit, no matter where they are in the application process. Webcam interviews will be offered by invitation only after submission of an application.

Application Checklist

• Online Application
• Application Fee
• Official GMAT or GRE test scores
• Unofficial Transcripts
• Resume
• Written Essay
• Video Essay
• Two letters of recommendation
• Official TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE scores (international applicants)

Interview Reports

Vanderbilt / Owen MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 1 / Adcom / On-Campus

The following Vanderbilt / Owen MBA interview questions and report were submitted to Clear Admit by a Round 1 applicant. Good luck to them!  I interviewed with the Associate Admissions Director. He had his laptop in front of him to reference my resume and take notes while we were talking. He started by telling me about himself then dove right into […]

Vanderbilt / Owen MBA Interview Questions & Report: Round 2 / Adcom / On-Campus

The following Vanderbilt / Owen MBA interview questions and report were submitted to Clear Admit by a Round 1 applicant. Good luck to them!  A nice, 35min conversation with a friendly member of the adcom. -Tell me about yourself -Why MBA? -S/T & L/T goals -Why Owen? -How will you contribute? -Pretend I’m an employer: Give me your 60 […]

Vanderbilt / Owen MBA Interview Questions Report: Round 1 / Adcom / Skype

The following Vanderbilt / Owen MBA interview questions and report were submitted to Clear Admit by a Round 1 applicant. Good luck to them!  I had a Skype interview with an Admissions Director. She called me promptly at the designated time, not a minute later. These are the questions I remember being asked: What are your post-MBA plans after […]

Vanderbilt / Owen MBA Interview Report: Round 2 / Adcom / On-Campus

The following Vanderbilt / Owen MBA interview report was submitted to Clear Admit by a Round 2 applicant who was admitted. Congratulations to them!  I interviewed with the director of admissions at Vanderbilt and it was a fantastic experience. Questions asked were some of the usual: Walk through résumé. Why MBA? Goals? Why Owen? How will you contribute […]

Vanderbilt-owen Q&As

Admissions Director Q&A: Bailey McChesney of Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Business

We head to Nashville in this edition of our Admissions Director Q&A, for a deep dive into Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Business. Bailey McChesney began with the Vanderbilt Recruiting and Admissions team in March 2011. She facilitated many of the operational procedures for the department and planned the national MBA recruiting tour, Inside […]

Admissions Director Q&A: Sue Oldham of Vanderbilt Owen

You may have already seen the Real Humans of Vanderbilt Owen’s MBA Class of 2021, and now we are back to hear directly from the admissions office.  In this edition of our Admissions Director Q&A, we head back to Nashville for an interview with Associate Dean Sue Oldham. Working closely with colleagues in the dean’s […]

Admissions Director Q&A: Vanderbilt Owen’s Christie St-John

Following up on our recent Real Humans of MBA Admissions piece with Christie St-John of Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management, we are delighted this week to feature a more in-depth interview with her about the admissions process she oversees. St-John describes her career as “zig-zaggy,” referring to the fact that she started at […]

Vanderbilt-owen LiveWire and DecisionWire

Academics

Faculty

Twenty-one professors comprise the Owen MBA faculty for core courses. Seventy-five other faculty members are spread across the program’s seven academic areas: accounting, finance, healthcare, marketing, operations management & quantitative methods, organization studies, and strategy and economics. They come from a variety of backgrounds and can offer students real-world insight into the workings of major corporations.

Curriculum

The Vanderbilt MBA can be completed in two years, and it requires 62 credit hours of study. To facilitate rapid understanding of concepts, the degree operates on a modular system in which two seven-week “mods” make up one semester of study. This gives students the opportunity to cover a significant amount of material quickly.

In their first year, MBA candidates complete 11 core courses in financial accounting, managerial accounting, world economy, economics, finance, leadership, management communication, strategic management, marketing, operations, and statistics. Students then complete 12 hours of study in at least one concentration. MBA students may pursue concentrations in accounting, finance, general management, health care, human and organizational performance, marketing, operations and analytics, and strategy. In addition, students may obtain a career-focused specialization by completing 20 hours of study in brand management, corporate finance, human and organizational performance, or investment management. Students who are interested in gaining further knowledge in their concentration or specialization can complete one of three emphases: entrepreneurship, international studies, or real estate. Lastly, MBA students may take courses for credit from other Vanderbilt graduate schools such as the Law School, Peabody School of Education, or Medical School.

Other MBA Options

In addition to the full-time MBA, Owen offers an Executive MBA. 

The Executive MBA takes place across 21 months, with classes every other weekend. It is designed for professionals targeting senior-level roles or existing senior managers. Students typically have 11 years of work experience and the core curriculum focuses on strategy, leadership, and finance. In their second year, students have the option to choose between two tracks: Executive Edge and Global Immersion. The Executive Edge Track focuses on strategic skills and improving financial acumen. The Global Immersion Track gives Owen students substantial international business experience by placing them in an international cohort in which they complete immersive residencies in Brazil, Canada and Mexico.

Concentrations at Owen

Accounting
Finance
General Management
Healthcare
Human and Organizational Performance
Marketing
Operations & Analytics
Strategy

Degree Offerings at Owen

Full-Time MBA

https://business.vanderbilt.edu/mba/

Executive MBA

https://business.vanderbilt.edu/emba/

Campus Life

Clubs, Conferences, & Competitions

Vanderbilt MBA students may work on their networking and leadership skills by joining some of the school’s 36 clubs. Professional, affinity, outreach, athletic, and special interest clubs are all available. For instance, students may get involved with the Owen Finance Club for educational purposes as well as the Cork & Barrel Club for socializing with their fellow classmates. In addition, fun activities such as Trivia Night and the Owen Olympics are also offered throughout the year. 

Furthermore, the school’s conferences and research seminars offer students additional networking, educational, and career advancement opportunities. For instance, the Vanderbilt Healthcare Business Association hosts a speaker series featuring distinguished speakers. In addition, frequent seminars cover topics ranging from accounting & taxation to strategy & business economics. 

Lastly, Vanderbilt MBAs are encouraged to take part in national case competitions. In recent years, teams from Owen have taken home first-place wins at the Fourth Annual PepsiCo Invitational MBA Marketing and Finance Case Competition, 2016 TechVenture Challenge, and 2016 National Business Case Competition. In addition, Owen students manage the National MBA Human Capital Case Competition, which encourages students from across the country to present solutions for real-world human capital issues. 

Campus Spaces

Located a mile and a half from downtown Nashville, the Owen Graduate School of Management is housed in its own building on Vanderbilt’s campus. The Walker Management Library is also a part of Owen, and it gives students access to helpful databases and technology. 

MBA Careers

Career Services

Owen’s Career Management Center can help guide students toward internships and full-time employment. Career advising, mock interviews, and career development tools are all available for student use. In addition, Owen hosts on-campus recruiting events and information sessions for any interested organizations. Recruiting events take place throughout the year, and organizations may also post job openings directly to students.

Top hiring companies for Owen students include Amazon, Deloitte, EY, Accenture, Genentech, and KPMG Consulting.

Career Statistics

Ninety-two percent of the Class of 2018 received a full-time employment offer within three months of graduation. Consulting led the pack of industry choices, as a quarter of graduates joined the field. Health care claimed 21%. Technology and financial services both claimed 13% of graduates.  The remaining students splayed across consumer products (6%), manufacturing (5%), and other industries.

Fifty-two percent of the Class of 2018 stayed in the South. The next most popular destination was the Western U.S., claiming 18% of graduates. Thirteen percent headed to the Northeast, while the Midwest and Southwest both claimed 7% each. The remaining students settled across the U.S. and in Asia.

Financing

For the 2019–20 school year, tuition is $58,400, and the estimated total cost (including room & board and personal expenses) is $85,819. Therefore, the estimated total cost of the two-year degree is $171,638. The International Summer Business Program for international students incurs an additional cost of $1,300.

Scholarships are readily available for MBA candidates. All applicants are considered for scholarships automatically at the time of application, and these awards range from $5,000 to the full cost of tuition. Awards are based on academics, professional achievements, application strength, and the admissions interview. In addition to these scholarships, students may also receive aid from the Forte Fellowships for Women, Diversity Scholarships, the Toigo Fellowship, the National Black MBA Association Scholarship Program, the Point Foundation, and the Reaching Out MBA Fellowship. Fifty named scholarships are also available for applicants.

Furthermore, loans and other financial resources are also available for students. Federal financial aid may be awarded to students who are U.S. citizens. Interested students may also work up to 20 hours per week, and graduate student work assignments, as well as other on-campus opportunities, may be available. Lastly, students are encouraged to consider external funding opportunities aside from student loans.

Estimated Cost of Attendance

• Tuition: $58,400
• Student & Orientation Fees: $850
• Meals: $5,868
• Room & Board: $11,808
• Books & Supplies: $500
• Personal Expenses: $1,876
• Transportation: $1,484
• Loan Fees: $1,383
• Health Insurance: $3,650
• International Students: ISBP (International Summer Business Program) $1300
• Total: $85,819 (not including ISBP)

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