Michigan Ross 2019-2020 MBA Application Deadlines

The University of Michigan's Ross School of Business slaw the biggest decline in applications of any top-10 school: 8.5%. Meanwhile Ross'

The University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business

The University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business has announced its MBA application deadlines for the 2019-2020 admissions cycle. The round one deadline is Sept. 30th, with decisions out on Dec. 18th.

Ross set a round two deadline of Jan. 6, 2020, with decisions released on March 18th. The third and final round has a March 30th cutoff, with decisions out on May 8. Interviews are conducted by invitation only. Applicants may interview on campus or with a Ross alum in their local area. Skype interviews are also available as an alternative.

Michigan Ross 2019-2020 MBA Application Deadlines

Ross Rounds Application Deadline Interviews Decisions
Round 1 Sept. 30, 2019 Rolling Dec. 18, 2019
Round 2 Jan. 6, 2020 Rolling March 18, 2020
Round 3 Marh 30, 2020 Rolling May 8, 2020

HOW THE SCHOOL’S MANAGING DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS WOULD ANSWER THE SHORT QUESTIONS

The school asks applicants to complete a trio of short-answer questions, imposing a limit of 100 words each, with one drawn from three groupings:

Group 1

I want people to know that I:

I made a difference when I:

Group 2

I was humbled when:

I am out of my comfort zone when:

Group 3

I was aware that I was different when:

I was challenged when:

Soojin Kwon, managing director of Ross’ full-time MBA admissions and program, offers some guidance to applicants by actually completing a couple of the short questions herself. Here’s how she would do it:

“I was out of my comfort zone when I became the Admissions Director and had to speak in front of hundreds of people. I was terrified of public speaking. Before getting my MBA, I worked as a policy analyst on Capitol Hill because I loved researching issues and making recommendations that someone else would give voice to. As the A.D., I had to not only make decisions about whom to admit, but also promote the school to prospective students around the world. Through preparation, practice, and feedback, I not only became comfortable with it, I came to enjoy it. Overcoming that fear gave me the courage to tackle other fears.”

“I knew I was different when I was in first grade. Another child pushed me off the teeter-totter – because I was “Chinese Japanese…” That’s how I lost my first two teeth. That’s also how I learned I wasn’t like the other kids. I’d thought I was. I hated looking different. I resented being Korean. My mother told me that I couldn’t change what I look like, but I could determine who I am, and what people would notice me for. She taught me to be the kid who’d be noticed for succeeding as a student. Her advice opened doors that simply looking different would not have.”

Ross also requires a 300-word essay on career goals: “Michigan Ross is a place where people from all backgrounds with different career goals can thrive. Please share your short-term career goal. Why is this career goal right for you?”

3188 VIE FOR 420 FULL-TIME MBA CLASSROOM SEATS

During the 2017-2018 cycle, Ross received 297 fewer applications – with the program’s acceptance rate edging up two points to 27%. Some 3,188 applicants applied to Ross, while 864 were admitted and 420 students were enrolled.

On the plus side, Ross’ average GMAT climbed four points to 720, with the median holding steady at the same number. The same was true of undergraduate GPAs, where Ross maintained its 3.5 score in both average and median. Demographically, Ross kept pace with its peers. 43% of the incoming class is comprised of women, the same percentage as Wharton, Yale SOM, and Berkeley Haas. The number also matches the 2019 Class, with female representation jumping by 10% over the past four classes. Like many peer programs, the percentage of international students slipped by 2%, as the percentage of underrepresented minority students stayed at 23% from the previous year.

In terms of academic and professional backgrounds, the 2020 Class is a bit different than its predecessors. The percentage of business and economics majors, for example, rose four points to 42%. That difference was made up of STEM and humanities majors, which each lost two points and comprise 30% and 28% of the class. Career-wise, finance and consulting represented the largest blocs of the class at 16%% each – a loss of 3% for the former and a gain of 3% for the latter. Healthcare and tech pros each account for another 10% share of the class.

ADVICE FROM RECENT GRADUATES & CURRENT STUDENTS

“Rossers are so special because they exude warmth and don’t have airs about them. While applying, I was struck by the fact Rossers didn’t wait for me to ask questions. Instead, they expressed curiosity about who I was and our interaction became a real conversation. Thus, I would say to applicants that the more you are mindful of expressing and showcasing your genuine interest in others (be it fellow applicants, admissions, the communities you care about, etc.), the more “Ross”-y you will feel to current students and admissions officers.” — Kashay Sanders, Class of 2019 Ross MBA

“Be extremely honest with yourself about what you want out of a school and where you want to be in two years. The MBA program is a rush – with more opportunities than you can possibly take advantage of, and it is easy to be swept in it all and try to do everything. Be authentic in what you are hoping to achieve and remember to check back in on those goals throughout your time at school.” — Nathan Stevens, Class of 2019 Ross MBA

“Get to know as much as you can about Ross! As an applicant, I prioritized trying to figure out what the university was looking for in a candidate, instead of focusing on finding the right resources and community for me. The more you understand the vast opportunities at Ross, the more you will see that our school has resources for everyone’s journey. Ross is not just MAP, it’s also the academics, the Sanger Leadership Institute, the supportive community, the amazing entrepreneurship center (Zell Lurie Institute), and much more!” — ty-of-michigan-ross/?pq-category=students”>Rubiani Guardamino Baskovich, Class of 2019 Ross MBA

WHY THEY CHOSE MICHIGAN ROSS FOR THEIR MBA DEGREE

“In my professional life, I consistently made the following observation: many organizations are so fixed on achieving their aim, that they forget what makes it possible to attain success— their people. I realized that a lack of emphasis on talent development and culture could stifle an organization’s impact. In my most recent place of work, I tapped into a passion for designing solutions around this exact challenge. Thus, when applying to business school, I knew I wanted to go to a place where I could learn about creative human capital strategies and organizational design. The Ross School of Business stood out as a leader in this realm. It was one of a few schools with an active, thriving human capital club. It also houses the Center for Positive Organizations, Ross’ academic hub for promoting and researching positive business practices. The student and career services-led support for building a career in human capital also impressed me. I felt that at Ross, I could truly geek out about effective people management and better equip myself to serve companies in growing their people. Being almost through the journey now, I can say it hasn’t disappointed.” — Kashay Sanders, Class of 2019 Ross MBA

“I wanted a school with a strong focus on social impact and the resources to actively engage through experiential learning. I was also excited to be close to home after having lived in the Middle East for the past few years and the East Coast before that. It didn’t hurt that my sister and father both have business degrees from Michigan as well.” — Nathan Stevens, Class of 2019 Ross MBA

“When I applied to business school, I planned to transition to more strategic roles within the field of corporate finance. To that end, I chose Ross for three main reasons:

1) Academics: Ross’s curriculum was comprehensive but also diverse. I knew that I would be exposed to core concepts of business, but also to new industries and fields of study, such as healthcare, marketing, and data analytics.

2) Experiential Learning: The Multidisciplinary Action Project (MAP) experience was a unique opportunity where I had a chance to apply what I learned and hone my skills as a future strategist.

3) Supportive Community: I knew I would be most successful in a community that would push me to be better, but that was also open to teaching and sharing their experiences with me. When I visited Ann Arbor for the Go Blue Rendezvous (GBR) weekend, I found that the Ross community was everything that I was looking for and more: MBA1s and MBA2s never stopped sharing stories about how different students helped them through the MBA journey (academics, recruiting, MAP, among others) and how all of them were involved in many opportunities to give back to the Ross community.” — Rubiani Guardamino Baskovich, Class of 2019 Ross MBA

DON’T MISS: MEET THE ROSS MBA CLASS OF 2020 or THE 2019 MBA SUMMIT WITH ROSS’ CHIEF MBA GATEKEEPER SOOJIN KWON

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