What It Takes To Get Into Tepper’s Online MBA

Online MBA programs are growing at b-schools. At Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business, the online MBA offers the benefits of an online program with the experience of a traditional MBA.

Robin Madell, of Business Insider, recently broke down why Tepper’s online MBA stands out and how applicants can get in.

ONLINE BENEFITS, WITH IN-PERSON EXPERIENCES

One of the standout qualities of Tepper’s online MBA is the access that students have to in-person learning and networking.

It’s what Tepper calls “Access Weekends,” events that are held six times a year in Pittsburgh, Silicon Valley, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.

“These weekends give you the in-person experience you won’t get in other online programs and allow you to start all of your classes in person, enhancing the learning experience and building meaningful relationships with your faculty and colleagues,” according to Tepper’s website.

These types of in-person events allow for online-students to connect and build with their peers.

“For those few days, you and your cohort are focused on being together, learning, and bonding,” Andrew Adrian-Karlin, who earned his MBA online from the Tepper School in 2019, tells Business Insider. “It’s something that builds bonds in a way I don’t think traditional part-time formats excel at.”

At the same time, online MBAs at Tepper have more flexibility than students in traditional MBA programs.

“I personally attended class while on business trips in Washington, DC, London, Tel Aviv, Bangalore, Bristol, and New York,” Adrian-Karlin tells Business Insider. “In a traditional part-time MBA program, I would have had to turn down those opportunities or lost out on class experiences. That list doesn’t count being able to attend class with a sleeping newborn on your shoulder, being able to stay with your parent while they recover from surgery, or just taking a vacation somewhere with a beach.”

WHAT TEPPER LOOKS FOR

Being a prestigious program, Tepper admissions officers seek out the best-of-the-best.

“We particularly value candidates who have a forward-thinking approach to their career, who have a strong desire to make an impact in both their organization and the greater world, and look to Tepper as the partner to get them there,” Kelly Wilson, executive director of masters admissions at Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business, tells Business Insider.

On average, online MBAs at Tepper have 6.1 years of work experience, with a majority coming from industries like manufacturing, consulting, and healthcare, according to class data.

Online MBAs average 669 GMAT with a 3.3 GPA. Additionally, an overwhelming 43% majored in engineering for undergrad.

Wilson says the b-schools seeks out applicants with a high quantitative aptitude and a willingness to receive feedback.

“These align directly with our approach to teach our students in-depth analytical tools that will serve them throughout their career, and the leadership development work that our students undertake while enrolled in the MBA program,” Wilson tells Business Insider.

Sources: Business Insider, Tepper School of Business, Tepper School of Business