Addressing MBA Admissions Myths at Michigan Ross

The University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business  is an academic powerhouse no matter which way you slice it. Last week, in The Economist‘s 2018 ranking of best MBA programs, Ross jumped five spots over last year to land at number seven. Such excellence invariably sparks a fair amount of confusion and assumptions when it comes to applying. Thankfully, admissions director Soojin Kwon is here to clarify–or dispel—the most persistent MBA admissions myths surrounding the process at the Ross School.

Myth # 1 Ross admits more applicants in round one than in round 2. 

True, Kwon acknowledges, though she says that can be interpreted in the following ways:

• Fewer applicants applied in Round 1. (True).
• More competitive applicants applied in Round 1. (True when looking solely at the average GMAT of the pool).

“We don’t have ‘targets’ for each round; we admit based on the merits of the applications within the pool, Kwon explains.

Myth # 2 Your GMAT score must be above 720 to get a scholarship.

False, the admissions director assures, noting that this year’s scholarship recipients had GMAT scores ranging from 620 to 770. “We care also about your full-time work experience, your recruitability, the uniqueness of the perspective you’ll bring to the class, and your potential to engage in and lead the community,” says Kwon.

Myth # 3 Scholarship opportunities shrink in Round 2. 

False, Kwon declares. At the Ross School, the scholarship budget isn’t split up by round.  “We award based on an applicant’s potential to contribute to the class in myriad ways,” she explains, adding that, “In some years, we spend more in Round 1; in other years, we spend more in Round 2.  In the last two years, more than 40% of our students received a scholarship, ranging from $10K (annually) to full tuition.”

Soojin Kwon’s Note for Round 2 Applicants

Now that you’ve got a clearer picture of the MBA admissions myths at Ross, it’s time to look ahead to Round 2. The Ross admissions team will be hitting the road again in early November, including a stop in New Delhi after Diwali. Also,  check out Ross’s many webinars that deep-dive into the school’s resources for different career paths.

All webinars include the voices and insights of our students, says Kwon. “We encourage you to go beyond school websites and meeting the AdCom; connect with current students at every school on your list. They’re the ones who can give you deeper insight into the experience at their school.”