Spotlight on Michigan Ross Business School
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Everything about applying to the Ross School of Business, the eligibility criteria, financing your international masters, and what life is like at the University of Michigan.
Founded in 1817, the University of Michigan is the state’s oldest university and widely regarded as one of the foremost public research universities in the world.
In addition to consistently high rankings among the various schools and departments, there is a real focus on the individual throughout the university.
And, though it’s set in a smaller city, the number of opportunities, especially for Ross MBA candidates is truly impressive
Where is the University of Michigan?
City: Ann Arbor, Michigan (MI)
City population: 120,782, with a metropolitan population of 3,734,090
Region: Midwest
Climate: Midwestern humid continental climate type: winters are cold and snowy (Jan avg: -4.2°C/24.5°F); summers are warm to hot and humid (Jul avg: 22.6°C/72.6°F)
Nearest airport: Detroit Wayne County (DTW)
Time zone: EST from November-March (GMT -5); EDT from March to November (GMT-4)
University of Michigan fast facts
Public university
University enrollment: 46,002
Living alumni: 526,000+
Graduate students: 16,161
International enrollment: 7046
International grad students: 4895
MBA class of 2019: 422
Women MBAs: 43%
International MBAs: 34%
MBA countries represented: 45
What can you study at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business?
The Ross School of Business does consistently well in all sorts of rankings, beyond the Financial Times (where it’s ranked 5th for US business schools).
It sits in 11th on the U.S. News & World Report full-time MBA list and 12th according to the Economist, Forbes, and Businessweek.
No matter how you dice it, this is an incredible school - and this is what you can study while you’re there:
Michigan Ross job placement
87% of 2017 Michigan Ross MBA grads are career switchers, making the salary and timing statistics even more impressive. Nearly 90% of grads accepted a job offer before graduation - and that figure jumps to 95% when considering just the international student population.
The median base salary is $123,000, though obviously there is some differentiation between industries, job functions, and locations.
According to Michigan Ross’ career services department, over 75% of accepted positions were facilitated by the school through on-campus recruitment activities, school-facilitated internships, and faculty and alumni networking. Additionally, the school has over 80 MBA peer career coaches, reportedly more than any other MBA programme.
Don’t worry if you aren’t set on making the Midwest your home. Michigan Ross MBA grads secure positions across the country and the world; slightly more than a third of MBAs remain in the Midwest. 2017 MBA career destinations include
Midwest: 34.6%
West: 32.1%
Southwest: 4.1%
South: 3.1%
Mid-Atlantic: 3.1%
Northeast: 15.4%
International: 7.5%
100% : 2017 MAs receiving offers within 6 months of grad
$144,500 : median base salary for 2017 MBAs in consulting positions
98% : MBAs receiving job offers within 3 months of grad
92.5% of 2017 MBAs accepted US employment
TIP: In late March, registration begins for on-campus recruiting. By mid-May, interview and event dates are confirmed. But, there are always opportunities to connect with potential employers; it’s best not to think of recruitment as a single period or specific semester activity.
What's it like to live at the University of Michigan?
Ann Arbor is both physically and mentally far away from the big cities of Los Angeles, New York, and Phoenix, but you shouldn’t box it as a small, Midwest college town. There is plenty to recommend life at the University of Michigan.
For a start, the city is regularly considered for positive living awards: happiest city to live in and most creative city are just a couple of the recent accolades.
There are plenty of on-campus as well as off-campus housing options - and meal plans can be used with either to help offset costs. Students make use of the campus bus system during the winter months - and, though it’s available year-round, many enjoy walking or cycling when the weather is warmer.
All in, campus life is rich, and there is a continual stream of diversions and activities, not to mention the myriad of clubs and student-driven off-campus opportunities. This is really the Midwest at its best.
How to get into Michigan Ross
The acceptance rate for MBA seats falls around 25%, though some years are even more selective, and you don’t know who you’ll be up against, so you’ll truly need to focus on crafting the best application you can. As with all MBA programmes, candidates need to demonstrate their ability to work well with others. But, Michigan Ross places a lot of emphasis on each individual and this must come out in your application. You’ll want to show self-awareness and your personal motivations, goals, and strengths as much as your team-player skills.
This focus on the individual comes through in the sheer amount of customisation you can pursue during your time at Michigan Ross - and you should be able to show how you can use the location of Ann Arbor as a springboard rather than believing yourself to be “stuck” in the Midwest
Engaging in MBA fairs or Michigan Ross webinars is strongly recommended by the ad comms; if you can afford it, a campus visit is encouraged.
Interviews, for those that receive an invitation to one, are conducted on-campus (where possible) and with alumni in various parts of the world (when needed). If you haven’t visited previously, it may be worth the travel.
While competitive, the focus of your application should be providing the ad comm with a genuine picture of yourself rather than test scores and GPAs. Of course, you’ll still want to strive for the best you can, keeping these stats in mind:
Average undergrad GPA: 3.46
Average GMAT scores: 716
Median TOEFL score: 107 iBT
Average years of work experience: 5.5
Michigan Ross MBA deadlines: 2019/20
Michigan Ross MBA admissions details
Application fee: $200
Resume: required, preferably 1 page
Required essays: 2, optional statement available
Recommendations: 1, completed online
GMAT test: required, no min score
GRE test: accepted in place of GMAT
GPA: no min specified
Language test: required for non-native English speakers unless undergrad was completed in English; TOEFL is preferred, PTE is accepted
Min TOEFL score: 100+ recommended
Min PTE score: 70+ recommended
MBA cost of attendance (for 2018/19 academic year)
Tuition: $68,646
Registration fees: $328
Books and supplies: $1716
Food and housing: $15,570
CoA for 1 year: $92,612*
*This is the amount candidates will need to secure to complete the I-20 form required to apply for a study visa
TIP: Michigan Ross has an MBA admissions blog and a complete FAQ section in addition to hosting webinars. You should never have to guess at what’s needed to increase your chances of acceptance. In fact, there’s so much information available that it will be immediately clear if you haven’t taken advantage of it.
Does the University of Michigan offer scholarships to international students?
In addition to the private scholarships you can (and should apply for), all applicants to Michigan Ross’ MBA programme are considered for school scholarships - and that includes international applicants.
Scholarship amounts range from $10,000 to the full cost of tuition (that doesn’t include living expenses) and aren’t negotiable. If selected for a scholarship, you’ll be notified when you receive your acceptance to Michigan Ross’ MBA programme.
These scholarships are granted based on academic ability, community contribution potential, and previous achievements in professional and personal areas. Consider it an enticement to really show what you can do in every aspect of your application.
