The number is rapidly decreasing. But Michigan business school leaders aren’t sounding the alarm.
From 2022 to 2023, Michigan Ross School of Business will once again see a significant drop in applications for its full-time MBA program, with a total of 2,976 applications for the cycle, a decrease of 656 applications, or approximately 18%, from the previous year. did. Looking back two years, Michigan’s MBA program has lost more than a quarter of its applications since receiving 4,003 applications at the high school level in 2020-2021.
Meanwhile, the acceptance rate for B-schools continues to climb steadily, rising to 38% this year. This is an increase of 10 points in one year and an increase of just over 20% compared to two years ago.
Cause for concern? of course. But no one in Ann Arbor is bothered. That’s because, like many of the top business schools in the U.S. and around the world, they attribute this number to a revision due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Michigan Ross by the Numbers: MBA Classes of 2021-2025
statistics | Michigan Ross MBA Class of 2025 | Michigan Ross MBA Class of 2024 | Michigan Ross MBA Class of 2023 | Michigan Ross MBA Class of 2022 | Michigan Ross MBA Class of 2021 |
application | 2,976 | 3,632 | 4,003 | 2,567 | 2,990 |
class size | 379 | 380 | 398 | 358 | 422 |
Pass rate | 38% | 28.1% | 20.2% | 37.0% | 31.0% |
Average GMAT | 719 | 720 | 722 | 710 | 719 |
average GPA | 3.43 | 3.50 | 3.53 | 3.50 | 3.50 |
woman | 43% | 42% | 46% | 43% | 45% |
minorities in the usa | 43% | 42% | 36% | 36% | twenty two% |
URM | 19% | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. |
first generation college | 17% | 14% | 11% | N.A. | N.A. |
LGBTQIA2S+ | Ten% | 9% | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. |
International | 43% | 36% | 28% | twenty three% | 27% |
Country | 39 | 39 | 42 | 29 | 33 |
background | Consulting 18%, Finance 17%, Technology 16%, Medical 12%, Engineering/Manufacturing 10%, Other 8%, Education/Nonprofit/Government 6%, Military 6%, Media/Hospitality/Sports 4%, Energy/Sustainability 3% chance | Consulting 19%, Medical 14%, Finance 14%, Education/Nonprofit/Government 11%, Technology 11%, Military 7% | Consulting 23%, Education/Nonprofit/Government 13%, Finance 11% | Consulting 22%, Finance 13%, Technology 10% | Consulting 26%, Finance 16%, Technology 11% |
Undergraduate major | STEM 44%, Business 34%, Humanities 22% | STEM 40%, Business 38%, Humanities 22% | Business 42%, STEM 32%, Humanities 28% | Business 42%, STEM 35%, Humanities 23% | Business 42%, STEM 30%, Humanities 28% |
Optimism about the new app cycle currently underway
In 2018-2019, the last cycle unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Michigan State received 2,990 applications for the full-time MBA, and 31% of applicants were admitted. . Although the coronavirus hit late in the 2019-2020 cycle, Michigan reported that the total number of MBA applications was only 2,567, and the admission rate had ballooned to 37%. influenced. Over his next two years, the school’s acceptance rate plummeted, then recovered, while the number of apps increased significantly (and classes became larger).
All of this suggests that when you look at the 2022-2023 data in context, Matt Gunderson, managing director of a full-time MBA at Michigan Ross University, sees it less as a harbinger of doom and more as an oddity in the years of the pandemic. This means that it looks like a correction from the rough seas. He added that evidence from the ongoing 2023-2024 new cycle suggests that calm is the right response to the current market swings.
“While we remain aware of market trends and are being intentional about how we position our programs for future candidates, we believe this will be more of a return to pre-pandemic levels. ,” says Gunderson. poet and poetry When asked about the 25.7% decline in Roth MBA applications over the past two cycles.
“In fact, given our in-person and online engagement with candidates this year, we expect applications to Michigan Ross University’s full-time MBA program and all top-level MBA programs to show some growth compared to last year. I’m optimistic that I’ll be able to do it.” “
43%: An important number for the new loss class
It’s one thing to be optimistic about the future, but Gunderson and the rest of the Ross School leadership also have plenty of reasons to be happy with their new class. And they start with the number 43.
This includes not only the percentage of women in the new MBA class (up from 42% last year), but also U.S. minorities (also up from 42%) and international students. The latter group made up 36% of the 2024 MBA class that enrolled in Ann Arbor last fall.
Why did the Ross School attract and enroll so many more international students this year than in previous years? Gunderson said the school “has always been an attractive option for students from around the world.” “The larger international student mix this year shows that the Ross brand remains strong globally.”
He also cited “latent demand due to the new coronavirus” as the reason for the rapid increase in the number of foreign students enrolling.
“As with all forms of diversity, we see a greater international mix as a positive,” Gunderson said. “This richness of different life experiences and perspectives elevates life at Ross University from the classroom to the extracurricular activities.In fact, this year’s faculty and student clubs are committed to enhancing the culture with this added dimension. I expressed it.”
Great benefit for registrants with a technical background
In another interesting development, students with work experience in the technology industry jumped from 11% of the class last fall to 16%, about the same level as the previous four years. The reason: In an appeal to tech workers who have been laid off one after another over the past two years, Ross has added a fourth round of applications to his May 1 deadline. The proliferation of engineers also helps explain the increase in her MBA students whose undergraduate major is his STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) field. STEM is now the most popular undergraduate major in his class at 44%, up from 40% last year and just 30% for the 2019 entering class.
The Ross School’s improvements in diversity extend to its class of veterans, which increased from 7% last year and 5% to 8% in 2021. First-generation college students make up 17% of the class, up from 14% last year and 11% in 2021. LGBTQ students went from 9% to 10% of her class in 2022.
“While we are pleased with the strengthening of the quality of applicants, we have not seen significant changes in terms of candidate backgrounds or undergraduate majors. However, what has evolved over the past few years is that “It allows applicants to more clearly express the impact they want to make within and beyond Michigan Ross, which aligns with our mission,” Gunderson said. “Particularly what excites us here at Michigan Ross is our record of first-generation students, veterans, and those who identify as LGBTQIA2S+ among our new students.
“Much of the credit goes to current students and alumni who interact with future candidates and share their stories and experiences. The culture at Ross University is welcoming and students are encouraged to be their authentic selves.” Instead, you can grow.”
Don’t miss our articles on Michigan Ross finds new MBA director at Wake Forest and profiles of last year’s Michigan Ross MBA class from P&Q
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