Michigan Ross MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2022 - 2023]

Michigan Ross MBA Essay Tips and Deadlines [2022-23]

The Michigan Ross MBA program is thriving. Its graduates are getting jobs throughout the United States and the world.

Here are a few of the stats:

98% of 2021 grads had at least one job offer within three months of graduation.
McKinsey and Amazon were the 2021 top employers of Ross grads, and the school’s 2021 Employment Report shows that consulting and tech snagged roughly 60% of all Ross MBAs.
The average GMAT score for the entering class of 2021 was 722, way up from the previous year’s 710.
The average GPA stayed the same at 3.5.
Ross accepted 20.2% of applicants to the class of 2023.
According to Accepted’s Selectivity Index, Ross placed tenth.

There’s opportunity in these numbers. The Michigan Ross MBA program is a fantastic option that is slightly easier to get into than other top programs.

In this post:

Application essay tips
Application deadlines
Class profile

Michigan Ross MBA essays: 2022-23 application tips

Ross kept the basic structure and essays that it had last year with one more significant change in its career goals essay, as you’ll see below. A career goals essay combined with short answer questions that provide a little bit of choice characterize the Ross application. The short answer questions give you the means to paint a unique, multi-dimensional picture of yourself and also to provide the Ross admissions committee with insight into “your values and what you would add to the Michigan Ross community.” Keep that goal in mind as you respond. Use your responses to provide context for events described elsewhere and perspective on your values and your ability to contribute while at Ross and beyond.

Remember, the application is a way for the admissions committee to meet you.

Michigan Ross MBA application short-answer questions: Part 1

Select one prompt from each group of the two groups below. Respond to each selected prompt in 100 words or less (<100 words each; 200 words total).

While I wish Ross would have given you more room to answer these questions, make the most of what you’ve got. For the short answers, you’re going to have to ask yourself which prompt most speaks to you.

Answer the question in each group that is easiest for you to answer and that allows you to present events and experiences that complement each other and the information provided in other parts of the application. You want to minimize repetition and overlap.

Ross hasn’t labeled the groups thematically. It seems to me that Group 1 is an opportunity for you to talk about something you’re proud of — your identity or a contribution you made. Group 2 relates to handling a difficult experience or situation and your resilience.

Again, choose the individual questions that allow you to present yourself best to show that you “stand out” as Ross instructs at the top of the page. Both groups ask for a behavioral response, where you discuss one experience or situation and reflect on it. You don’t have room for more.

Think a lot about what you want Ross to know about you as you choose the questions to answer. The question tells you what they want to know. Now answer it in such a way that allows you to tell them what you want them to know.

Group 1:

I want people to know that I:
I made a difference when I:
I was aware that I was different when:

Group 2:

I was out of my comfort zone when:
I was humbled when:
I was challenged when:

Given the 100-word limit on each response to these behavioral questions, describe the incident or situation and succinctly analyze it in terms of the prompt. For example, why do you “want them to know” about X (Group 1, #1) or why were you humbled or out of your comfort zone (Group 2, #1-2).

Michigan Ross MBA application short-answer questions: Part 2

Pick one thing from your resume and tell us more. (100 words)

Choose an item that you’re proud of. Perhaps an item where you led or empowered teammates to achieve, but the bullet point did not give you room to go into the interpersonal challenges and triumph. Perhaps there were unusual resource constraints that your bullet point couldn’t bring out and your leadership, organizational skills, and initiative were crucial to success. Obviously with 100 words, you don’t have space to be verbose or repetitive. Tell them something they don’t know in those 100 words.

Part 3: Career goal

What is your short-term goal? (25 words)

What do you want to do post-MBA and in what industry do you want to do it? If you have something you want to achieve in the short-term, include it, but if you don’t have it, don’t force it.

Why is this the right short-term career goal for you? (150 words)

The reasons for your short-term goal could include:

How the distinctive elements of your background shaped your goal.
What you hope to accomplish in that position or how it will prepare you for a longer-term goal.
The aspects of that role that appeal to you and times when you have enjoyed similar work in the past.
The values that you will be realizing in that role.
An achievement or challenge that you faced and how it has influenced your goals. Tell the story of that experience and how it influenced your short-term MBA goals.

Those are just a few ideas. You can come up with others. While this is the longest Ross essay, it is still only 150 words. Make every word count.

Michigan Ross optional statement

Is there something in your resume or application that could use some explanation? You might want to discuss the completion of supplemental coursework, employment gaps, academic issues, etc. Feel free to use bullet points where appropriate.

Use this statement if necessary to provide context for circumstances that affected your performance or that may lead admissions readers to the wrong conclusion about your abilities.

Ross doesn’t provide a word limit, but keep it short.

For expert guidance with your Michigan Ross MBA application, check out Accepted’s MBA Application Packages, which include comprehensive guidance from an experienced admissions consultant. We’ve helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to top MBA programs and look forward to helping you too!

Michigan Ross 2022-23 application deadlines

	Application Deadline	Decisions Released
Round 1	September 19, 2022	December 9, 2022
Round 2	January 8, 2023	March 17, 2023
Round 3	April 3, 2023	May 5, 2023

*All applications are due by 11:59pm ET on the date listed. International students can apply in any round, but are encouraged to apply in Round 1 or 2 to allow sufficient time for visa processing.

***Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with individual programs to verify the essay questions, instructions and deadlines.***

Source: Michigan Ross website

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Michigan Ross MBA class of 2023 profile

Here is a look at the Michigan Ross MBA Class of 2023, taken from the Michigan Ross website.

Class Size: 398

Female: 46%

International: 28%

Race and Ethnicity (U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents):

Native American or Alaska Native:

Federal: n/a

Multi-Dimensional: 3 (1%)

Asian:

Federal: 35 (12.2%)

Multi-Dimensional: 45 (15.7%)

Black/African-American:

Federal: 23 (8%)

Multi-Dimensional: 28 (9.8%)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

Federal: n/a

Multi-Dimensional: 1 (0.3%)

Hispanic/Latinx:

Federal: 31 (10.8%)

Multi-Dimensional: 31 (10.8%)

White:

Federal: 180 (62.7%)

Multi-Dimensional: 209 (72.8%)

Not Indicated:

Federal: 7 (2.4%)

Multi-Dimensional: 7 (2.4%)

Two or More Races:

Federal: 11 (3.8%)

Multi-Dimensional: n/a

Mean GPA: 3.53

Average GMAT Score: 722

Middle 80%: 690–760

Average GRE Verbal Score: 160

Average GRE Quant Score: 160

Are you a competitive applicant at your dream school? Check out the B-School Selectivity Index! >>

Average Years of Work Experience: 5

Industry Backgrounds:

Consulting: 23%
Education/Non-Profit/Government: 13%
Finance: 11%
Healthcare: 8%
Consumer Goods: 4%
Automotive/Transportation: 4%
Military: 3%
Engineering/Manufacturing: 3%
Other: 21%

Applying to business school?

We have the resources to help you navigate the options and make the right choice for you:

Is Ross at the top of your wish list?

Get the competitive edge with Ross-specific advice and inside information:

Do you need help gaining admission to Michigan Ross or any other top MBA program? That’s what we do! Explore our MBA Admissions Consulting Services and work one-on-one with an experienced admissions advisor who will help you GET ACCEPTED.

By Linda Abraham, founder of Accepted. Linda earned her bachelors and MBA at UCLA, and has been advising applicants since 1994 when she founded Accepted. Linda is the co-founder and first president of AIGAC. She has written or co-authored 13 e-books on the admissions process, and has been quoted by The Wall Street Journal, U.S. News, Poets & Quants, Bloomberg Businessweek, CBS News, and others. Linda is the host of Admissions Straight Talk, a podcast for graduate school applicants. Want an admissions expert to help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

Why MBA?, a guide to writing about MBA goals
What Prospective MBAs Should Know About Applying to Michigan Ross, a podcast episode
Writing About Overcoming Obstacles in Your Application Essays