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Show Summary
In this episode of Admissions Straight Talk, Linda Abraham interviews Andrea McHale, the Director of Admissions for the Michigan Ross MBA program. They discuss the unique elements of the Ross MBA program, such as its action-based learning principles and emphasis on impact. Andrea also provides advice for MBA applicants, including the importance of showcasing impact in the application, preparing for interviews, and addressing weaknesses or gaps in the application.
Show Notes
Welcome to the 576th episode of Admissions Straight Talk. Thanks for listening. You’ve seen the stats that most people have a great return on their MBA investment, but what about you? Are you going to see that return? How much will it be? We’ve created a tool that will help you assess whether the MBA is likely to be a good investment for you individually. Just go to accepted.com/mbaroicalc, complete the brief questionnaire and you’ll not only get an assessment, but the opportunity to calculate different scenarios and it’s all free.
It gives me great pleasure to have on Admissions Straight Talk for the first time, Andrea McHale, Director of the Michigan Ross Full-time MBA and Global MBA Admissions. Andrea has 10 years of industry experience in marketing, sales and supply chain management within the healthcare and automotive industries. In 2013, she transitioned to education administration. Before joining the Ross MBA team, she worked as the Director of Admissions for Michigan State University’s Broad MBA program. She has a BA and MBA from Michigan State, an MS from the University of Michigan and is currently pursuing her doctorate of business administration from the University of Florida. Pretty impressive.
Andrea, welcome to Admissions Straight Talk. [2:14]
Thank you for the super generous welcome. Yes, I’m also a student, so anyone who chats with me, we can talk about the pros and cons of going back to school as someone that’s been in the workforce for a while, but I definitely have a bias towards a full-time MBA and higher education in general.
Let’s start with a few general questions about Ross and then we’ll get more specific and focused on admissions. Can you give us an overview of Ross’ full-time MBA program for listeners who may not be that familiar with it, focusing on its more distinctive elements? [2:51]
Yes. Absolutely. The Ross School of Business is located within the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. We are 2024 national champions. However, back to the Ross MBA program, our key differentiators are our action-based learning principles. So really, many people have heard about MAP. MAP stands for multidisciplinary action projects. This is a quintessential end-of-your-first-year MBA experience where you are consultants with real-world impact. Fortune 500, NGOs, you name it, and you’re doing a seven-week project on site and back at Ross with them with real deliverables. It’s that pre-internship before the internship.
Sometimes you’ll also hear of “Midwest nice,” but that really does define our culture. We’re a highly collaborative, very inclusive culture, and we want everyone to be highly successful while they’re here at Ross, and we do that through very intentional pedagogy within the curriculum as well as within your experiential learning through student clubs, different organizations. We have a number of centers and institutes to support your learning even outside of your classroom experience. And I think the last thing about Ross and our curriculum particularly is the flexibility of it. We have over 110 top-ranked graduate programs at the University of Michigan. And you have the opportunity not only to dual degree and choose your path in those dual degrees, but also take up to 10 of your elective credits outside of Ross. So really thinking about what is most important and unique to you and what your goals are and your experience for your education, you have the ability to do that here at Ross.
What’s new at Ross? [4:56]
Oh goodness. Now I’m really going to get into the curriculum.
A couple of the things that our leadership team and that our students have really led is the need to be on trend within business. And with that comes AI and machine learning. And so we’ve introduced a few new curriculum electives this year as well as many of our professors are refining their current curriculum to be dynamic within that workspace and really bringing in case studies and opportunities to utilize AI and machine learning because it will become a big part of business as we continue to grow within that space. We had previously had a concentration in sustainability, but there was a student need and obviously an industry desire to be very focused within ESG. So we introduced a new concentration this year of environmental, social and governance. It’s really offered here as a concentration path to support students navigating really that rapidly changing business world, but creating foundations within sustainability, social impact, and administration.
Is that instead of the sustainability concentration? [6:16]
Yes. We have taken parts of the sustainability concentration path that already existed and added in other classes and electives that would really have a more well-rounded focus within ESG to support what our students’ needs are and then what we are hearing from our employers and within the industry.
I visited Ross a few years ago, and I was very impressed at the time. The dean talked about how all Ross students will be involved in starting, investing in, advising, and then managing or running a business. I think that’s what you call REAL. Can you dive a little deeper into that? Is it still true that all students will do that or is it they focus on certain elements of that foursome? [6:40]
I think in many ways all students will encompass this REAL framework. However, again, talking about choosing your own path and the flexibility of your experience, you can really hone in on specific areas of that. Linda had shared the REAL is start, advise, invest and lead. So that management component. And I’ll talk to a couple areas of just some examples of how that works within Ross.
The foundation of that really is in that action-based learning principles. So if you look at the REAL start, that component is about entrepreneurship. Our differentiator here within the MBA program where all students partake is within MAP. But we also have centers and institutes dedicated to entrepreneurship where you can take that even further through an incubator experience or an investment experience or case competitions and pitch competitions with VCs. So you have that ability to really either experience it as a student or really enhance that through other opportunities. We also then have the advise that’s consultive. Again, MAP encompasses that consulting aspect of really having that framework and being a problem solver and a leader of change within any organization. And that’s something that all students do. But then you could also be involved in the student clubs within consulting opportunities within our CDO program in terms of developing those skill sets to be successful within your career.
The next is invest. REAL invest. All of our students will have financial foundational skills within their Ross curriculum, but we have a number of student-led investment funds. A few of them would be the Wolverine Venture Fund or the Social Venture Fund. This is where Ross students, Ross MBA students, where Rossers have the ability to actually make investment decisions with real money, with real teams and you’re guiding growth based on those decisions. And then the last is REAL lead. This is, I feel like, one of our foundation … Part of our culture is that leadership culture. But an example of this even outside of the curriculum is the Sanger Institute for Leadership where you have the opportunity to participate in a crisis challenge within the story lab. They have curriculum both for MBA students across the board within the university, so you could even interact with more than just your MBA students on some of these initiatives. So you can really make the most of all of these different opportunities based on what your interests are.
Obviously, the opportunities for deep dives into any of these areas exist both in terms of extracurricular activities or in terms of choosing a MAP project, but do all students engage in all four of the activities or do you pick and choose what you’re most interested in? [10:01]
So within your curriculum, you’re definitely going to be interacting within all. Advise, invest, lead. But again, there’s those opportunities even outside of your curriculum where you can maximize a specific foundational area of this action-based learning either through our centers and institutes, our student clubs, some of the investment funds that you can lead. So there’s a lot of different opportunities to elect into them. But across the board, every Ross MBA student will have some component of that within their experience within the 20 months that they’re here in Ann Arbor.
I assume that MAP is the place where a student could do a deep dive into their particular area of interest? [11:00]
Oh yes. Absolutely. Or something completely different. I’ve seen MBA students approach it in very different ways. Whether they really want to say, “Okay. I’m switching into marketing and I want to take a marketing-based project, so it’s going to help me enhance my skill sets going into my internship.”, or we have someone that would go into investment baking and say, “I will never have the opportunity again to spend seven weeks supporting an NGO in Malawi, Africa.” And so they take it as this opportunity to grow as an individual, see a different side of the business landscape where that’s going to help them in their current career path, but in a different way where it maybe provides them a different lens or a different scope to be more successful later on. So I see students approach that slightly differently, and each approach is uniquely their own and it’s the right approach to take.
And our students have the ability to select from over 100 projects. They typically get their top three choices. So you really do have a voice and choice in looking through these projects and what’s going to maximize the value and the gain that you can contribute, and then also learn from those experiences. It’s a seven-week intensive where rather than taking classes, you’re working with the employers or the organization that you’re supporting. You’re going on site for part of that to really learn from the employees and the teams that you’re helping support. And at the end of the day, you have a real deliverable. So this is action-based learning at its best.
And it’s full-time? When you’re doing MAP, it’s all you’re doing? [12:51]
Oh, full-time. Yes. Seven-week full-time. In the last half of your semester in that fourth module as a first-year MBA student, you are completing your MAP project.
What don’t people know about Ross that you would like them to know, or what’s a common misconception that you’d like to dispel? [13:05]
I think the biggest misconception is yes, we are located in the Midwest of the US and that when you think of Michigan, you probably think of automotive or manufacturing, which is true. We still have lots of manufacturing and automotive. There’s been a huge tech increase in the Detroit area specifically. But just because you’re coming to do your education within the University of Michigan at the Ross School of Business doesn’t mean that you stay within Michigan. 75% of our students go coastal or within Chicago, so East Coast, Chicago and West Coast. So we coined the phrase, go blue, go anywhere. And it’s really true. We have a huge alumni network. There’s over 67,000 Ross alumni globally and over 600,000 University of Michigan alumni globally. So when you think about the brand and the network that you gain from coming to Ross, that’s huge. I feel like that’s the first misconception that I want to dispel. And I’d like to say yes, it’s not as cold as everybody talks about in Michigan, but for a few months out of the year it really is. But right now it’s beautiful. So it’s short-lived, but yes, if you’re coming from a warm climate area, we do have a pretty significant winter.
As an Angelino, I can appreciate the people who are afraid of cold, but I was there in June and it’s gorgeous.
Let’s turn to the application. Ross is asking applicants to submit either a GRE, a GMAT, a PCAT, DAT, MCAT or LSAT score. You almost have the whole alphabet covered there. Or if they don’t do the score, they need to do a statement of academic readiness. What’s a statement of academic readiness and who should apply with the test score and who should submit the statement? [14:31]
I’ll just take a quick second to talk about the standardized test scores and then I’ll move into the statement of academic readiness. Your application is complete whether you choose to submit with a standardized test or a statement of academic readiness. We do not differentiate between the two options. But I will share there’s been lots of changes in even the standardized testing. So this year, GMAT launched the GMAT Focus, and so for the next four years, we will be accepting valid traditional GMAT scores as well as the new GMAT Focus, which has a different scoring range. And what we’re looking there is at the percentiles to really be able to compare with an unbiased and as fair as we can within our application review process. So we do accept both.
GRE this year launched an expedited or a condensed version of their scoring. We do not differentiate between the two tests. They’ve put out a lot of studies in terms of the validity of those assessment scores. So we’re using those comparably across the traditional one or the longer version versus the shorter one. And then the alphabet soup is we do have a number of dual degrees and we do accept various different alternative tests if you’re a dual degree student, and it’s really to reduce any barriers from you pursuing that education that you desire. And that comes to the academic readiness statement. This came about during the pandemic because that became a barrier for students to apply because it was very hard to get to a testing center. We now have enough data to show that students who applied without a standardized test are capable and excelling within the MBA program and obviously within the outcomes. However, this is Ross, and we do need to at least try to triangulate your academic readiness within the application criteria that you provide, and we’re looking for, do you have the quantitative readiness?
The verbal side of things comes with a lot of different things we’re looking at within the application. We’re really trying to understand the quantitative academic readiness that you can bring to your Ross experience. So if you have any type of certifications or you’ve had quant heavy work within your career, if you’ve taken extra classes outside of what’s showing on your transcripts, these are all great ways to reflect your academic readiness and that’s something that we assess. So don’t take that statement lightly. We really want specifics. Not vague response of you’re really smart in mathematics and can do statistics. Provide a specific example, the years that you’ve been showcasing that in your career. That’s really important for us to be able to assess and equalize our applicants within that selection process.
Would you say that if somebody didn’t do so well as an undergrad or didn’t do well in quant courses as an undergrad, they would be wise to take the GMAT or GRE? That’s question number one. And number two, is the PCAT, DAT, MCAT and LSAT, are those really for dual degree applicants? [18:17]
Yes. For the first question, if you had a less-than-desirable outcome from your undergraduate degree in terms of GPA, because that is another criteria that we look at. Not just the GPA, but what was your undergrad focus in, what type of classes that you were taking. We look at all of that in that review process. So if that is less desirable or the outcome that you don’t want to showcase as a strength, taking a standardized test can really help to offset that. You’ve grown, you’ve matured, you’ve taken the time to prepare and study for that test. What if you’re listening to this call and you’re just like, “Hey, I’m not a test taker. This is not a strength of mine.” Possibly the statement of academic readiness may be the best path for you, but at the same time, we’re still looking for academic readiness.
So you’re going to have to take the time to demonstrate … Whether that be through a new class that you take or a new certification, taking the time to still demonstrate that would be important. Now, for the alphabet soup, in terms of the MCAT, the PCAT, the LSAT primarily, yes for dual degree students, but we have individuals that maybe have taken their LSAT. It’s still valid. They’ve worked for a few years as a lawyer and they realized that might not be the right career path for them and they’ve learned that hey, having an MBA and using those transferable skill sets into business may be applicable. Yes, we would accept that. Something to just consider. Again, LSAT. We know that your verbal ability is probably extremely high. Your comprehension and your problem-solving skills probably extremely high, but that doesn’t necessarily reflect your quantitative skill sets. So you just really need to put forth a very holistic application and trying to balance all of those strengths. Highlight the strengths. Be open and honest and authentic about any areas on that criteria of the application that may be a weak point. But altogether we’re looking at you as an individual holistically. Everything can come within balance.
So basically, if there’s a weakness in the application, address it, whether it’s through the test score or classes or certifications or work experience. If you feel that you’re ready, make a case for it. [20:51]
Yeah. Case in point for me. I did not do well my first semester in college. It was a huge transition for me, and I overcame that over time, but my GPA never fully recovered as an undergrad because of a really tough first year. Addressing that and then showing the maturity that I took to not just give up, but to reflect on, hey, I need to figure out what will work for me to be successful. That’s an opportunity to do that. Another area that we’ve been seeing lately is gaps in employment. That’s absolutely okay, but to not address it … If you don’t share it, we fill in the blanks. I don’t want to make any assumptions. So if you just share, “Hey, here’s the rationale why there may be a gap in my employment,” that paints the picture in our mind, and so we understand you as an applicant. Just any weak point, I would just highly encourage you to address in your optional essay.
And I would just add, don’t fudge the dates if there’s a gap in employment. [22:04]
Oh, no. Thank you, Linda.
Ross’ class profile for the class of 2025 has some pretty impressive stats. 719 average GMAT, 3.43 average GPA. The stats also reflect a lot of diversity in the class. What do you look for besides stats? [22:18]
We’re always looking for fit. We want each and every person that we’re admitting into the Ross program to be successful with the tools that we provide within the curriculum, within the student experience. So ultimately that comes through fit and sometimes the best way to that is through essays and your interview. And then also too, it’s not a criteria, but it’s definitely something we look at is how active have you been with the admissions team, with our current students, attending some of our events, whether they’re virtual or in person. Being able to showcase your motivation and ambition is also a huge thing that we look at in terms of the leadership potential, the drive, the desire to be highly motivated. That’s a reflection of those competencies.
I think I know what you’re talking about when you’re talking about fit. I’m sure you know what you’re talking about when you’re talking about fit, but could you tell our listeners what is fit? [23:29]
Yeah. Thank you. It’s a three-letter word. When we look for fit … Again, we talked about our differentiators. We’re action-based learning, we’re collaborative, we’re team-based. But we’re also leaders. So when we think about competencies that would match all of that, are you highly adaptable to different situations? Are you a problem solver? Can you work within teams? Are you motivated? And I reflected on some of the things that we can indicate as motivators. Those are really important competencies that are great for our fit, but weirdly enough, they also transfer into the business world as skill sets our employers desire as well. So we really do want that experience to be mutually beneficial and for you to gain the experience that you love Ross. But at the end of the day too, we want you to be highly successful in your post-MBA career and so we do look for that fit and that cultural competencies carry over into what our employers are looking for as well.
What are the essay requirements at Ross for this cycle? Are they going to change? What do you anticipate? [24:40]
Thank you for asking this. I’m not able to share quite specifics yet. At the end of this, we’re going to share our information on how to connect with us on our webpage, but I can give you the themes. We’ve had the same essays for I think the last three application cycles. And so this fall ’25 intake, it was time for a refresh. So in terms of the essays, we’re going to have three required. They’re going to continue to be a very condensed essay word count. We’re known for that and we did not want to go away from it. And then we will also have an optional essay. So the theme is how do you embrace action-based learning principles. We’ve talked a lot about this, Linda, so far in terms of really that’s a key to our culture. The next one is how will you make impact? That’s probably not something I’ve shared enough in this session, but we’re really looking for people and individuals who fit in our culture to drive impact. Whether it be within industry, whether it be within community. So that’s going to be a next essay theme.
And the next is career aspirations. So getting back to what are those short-term career goals, long-term career goals and why, and ultimately how does Ross fit within that. And then the last is the optional essay and that will not change. If there’s anything that you have not shared in your application that you feel is important for an admissions officer to know, we will have that optional essay for you to share and reflect where maybe we missed within our application criteria.
One of the hallmarks of the last three years has been that people have had the choice of which prompt to respond to. So you’re moving away from that? [26:28]
Not necessarily moving away from. The impact one, there will be prompts that you can select from, but there were two previously. We’re going just to one, and it’ll have about four prompts for you to answer a question, and that one will be on impact.
In discussing the essays, I think the focus has been much more on people’s motivations and what they’ve done in the past. Where do you think that an applicant can really show impact the most? [26:54]
A lot of them will be not necessarily behavioral in nature, but they’re going to be based on your own experiences. So think through when have you made impact. It could be you’ve driven impact for an individual or a group or an entire community or an entire business process. But being really intentional. Again, talking about specifics in a short word count is going to be important. So think through, maybe jot down like, “Hey, these are experiences that I’ve had that have made a difference in someone or in many people’s lives.” And then from there, narrowing down, which one do you want to showcase, which one represents you the most is going to be key. It’ll be similar to the prompts that we previously had, where you really need to be intentional with what you’re showcasing and what you’re sharing with us. So we didn’t want to get away from that too much, but we definitely wanted to refresh those prompts for our applicants because we’ve had the same ones for a few years.
That’s all fine. Obviously the questions have been very much focused on the essay. In the context of the essays, I think this is an excellent response. But I was thinking that the best place to show impact, not that the essays you can’t, is the resume and the experience sections of the application. I didn’t ask about the resume, so I realize that you were thinking about the essay, but that’s something I think should be highlighted. It is an excellent place. Use those boxes and use the resume to quantify your impact. [28:24]
Yeah. Linda, I agree 100%. I actually think that’s an area where sometimes our applicants don’t spend enough time. This is business school. You really need to spend a significant amount of time preparing your resume and updating your resume. Every bullet you have on your resume should reflect impact. So I think the Google XYZ format or … There’s one other one where it’s like basically everything has, what did you do, how did you do it and what was the result. So everything should have impact within a one pager. But it’s also an opportunity. You’re more than just the work that you do. And there are transferable skill sets in any type of volunteering opportunity or leadership position that you’ve held even outside of your corporate career or the role that you’re playing right now. So adding that to the resume. But if it’s on your resume, it definitely has to reflect impact. Why is it on your resume? I always want to see the why and what amazing things did you do. So I feel like that’s a great opportunity for all applicants. I think it’s a great start when you start preparing for your application is to start with your career and your experiences and your resume because it really provides that foundation for the rest of the criteria that you submit with your application.
We also at Accepted have a check sheet. It’s called 38 Ways to Use the Power of Numbers in Your Admissions Resume. And I’m going to link to it from the show notes. That’s one of the best ways: to quantify the impact you’ve had. And again, use those boxes, use that resume, don’t leave them for the last minute. If anything, think about it ahead of time. And then you can still discuss motivations and impact in the essays as Andrea was suggesting. But don’t overlook that part of it. I think raising the point of the importance of impact is really, really an excellent point.
What can applicants expect if they’re lucky enough to be invited to interview? [30:28]
Oh, wonderful. Our interview process is by invitation only, so we will go through after a round and we will do a first evaluation on every applicant and then from there invite to interview. Our interviews … And they will continue to be into this next cycle too, are conducted virtually by our Ross alumni. So you get to connect with an alum that’s out there working in careers and in locations that you’re either already in or desire to be in. A lot of these alums become mentors through the remainder of this process. So I think it’s a great opportunity to just really even initially start to connect with our alumni.
Now, it is still an interview. Our questions are going to be on some of the competencies that I have shared in terms of what we look for and fit. So resiliency, adaptability, problem solving skills, leadership, cultural IQ. Do you embrace the DEI and diversity of thought and what ways do you reflect that? Our questions are mainly behavioral. It should not be a high stress environment, but at the same time, come prepared. Think through what type of questions may you hear in terms of the behavioral response and then when you think about the ways to respond to behavioral questions, either star or car. We want specific examples. So situation, task, action, and result. If you’re using the STAR framework or context, action result, if you’re using the CAR format. So think through and be really intentional. So within two minutes you need to describe the situation, the task you specifically did, the action that you took and the results. Never forget the results. I think that’s probably the one area that many people in an interview forget. So if you come prepared, you should have a really wonderful time connecting with an alumni, building that relationship. And ultimately that gets added into your application and then you have a completed profile of an applicant and you’ll go through another review.
And there’s no more group interview, right? No more team-based interview? [33:28]
No. Not at this time. Yeah. Ross was one of the first MBA programs to have a team-based interview approach. We keep looking at possibly bringing that back. It was something that was super valuable, but we haven’t figured out a way yet in our timelines to bring that back.
It’s also logistically difficult. That’s just the reality of it. We discussed that before you apply you should learn about the program, we’ve discussed the essays, we discussed the resume, and the interview. What’s the most common mistake you see applicants making in the application process? [33:53]
Yeah. Linda and I chatted just now about the importance of your resume, and I just want to highlight that one more time. Really take time to focus on your resume. Anything going into your resume should reflect impact. You’re taking the time to show us what you’ve done. And it’s not just your work responsibilities. It’s what are the outcomes that you’ve had within these experiences? I see that as a mistake. Some people will just put a job description for their work.
Responsibilities but not results. [34:45]
Yes. And we really need to see that. And then we just talked about the interview aspect. So not spending time preparing for your interview. Because they’re alumni driven too, I can’t stress enough, take some time to prepare. Think through even the responses that you’re having back and forth with this alumni. They’re volunteering their time. So even when you go to say, “Hey, John, we were connected as a interview. Here are some times that I’m available.” So really take a moment to think through what is your availability, provide some options. And that way it’s a lot easier for the alum interviewer to connect a little bit more immediately with you so that they’re not having to plan that out. I feel like that’s an area. And then the last thing is not showcasing in the optional essay either a weakness within your application criteria, a gap in your resume. I cannot stress, once again, you share your story. Don’t leave any holes for us to try and fill in. That is the most important thing in creating a complete application.
Do you have any advice for two categories of applicants, both coming to terms with results or lack of results. One is wait-listed applicants, the other is re-applicants. Let’s talk about wait-listed applicants first. What advice do you have for those people in purgatory? [36:00]
It’s true. That’s what happens. One, pat yourself on the back, if either at Ross or any other program that you are placed on a waitlist. You are an admissible applicant. When we review our applications and make decisions, it’s part your criteria that you’re submitting, but it’s also part each year is going to be slightly different in the amount of applications we’re receiving, the overall quality of those applications. So you just have to understand that it’s a process and we don’t take it lightly. We do thorough reviews. So you’ve got to the wait list status. That’s awesome. We have a wonderful process and that’s managed by our admissions officers. So we provide you the opportunity at any point to give us updates, to make updates to your application until a final decision is made. So don’t take that lightly either.
If you have any type of substantial update, whether it be a job change, a promotion, if you retake a standardized test, all of that is valid up until the time a decision is made. So use that as an opportunity to continue to refine your application criteria. Strengthen your profile as much as you possibly can. That will ultimately one, reflect motivation and ambition. And so that just looks good that you’re taking the time to interact with us, that you’re using this as an opportunity to advance yourself and your outcomes. So I would really encourage that.
And then the second part in terms of … Sorry, did you say wait list and then re-applicant? We have a number of re-applicants, and that’s an opportunity for you to do the same thing within a year cycle and say, “Okay. My application may not have been as competitive as I would have liked.” And you received a deny at the year that you initially applied.
Be reflective about that. Look at the Ross class profile or any other program that you’re looking at. Okay, what are areas that maybe I have a weak point that I should look at trying to improve upon for this next cycle? Whether it be your work experience or your standardized test. Your undergraduate GPA is what it is, but are you taking classes or opportunities to enhance those areas and is this something that you can reflect within your application? Those are all important things. And then the last thing is stay engaged. Attend events, try and come on campus if you can. Build those relationships too, because then now we’re talking about those core competencies of success within the classroom experience and outside into your career. So being diligent does pay off. So I would just really encourage re-applicants to think through how they can improve their application profile and stay engaged.
Great advice. Thank you. Can I add one point to your reapplicant advice? I would say take a critical look at how you answered the questions. Did you really answer the questions? Is your application full of mistakes and typos? There’s being qualified, which I think you have addressed superbly, and there’s presenting your qualifications effectively. So you have to look at both when you’re applying. [39:32]
Yes. Absolutely.
What advice would you give to someone thinking ahead to Fall 2025 or later application? They’re probably working now, they’ve finished college. What should they be thinking about and doing? [40:01]
Oh my goodness. It’s a process. So if you’re at the very early stages of, hey, I’m thinking about a full-time MBA, give yourself some grace, but also create a plan. I would initially say, look around on the programs that you’re interested in or the Ross website, and then also get on email distribution lists. I know not everybody checks their emails, nor do I, but it is a great way just to have a continuous update from Ross or any other school that you’re interested in in terms of what’s going on. And then the events will come that way too. So once you’ve done your initial research of understanding what programs may be a good fit for you, that next step is to attend some of the virtual or within your location if they’re coming to you, if you’re in a large metro area, attending some events where you can start to meet with admissions officers, alumni, and current students.
Once you narrow down to your top schools, even probably before you submit an application, or if you maybe start at the beginning of the process, you should come on campus. You really want to make sure that you feel at home, that you’re going to be able to thrive in this environment, that it’s a good fit for you, and that it may inspire you as you go through the rest of that application process.
And then lastly too, take time in the application process. So Linda just said, answer the questions, don’t have any typos. Each school there’s going to be similar themes, and you’ll notice those themes pop up. But the way that each program and specifically the way that Ross asks our questions, we want that question answered. So take time within the essays to frame that. And then the last thing, we didn’t talk about this at all, but it usually takes the longest, is letters of recommendation.
If you’re asking a manager to write a letter of recommendation on your behalf, it takes time for them to do that really effectively and to articulate the experiences that they’ve had for you and the competencies that each program’s looking at. We use the GMAC standard form. So many schools are getting towards that, which is helpful to your recommender, but not every program does. So you’ll need to bake in a few months for them to submit that letter of recommendation in a timely manner. So you’re going to have to create a timeline when is the round deadline that you’re planning on applying in and back that up a few months for a letter of recommendation, even a few more months for you to complete your profile and your criteria in a timely manner. So it is very doable while you’re working, but it does take some intentional planning and effort on your part to be successful.
That’s great advice. Thank you so much. I’m glad you brought up the recommenders. You don’t want to ask your recommender a month or even two weeks before the due date because they could be going on vacation. [43:07]
Yes. It’s true. Or you work for a team … I always give the … I’ll never forget my husband had a very large team and he worked for a tech company and it was booming and everybody wanted to go get their MBA. And so he’s like, I will do one a month for every employee that he knows that is doing their MBA, and he could only commit to one a month, because if you had five employees looking to get their MBA in the same year, it is timely on their part. So I think setting that expectation with your manager or whoever’s doing the recommendation for you so you understand what their timeline might look like is important.
What would you have liked me to ask you? [44:01]
Oh, goodness, this is really comprehensive, Linda, and I had a lot of fun. It’s really reflective as we’re going into this next recruitment cycle, so I really appreciate your time.
The thing I would think about is how do you get involved? So if you’re interested in Ross, the first few things I would tell you to do is go onto our website. There’s a request for information form that we have. It’s very brief. I think it’s like five fields that we have you fill out. But from there on, you’re going to get our bi-monthly updates., And that will have news, events, curriculum changes that we have going on, and then our admission event programming. So as you get to know the program even more, as you get ready to start registering for events, this is a great time.
We are going to be kicking off our recruitment season in the end of June, the beginning of July, and we’ll be going to many major metro areas across the world. So we hope to see you there. And then the next step is to go to our virtual programming and then ultimately to some of our on-campus events. We take those very seriously. We try to do very intentional programming, so you get to live and breathe what it’s like to be a Ross MBA student. So I highly encourage if you have the opportunity to attend those to do that, because I feel like you get the most out of what this experience could be like, and then it’s a great opportunity to interact with the admissions team.
Great. Andrea, I want to thank you so much for joining me today. This has been a highly informative, enjoyable interview. Where can listeners and potential applicants learn more about Michigan Ross full-time MBA program? [45:35]
michiganross.umich.edu
Relevant Links:
- Michigan Ross MBA
- Michigan Ross MBA Essay Tips and Deadline
- Accepted’s MBA ROI Calculator, a free tool
- 38 Ways to Use the Power of Numbers in Your Admissions Resume
Relevant shows:
- Former Wharton/Lauder Admissions Director Joins Accepted, podcast Episode 570
- Advice for Applicants: Moving from 2023 to 2024, podcast Episode 557
- How to get into Berkeley Haas, podcast Episode 547
- ROI and NYU’s Part-time MBA, podcast Episode 552
- How to Get Into Wharton, podcast Episode 545
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