What are my chances of being admitted from the waitlist?
The number of students admitted from the waitlist varies from year to year based on the strength of enrollment.
How many students are on the waitlist?
The list is ever-changing, with individuals constantly being added and removed as their circumstances change. Since we ask applicants to respond to our offer of waitlist status, we do not know how many applicants will choose to remain on the list.
Is the waitlist ranked?
No, the list is not ranked. If spaces become available in the incoming class, the Admissions Committee will consider many factors, including the strength of individual applications and overall composition of the class, in deciding to make offers of admission to candidates on the waitlist.
I have not had an opportunity to interview. What can I do?
If you have not yet had an opportunity to interview, you may call by April 30 to schedule an interview appointment. We will try to accommodate your request in the following months; however, scheduling of interviews depends on staff availability. Please contact the interview coordinator at (734) 763-7805, or by email at rossintv@umich.edu. Please do not use the online scheduling system to arrange this interview. If you have already interviewed in the past two years, you will not be able to conduct a second interview.
What can I do now to enhance my MBA application?
You may send us new information to enhance or update your application credentials relating to career progress, promotions, test scores, awards, community involvement or other achievements. To do so, please send an email with any of the above-mentioned information to the Associate Director who signed your decision letter.
When will the Admissions Committee make admission decisions from the waitlist?
We will be making decisions throughout the admissions cycle, with the majority of decisions occurring in late April and May. Final decisions will be made no later than July 15 for international applicants (due to visa processing requirements) and August 15 for domestic applicants.
Can I meet with someone to discuss my status?
Due to the demands of the admissions cycle, the Admissions Committee is not able to schedule counseling or feedback appointments with applicants on the waitlist. We are interested in any new information you can provide, so it is to your advantage to provide any updates via email as noted above. Any additional information you send will be considered by the Admissions Committee as we review waitlisted files.
When will my financial aid application be considered (for U.S. citizens & permanent residents)?
Financial aid consideration begins once an applicant has been admitted from the waitlist.
Guidance for Improving Your Application
Below are some general guidelines on areas of your application you may want to consider enhancing. While all of the points might not be relevant to your case, we hope that some are meaningful as you reflect on how to make your application more competitive.
Goals or "Why an MBA"?/font>Many times applicants have not identified their goals as well as they could. Although business school gives you the opportunity to explore career options, and you can certainly change your mind while you are in the program, we are looking for people who have a strong sense of what it means to earn an MBA and have a good idea of how this course of study fits their plans. If your goals are not as clearly developed, you may want to consider doing informational interviews with people you know who have an MBA. Also, visiting business schools is a way to learn more. Another great resource is www.wetfeet.com, a website that provides information on MBA careers.
Co-Creating your Michigan MBA?/font>We are looking for strong evidence that you have done research on our program, have networked with alumni, students, staff, etc. in order to gain a sense of what the Ross School of Business is about, our approach to management education in connecting theory into action, and why you feel it is the best fit for you. You can do this by visiting Ross in person, attending our receptions or forums, communicating via email with Ambassadors, reviewing our materials and website, etc. We seek students who are interested in making a unique contribution to the community here at Michigan, as well as in the broader community throughout your life. We want students who will take action to create an experience that is robust and individualized. Providing generic reasons for Michigan's Ross School of Business, especially when we could easily substitute the name of another top school into the statement, is not helpful.
Recommendations?/font>In general, your recommendations should be from a supervisor who knows your work well and is able to comment on your professional and managerial skills. They should have a good understanding of why you want an MBA and why the Ross School of Business, in particular. They should provide specific examples to support their statements. Recommendations from faculty are usually less impactful.
Achievements?/font>Your accomplishments should come across strongly in your resume, essays, recommendations, and interview. We want to see your track record of success and understand how you have made an impact on your organization. Your leadership and teamwork skills and experience need to be evident. Stating that your significant professional accomplishment was a promotion is less effective than helping us understand what you did to get promoted, or how you have impacted your organization since that time. Similarly, passing a certification exam, such as the CPA, while very impressive, does not often provide good content for an achievement essay, as we are able to recognize that accomplishment from your resume. It is better to tell us how that has helped you in other achievements in your career.
GMAT/GPA?/font>The GMAT and GPA are components of the application that help us assess an applicant抯 ability to handle the rigor of our program. The average GMAT of our admitted students was 700 last year, so if your score is less than our average, you may want to consider retaking it as a way of improving the competitiveness of your file. Regarding your undergraduate performance, if your background is less quantitative, or if you struggled in some of your coursework, you may want to consider taking some quantitative classes in preparation. If you haven抰 yet met our calculus requirement, consider enrolling in that course. Finally, if your undergraduate performance is less than stellar, you can use the optional essay to address the situation.
TOEFL (for international applicants)?/font>Our minimum acceptable score is 250 and the average TOEFL score for the class admitted last year was 275. If your score is below the minimum, you should retake the TOEFL. If your score is below the average, you may want to consider retaking the test as a way of improving the competitiveness of your application.
Interview?/font>If you did not interview, we highly recommend that you do so by June 1st. Procedures for scheduling an interview are detailed in the FAQ's above. If you did interview, and you have concern that your interview was part of the reason you were placed on the waitlist, you can note that to us in an email communication. | 
