Established in 1924, the Stephen M. Ross School of Business is the University of Michigan business school.
In the hundred years since the school was founded, it has built itself a strong reputation for being one of the best schools for studying business out there.
Located in Ann Arbor, the University of Michigan is a large public institution for higher education. It is widely known for its excellent undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate research programs.
The city is frequently ranked among the best places in the US to attend college. Ann Arbor is widely known for being an extremely walkable city with a vibrant atmosphere, rich arts and cultural offerings, and excellent dining options.
Ross campus facilities include the Seigle Cafe, Starbucks, Och Fitness Center, Robertson Auditorium, and the vast Kresge Library.
In the fall of 2021, the University of Michigan set a new school record for the highest total enrollment, breaking an astonishing 50,000 students for the first time.
The Ross School of Business student population is comparatively quite small, with their student body being made up of just 4,326 students in the 2021 academic year.
For students who are interested in pursuing a degree in business, the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business is an amazing option worth considering.
Here, we have compiled some of the most important things potential future students should know before applying to the school, such as their acceptance rates, rankings, some notable alumni, and so much more.
University of Michigan Ross School of Business Acceptance Rate
The acceptance rate for the University of Michigan Ross School of Business is 12%.
This low rate is evidence that Ross is truly quite a selective business school, evidently employing stringent standards to admit only the highest-achieving students.
In fact, in 2020, Ross’ low acceptance rate earned it the #12 spot on the list of business schools with the most selective MBA programs in the United States.
In 2020, the average acceptance rate for the MBA programs offered by all of the 138 full-time business schools ranked by US News and World Report was just under 60% — meaning that most schools accept the majority of applicants.
Looking only at the ten most selective business schools in the country, on the other hand, the average acceptance rate is 19.1%.
This rate is just shy of one-third of the national average, yet it is still a solid 7% higher than the Ross School of Business.
The selectivity demonstrated by Ross’ Office of Admissions is remarkable in comparison to all of the other business schools out there and within the context of the University of Michigan.
UMich, the #25 best college in the country, has an acceptance rate of 20%, so an individual student’s chance of being accepted to the undergraduate university is greater than their odds of being accepted to Ross.
UMich Ross Business School Ranking
According to US News and World Report’s 2023 list of the colleges in the United States with the best business programs, the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business is ranked 10th in the nation.
Of course, a school’s rank can vary from one source to another since evaluating and ranking colleges is ultimately subjective.
To give an example, in 2020, a publication by the name of Poets & Quants ranked the Ross School of Business second in the country.
The same year, P&Q also named Ross on their list of the top 10 undergraduate schools for business to watch, citing the school’s ever-shrinking acceptance rates, rising SAT medians, and overall high-quality of academic experiences as key reasons for their high ranking.
Ross ranks #7 nationally in terms of best part-time MBA programs, making it an especially excellent choice for students who have to attend to family or work responsibilities on top of attending school.
Michigan Ross is also a particularly great school for those interested in studying marketing or management, with the school tying for the third place spot in terms of best MBA programs in these specialty areas.
In addition, Ross is ranked third in terms of its project management program offerings.
Other specialty areas in which Ross’ programs rank among the top 10 in the US include production/supply chain management — where they rank fourth — as well as the executive MBA, accounting, nonprofit management, in which Ross places fifth.
In addition, Ross’s entrepreneurship and finance programs are ranked eighth and ninth, respectively.
UMich Ross School of Business Requirements
In order to be accepted into the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, applicants need to have solid academic credentials.
The school does not require applicants to have a specific minimum GPA to be eligible for admission.
With Michigan Ross being the selective institution for business education that it is, however, GPA is still an essential factor that the admissions team considers when evaluating each student’s application.
For this reason, students interested in attending Ross should strive to earn strong grades in high school and/or during their undergraduate studies.
In order to be a strong candidate for admission, some recommend that applicants should have at least a 3.5.
For students applying to one of Ross’ MBA programs, application requirements include submitting full official transcripts from all previously attended institutions,
Michigan Ross requires standardized test score submission to evaluate the applicant’s academic capabilities, but the school does not require one particular exam over others.
To satisfy this requirement, students are given the option to submit score results from the LSAT, GRE, GMAT, MCAT, PCAT, or DAT.
Alternatively, students who do not wish to submit test scores, or are not able to do so, can submit an essay supporting their decision to omit their test scores, as well as other forms of evidence supporting their academic ability.
These include, but are not limited to, recent professional experience in a relevant position, a master’s degree, and undergraduate records showing prior business study in undergrad.
Notable Alumni of Ross School of Business
Since the Ross School of Business was founded more than 100 years ago, many graduates have become notable public figures in the business industry.
Michigan Ross’ alumni network has expanded to include more than 50,000 graduates who are successful business professionals in all corners of the world.
Notable alumni of Michigan Ross include Stacey D. Stewart, current president and CEO of March of Dimes.
Prior to taking on her current role, Stewart also served as senior officer at the Office of Community and Charitable Giving at Fannie Mae, as well as US President of United Way Worldwide.
Another UMich Ross alum is Roger Frock, who was formerly the general manager of FedEx. Now, Frock has become the president and CEO of Quest management.
Michigan Ross alumni have made names for themselves In the world of politics and government, as well.
In the world of athletics, there is William “Bill” C. Martin, a 1965 Ross MBA recipient and dedicated sailor who was UMich’s athletic director for an entire decade starting in 2000.
In addition to serving as a board member and president of the US Olympic Committee, Martin was also awarded the General Douglas MacArthur Award — the most honorable award the USOC has to offer — in 2005.
Should You Attend Michigan’s Ross Business School?
When choosing the perfect business school, there are a plethora of different factors you will need to consider to ensure that your MBA journey is the most productive, enriching, and enjoyable experience possible.
Since so many things go into making a university great, it can be challenging to determine which of the thousands of solid schools out there you should spend your valuable time and energy applying to.
One characteristic of a business school that can play a particularly significant role in shaping student experience is size — not just in terms of the student body, but also the size of the campus and the average class size.
The Ross School of Business occupies a 179,000-square-foot stretch of the University of Michigan’s campus in Ann Arbor.
With 4,326 students enrolled in degree programs as of fall 2021, 153 full-time faculty, and 71 visiting or adjunct faculty, Ross’ student-to-faculty-ratio is between about 19:1 and 28:1. In other words, the school is moderately-sized in this sense.
Ultimately, it is up to you to determine whether or not the Ross School of Business is the right fit for you.
That being said, there is no doubt that Michigan Ross is a phenomenal business school, and earning a degree from this stellar institution is almost certain to prove invaluable to you in your pursuit of a career in business.
