New Essays And Key Admissions Dates

As we gear up to launch our application, the admissions team is excited to kick off the recruitment process for the incoming class next fall. We look forward to meeting you and other prospective students both on the road and at our virtual events. For more information on how you can connect with us and learn more about the Michigan Ross Full-Time MBA Program, click here!

Key Admissions Dates

In the 2025-26 admissions cycle, we will continue with three application rounds. The application deadlines and decision release dates for this year are listed below.

New Essay Prompts

At the end of each admissions cycle, the admissions team assesses whether we should change our essay prompts based on the insights we gained from the previous year’s applicant responses. After making a significant revision to our essays last year, we have made a minor adjustment to our existing essays for this cycle. Below are the new essays and word counts.

Part 1: Career Aspirations 

What is your short-term career goal, and how will Ross' philosophy in Action-Based Learning help you achieve it? Please be specific. Please answer both parts of this question. (300 words)  

Part 2: How will you make an impact at Michigan Ross? 

Michigan Ross is proud to support a community of leaders and impact makers. As a future member of this community, we want to know more about who you are and what drives you. Please choose 1 of the following prompts to tell us more about what makes you stand out beyond your academic and work experience. List the prompt you are answering at the top of your response. (200 words) 

• What makes you unique?
• Can you provide a specific example of how you've overcome a personal challenge?
• What makes you excited to get up each morning?
• Describe a time when you made a difference in your community or with an individual.  

Optional Essay 

Is there something in your resume or application that needs a brief explanation? Appropriate uses of this essay would be the explanation of an employment gap, academic outliers, choice of recommender, completion of supplemental coursework, etc. You may use bullet points where appropriate. (250 words) 

If you are applying through the Consortium for Graduate Studies in Management, you will need to answer both essay questions in addition to the Consortium's Core Application essays. 

New Statement for Applicants Applying Without a Standardized Test

If you choose to submit a Statement of Quantitative Academic Readiness instead of test scores, we will carefully review your academic and professional background to assess your preparedness. This year, the statement will solely focus on your quantitative experience and educational background.

We will consider factors such as holding a master’s degree in an analytical or quantitative discipline, professional certifications like the CPA or CFA (or their international equivalents), strong performance in quantitative coursework during your undergraduate or graduate studies, and full-time work experience in analytical or quantitative roles following the completion of your degree.

Coming soon is our application live blog!