Michigan Ross Application Updates: IBE, Preferred Admission, and More

The Common Application launched on Aug. 1, and we are wishing everyone a happy new year for college application submissions. With the new application cycle upon us, I wanted to highlight some changes for the upcoming year, in addition to some reminders for your Ross BBA application. 

Michigan IBE Admission Considerations

This year, the Ross School of Business began a new first-year admitting dual degree program with the College of Engineering: the Integrated Business and Engineering Program. Students apply to the Michigan IBE Program directly through their first-year application.

New for the Fall 2027 application cycle, students who choose the Michigan IBE Program in the Common Application will also be able to indicate whether they would like to be considered for admission to either the Ross Bachelor of Business Administration or the College of Engineering bachelor’s program. Consideration for the Ross BBA or the College of Engineering bachelor’s program will only take place if a student is not selected for IBE and they selected an alternate program for consideration in the Common Application.

Early Decision and Early Action applicants who select this option will first be considered for Michigan IBE during their chosen early notification round. If they are not admitted to Michigan IBE and are instead postponed, they will receive a final decision in the Regular Decision round after being considered for both Michigan IBE and the secondary option they selected.

Preferred Admission

With the new Michigan IBE Program, Preferred Admission to the Ross School of Business through the College of Engineering first-year application will no longer be available. We instead encourage applicants to apply to the Michigan IBE Program.

Preferred Admission to the Ross BBA Program is still available for first-year applicants applying to the Stamps School of Art & Design, the School of Music, Theater & Dance, and Sport Management within the School of Kinesiology. The Ross Admissions Portfolio is still a requirement for Preferred Admission applicants.

Please note that preferred admission to Ross is also not an option for the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. Students interested in pursuing business are encouraged to apply directly to Ross as a first-year applicant, as this provides the best opportunity for consideration. 

Preferred admission is only available for Early Action and Regular Decision applicants. Decisions for Ross Preferred Admission are released after a student has been accepted to their first-year admitting unit. Decisions for Ross Preferred Admission can be made as early as February or as late as April. There is no postponement (commonly known as being deferred) of the decision for Ross Preferred Admission. Students admitted to their first-year admitting unit for Early Action may not hear of a decision until April. 

Preparing Your Application

With these changes in mind, now is a good time to understand the reason you want to pursue a business degree and whether you also want to select the Michigan IBE or a Preferred Admission program. A reflection of your academic goals and interests will help you focus your efforts as you develop your application materials. And trust me, that focus will translate into a stronger application.

A tip for your “Why Michigan” essay (Describe the unique qualities that attract you to the specific undergraduate college or school…) is that your first-year unit (BBA or Michigan IBE for Ross first-year unit) will be the primary focus in your essay. If you apply for Ross Preferred Admission, you should, of course, integrate business into your first-year academic plan when writing that essay. We understand Preferred Admission applicants will talk more about their primary first-year unit rather than solely focusing on their interest in business, but integrating both is key! And a reflection on how to do this may ultimately help with where you choose to apply. For more application tips, check out a recent blog post 7 Helpful Tips for Applying to Michigan Ross.