The Ross Admissions Portfolio requires a 500-word Business Case Discussion and one artifact, with a 250-word explanation of the artifact. The Business Case Discussion asks applicants to "Pick a current event or issue in your community and discuss the business implications. Propose a solution that incorporates business principles or practices. The review panel will look for creativity, drawing connections, and originality." The artifact submission asks applicants to "Upload a document or artifact that represents something significant about your life to show your learning in action. Describe how your artifact demonstrates your learning in action.

The Ross School of Business requires that high school applicants complete four units of English, two units of foreign language, four units of mathematics, three units of science, three units of social studies, and five units of other academic subjects. Students are encouraged to complete four units of mathematics of their choice. Calculus is not a high school requirement, and a student's math record is viewed holistically.

In sum, we want to see how well you perform academically through the end of your senior year in high school. We recommend you take courses that are both challenging and appropriate for you. We encourage AP, IB, or similar advanced courses when you, your parents, and your school counselor believe they are appropriate. Students who take a large number of non-graded or non-academic courses will not be as competitive as other applicants.

Effective for the 2025 application cycle, U-M, and therefore Michigan Ross, will be test-optional for first-year admission. You have the choice to submit standardized test scores (ACT/SAT) as part of your application. Other test scores (AP, IB, PSAT) will no longer be considered in their place. The university will review the policy on an ongoing basis.

For the University of Michigan application, applicants will submit three written essays: the Common Application essays and two U-M supplemental essays, the second of which should be focused on your interest to pursue a business degree. "Describe the unique qualities that attract you to the specific School or College (including Preferred Admission and dual-degree programs) to which you are applying at the University of Michigan. How would that curriculum support your interests?" You will also submit the Ross Admissions Portfolio which includes a deeper analysis of your business knowledge through the Business Case Discussion and the artifact submission.

There are approximately 500 spaces for first-year students entering in fall term. Admission is highly selective, but holistic in nature. The review process considers your level of academic achievement including course rigor and GPA, your depth of extracurricular involvement, the strength of your application essays, and your Ross Admissions Portfolio. Please read our Application Requirements and Review Criteria for more information.

During the time of your application review, we will evaluate the most current transcript provided to the university. You are expected to fulfill the senior year courses you elected and listed on your Common Application. If there is a change in your schedule, please contact the central Office of Undergraduate Admissions through your Enrollment Connect portal.

Preference for order of review is given to those applicants who submit a full application, including the Ross Portfolio, by the Nov. 1 Early Action deadline. Any applicant who submits their Common Application and Ross Admissions Portfolio after the Early Action deadline will be read in that order and receive their decision by early April in the Regular Decision review process.

We have decided to postpone making a decision on your application at this time, and your application will be moved into our regular decision pool for consideration. We need additional time to review your credentials and determine how your strengths and academic achievements would fit with the composition and quality of this year’s first-year applicant pool.

Our application pool is large and acceptance of our admissions offers continues to increase. With a limited number of spaces, we are regrettably unable to admit all competitive applicants.

If your admission decision has been postponed, you can do one of the following:

1. Stand by and receive a decision by early April
2. Submit the Expression of Continued Interest (ECI) form no later than March 8. Type any updates or additional information that you wish to add to your application in a free-form format by logging into Enrollment Connect, navigating to the action items section, and clicking on Verify Continued Interest. The Expression of Continued Interest form is NOT required for consideration in our process. Furthermore, no preference is given for the order or date in which the form is received. Additionally, please note that we will only allow for a single submission of the Expression of Continued Interest form, and you will not have access to edit the form after it has been submitted.
3. Contact your high school to have them send a Mid-Year Report showing any recent grades that are available before mid-February.
4. Submit both the Expression of Continued Interest form and recent high school grade updates.

If you would like to submit additional information, our preference is to receive only the ECI form, grade updates, or any specifically requested information. Anything outside of this will not impact your final decision.

For more information, please see the University of Michigan’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions Postponed Applicants FAQ.

We receive and review applications from November through April. The majority of first-year applicants will be notified of their decision between late January and mid-April. 

Students who submit their application by the Nov. 1 Early Action deadline will receive a decision on their application by the end of January. This decision round could include an 1) offer of admission, or 2) a notification that your application has been postponed (also known as a deferral) to the Regular Decision review, or 3) a notification that you have not been offered admission.

Similarly, students who submit their application after Nov. 1 but before Feb. 1 will receive a decision by early April through the Regular Decision review process. This decision round could include an 1) offer of admission, or 2) an offer to be on our waitlist (final notifications are made in the summer) or 3) a notification that you have not been offered admission.

You can always check your application status and view your application decision at Enrollment Connect.

When students apply to the University of Michigan through the Common Application, they choose to apply to a first-year admitting unit. One U-M application is submitted per student and they must choose either the Early Action Nov 1st deadline or the Regular Decision Feb 1st deadline. The Ross School of Business does not have a dual application or preferred admission option with LSA. 

We encourage applicants to continue with the school or college they first selected on their Common Application. If your academic interests have changed, applicants can update their application to a different school or college through Enrollment Connect but only if any applicable application deadlines have not passed and you have not received an admission decision on your initial application.

If you need to request that your application be updated to a different school or college, and any applicable application deadlines have not passed, please go to your Enrollment Connect portal and choose the Application menu. Next select the button that reads Verify Application Answers and click on "Request to Update U-M College or Term."

The Ross School of Business has many academic opportunities for students not enrolled in the BBA program to engage and have a Ross experience. Students may take advantage of more formal experiences, such as the Business Minor, Cappo Sales Track, or Master of Management. Or students may choose a less formal experience and enroll in a Ross undergraduate elective course, open to all students across campus. Additionally, the university offers many pathways to business success.

In general, Ross students share the same housing as most first-year students on campus. However, Ross students can apply to reside in the Living Business Theme Community, located on the fifth floor of West Quad and Cambridge House. Living Business represents a group of diverse, first-year Ross students who champion the goals and values of the school. Students who apply and are accepted to Living Business benefit from access to an enhanced academic experience, a supportive community, professional skill development, and off-campus experiential learning.

A deferment of admission is rare and handled individually. Deferment prior to enrollment must be requested through your Enrollment Connect portal and approved by the Ross School of Business. Required military service, for example, will require official documentation at the start of your deferral term indicating the completion of your compulsory service. This documentation must be sent directly from your military department. Other instances — including personal, family, and health issues — will be addressed on an individual basis. 

Applicants who are not offered admission cannot be re-reviewed during their year of deferment. Admission decisions are based on single applications in the year an applicant applies, and a year of deferment is not considered an additional year of application.

The vast majority of first-year students who take their studies seriously, manage their time well, and use support services are able to meet the small number of program requirements. The very few students who believe they might not meet the requirements are encouraged to talk with their Ross Academic Advisor about next steps.

As a Ross Preferred Admit, you are expected to uphold the requirements listed below: 

• Complete First-Year Writing, ECON 101, and any course in Calculus I, II, or III at U-M, each with a grade of C- or better, by the end of your first-year winter term. AP credit for Calculus I or II (MATH 120 or 121) will substitute for the required course in calculus. IB or A-level for ECON 101 and U-M Calculus I, II, or III will substitute for the required courses in economics and calculus. 
• Successfully complete BA100 (Fall), BCOM250 (Winter), and ACC 300 (Winter). 
• Enroll full-time (12+ credits) in the fall and winter semesters of first year. 
• Maintain good academic standing at Ross with a term and cumulative grade point average of 2.500 GPA or higher at UM-Ann Arbor.

Preferred admits are typically students who have academic interests in multiple areas and are interested in pursuing a dual degree. Thus, these students will need to remain enrolled in that school or collegefor their first year in order to stay on track for both programs. Visit U-M’s preferred admission page for more information, including which schools and colleges preferred admission to Ross is available

Ross BBA Preferred Admits will be able to bring in a maximum of 45 credits at the start of their second year, when they formally enter Ross. This will include all test credit taken pre-U-M, as well as any U-M or transfer credits completed prior to their fall second year.

Ross students share the same housing as most first-year students on campus. Preferred Admission students can apply to the Living Business Theme Community. Living Business represents a group of diverse, first-year Ross students who champion the goals and values of the school. 

Housing will remain a random process for students who do not reside in the Living Business Theme Community, though they are welcome to participate in other living/learning communities.

1. Describe why you want to pursue a BBA degree at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business, and how the Ross experience will support your personal and professional goals. (500-word maximum) 

2. Reflect on your current or ongoing involvement in a specific organization outside of the classroom. Why did you join this organization? How did you make this organization or the community better? What did you learn? (500-word maximum)

Current U-M Ann Arbor students should attend the BBA Information Sessions and BBA Application Workshops in fall and winter for information and advice. Also, we suggest you ask friends and adults who write well to offer their careful, honest critiques of your essays. Ross admissions staff, including the Ross BBA Ambassadors, do not review application essays. (That would defeat the purpose!) U-M academic advisors, instructors, and writing tutors typically do not review Ross application essays, either.

For current U-M Ann Arbor students, we want to see how well you perform at U-M Ann Arbor, especially in quantitative courses. We strongly recommend you:

• Take a full credit load each term (usually 14-16 credits).

• Take courses that are both interesting and challenging to you. We appreciate all fields of study, as long as you challenge yourself.

• Fulfill the requirements for admission at U-M Ann Arbor, rather than transfer credits from another college.

• Take at least two rigorous quantitative courses, including the prerequisites of Econ 101 and Math 115, if you don't already have college credit for these.

The transfer admissions process is not designed for students who have previously applied. Keep in mind that the BBA curriculum is a sequenced program and cannot be accelerated.

You are encouraged to leverage the transfer application option essay. Here is the prompt: 

Briefly describe any unique personal circumstances, such as a major illness or personal tragedy, that have had a significant effect on your application credentials. Additionally, please describe any gaps in your academic record (e.g., lower course grade, taking a gap year between high school and college). If these circumstances are on-going, how will you manage them if admitted to the Stephen M. Ross School of Business?

There are approximately 100 spaces for transfer applicants from U-M. Admission is highly selective, but holistic in nature. The review process considers your level of academic achievement including course rigor and GPA, your depth of extracurricular involvement, and your strength of application essays. Please read our U-M Transfer Application Requirements and Review Criteria for more information.

No. Due to the curriculum structure and cohort model, there is only one admission cycle each year. All admitted students start classes in the fall.

Deferments are rare and handled individually. Required military service, for example, will require official documentation at the start of your deferral term indicating the completion of your compulsory service. This documentation must be sent directly from your military department. Other instances – including, personal, family, and health issues – will be addressed on an individual basis.

YES! For current U-M Ann Arbor students, we look at your transcript after winter-term grades have been posted. Transfer applicants must complete all the course and credit requirements and submit transcripts with their transfer supplement by June 1.

No. For current U-M Ann Arbor students, we have access to your transcript already and will review it after winter-term grades have been posted. Transfer applicants will submit final transcripts with their transfer supplement by June 1.

Language study broadens your horizons, and many of our students find a direct benefit to language study because business operations have become highly globalized. However, language study is not a requirement for admission or graduation.

It's usually better to move on to a different course than to repeat a course, as long as you meet the admission requirements. We evaluate your overall record, not just one class, and we make some allowance for students to adjust to the academic environment at U-M Ann Arbor during their first semester on campus. In addition to academics, we consider your extracurricular involvement and your Ross application essays.

No. These are not part of the BBA application or admission review.

1. Describe why you want to pursue a BBA degree at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business, and how the Ross experience will support your personal and professional goals. (500 word maximum)

2. Reflect on your current or ongoing involvement in a specific organization outside of the classroom. Why did you join this organization? How did you make this organization or the community better? What did you learn? (500 word maximum)

You must submit your transfer application by March 31st under the Regular Admission process. All transfer students must also submit a Transfer Supplement by June 1.

The Transfer Supplement provides transfer applicants with an organized way to submit final transcripts by June 1.

Yes, TOEFL, MELAB, or IELTS scores are required if English is not your first language. We have an expectation that international transfer applicants already possess the language skills necessary to succeed in the program.

We want to see how well you perform academically while in college, especially in quantitative courses. We recommend you:

• Take a full load each term (usually 14-16 credits at U.S. colleges on the semester system).
• Take courses that are both interesting and challenging to you. We appreciate all fields of study, as long as you challenge yourself.
• Take at least two rigorous quantitative courses, including the equivalents of U-M Ann Arbor's ECON 101 and Math 115, which are prerequisites for admission.

Possibly. We are looking for evidence of academic ability reflected in letter grades, so we suggest you keep mandatory credit/no-credit courses to a minimum. In the case of optional pass/fail courses, transfer applicants must submit evidence of the actual course grades earned in their transfer supplement due June 1.

Language study broadens your horizons, and many of our students find a direct benefit to language study because business operations have become highly globalized. However, language study is not a requirement for admission or graduation. (Language study may be required in other programs at U-M.)

No. These are not part of the BBA application or admission review.

There are approximately 25 spaces for transfer students applying from another institution. Preference is given to Michigan residents enrolled at community colleges in the state of Michigan. Admission is highly selective, but holistic in nature. The review process considers your level of academic achievement including course rigor and GPA, your depth of extracurricular involvement, and the strength of your application essays. Please read our Transfer Admission Application Requirements and Review Criteria for more information.

Not necessarily. It's likely that our policies on AP, IB, and A-level credits differ from the policies of your current college or university. Review the requirements for transfer admission thoroughly.

Yes. For example, a few students apply for transfer admission to the Ross School of Business and the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts at the same time. Please note the application deadlines and requirements for each program vary. Please read more on applying to other programs at U-M.

No. Due to the curriculum structure and cohort model, there is only one admission cycle each year. All admitted students start classes in the fall.

It depends, and this question is best answered after discussions with an academic advisor at your current college or university. Keep in mind that the BBA curriculum is a sequenced, three-year program and cannot be accelerated. Thus, if you are not admitted to the Michigan Ross BBA program, we may encourage you to not re-apply, and instead focus on a degree path that has a timely completion rate and is in your best interest.

Defermetns are rare and handled individually. Required military service, for example, will require official documentation at the start of your deferral term indicating the completion of your compulsory service. This documentation must be sent directly from your military department. Other instances – including, personal, family, and health issues – will be addressed on an individual basis.

You are encouraged to leverage the transfer application option essay. Here is the prompt: 

Briefly describe any unique personal circumstances, such as a major illness or personal tragedy, that have had a significant effect on your application credentials. Additionally, please describe any gaps in your academic record (e.g., lower course grade, taking a gap year between high school and college). If these circumstances are on-going, how will you manage them if admitted to the Stephen M. Ross School of Business?