Are you applying to the Ross BBA or considering doing so in the future? This post,
written by a Ross graduate and former employee who worked with admissions, offers
an insider’s lens at what is necessary to garner an offer of admission from University of Michigan Ross School of Business.
First, a couple of quick Ross BBA Requirement facts:
Quick Facts:
500 – this is the limited number of spaces combined for Direct Admission (LSA
applicants) and Preferred Admission (non-LSA applicants) for first-year
students entering in fall term. (1)
Who should apply:
The Ross BBA (direct admit from high school application) is designed for those who
have clearly defined and pursued their business interests during high school.
- Whether we begin working with you senior year of high school or earlier, we
help our clients establish greater clarity around future career goals and ways to
demonstrate their passion for business through guiding extracurricular or other involvement to support their future application strength. We also help with the entire application process start-to-finish.
Who should not apply:
- If you do not have a clearly defined business career goal and have not pursued
your business interest through extracurricular involvement, chances are Ross
will not deem your application as competitive. You can still apply to Ross
through the transfer application process, as long as you don’t apply as a first-
year applicant (the primary admission process).
When to apply:
For high school students, apply during the fall of your senior year (by the Umich early
application deadline). The Ross BBA is a 4-year program designed for students who are interested in a 4-year business education. Ross does offer a limited number of spots each year available for students to transfer into the program from Umich or other universities. This Ross BBA Transfer Application is available for students to apply each spring, with the application prompts being released in December and due by March 30th.
- First-Year Applicants – Apply fall of your high school senior year. We highly
recommend that you apply by the November 1 Early Action deadline. Be sure to submit the Ross BBA application requirements (Ross portfolio) by this date. The Ross admissions portfolio is a required part of the process. - Transfer Applicants (external) – Apply winter term of your freshmen year.
- Transfer Applicants (UM Students) – Apply winter term of your freshmen year.
Important dates:
Timing matters! Applying to UM-Ross during by the Early Action Deadline of November 1st may offer students a potential advantage and is something we nearly always encourage clients to do.
How to Apply to the Ross BBA
Program:
- Check the deadlines.
- Start the Common Application.
- Select Preferred Admission for the Stephen M. Ross School of Business and a “home school”.
- Complete the four (yes, four!) essays, including the Ross Portfolio
- Finish the Common Application.
How does the Ross BBA admiss
ions process work?
- You will submit your application to the University of Michigan.
- Michigan admissions officers will review your application and admit or deny you to the University.
- Admitting schools include: LSA, College of Engineering, School of Kinesiology
(Sport Management program), School of Music, Theatre & Dance, and Stamps
School of Art and Design. - If accepted by one of the admitting schools, your application will move on to
Ross’s preferred admission review process. - If you are admitted to LSA and Ross, you will enroll in Ross as a freshman. If you are admitted to any of the other schools and Ross, you will begin Ross classes during sophomore year.
- Note: it is possible to be admitted to the admitting school and then denied
admission by Ross.
Other Considerations:
- Michigan Ross Business Minor
If the Ross BBA isn’t right for you, consider the Ross Minor.- The Ross Business Minor is an application available for UM students
studying a non-business major who believe business aptitude would be
an essential complement to their future goals. The Ross Minor is released
in December and due March 30 th – students should apply during the
winter term of their sophomore year, with decisions shared in summer
and starting the minor during fall term.
- The Ross Business Minor is an application available for UM students
- Ross does not consider previously denied applicants for the transfer application – if you apply direct admit and are denied, you likely will not gain admission to Ross BBA in the future. Some students who decide they must attend Ross but do not have the high school involvement needed may make a strategic move to try and build up their business extracurricular involvement and wait to apply until the transfer application during their sophomore year; but, it is important to note that the transfer application offers an extremely limited number of seats and is extremely competitive.
Takeaway;
Applying to Ross is clearly an extremely competitive process designed to not just admit the best performing applicants, but the applicants with the most clearly defined business interest and involvement. The Ross BBA application also offers multiple pathways for entry; strategically deciding when and how to apply can make a serious impact on y
our chances of admission. Working with admissions consultants at The Application Authority, we will guide you to determine how to best strengthen your business involvement and how to best sculpt your story to submit the most convincing application materials so you have the very best possible chances of admission.
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