uc davis mba essay questions

University of California, Davis | UC Davis

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University of California, Davis | UC Davis’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Select-a-prompt short responses.

Please respond to any 4 of the 8 questions below.We realize that not all questions apply to all applicants, so be sure to select the 4 questions that you believe give us the best information about you.All 8 questions are given equal consideration in the application review process. Responses to each question should be between 250-350 words.

Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.

Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.

What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?

Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.

Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?

Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.

What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?

Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

Application Requirements

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Home / Admissions / Application Requirements

Our students come from diverse professional, academic and personal backgrounds. To be considered for admission into the online MBA program at UC Davis, you must hold a bachelor’s degree from a US regionally-accredited institution or the equivalent. No particular area of undergraduate study is required. There are no requirement of prerequisite courses, but we suggest previous coursework in accounting, calculus, microeconomics and statistics. Two or more years of professional work experience are recommended. Please note that per UC Davis academic policy, applicants who have already completed an MBA degree are not eligible for admission to the UC Davis MBA program. This University-wide academic policy was designed to prevent students from completing work that is a duplication of a previous degree. Please contact your admissions counselors if you have questions regarding academic policies.

Helpful Tips for Applicants

September 2024 Cohort

We accept applications on a rolling basis. The program offers four cohort start dates per year, in January, April, June and September.

You must submit the following materials to apply.

Online Application

To apply for admission to MBA@UCDavis, you will need to complete the online application. If you’re ready,  begin your application now .

Test Scores

Scores from either the GRE or GMAT exams are not required as part of your application. However, applicants who believe their test GMAT score might add value to their overall application are encouraged to include their score with the application.

If you take the GMAT and would like to submit your official score report, please enter “Davis” into the search bar, and select “University of California- Davis (MBA, Online)”. The institutional code for the GMAT is B1S-VF-18.

If you take the GRE, please use the code below. GRE code: 7887

Transcripts

Unofficial copies of transcripts from all academic institutions you attended are required for admissions review, even if you did not earn a degree there or if transfer credits are listed on another school’s transcript. (This includes all University of California campuses.) If you are extended an offer of admission, you will need to submit official transcripts before the registration of first quarter courses for your acceptance to be finalized. As a reminder, a bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited institution is required to be considered for admission.

Transcripts may be sent electronically   to [email protected].

If your schools prefer to send by mail, official transcripts should be sent to the MBA@UCDavis Admissions Office:

University of California, Davis Application Processing Center MBA@UCDavis P.O. Box 30096 020-001 College Station, TX 77842

International transcripts or transcripts being mailed by Fedex, UPS or DHL mailing address (no P.O. Box):

University of California, Davis (UCD) Application Processing Center MBA@UCDavis 211 Quality Circle Box 020-001 College Station, TX 77845

Employment Experience

You will need to submit a resume or CV to show your employment history. Two or more years of professional work experience are recommended.

Essay 1: Professional Goals (required) Pursuing an MBA is a catalyst for personal and professional growth. What are your post MBA goals highlighting your short and long term career objectives? In addition, how will your background and experience contribute to your career goals and the UC Davis Graduate School of Management? (350 word maximum)

Essay 2: Conditional Essay (required if applicable) If your undergraduate GPA is <3.0 (on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent if not on a 4.0 scale), you have experienced a hardship, or if you have ever been subject to academic discipline, placed on probation, suspended, dismissed, or otherwise required to withdraw from any college or university for any reason, please provide details in this statement. Please explain what you have done since completing your undergraduate degree to improve your academic aptitude and overall candidacy (200 word maximum).

Letters of Recommendation

Two letters of recommendation from professional sources are required. These should be individuals who can comment objectively about your professional qualifications, ideally current or recent managers. You will submit their contact information through the online application, and the recommenders will upload their recommendations in the application.

Application Fee

The application fee is $125 and nonrefundable.  Applicants who submit their application before the priority application deadline are eligible for an application fee waiver.

Personal Interview

After you have submitted your application, we will contact you to set up a personal interview. Interviews are conducted in English via video conference using a webcam.

International Applicants

The online MBA program from UC Davis welcomes international applicants who hold the equivalent of a University of California bachelor’s degree based on the characteristics of the national system of education, the type of institution and level of studies completed that are accepted by the Graduate Council. This is often represented by 16 total years of education. To determine if your degree program meets our requirements, please review the expected level of study for international students .

English Language Requirements

Applicants must submit official TOEFL or IELTS examination scores unless they have earned or will be earning a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree from either:

• A regionally accredited U.S. college or university where English is the sole language of instruction, OR
• A foreign college or university that provides instruction solely in English. UC Davis Graduate School of Management will only approve waivers for foreign colleges and universities that list English as the sole language of instruction in the IAU World Higher Education Database . We will not review or accept any other documentation.

There are two standardized tests you may take: the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) assessment. Unless you are exempt from the standardized English language proficiency test requirement per above, you must take the TOEFL or IELTS assessment.

TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language)

The UC Davis Graduate School of Management accepts the TOEFL iBT exam (in-person or at-home).

The minimum score required for admissions is 105. The institution code is 4834, and the department code is 02. For more information on TOEFL, please contact: Educational Testing Service (ETS) at 609-771-7100. We accept TOEFL scores from tests administered by the Educational Testing Service and sent to us directly by the TOEFL office.

Note: UC Davis Graduate School of Management does not accept TOEFL MyBest scores, TOEFL ITP Plus, or TOEFL Essentials examinations at this time.

IELTS (International English Language Testing System)

The UC Davis Graduate School of Management also accepts the IELTS Academic (in-person) and IELTS indicator (online) exams. You can submit scores from the Academic Modules of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) administered by the British Council worldwide.

The minimum band score requirement for admissions is 7.5. UC Davis Graduate School of Management Online MBA Program is registered to receive IELTS Academic and IELTS Indicator scores using the IELTS Results Service E-Delivery, so please send your score report to: University of California Davis Graduate School of Management Online.

TOEFL and IELTS exam scores are valid for two years from the date the test was taken. Scores that expire before the start of classes for the current admissions year may be used in your application only if the official score report is received in our office prior to its expiration. It is your duty to confirm with the admissions office receipt of your official test score prior to its expiration.

Student Visas

Please be aware that the online MBA program is not eligible for a student visa to study in the United States since most work is completed virtually. We will work with you to secure the appropriate visa for the in-person residentials.

International Transcripts

If you are ordering international transcripts or your transcripts cannot be sent to a P.O Box, please contact [email protected] or your Admissions Counselor for an alternative mailing address.

Please read instructions in the Transcripts section above.

If your transcripts or academic records are in a language other than English, BOTH the original language documents and English translations must be submitted. Any of the following translation resources are acceptable: 1) the college or university which has issued the documents, 2) a WES , IERF , or ECE evaluation, or 3) a government-certified translator.

If the degree conferral information is not on the transcript, please include proof of the earned degree (for example, a copy of your diploma and/or degree certificate). If your university includes a grading scale on your academic record explaining their grading system, you must include that as well.

Start Your Application Today

If you are ready to join an energetic community of hard-working professionals, begin your application for the online MBA program today.  If you are interested in our on-campus programs apply here . We only allow applicants to have one active program application.

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How to answer the personal insight questions

Your responses to the personal insight questions are an important component of your freshman or transfer application. Your responses allow us to get to know you through your experiences and accomplishments.

Freshman Personal Insight Questions

Freshman applicants must respond to four short-answer prompts chosen from  eight options . There is no advantage or disadvantage to choosing certain prompts over others, and each response is limited to a maximum of 350 words.

Transfer Personal Insight Questions

Transfer applicants must respond to four short-answer prompts—one mandatory prompt and their choice of three from the other  seven options . There is no advantage or disadvantage to choosing certain prompts over others, and each response is limited to a maximum of 350 words.

Writing a Successful Response

Your responses should elaborate upon any insights you gained or how your outlook, activities, commitment or goals have been influenced.

• Provide specific examples of experiences, accomplishments, etc. that occurred during or after high school that weren’t captured in your application.
• Keep your responses focused on conveying your strengths and positive qualities.
• Write a first draft, leave it for a day or two, and return to make revisions. Read each draft aloud to catch misspellings or awkward or inappropriate wording.
• Review your responses as if you were making the final decision. Is this the application of a future leader?
• Have your responses checked by a teacher, counselor or other advisor for clarity.

Common Pitfalls

• Writing about events that are long past
• Reiterating information listed elsewhere in the application
• Listing accomplishments without explanation or detail
• Rambling, unfocused thoughts
• Being overly humorous, self-deprecating or glorifying

Instructions for Scholarship Applicants

Some scholarship committees review your responses to the personal insight questions while other scholarships, such as the  Cal Aggie Alumni Association scholarships , may require separate applications and essays. Please visit our  scholarships  page to learn more about scholarships available at UC Davis.

Aggie MBA Pathways Program

The Aggie MBA Pathways Program is designed for graduating seniors from U.S. institutions to gain more clarity about their future admissibility into an MBA program. To be eligible for the following intakes, undergraduate graduation date should fall between May 2023-June 2024.

Application Process

Deadlines and onboarding.

• November 15, 2023: Deadline to submit for December 18-19, 2023 onboarding
• April 3, 2024: Deadline to submit for April 23-24, 2024 onboarding

For your application, please be ready to upload:

• Undergraduate Transcript
• Please tell us more about yourself, your background and achievements, and why you're interested in the MBA? Also, what are your career goals before formally starting an MBA program? (400-word limit, PDF)

Aggie MBA Pathways Program Experience

If accepted to our Aggie MBA Pathways Program, you’ll gain access to career workshops and personalized advice that sets you up for career success. After two to three years of work experience, you'll have the knowledge to submit your best MBA application.

You’ll also receive invitations to some of our speaker and/or networking events that are typically designed for MBA students throughout the years. 

Example experiences available to Aggie MBA Pathways Program participants can include:

• Networking opportunities
• Refining your resume
• How to make the most of LinkedIn
• Interviewing and negotiation tips
• Early career panels
• Corporate connections
• MBA application workshops

Awards 

Pathways alumni are eligible to receive an UC Davis MBA Application Fee waiver valued at $125. Please contact the MBA admissions team when you are ready to apply and identify yourself as a Pathways alumnus.

In addition, Pathways alumni who apply and are awarded admissions to the UC Davis Full-Time, Bay Area or Sacramento part-Time MBA program are eligible to receive an automatic $12,000 scholarship. Pathways alumni need to enroll in one of these MBA programs within seven years of Pathways acceptance.

For questions, please contact Amy Russell , Senior Assistant Dean for Student Affairs. 

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University of California--Davis Full-Time MBA Program

Graduate School (Business) • Davis, CA •  

Graduate School (Business) • Davis, CA

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University of California--Davis Business School Overview

The Graduate School of Management at University of California--Davis offers these departments and concentrations: accounting, consulting, entrepreneurship, finance, general management, health care administration, human resources management, leadership, manufacturing and technology management, marketing, management information systems, production/operations management, organizational behavior, portfolio management, real estate, quantitative analysis/statistics and operations research, and technology. Its tuition is full-time: $47,719 per year (in-state); full-time: $59,851 per year (out-of-state); part-time: $1,552 per credit (in-state); part-time: $1,552 per credit (out-of-state); specialty master's: $1,275 per credit (in-state); and specialty master's: $1,275 per credit (out-of-state). At graduation, 43.70 percent of graduates of the full-time program are employed.

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At-a-Glance

School Type

Enrollment (ALL Programs)

Programs Offered:

Full-time MBA, Part-time MBA, Specialty Masters, Online Programs

University of California--Davis 2024 Rankings

Overall Score

Full-time graduates employed at graduation (2 year average)

Full time graduates employed three months after graduation (2 year average)

MBA Program Rankings

• # 57 in Best Business Schools  (tie)
• # 28 in Part-time MBA  (tie)

Application fee

Test-optional admissions

University of California--Davis Admissions

Applicants :

(full-time)

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Full-Time MBA Cost

Tuition & Fees (In-State/Out-of-State)

$50,605 / $62,737

Room & Board, Books, and Misc

Financial Aid Available?

University of California--Davis Cost

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Student Population

Graduate Enrollment

Total Enrollment

Full-Time Degree-Seeking Students

University of California--Davis Student Body

Gender distribution :

Minority Enrollment

International

American Indian

Pacific Islander

Two or more races

Not Specified is not included in this breakdown due to an enrollment of 0%.

Department Concentrations

• accounting consulting
• entrepreneurship finance
• general management health care administration
• human resources management leadership
• manufacturing and technology management marketing
• management information systems production/operations management
• organizational behavior portfolio management
• real estate quantitative analysis/statistics and operations research
• technology other

University of California--Davis Academics

Career & salary.

Base Salary By Occupation

# REPORTING JOBS

AVERAGE BASE SALARY

Number reporting operations/production jobs

Number reporting general management jobs

Number reporting finance/accounting jobs

Number reporting management information systems (MIS) jobs

Number reporting consulting jobs

Number reporting human resources jobs

Number reporting having jobs in other areas

University of California--Davis Career and Salary

Specialty master's admissions.

Test-optional admissions (Specialty)

Specialty Master's Students

Minority Students

International Students

University of California--Davis Student

Gender distribution (Specialty) :

Business School details based on 2023 data.

The MBA Career Services & Employer Alliance's Standards for Reporting Full-time MBA Employment Statistics are the globally accepted platform by which business schools capture, analyze and distribute employment data in order to ensure accurate and comparable information is provided to internal and external stakeholders. The Standards Compliance Review Program is an optional opportunity for schools to have their employment data reviewed by an external firm to ensure it complies with the Standards. Schools that make their employment data eligible for a review are providing an external acknowledgement that their data is collected using the Standards, and is accurate and comparable with other schools.

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Undergrad Business Major Approved for UC Davis Curriculum in Fall 2025

• by A Colin Cameron
• March 14, 2024

The Department of Economics has partnered with the Graduate School of Management and Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics to establish a new undergraduate business major at UC Davis. The major launches in the fall of 2025, bringing to fruition a degree program that was decades in the making and in partnership with the College of Letters and Science. Read the story:

https://lettersandsciencemag.ucdavis.edu/news-noteworthy/undergrad-business-major-approved-uc-davis-curriculum-fall-2025-0

HR Executive Paul Bianchi Shares Ethical Framework with New Full-Time MBA students

Impact of decision-making in building values-based cultures

• August 19, 2022
• H. Rao Unnava

Paul Bianchi, a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management, and former senior vice president of human resources at Illumina, spoke to our Full-Time MBA class of 2024 about the fundamentals of leader ethics.

As a human resources executive for over 25 years at several top technology companies where he invested in building values-based culture, Paul highlighted for the students several dimensions of ethical dilemmas leaders face and how to use a decision-making framework to make consistent decisions that fit with an organization’s long-term value system.

Ethics That Span Every Department

Paul spoke about the right vs. wrong situations where many people seem to agree on what is right or wrong (e.g., Oxycontin marketing). He also explained to students that what is wrong, from an organization’s perspective, can be defined as any activity that undermines the organization’s values. This definition eliminates the subjectivity that generally stunts decision-making in matters involving ethics.

Paul explained that ethics should not be seen as an human resources function, but should be part of every unit in any company.

He then moved to the ethical dilemmas people face. He defined these as situations where you are deciding right vs. right. For example, swapping prisoners with the Taliban to bring back U.S. service personnel can be seen as right if you don’t do it because that’s the policy. On the other hand, bringing back our citizens from difficult conditions abroad is also the right thing to do. It is these kinds of decisions that require a strong ethical framework.

Four Spheres and Four Questions

Paul shared a framework that involved four spheres—private life, economic agents, company leaders and outside duties (cf. Badarocco, California Management Review, 1992).

• The private life sphere refers to your core values and principles, and is the personal morality dimension one brings to bear on an ethical dilemma.
• The economic agents make you consider the fiduciary responsibility you have as a leader to the organization you are part of.
• Third, as a company leader, there are expectations about how you treat your employees and develop trust in them.
• Finally, there is the larger society you should consider because your decisions will ultimately affect the entire connected society.

These four spheres should be considered as you arrive at a decision.

Paul also noted four questions leaders should consider:

• What are your company’s values?
• Which actions would do the most good and least harm?
• Which actions will serve the rights of those affected?
• Which actions are most feasible given company constraints?

He then went on to illustrate the application of this framework using a case study involving the Apple iPhone and its privacy promise to its customers.

Students were deeply engaged and struggled with the ramifications of each action they contemplated. They grappled with the complexity of the problem, realizing the binary nature of decision making, and the preparation that is needed to handle the consequences of making decisions involving a company’s values and ethics. Paul punctuated the presentation with several personal examples from his experience in multiple organizations.

Paul concluded his presentation to students by explaining that true leadership lies in translating personal values into calculated action. This is not easy, and involves significant introspection, but in the end will eliminate questionable decision making and help each of us be truthful to ourselves.

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Undergraduate GPA: What It Takes To Get Into A Top-50 U.S. MBA Program

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In 2023, someone — possibly multiple someones — with a 2.4 undergraduate grade point average achieved admission to the full-time MBA program at Chicago Booth School of Business . Booth, at the time, was Poets&Quants ‘ No. 2 business school in the United States .

The same year, another applicant got into Dartmouth Tuck School of Business , ranked No. 9 ( and soon to be ranked No. 3 ), with a 2.7 GPA. In the same cycle, another applicant was admitted to Northwestern Kellogg School of Management — which P&Q ranked No. 4 — with a 2.8.

We know this because those schools are among the few that publish full GPA ranges as part of their MBA class profiles. (See Poets&Quants ‘ stories about the MBA Class of 2025 at Booth , Tuck , and Kellogg .) And as P&Q has reported in previous years , those ranges — as well as the 80% ranges that many schools prefer, and the 90% ranges that U.S. News & World Report began publishing this year as part of its annual MBA ranking — are among the most important data released publicly by B-schools, in the U.S. or anywhere.

GPA RANGES AT LEADING U.S. MBA PROGRAMS

Source: mba class profiles, *rice jones publishes a 3-year average for all data in its mba class profile, gpa won’t break an mba application — ‘but the reverse is not true’.

Why are GPA ranges so important? Because they show that a low undergraduate GPA does not have to be the end of an applicant’s MBA dreams. Anyone with a low GPA can get into Booth, Tuck or Kellogg — or Stanford, Harvard or Wharton — if they work hard enough, and play to their strengths in other areas.

Perhaps that’s why in 2023, for the first time in years, some leading B-schools joined the ranks of those publishing GPA ranges: Virginia Darden School of Business and USC Marshall School of Business , both top-25 B-schools, published 80% ranges as part of their class profiles for the first time last fall.

“Ask most admissions committee members and they will tell you that it’s the sum of many pieces — there is no one ‘most important’ part of the MBA application,” says Stacy Blackman , founder of Stacy Blackman Consulting. “It’s the essays, interviews, and recommendations that ultimately reveal the person beyond the paper. Compelling essays, recommendations, and interviews can provide context for a low GMAT score or GPA.”

Low GPA won’t break an MBA application — but it won’t make it, either. As Blackman notes, “the reverse is not true. Strong numbers will never make up for weak essays or a disorganized, negative recommendation.”

BIGGEST INCREASES IN UNDERGRAD GPA 2022-2023

Washington olin sees biggest gpa average growth: up 0.20 to 3.60.

The GPAs themselves? Not so interesting, alas. What they are is consistent — consistently part of every MBA class profile, and at the top schools, fairly consistent in range and average. Looking at year-over-year changes in GPA average from 2022 to 2023 across 57 of the leading U.S. B-schools, including all of the P&Q top 50, we find:

• 18 schools with positive GPA growth, including seven in the top 25. From 2021 to 2022, just 13 of 57 schools saw positive GPA growth, including seven in the top 25; but from 2020 to 2021 it was 26 schools, including 16 in the top 25. This suggests a rough on-year, off-year cycle.
• 20 schools had negative GPA growth between 2022 and 2023, including 13 in the top 25. From 2021 to 2022, 18 schools saw their GPA average decline, including nine in the top 25; from 2020 to 2021, 15 schools had declines, including six in the top 25.
• Nine schools were even, meaning they published the same GPA average in both 2022 and 2023. In 2022, 14 schools were even; in 2021, it was nine schools. Sufficient data for comparison was not available for 10 schools, up from five.
• Altogether in the P&Q top 25, four schools were even (down from eight last year), seven were positive (same as last year), and 13 were negative (up from nine).

The school with the biggest year-to-year GPA increase among the 57 analyzed by P&Q was Washington University’s Olin Business School in St. Louis , which saw its undergrad GPA average balloon 0.20 to 3.60 in 2023 — higher than 15 peer schools ranked above Olin in the P&Q top 25. In the latter group, Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management saw the biggest GPA leap, growing its average by 0.16 to 3.50.

The school with the biggest GPA decline: Maryland Smith School of Business , which dropped 0.12 to 3.23. In the top 25, UCLA Anderson School of Management saw its GPA drop 0.11 to 3.40.

BIGGEST DECREASES IN UNDERGRAD GPA 2022-2023

Vanderbilt & uc-davis see biggest gpa jump from 2018 to 2023.

What does the GPA picture look like with the perspective of time? Across six years from 2018 to 2023, 25 of 57 schools have seen their class GPA average rise overall, and 19 have seen it decline. Five schools are even, and we don’t have enough data to know for another eight.

Two schools are the biggest winners in that span, both up 0.20: Vanderbilt Owen to 3.50, and UC-Davis Graduate School of Management to 3.40. Owen is the biggest winner in the top 25, but Emory Goizueta Business School is close behind with a gain of 0.17 to 3.47.

The school with the biggest decline over six years is Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business , which dropped 0.14 to 3.26. MIT Sloan School of Management, which reports a median GPA each year, is down 0.13 since 2018, to 3.61; and UCLA Anderson is down 0.12 to 3.40.

Overall in the top 25, nine schools are positive from 2018 to 2023, four are even, and 10 are negative.

BIGGEST INCREASES IN UNDERGRAD GPA 2018-2023

Biggest decreases in undergrad gpa 2018-2023, trends & wrinkles.

School to school, there are some noteworthy trends in GPA average/median. Among them:

• The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania hasn’t had a change in GPA average in at least eight years, reporting 3.60 every year since 2017.
• There are several estimates in the tables in this story (the main ones are on pages 2 and 3), since many lower-ranked schools have not posted Class of 2025 data despite us being more than five months into 2024. A few schools are even more behind than that (looking at you, Rutgers — and you too Utah Eccles !).
• Duke Fuqua School of Business stopped reporting average undergrad GPA after 2021; Washington Foster School of Business switched to median in 2022; beginning this year, Rice Jones Graduate School of Business only publishes a three-year average for GPA and other data in its class profile.

Finally, Indiana Kelley School of Business gets more granular than most schools, publishing not only average GPA (in 2023, 3.40) but also the percentage of the MBA class with an undergraduate GPA of 3.5 or higher (46%), the percent with undergraduate GPA between 3.0-3.49 (39%), and the percent with undergraduate GPA between 2.5-2.99 (12%).

Note that last range: A 2.5 didn’t sink one member of the Kelley MBA Class of 2025. But it did mean that person had something to overcome — as he or she would have had to do at any major program. “While a 550 GMAT or a 2.5 GPA will raise a red flag at an MBA program like the Stanford Graduate School of Business ,” writes Stacy Blackman, “a 700 GMAT and a 3.6 GPA make you a strong candidate. But even someone with an 800 GMAT score and a perfect GPA can get rejected at an elite MBA program.”

10TH-90TH PERCENTILE GPA RANGES FOR THE P&Q TOP 25

Source: u.s. news & world report, u.s. news’ 90% range: more ways to look at gpa average.

As part of the massive data dump accompanying its annual ranking of U.S. B-schools, U.S. News lists median and average undergraduate GPAs — except it doesn’t. The magazine is missing the data point for every single school out of 57 examined by Poets&Quants — including our entire 2024 top 50. Why does U.S. News continue to list these metrics at all if they are “N/A” every time?

What the magazine does have is each school’s GPA range between the 10th to 90th percentiles (see tables above and below). All but a handful of schools provided this data, which is not offered by the schools themselves. Though it is not a full range, it is closer than the 80% ranges preferred by many schools. The highlights:

• Two schools, Georgetown McDonough School of Business and William and Mary Mason School of Business , report the lowest 10th percentile: 2.7. (Georgetown’s range extends to 3.8 and William and Mary’s to 3.9.)
• The highest 10th percentile is the Manderson MBA Program at the University of Alabama : 3.36. Highest in the top 25: NYU Stern School of Business : 3.34.
• The lowest 90th percentile is at UC-Davis: 3.1; lowest in the top 25 is at CMU Tepper: 3.53.
• And the highest 90th percentile is shared by five schools, all with 4.0: Washington-St. Louis Olin, Arizona State Carey School of Business , Maryland Smith, Tennessee Haslam College of Business , and Alabama Manderson. The highest in the top 25 is Rice Jones’ 3.94.

10TH-90TH PERCENTILE GPA RANGES FOR TOP-RANKED P&Q MBA PROGRAMS 

See the next pages for six years of GPA data for 57 leading U.S. B-schools, including the 2024 P&Q top 50 schools.

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