mbaMission

The Yale School of Management: Everything You Need to Know

 

The Yale School of Management, or Yale SOM, as it is known to its students, has a mission of “educating leaders for business and society.” The program focuses on preparing leaders who will have an impact in areas at the intersection of business and society, including sustainability, asset management, health care, education, financial stability, the role of women in business, and global leadership.

Yale SOM achieves its mission through its comprehensive, integrated curriculum, designed for MBA students to understand the whole organization. Yale relies on an innovative case study method that includes “cooked” and “raw” case studies. Cooked case studies are the kind typically seen in the traditional case study approach that several top MBA programs use. Yale School of Management also pioneered the raw case study method, in which information is presented from various angles and in multimedia formats, and students must identify what elements are actually relevant to the case—much like in real life. Among top business schools, Yale SOM is the most connected to its parent university, which is also a draw for many candidates. Compared with peer institutions, Yale School of Management has a much higher percentage of joint degree students, specializing in such areas as forestry, environmental management, law, global affairs, and public health while also working toward their MBA.

The Yale SOM program has grown over the past few years with the opening of its stellar, state-of-the-art new building, Evans Hall. The Class of 2023 has 349 full-time MBA students, 44% of whom are international passport holders. With the new building, Yale SOM has also enhanced its offerings for executive MBAs and other business-related master’s programs.

Although the Yale School of Management was previously thought of primarily as a “finance school,” the largest proportion of graduates tend to enter positions with a consulting function. Of the Class of 2020, 44% did so, while 25% accepted finance function roles, 14% marketing/sales, and 9.3% general management.

 

mbaMission’s Yale School of Management Insider’s Guide

The Yale School of Management Insider’s Guide

After consulting with Yale School of Management students, admissions committee members, and alumni about their experiences, we have prepared our Insider’s Guide to the Yale School of Management. We take an in-depth look at life at Yale SOM, highlighting how the school’s location, class size, curriculum, teaching methods, facilities, alumni involvement, and rankings all affect its culture and MBA experience. Then we delve into Yale SOM’s faculty and professional student clubs, revealing how they facilitate the careers of Yale SOM students. Through our guide, you will learn more about the Yale School of Management’s integrated curriculum and raw case format, as well as hands-on experiences such as the Net Impact Case Competition and the Integrated Leadership Case Competition. Yale’s high-caliber finance faculty offers more than 40 courses, and the International Center for Finance supports research in this area. As one of the first top MBA programs to require an international component for graduation, Yale SOM offers exceptional resources in international business and general management, and in other areas, such as marketing and health care.

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Yale School of Management Interview Guide

The Yale School of Management Interview Guide

Yale School of Management interviews are typical MBA behavioral interviews and are often described as “friendly and conversational.” Yale SOM wants to get a sense of whether the applicant is a good fit for the school’s values, approach, and culture. As a result, “Why Yale SOM?” is a common question. The Yale School of Management wants to know that you understand not only how and why the MBA program is right for you but also how and why you are right for Yale SOM. You will need to be ready to share why you are a good fit for the school, offering particular reasons your post-MBA goals can be best served via the Yale School of Management’s resources. For sample interview questions and commentary from past students, check out our Yale School of Management Interview Guide.

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Yale SOM Essay Analysis, 2021–2022

The Yale School of Management is one of the few top business schools that require just one application essay. The idea of conveying your story to the MBA admissions committee in only one essay might be daunting, but the Yale School of Management application offers other opportunities to tell your story, including short-answer questions, video interview questions, and your resume.

The Yale SOM essay prompt, “Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made,” requires applicants to hit on a significant commitment and its underlying impetus and meaning. With a brisk 500-word maximum, your Yale SOM application essay should be clear, direct, and concise.

Click here to read our analysis

 

Yale SOM MBA Class Profile (Class of 2023)

Class Size 349
Median GPA 3.69
GPA Range (Middle 80%) 3.30–3.92
Median GMAT 730
GMAT Range (Middle 80%) 690–760
Median GRE (Verbal) 166
Median GRE (Quant) 165
GRE Verbal Range (Middle 80%) 160–170
GRE Quant Range (Middle 80%) 160–170
Average TOEFL (Internet-based test) 113
Average Years of Work Experience 4.4
Women 43%
LGBTQ+ 9%
International Passport Holders
(includes U.S. permanent residents and dual citizens)		 44%
Countries Represented
(including the United States)		 38
U.S. Students of Color
(percentage of U.S. citizens and permanent residents who identify as Asian, Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native American/Islander, or Multiethnic)		 49%
U.S. Underrepresented Students of Color
(percentage of U.S. citizens and permanent residents who identify as Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native American/Islander, or Multiethnic)		 20%

Yale SOM Rankings

The Yale School of Management has done quite well in recent MBA rankings, despite a slight three-spot fall to number 14 in Bloomberg Businessweek’s 2019 domestic survey. The MBA program was ranked number two domestically and number four internationally in the Financial Times’ 2021 survey, up seven and ten spots, respectively, from the previous year. The school was ranked tenth in the 2020 Poets&Quants survey, unchanged from the previous year. In 2019, Yale SOM fell six spots to number 18 within the United States in The Economist’s rankings, where it also fell to number 21 internationally from the previous year’s 14th spot. And in U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 rankings, the business school remained at number nine in the country for the third year in a row.

Yale SOM Deadlines (2021–2022)

Round 1 Application Deadline
September 14, 2021

Round 1 Decisions
December 3, 2021

Round 2 Application Deadline
January 6, 2022

Round 2 Decisions
March 25, 2022

Round 3 Application Deadline
April 12, 2022

Round 3 Decisions
May 18, 2022

mbaMission Testimonials from Yale SOM Applicants

Great Advice, So Helpful!

Michael [Guttman] was an invaluable help throughout the entire application process. He gave me thorough and incisive feedback on essay drafts—both line-by-line commentary and big picture strategic direction.

Michael’s suggestions for where I should apply were quite helpful as well. He met with me and did a complete mock interview before one of my interviews, which really helped me to refine and improve my messaging. Most importantly, Michael was always prompt to respond to ad hoc, stream-of-consciousness questions that I had throughout the process, which was immensely valuable.

Thanks to Michael’s help, I was admitted to two of my top choice business schools, Dartmouth and Yale. I couldn’t be happier with how this process played out and would recommend any other prospective applicants to use Michael’s consulting.

Go with Susan [Kaplan]!

I worked with Susan on the start-to-finish package for four schools, was admitted to three of them, and used all of the self-reflection and tools that Susan provided me with to apply to and get accepted at three additional schools.

I didn’t have many friends who had applied to business school, nor did I have a great understanding of the application process, and Susan was a true partner and guide throughout the whole process. I tend to be quite verbose as a writer, and sometimes I struggle to concisely make a clear point. While I knew why I wanted an MBA and what in my past experience made me qualified, I was having trouble articulating it clearly in my essays. Susan was a tough critic and pushed me to write at a much higher level than I would have on my own. I appreciated that she didn’t just say “good job” when my applications were “good enough.” She pushed me to the next level, and I don’t think I would have as many acceptances and scholarships to top programs without her!

Despite her pinpointed and sometimes tough feedback, Susan was a warm and caring coach who truly cared about my journey and who was rooting for me throughout the process. She made me feel proud of my accomplishments and was such a great cheerleader. With her help, I was admitted to Kellogg, Tuck, Columbia, Darden, and Yale SOM, all with scholarships, and to Wharton as well! I can’t recommend Susan enough!

Katy Lewis is the absolute best—highly recommend her!

As many prospective students will quickly find out, top MBA programs really want to hear your story, and there is no better person than Katy to help you with the introspection process. She has this unique ability to get to know you as a person and help get that authentic self across to the admissions committee. Together, we were able to brainstorm specific themes of my life, how they were important to me, and communicated those in my essays.

Through all of her help, I was able to secure R1 interviews at six top programs—Stanford GSB, HBS, Booth, Kellogg, Tuck, and Yale. She spent a lot of time prepping me for my interviews and provided her perspectives on each of the different programs.

Because of Katy’s help, I was able to secure multiple offers and ultimately accepted my offer to attend Stanford GSB. I truly cannot recommend Katy enough as an admissions consultant and now as a friend!”
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