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UCLA Anderson MBA Class Profile | Work Experience, GMAT Score, Requirements

Find out the work experience and GMAT score you need to apply to the UCLA Anderson MBA, as well as application requirements

Sat Sep 23 2023

BusinessBecause
UCLA Anderson is ranked as one of the best business schools in the US and its MBA program is among the top 20 in the world, according to the Financial Times

The school has connections with top recruiters such as Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, and Boston Consulting Group. According to recent data, 92% of graduates are employed three months after graduation and earn a 122% salary increase.

The UCLA Anderson MBA program is also STEM-designated. This is great news for international students on the program hoping to stay in the US and work after graduating as they can apply for the Optional Practical Training visa. This allows students to stay in the US for up to 12 months on an F-1 visa, then apply for a 24-month extension. 

When applying to a top program, reading into class profile data can give you a better understanding of what your cohort may look like and how competitive your application should be. Here’s everything you need to know about the UCLA Anderson MBA class profile. 


Who is in the UCLA Anderson Class of 2025? 

A typical MBA cohort at UCLA Anderson consists of 300 students. 

In the class of 2025, almost half of the cohort (48%) are international students, from 41 countries around the world. 

The class is also 37% women which is in line with the average of 38% among US schools ranked in the Financial Times top 100. However, UCLA Anderson still has a way to go before reaching gender parity on its MBA. 


What is the work experience of UCLA Anderson’s MBA cohort?

The average work experience of students on the UCLA Anderson MBA program is 5.7 years. The majority of the class of 2025 (59%) have between three to six years’ experience. However, 12% of the class have up to three years and 29% more than six years. 

This is useful info for MBA candidates as it illustrates that UCLA Anderson looks at applications holistically. Students with less work experience can still earn a place on the program by highlighting other relevant experiences or earning an impressive GMAT score. 

Class profile data also reveals that the top industry pre-enrollment backgrounds among the cohort are tech (24%) and finance (24%). However, students also join the program from consulting, healthcare and biotech, marketing, entertainment, and non-profit career backgrounds. 

In terms of undergraduate majors, 26% of students join the program with a business degree. They are joined by 19% engineering undergrads, 15% economics and humanities, 9% computer sciences, and 5% from physics and biological science degrees. 

A professionally diverse cohort can enhance students’ MBA experience by enriching classroom discussions with differing perspectives. 


What is UCLA Anderson’s acceptance rate?

Insights into MBA acceptance are a good way to know how competitive the application process will be. 

UCLA Anderson’s MBA acceptance rate for the class of 2025 is 37.6%. Out of 2,473 applications received, 929 were accepted, and 322 enrolled. 

Compared to the acceptance rates at the world’s top business schools, UCLA Anderson is among the less competitive schools. However, while acceptance rates indicate program demand and value, they don’t tell you about the quality of candidates applying. For this, applicants should look to average GMAT scores and score ranges. 


Read: How To Get Accepted Into UCLA Anderson's MBA

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What is the UCLA Anderson average GMAT and GMAT score range?

The middle 80% of the UCLA Anderson MBA class scored between 650-760 on their GMAT exam. The average GMAT score among the entire class is 710. This is in line with the average GMAT scores of the top business schools in the world. 

Earning a GMAT score above 700 will hugely strengthen your MBA application, particularly if there are gaps in your work experience or you don’t have a background in a quantitative academic subject. If your score is not as strong as you’d hoped, make sure to place extra emphasis on your leadership capabilities and values that align with the program. 


What are UCLA Anderson’s admission requirements? 

Applications for the UCLA Anderson MBA program are entirely online, and the school has already started accepting submissions for its Fall 2024 cohort. There will be slightly different requirements for international students so make sure to give yourself enough time to apply. All international applicants must submit a TOEFL or IELTS score.

UCLA Anderson MBA application requirements include:

– Academic transcripts

– A GMAT, GRE, or EA test score

– Resume

– Two recommendation letters

– One short essay (250 words) 

– One optional essay (250 words)

– A 30-minute interview 

– $200 application fee

For the 2023-2024 application year the essay question is:

UCLA Anderson seeks to develop transformative leaders who think fearlessly, drive change, and share success. We believe the ability to persevere is an essential component of effective leadership. Please share an example from your personal or professional life where you demonstrated perseverance to accomplish a significant goal or milestone.

Like the majority of MBA programs, there are several application rounds at UCLA Anderson. However, it is recommended to apply as early as possible to avoid the cohort filling up. 

The upcoming application deadlines are:

Round 1: October 5, 2023

Round 2: January 4, 2024

Round 3: April 12, 2024 


If you want to apply to the UCLA Anderson MBA program, download our BusinessBecause Application Guide 2023-2024 for more information and advice to support your application. average GMAT scores of the top business schools in the world