TL;DR
- Getting into a top US MBA is extremely competitive, especially at schools like Stanford, Harvard, and MIT Sloan
- A high GMAT score and GPA are important, but schools also weigh work experience, extracurriculars, clear career goals, and how you’ll contribute to the community
- Applications are rising overall, especially to the most selective full-time programs, so its best to apply to a mix of reach, target, and safety schools
There is a lot of work that goes into applying to a top MBA—from a stellar GPA and a strong GMAT score to years of work experiences and pertinent extracurricular activities. Even when you have vaulted all of these hurdles, often you are still battling it out against the best candidates in the world.
Applying to the world’s best business schools is competitive. You’ll need to make sure that the combination of your GMAT score, GPA, and MBA resume make you stand out among the sheer quantity of candidates applying.
Each year, the Princeton Review lists the 10 US business schools with the most stringent application criteria, featuring some of the best known and most respected business schools across the country.
The list is based on school-reported data, a combination of test scores, undergraduate GPAs of the first year class, and the percentage of applicants accepted and enrolled.
Here are the 10 hardest business schools to get into currently, according to the 2025 Princeton Review list.
10 hardest business schools to get into in 2025
Stanford, Harvard & MIT Sloan top the list
Stanford Graduate School of Business leading the list for the toughest business schools to get into comes as no surprise. Widely renowned as the most selective school, only 434 of the 7259 who applied were enrolled into the Stanford MBA Class of 2027.
According to the Princeton report, Harvard Business School was a little more lenient with an acceptance rate of 11% and Columbia Business School, the fourth hardest to get into, accepted 17% of applicants.
The Wharton School, the world's best MBA according to the Financial Times, ranks as the fifth toughest business school to get into and Chicago Booth School of Business is sixth, with an acceptance rate of 25%. Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management is listed as the seventh hardest business school to get into, accepting 29% of applicants in 2025.
At the bottom end of the top 10 list are University of California Berkley Haas, NYU Stern School of Business, and finally Washington University Olin School of Business.
Unsurprisingly, all the magnificent seven (M7) business schools feature in Princeton's list of the toughest business schools to get into. Applications to top-tier US business schools are, inevitably, highly competitive. Ivy League schools are renowned worldwide, and the prestige they bestow on their graduates is well-merited.
So, does this mean you shouldn’t bother applying to an elite business school? Not at all.
The current application landscape
Across all degree programs in 2025 there was a 7% increase in the absolute total number of applications to business school. This built on a record growth in applications in 2024, according to our Application Trends Survey 2025. Full-time, in-person programs were key drivers in the rise of applications to MBA programs, with the most selective MBA programs reporting the highest application growth.
It remains to be seen what impact recent visa changes in the US will have upon international business school applications.
How to get into top US business schools
Applying to a top business school is more than just a number’s game—there are other factors to consider which may work in your favor, such as a strong personal story, an impressive resume, and a high GMAT score.
"Data shows that the average GMAT scores for accepted students at Stanford, Harvard or MIT Sloan equate to 675+ on the GMAT exam, but test scores alone are not sufficient," explains David White, admissions consultant and founding partner of Menlo Coaching. "MBA programs also judge other qualities, including your professional experience, extracurricular activities, previous academic record, and fit with their program.
"Top US business schools are not looking to produce students with high grades, but exceptional alumni. They’re looking for people with the potential to do great things—and ones who will generously help their classmates and fellow alumni to succeed, too," he continues.
A history of solid achievements will also weigh in your favor, he adds: "You should have clear career goals and indicate to the admissions committee how you will be able to realize them with the help of their MBA. These career goals should be ambitious, but also possible. On the other hand, your extracurricular activities and your conduct at work, as captured in your recommendation letters, can reassure the program that you'll help others succeed."
David explains that some applicants who are already in highly compensated jobs may decide to apply to only a few schools, and simply skip the MBA if they don't get in.
"For other applicants, who cannot achieve their goals without an MBA, the most reasonable strategy is to apply to a mix of reach, target, and safety schools, including one or two programs where their grades and test scores exceed the school's averages for admitted students," he advises.
Securing your spot at a highly competitive, top-ranked business school is challenging—but not impossible. Scoring highly in the GMAT, building an impressive application, and ensuring you can bring something valuable to the cohort will all help your chances of success when applying to a top MBA.