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Applicant
Profile
Each year, the Ph.D. Program at the
Robert H. Smith School of Business
receives hundreds of applications from
qualified individuals for the limited
number of spots available in our
program. Our students come to the
program with a variety of experiences
and interests from countries around the
world.
The program has grown considerably in
the past few years, the result of which
has been a highly selective set of
criteria. The profile of successful
applicants includes high academic
grade point average (GPA) and test scores, a demonstrated
ability to think analytically, strong
letters of recommendation (preferably
from academic sources), and a desire to
pursue research at the university level.
Individuals holding the equivalent of a
bachelor’s degree and two semesters of
quantitative course work at the college
level (i.e., mathematics, statistics,
economics, etc.) are eligible to apply
for admission to the Ph.D. Program.
A faculty committee from each of the
respective areas begins the process of
evaluating applications after the
January 2nd deadline. In-person and
telephone interviews may be conducted
with those students who are being
seriously considered for admission. In
addition, some areas may request a short
(60-90 seconds) video from an applicant
being seriously considered for
admission. This video would focus on the
applicant addressing the following
question: Why do you believe the Robert
H. Smith School of Business is a good
match for you to pursue your Ph.D.? In
general, decisions are made beginning in
late March and continuing through the
month of April until all available
spaces are filled. Applicants will be
notified by mail and email when a final
decision is made regarding their
application. Given the large number of
applicants for each opening, admission
to the program is highly competitive (i.e., the
number of students actually admitted
each year represents only a small
percentage of those who have applied),
in recent years, the average GMAT score
has been approximately 700 and the
average GRE score in both the verbal and
quantitative sections has been
approximately 700. There is no absolute
GPA requirement. However, given the
competitive nature of admission to the
program, most students admitted do have
a rather high GPA. In recent years the
GPA for undergraduate and graduate
degree has been around 3.4 (out of 4)
and 3.8 (out of 4) respectively.
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