Yale SOM School Guide: Everything You Need To Know

Here is everything you need to get into Yale School of Management.

This guide is designed to help you make a decision about whether Yale SOM is a good fit for you. In it, we give an overview of the school and its MBA program, including location, information about the MBA community, and ranking. We then give you a detailed look into the MBA course, including program offerings, extracurricular activities, and post-MBA opportunities. 

This guide also includes a wealth of resources that will strengthen your Yale SOM application, including essay guidelines, interview advice, and letter of recommendation planning support.

We know this guide will be helpful for you and your MBA journey, and we wish you the best in your decision and application process! If you have any questions after reading, please feel free to contact us.

 

School and Program Overview

Location: New Haven, Connecticut

Located in the small eastern town of New Haven, Yale SOM has an Ivy League atmosphere in a quaint university town setting. 

New Haven has a diverse array of restaurants, shops, cafes, and parks, some of which are located on the sea. Many families, students, and young professionals live in New Haven and residents tend to be politically liberal. For an urban getaway, public transportation can get you to NYC in under three hours and Boston in two.

As a smaller city, living costs in New Haven are relatively affordable. Off-campus apartments on average cost $1500 per month. Yale SOM also provides on-campus housing options, with apartments costing anywhere from $800 to $1,800 per month.

Overall, Yale SOM’s location is one full of opportunities and unique experiences, but you will have to reflect on whether a smaller city experience matches your needs and desires.

 

Yale SOM’s Community

Yale SOM is a collaborative, community-minded school that values a wide range of backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives. As the Yale SOM admissions team says, “The Yale School of Management embraces diversity. We believe that effective leaders are those that understand and benefit from the perspectives of people with different backgrounds, and that a commitment to building a diverse community is a key element of our mission of educating leaders for business and society.” 

Photo courtesy of @yalesom on Instagram

Yale SOM tends to value students who demonstrate a drive to solve the biggest issues in business and beyond, from racial inequality to climate change. The school is known for its collaborative opportunities to problem-solve together and for its network that supports students and alumni alike.

 

Class Size and Demographics

Out of thousands of applicants for the Class of 2025, 339 were admitted and accepted spots at Yale SOM. 

40% of Yale SOM’s Class of 2025 are women, and 13% are LGBTQ+. The demographics of students are listed in the chart below:

Courtesy of som.yale.edu

50% of Yale SOM’s Class of 2025 are international.

In general, Yale SOM tends to admit applicants with 5.1 years of work experience. Most students came in from financial services (24%) and consulting (18%) backgrounds, although a wide range of pre-MBA industries are represented.

The median GMAT score for the Class of 2025 was 720 and the median GRE was 166Q, 164V. 

 

Tuition

Currently, the annual tuition at Yale SOM is $84,900. 

With living expenses included (assuming a moderate lifestyle), that number goes up to just over $119,110 for an individual.

Courtesy of som.yale.edu

Costs and Financing

While Yale SOM does not offer aid based on financial need, there are a number of merit-based scholarships available, as well as support for finding external scholarships and loans. About 50% of Yale SOM students receive some sort of scholarship, and 29 students receive full-tuition scholarships.

Yale SOM does offer a range of scholarships that are offered based on merit. All merit-based scholarships are based on candidates’ applications and thus require no separate application. Recipients are notified whether they received a scholarship or not upon admission. Learn more about Yale SOM’s financial aid opportunities and resources here.

Uniquely, Yale SOM was the first business school to offer loan forgiveness to graduates who go into the public or non-profit sectors, including international students, under the Yale School of Management Loan Forgiveness Program. Requirements and loan forgiveness amounts vary.

For information on how to get company MBA sponsorship, see our guide or visit this page. 

To search for third-party scholarships available for MBA candidates, click here.

For US nationals seeking federal loans, visit the US government website for financial aid. For private loans, see this list to see what firms are offering the best rates.

For international students interested in loans, we recommend the following institutions: Mpower Financing, Juno, or Discover.

 

Program Length

Yale SOM’s MBA is a two-year, full-time program. It is only offered as a full-time program, and there are no one-year options available.

 

Ranking

Across multiple ranking sources, Yale SOM is consistently placed at the very top. Financial Times has Yale SOM at #4 globally for all MBA programs, while it is ranked in 8th place by US News.

 

Employment Information

Another important consideration to make when deciding whether any business school is right for you is the MBA’s ROI – where graduates go and how well they succeed. You want to ensure that the investment you make in your MBA, both in terms of time and money, gets you the career boost you’re aiming for!

The first key indicator of the school’s preparation and reputation is how many students receive job offers immediately after graduation (this is usually within three months). Secondly is the median base salary, which shows the value that employers see in candidates as a combination of their previous experience and skills and knowledge gained during the MBA. Employers are willing to pay candidates more when they can trust that the MBA has provided them with solid leadership skills. We provide the median base salary for all MBA graduates, but we also recommend looking at Yale SOM’s latest employment report to see detailed post-MBA salary information for your industry.

You will also want to consider each school’s career services and any resources they offer to support your post-MBA success. Part of the investment you make towards your MBA includes ensuring that you are getting the help you need to prepare for interviews, salary negotiations, and network-building. We include information about Yale SOM’s career services below.

 

Key Statistics

Of those that sought employment from the Class of 2023, 91.5% received an offer within three months.

The top two functions that graduates pursued were consulting (44.2%, median base salary of $190,000) and finance (23.1%, median base salary of $170,000). As with many other schools, the percentage of Yale SOM graduates going into tech has risen in recent years and is still the school’s third most popular post-MBA industry, with 10% of the class taking jobs in tech. The median base salary for those choosing this path was $166,500 per year. 

Courtesy of som.yale.edu

The median base salary for all graduates was $175,000, and the median signing bonus was $30,000. 91.4% of graduates received jobs in the US, 60.5% of them ending up in the Northeast. 

 

Employment Services and Resources

Yale SOM also has a Career Development Office that supports students and alumni in their career goals, whether it’s advice on job recruitment strategies to providing networking events and job placement connections. The Career Development Office at Yale SOM follows a three-pillar strategy to help maintain its high post-MBA job placement rates and ensure its graduates end up landing their target jobs. These are:

• Foundational basics  
• Focused strategy sessions  
• Individual coaching  

According to Yale SOM, “We take a results-oriented, collaborative, and personalized approach to help each and every student that is comprehensive and integrated across resources, flexible to meet individualized, student-centric needs.”

 

Is Yale SOM Right for You?

Now you’ve got the basics of what Yale SOM is all about. Before you read on to the details of Yale SOM’s MBA program, you may be wondering if the school is really right for you and your situation.

Our team here at Ellin Lolis Consulting is always excited to support our clients in deciding which MBA is right for you. From mapping out your business school brand and objectives to planning your visit to your top-choice schools, we get to know you so we can offer you the best support along each step of the decision-making process.

Learn more about our all-in consulting services here!

 

Academics at Yale SOM

Now, you’ve got the basics of what Yale is all about. Before you read on to the details of Yale’s MBA program, you may be wondering if the school is really right for you and your situation.

Considering the fact that you can only do one MBA, choosing where to apply is the most important decision you will make during your application process. 

Though there are many components to a successful business school application, it’s important to know what you want out of your MBA. One of the most important aspects of an MBA program is academics. After all, you’ll spend most of your time in the classroom, preparing for class, or studying for exams!

In this section, we go into depth about just what you can expect during your Yale SOM MBA. 

 

Curriculum

Yale SOM’s MBA curriculum is focused on developing business leaders who recognize their impact on society and providing flexible elective options so that students can pursue their individual interests. 

Photo courtesy of @yalesom on Instagram

During the first year at Yale SOM, students focus on their core courses, which are focused on building an understanding of organizations and how they interact with markets and society. Core courses are organized into two categories: management and organizational perspectives. Then, starting in the second half of the year, students start to personalize their studies through electives. 

Year two is when Yale SOM students really have the chance to customize their academic experience through more electives. Elective courses focus on topics including consulting, analytics, entrepreneurship, healthcare, and sustainability. Students can also take electives in other schools within Yale University – in fact, around 75% of Yale SOM students do!  

 

Joint Programs

For students interested in studying at the intersection of business and other fields, there are many options available at Yale SOM – in fact, Yale SOM offers 10 joint degree programs, from global affairs to architecture. In most Yale joint-degree programs, students spend one year enrolled full-time at Yale SOM, during which they complete the integrated MBA core curriculum, one year enrolled in the other program; and one year taking courses in both programs.

 

Notable Faculty

Yale SOM has some of the most accessible and reputed professors in the business school world. Here are just a few of them:

Edward Kaplan, a professor of operations, teaches the popular course “Policy Modeling.” He has had his research published in outlets such as the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. He has also served as president of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS), the world’s largest society of operations research and analytics academics and professionals. 

Ravi Dhar is a professor of marketing and a thought influencer in how consumers think and decide. He has also served as a consultant to dozens of Fortune 100 companies in a wide variety of industries and has been published in prestigious outlets such as Business Week, The New York Times, The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Economist.

Song Ma is an award-winning assistant professor of finance at Yale SOM. With more than 700 citations of his work on Google Scholar, he was named to Poets & Quants’ list of the 40 Most Influential Professors Under 40. His work primarily focuses on entrepreneurship, innovation, and entrepreneurial finance.

 

Pedagogy

Instruction style

In general, there are three primary teaching styles: case studies, experiential learning, and lectures. While Yale SOM’s MBA combines all three, the school focuses on its raw case approach. This approach, developed by Yale, uses sources like reports, articles, interviews, videos, and photographs to mimic the real world, and students produce conclusions based on the information they are given.

Photo courtesy of @yalesom on Instagram

In the school’s words, “Raw cases replicate the way that individuals access and use information in the real world: management dilemmas do not manifest themselves in neat 10–15 page narratives but rely on an individual’s ability to synthesize information from a variety of channels. “

 

Labs

Yale SOM has 14 labs and research initiatives that allow students to pursue projects in their particular areas of interest during their MBA studies. We introduce these centers and initiatives below:

• The Broad Center: a place where students develop and test ideas, policies, and leadership to help students, especially those from underserved communities.
• The International Center for Finance: a center providing academic and professional support for research in financial economics.
• The Program on Social Enterprise: a center where faculty, students, alumni, and practitioners leverage business skills to efficiently achieve social objectives with nonprofits, the public sector, and social enterprises. 
• Center for Business and the Environment: this center educates and inspires interdisciplinary leaders through business solutions to systemic environmental problems.
• The Thurman Arnold Project: this project allows faculty, students, and scholars from other institutions to collaborate on research related to competition and antitrust enforcement. 
• China India Insights Program: this is a collaborative program that develops and disseminates insights on business issues relating to China and India (and emerging markets in general).
• SOM Lab: SOM Lab is an interdepartmental behavioral lab where marketing and organizational behavior faculty and students test and publish a variety of hypotheses.    
• Yale Center for Customer Insights: this center partners with global leaders to develop, test, and disseminate new insights on consumer behavior.
• Program on Entrepreneurship: this program supports students launching ventures of all kinds and fosters a culture of entrepreneurship across the Yale campus.
• Program on Financial Stability: this program collaboratively acts to create, disseminate, and preserve knowledge about financial crises.  
• The Chief Executive Leadership Institute: CELI hosts CEO summits, bringing together business leaders, policymakers, and leading academics to discuss and improve executive leadership.
• Yale Center Beijing: located in Beijing, this center aims to form new partnerships with organizations in China, support related research, and serve as a gathering place for alumni from throughout Asia.  
• Initiative on Leadership and Organization: this initiative aims to improve business leadership by developing large-scale databases and other research tools, funding individual research projects, and hosting seminars, talks, and conferences.
• Y-Rise Initiative on Innovation and Scale: Y-Rise allows students and faculty to get involved in research on the effects of scaled policy interventions.  

 

International study programs

All Yale SOM students are not just encouraged but required to fulfill at least one of the following global study opportunities.

One option to fulfill the global requirement is to take an internationally-minded course. One of the most popular is the International Experience course in which students learn about a foreign business environment and leadership in the classroom, then go on a 10-day trip to one or more business capitals to visit companies and meet political leaders. Second, there are Global Network Courses that offer students the opportunity to work on project teams with students at Global Network schools around the world. Lastly, there are two Global Social Entrepreneurship courses in which students travel abroad for an entrepreneurial consulting experience in a developing country. 

Another option for the global requirement is participating in the Global Network Week. During this time, students travel to one of the 30+ schools in Yale SOM’s Global Network for an intensive course in an area of local interest or specialization.

For students desiring a longer global experience, there are quarter- or semester-long exchange programs available with one of Yale’s five partner schools. Students can also customize their exchange programs if they want to study at another school.

 

Networking and Extracurricular Activities

The quality and extent of any business school’s community and network are key to assessing how the MBA will support your goals and objectives. While the MBA’s academic offerings are certainly one of the most important considerations, the influence and support of others connected to the school are one of the most influential aspects of getting an MBA. 

In clubs and extracurricular activities, you will meet others who can expand your perspectives, give you innovative ideas, and potentially become future business partners. When exploring each school’s extracurricular opportunities, see whether there are activities that align with your goals, values, skill gaps, or general interests.

Photo courtesy of @yalesom on Instagram

As for the school’s networks and alumni community, some programs have stronger connections than others. You will want to consider whether the school has good connections to the regions and/or industries that you are aiming for and whether or not alumni networks exist where you are headed post-MBA. Not only will this be a chance for you to stay connected after graduation, but it can also get you lifelong career support and opportunities.

 

Extracurricular Activities and Clubs

With over 50 student clubs and extracurricular activities available at Yale SOM, there are many ways to refine leadership, networks, and skills during the MBA.

Whether you are interested in networking with others from your region or social group (e.g. Association of Hispanic and Latin American Students, Women in Management), exploring your industry/background further (e.g. Design and Innovation Club, Economic Development), or simply finding others with similar personal interests (e.g. Fit for Thought, Arts and Culture), there are certainly a number of clubs that fit your profile and objectives.

Networking and Alumni Opportunities

In addition to experiencing Yale SOM’s tight-knit student community, MBA students and grads have access to the school’s one-of-a-kind alumni network. Yale SOM’s alumni network has around 10,000 members around the world. 

Photo courtesy of @yalesom on Instagram

Apart from access to this supportive network, the Yale SOM Alumni Association Mentorship Program supports student-alumni relationships in different industries. There are also Yale SOM and Yale University alumni databases that allow students to seek out alumni for job advice, informational interviews, and specific job inquiries.

 

Summary: What Makes Yale SOM Special?

Apart from being a consistently well-ranked school with an excellent reputation among employers, there are a few key aspects that make Yale SOM unique:

• Social impact: Yale SOM has a reputation as a school that both educates socially-aware business leaders and prepares many students for work in the public and non-profit sectors.
• Raw case method: Yale SOM’s “raw case method” is a unique approach to preparing students for real-life leadership and organizational challenges. With a balance of theoretical rigor and immersive problem-solving, this method engages students to sharpen their minds and learn new skills and strengths to prepare them for career development.
• Globalism: With a wide range of meaningful global opportunities and a requirement for international study of some kind, Yale SOM students are prepared to operate and lead within an increasingly global world of business (and beyond).

 

Yale SOM Resources To Help You Get Accepted

Now that you know just about everything there is to know about Yale SOM and its opportunities, you may be considering applying. Luckily, our expert team at Ellin Lolis Consulting has a wealth of Yale SOM-specific resources to make your application stand out and succeed. We’ve compiled them below:

 

Yale SOM Essay Analysis

With an acceptance rate of around 25%, Yale SOM is a highly selective MBA program. 

This guide, which includes tips from our expert essay editing team, will help you use your Yale SOM admissions essays to stand out. You’ll find an analysis of who Yale SOM is looking for, the essay questions, and what to (and not to!) do. We’ve also included sample essays. All in all, using this guide will ensure you give your Yale SOM application your best shot.

Access the guide here.

 

Yale SOM Interview Prep

The Yale SOM interview is one of the most sought-after – and most difficult – interviews to land in the business school world. Luckily, we’ve created this exclusive guide to help you prepare for a Yale SOM interview that stands out among the competition.

In this guide, we’ve rounded up not only our best tips from our interview team but have also included sample Yale SOM interview questions.

Access the guide here. 

 

Additional Yale SOM resources to help you secure your spot

Looking for even more resources to ensure you get into Yale SOM?

Our MBA Resource Center is the perfect tool to start – or improve! – your Yale SOM application. In our MBA Resource Center, you get access to:

• Dozens more successful Yale SOM essays
• An exclusive essay brainstorming guide
• Letter of recommendation guides and templates
• Résumé templates 
• Additional resources like interview mocks and sample interview essays 

 

Our MBA Resource Center is the tool you need to turn an average application into an outstanding application that earns you a spot at Yale SOM! 

Our clients get admitted to Yale SOM

If your eyes are set on Yale SOM, you may be wondering about how you’ll prepare and execute a successful application. As one of the most selective MBA programs out there, getting admitted to Yale SOM is no easy task. Luckily, Ellin Lolis Consulting is here to offer our comprehensive expertise to you.

From brainstorming your ideas for your essays to negotiating your scholarships, our all-star team ensures that you get exactly the support and guidance you need along every step of the application process.

Don’t just take our word for it – take a look at the following testimonials from some of our clients who were admitted to Yale SOM:

Landing a spot at Yale SOM is no easy task. Now is the time to make sure your accomplishments truly shine. 

Ellin Lolis Consulting began with one mission: provide the best possible service to our clients and get them the best possible results. We know that applying for an MBA can be a difficult, long process, but our goal is to take away as much of the stress as possible by acting as your ally in the process. 

So if you need much more than just a few comments on your essay but instead want focused help shaping how you present your life’s greatest hits to one of the world’s toughest critics, you can count on us. 

That’s why we have a 98.9% success rate. We love digging deep into your story, finding what makes you unique, and sharing your accomplishments and why you belong at Yale SOM, all without losing your voice.

If you want our one-of-a-kind, expert support in getting admitted to Yale SOM, apply to work with us and let our award-winning team help you make an unforgettable first impression on Yale’s admissions committee.

 

More MBA Resources To Help You Secure Your Spot

While preparing your MBA application, the following resources created by Ellin Lolis Consulting will help you ensure you are not just doing everything right but developing an outstanding and competitive application.

Deciding and Planning 

• How to Decide Where to Apply to Business School
• Your Complete Timeline for MBA Application Success
• How to Create Your Business School Brand
• When Should You Start Preparing Your MBA Application?
• MBA Application Rounds: When Should You Apply?
• 3 Key Ways MBA Consultants Help You Build a Better Application Strategy

Writing your Essays and Résumé

• Your Complete Guide to Writing Winning MBA Essays
• How to Choose Your MBA Essay Stories (webinar)
• How to Write an MBA Goals Essay that Lands You an Interview
• 3 Reasons MBA Consultants Are Critical When Identifying and Telling MBA Essay Stories
• How to Use Storytelling to Write Standout MBA Essays
• How to Highlight Uniqueness in Your MBA Essays
• How to Discuss Failures and Weaknesses in Your MBA Essays
• How to Write an MBA CV

Letters of Recommendation

• How to Choose the Best Recommenders for Your Application
• How MBA Consultants Can Help you Obtain Better Letters of Recommendation
• How to Secure MBA Letters of Recommendation

MBA Interview Prep

• How to Be an Interview Rockstar and Leave a Great Impression
• The 5 Toughest MBA Interview Questions and How to Ace Them
• 5 Critical MBA Interview Mistakes Non-native English Speakers Make (And How to Stop Making Them)
• Ask These Questions During Your MBA Interview
• 3 Key Ways MBA Consultants Can Help You Prepare for Your MBA Interviews
• The 3 Most Common MBA Interview Mistakes (and How to Avoid Making Them) (webinar)

After Getting Accepted

• You’ve Just Been Accepted to Business School! Now What?
• MBA Application Fundamentals: What To Do After You’re Admitted

 

Get expert help

We hope you have enjoyed this guide to the Yale SOM MBA.

I know that applying for an MBA can be a difficult, long process, but arming yourself with information about your top-choice programs, planning ahead, and finding your application ally can take away as much of the stress as possible in the process. 

So, whether you need help developing your Yale SOM essay or guidance shaping how you present your greatest hits to one of the world’s toughest critics, you can count on my amazing team and me.