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Sloan has the perception of being a place only for the quant-oriented. Makes sense, right? It’s freaking MIT for crying out loud. Seems like everyone there does astrophysics for fun or casually does differential equations while they eat breakfast. But Sloan makes a considerable effort to try and break down this stereotype and encourage qualified applicants to apply, even if a technical background is not in your repertoire.
Even if you came from a knuckle-dragger background as a veteran, there is a future at MIT Sloan.
Few key stats about Sloan (Class of 2021):
- Rankings: 2019- Forbes (7), Economist (16), US News and World Report (5)
- Class size: 416
- Average GPA: 3.6 (2.7-4.0 range)
- Average Age: 28
- Average GMAT: 727 (690-760 in 80% range)
- GRE Quant: (156-168 in 80% range)
- GRE Verbal: (156-168 in 80% range)
Sloan has one of the more unique applications. The majority of schools will have applicants submit essays, 2 letters of recommendation, the application, test scores, and a resume. Sloan, instead, has the following requirements:
- A 300-word cover letter in place of the essays.
- Only one letter of recommendation, but also needed are the contact info for two additional references.
- An organizational structure chart. This is one of the more unique requirements that I’ve seen, but this sounds just like what it is. They want to get a feel of your reporting chain to understand how you relate to your peers and likely where your recommender falls into there.
- A one minute video introducing yourself.
- Also, not listed in the application requirements but shown on their FAQ page, Sloan will ask for your grades in college-level calculus and microeconomics.
Something that often gets overlooked in evaluating schools is the academic structure. This usually varies along the propensity of the school to use the case method as well as how much room you get for electives. Sloan puts their core curriculum into their first semester, which opens up the opportunity for electives sooner than other schools.
Given the location in Boston, a city with a thriving startup scene, Sloan has strong support for entrepreneurs. Many end up pursuing something in technology, biotech, or medicine because of the support for the industries in these cities. MIT has the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship as well as the Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship at MIT to support MIT students in these endeavors.
It’s also worth noting about the $100k competition. Students come together to pitch ideas and compete for prize money, with the possibility of winning $100k in the final phase and thousands up for grabs outside the main prize. Lots of schools talk about entrepreneurship, but few have competition such as this.
Sloan MBAs can also attend the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, the largest student-run conference in the world. 2021 speakers include Mark Cuban and Michael Lewis, author of Moneyball. It’s a conglomeration of sports, tech, and business and is truly unique.
MIT Veteran-specific information
- Waived admission fee. (Only for active-duty and those that attended the veteran’s visit day)
- Yellow Ribbon Program: According to their website, there is a limt of 30 veterans per year for the Yellow Ribbon Program. After speaking to their veterans’ club, however, it looks like this number is much more flexible. TLDR: Don’t sweat it.
- Lots of vets at Sloan go for the MIT Leaders for Global Operations dual degree option. This two-year program offers an MBA from MIT Sloan and a master’s of science from the MIT School of Engineering. Veterans are highly valued for operational functions and this can make a veteran candidate a total rock-star.
Sloan also has the unique option of the Sloan Fellows program. This is a one-year option for those in the middle of their career. Still a full-time option, this program can grant you an MBA, a Master of Science in Management, or a Master of Science in Management of Technology. For a veteran who did a full career in the military and is looking for education options with others in a similar place in their career, or doesn’t want to take two years for a degree, the Sloan Fellows program could be worth a look.
Related:
Military to MBA (Part 1/7): Is It for You?