What Are M7 Business Schools?

In U.S. graduate management education, the M7 business schools are considered to be the seven best in the space. They offer elite MBA programs and are known for their highly selective admissions processes—it’s no wonder the “M” stands for “magnificent.”

Which Business Schools Comprise the M7?

The schools that make up the M7 include:

• Columbia Business School (CBS)
• Harvard Business School (HBS)
• MIT Sloan School of Management (MIT Sloan)
• Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern Kellogg)
• Stanford University Graduate School of Business (Stanford GSB)
• University of Chicago Booth School of Business (Chicago Booth)
• University of Pennsylvania, The Wharton School (Wharton)

Why get into an M7 business school?

Getting into an M7 business school means gaining access to the given program’s global professional network and opportunities at competitive companies. Joining the full-time MBA program of an M7 business school puts you on a path to greater career success and a chance to earn a higher salary. Recruiters from prestigious firms across all industries recruit heavily from these schools. Elite instruction, experiential opportunities, and accomplished peers are just some of additional benefits of joining an M7 business school, too.

How to get into M7 business school?

Like all MBA programs, the M7 business schools have requirements for admission, including an undergraduate degree, work experience, test scores (GMAT/GRE), and references. The main difference for the M7 is the standard of these qualifications. For instance, the average GMAT scores for full-time MBA candidates at these top business schools range from 726 to 738. The caliber of your undergraduate institution, GPA, class rank will also factor into your chances of getting into an M7 MBA program. Adcom members will also be looking for significant impact at work and in your community, as well as how you’ve taken on leadership roles and succeeded in a team. Brand name firms, such as BCG, McKinsey, Amazon, etc., also stand out in the admissions process for M7 schools.

How much does an M7 MBA cost?

Here is the tuition for each of the M7 business schools (one year, 2021-2022):

Keep in mind that additional expenses, such as housing, travel, health insurance, etc., places the cost of a year of attendance closer to $110,000 to $120,000. However, this should be taken into account in juxtaposition with the potential for salary earnings post-MBA.

What is a good GMAT score for M7?

A good GMAT score for an M7 business school will match or exceed the mean or median posted by a given MBA program. At minimum, candidates should expect to have to score above 700 on the GMAT to be competitive in the application process.

Here is a list of the posted average GMAT scores at the M7 programs (Class of 2022):

To dig more into MBA admissions, the value of an MBA and how to approach the admissions process, be sure to read Becoming a Clear Admit: The Definitive Guide to MBA Admissions.