UNC Kenan Flagler MBA Program is offered by the graduate business school of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hills. Founded in 1919, the school has been accredited by the Association of Advanced Collegiate School of Business. The UNC Kenan Flagler MBA Program has been ranked #22 by the Economist in the worldwide MBA ranking 2019. The program has also been ranked #13 by the Forbes in the best business schools of the United States. The school boasts of many prominent alumni. Some of them include Jason Kilar (Co-founder & Former CEO, Hulu), Lee Ainslie (Founder & CEO, Maverick Capital), Michele Buck (CEO, The Hershey Company), Mike Barkley (CEO, KIND LLC), & Ritch Allison (CEO, Domino’s Pizza). Last year, the school admitted a total of 252 students. More than half of them are from non-business backgrounds. The batch includes 29% female & 17% International candidates. If you are targeting for the UNC Kenan Flagler MBA Program, this article is for you.
The UNC Kenan Flagler MBA Curriculum is very rigorous & offers the necessary knowledge that is required to be a better leader. There are a total of 14 required core subjects and other soft skill courses on leadership, communication, & ethics. Some of the core subjects include financial accounting, operations, business strategy, marketing, finance, data analysis & decision making, & ethical leadership. Other than the core courses, students can select subjects from over 125 electives to focus on their specific career goals.
The school also offers career concentrations and enrichment concentrations in various fields. Some of the key focus areas include consulting, real estate, entrepreneurship, healthcare, & corporate finance. Please note that the electives focus on the same discipline on whatever concentration you choose. Students are given an option to select one or combine two concentrations specific to their career goals. Or they also have the liberty to design their course of study by choosing from a wide variety of electives. Students also pursue Independent Study Projects (ISP) by serving as a teaching assistant, conducting faculty-directed research, or completing an unpaid internship. It allows them to develop specialized knowledge that expands their business & professional insights.
Additionally, the curriculum focuses highly on global experiences. To promote the same, the school offers various Global programs like Global Immersion Project (GIP) & International Exchange Program. Some of the exchange partners of the school include Melbourne Business School, CEIBS, HKUST, ISB Hyderabad, NUS Singapore, IIM-A & B, HEC Paris, & IESE Barcelona.
Eligibility
Academic Requirement:
Applicants must hold a 4-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university from the United States or its international equivalent. There is no minimum graduate GPA required to apply for the UNC Kenan Flagler MBA Program. However, the average GPA of the class of 2019 was 3.4 on a scale of 4.
Professional Experience:
UNC Kenan Flagler MBA Program school does not mention any minimum work experience requirements. However, almost all the admitted students have a minimum of 2 years of full-time work experience. Last year, the average work experience of the class was 5-years.
Standardized Tests:
A valid GMAT or GRE score is a must requirement to apply for the MBA program. The school does not give preference to either of the two tests mentioned. Last year, the average GMAT score of the class was 697, with a middle 80% range of 650-750.
English Language Test:
To prove your command over English, English language tests like TOEFL, IELTS, & PTE is a must requirement. This test can be waived for students who have earned their undergraduate or postgraduate degree at a US college or university, whose education was in an English speaking country, or who have received their UG/PG degree in Hong Kong or India. Please note that in some cases, Indian candidates are asked to submit these scores.)
The tuition and mandatory fees for the academic year 2020-21 are $66,270. It is expected to increase by 3-10% each academic year. Students are also required to pay an additional fee of $895 that includes an orientation fee of $345 and a student association fee of $550. Additionally, the estimated living expenses for a year come at #26,100. It includes books & supplies ($990), meals ($4,862), health insurance ($2,628), Housing ($13,756), travel and transportation ($1,588), & other miscellaneous expenses ($2,276).
Scholarships
UNC Kenan Flagler MBA Program provides several fellowships to exceptional students. Nearly 30% of the admitted students receive some fellowship assistance. There is no separate application required to apply for the scholarships. All the admitted applicants are considered for the same. The scholarship decisions are based on your academics, career progression, diverse experiences, strong interpersonal skills, & leadership potential.
The school provides three types of fellowship assistance. They are Premier Fellowship, Full-tuition Fellowship, & Partial-tuition Fellowship. Let us learn more about the same.
Premier Fellowship:
It is the most prestigious fellowship provided by the school. It covers the full annual tuition fees, and students are also offered a $5,000 stipend.
Full-tuition Fellowship:
It covers full tuition fees. Unlike the premier fellowship, it does not provide any stipends. The decisions are based on the applicant’s academic distinction, professional experiences, and other personal qualities.
Partial tuition Fellowship: Partial tuition fee assistance is provided to several admitted students. The decisions are based on the applicant’s academic achievements and career goals.
Some other fellowship options provided by the school are the Forte Fellowship and the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management Fellowship. Additionally, you can also fund your MBA journey through student loans. The school recommends various loan options for international students, including Sallie Mae, Wells Fargo, Citizens Bank, Prodigy Finance, & MPower Financing.
Reportedly, 88% of the students received a job offer within 3-months of graduation. The median base salary received by the class of 2019 was $125,000, with a median signing bonus of $25,000. Students placed in the consulting industry packed the highest median salary of $140,000, followed by those in the financial services at $132,500.
Top three industries where the majority of the students accepted the offer were
Technology 21%
Financial Services 20%
Consulting 17%
The top three functions of the placement session 2018-19 were
Consulting 27%
Marketing/sales 15%
General Management 11%
The major employers (who recruited three or more graduates) were
Amazon
Adobe Systems Inc.
Bank of America
Cisco Systems
Cognizant Consulting
Deloitte Consulting
McKinsey & Company
PepsiCo
Application Process
Online Application checklist—
Academic Transcripts
Resume
GMAT/GRE score
English Language Test
2 Professional Recommendations
2 Essays
Application Fee of $150
Interview:
Students get two opportunities for the interview. The first one is through the Campus Open Interview Season that typically takes place in September & October. Students are encouraged to take advantage of this option.
The second one is by invitation only.
The interview is, generally, conducted by the members of the admissions team. School highly recommends the applicants to interview on-campus. However, there is no penalty if you are unable to travel to the campus. There is also an option for the off-campus interview by the alumni in your geographical area or through Skype. The interview approach is blind, and the interviewer only has access to your resume. It lasts for 30-45 minutes. The admissions committee focuses on your personality, passion, communication skills, & motivation. So, prepare well.
You will respond to two required essay questions and one optional question. Your responses should be concise, clear, and introspective as the school uses them to learn more about you, your motivations, and your aspirations.
Essay 1 is required. Your response should be no longer than 500 words and should address the following questions:
What are your immediate career goals?
How will you benefit personally and professionally from earning an MBA at UNC Kenan-Flagler?
As the business world continues to evolve, circumstances can change that can guide you in a different direction. Should the goals that you provided above not transpire, what other opportunities would you explore?
Essay 2 is also required. Your response should be no longer than 250 words and should address one of the following questions:
Option 1: What is one thing that we do not know about you that you want us to know?
Option 2: Provide us an example of a time you were able to be creative with your work. What was exciting or difficult about it? Did you achieve the results you were looking for?
Option 3: Tell us about a time when you felt or witnessed someone being marginalized. How did you feel? What did you take away from the experience and how has it encouraged you to be an inclusive leader?
The optional essay (for all applicants) provides an opportunity to share additional information not presented elsewhere in your application with the admissions committee. In 150 words or less, consider addressing any of the questions below:
If you have not completed coursework in the core business subjects (calculus, microeconomics, statistics, financial accounting), how will you prepare yourself?
What conditions caused you to experience inconsistent academics, gaps in work, or low standardized test scores?
How have you chosen your recommenders?
UNC Kenan Flagler MBA Program is one of the most prestigious and sought out business programs around the world. An MBA degree from this school will transform your life in many ways.
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