01 · Class profile
Who is in the UCLA Anderson MBA class
Class of 2028, the newest class profile on Anderson's class-profile page. The page shows 2,422 applications received and a class size of 287.
Anderson has not published a profile for the class now being recruited, and the pages we read print no class name for it. Treat these figures as the most recent guide.
The page also gives an average age of 28 (range 22 to 39), 90% of students switching careers, LGBTQ+ students at 9% and military veterans or active duty at 6%. It lists 34 countries and regions, a figure that covers the Classes of 2027 and 2028 combined.
What the class did before the MBA (share of students, by industry)
Government/Education/Impact
10% Other/Energy/Law/Hospitality
10% Share of the Class of 2028, with the groupings as Anderson prints them. The 'Government/Education/Impact' bar is Anderson's 'Government/Education/Impact/Public Sector' group, shortened to fit. The last bar is Anderson's own group, 'Other/Energy/Law/Hospitality'.
Undergraduate major (share of students)
Humanities/Social Sciences
21% Biological/Physical Sciences
9% Share of the Class of 2028, with the groups as Anderson prints them.
Work experience (share of students)
Share of the Class of 2028, with the ranges as Anderson prints them. Anderson publishes no minimum or maximum number of years.
Test scores
| Test | Average | Median | Range |
|---|
| GMAT, 10th Edition | 718 (mean) | Not published | 650 to 750 (middle 80%) |
| GMAT Focus Edition | 660 (mean) | Not published | 635 to 695 (middle 80%) |
| GRE | Verbal 162, Quant 164 (section averages) | Not published | Not published |
Anderson prints the two GMAT editions separately and they are on different scales, so do not compare the two averages. It does not publish how many students took each test, and it does not publish a GRE total average. Tests are optional (section 07).
Undergraduate GPA
Anderson gives a mean of 3.5, with a middle 80% range of 3.1 to 3.9.
Where do you sit in this class? Enter your score, experience and profile and see your position and interview risk.
Check my chances02 · Placements
Where UCLA Anderson MBA graduates go
$160,096
median base salary
Class of 2025, from Anderson's Class of 2025 Full-Time MBA Employment Report, which also covers Class of 2026 internships. We found no Class of 2026 full-time report. The report prints a $ sign without naming the currency; we read it as US dollars.
Of 290 graduates, 241 (83.1%) were seeking employment, 35 (12%) were not and 14 (4.8%) gave no information. Offer and acceptance shares are of the 241, the 76.3% and 74.7% being at three months after graduation. The 93.9% is the share of hires located in the U.S.
Offers and acceptances (students seeking employment)
| When | Job offers | Job acceptances |
|---|
| By graduation | 143 students, 59.3% | 132 students, 54.8% |
| Three months after graduation | 184 students, 76.3% | 180 students, 74.7% |
By six months after graduation, 205 students (85%) had accepted a job. The report notes this six-month figure is not part of the CSEA standards.
Pay, Class of 2025
| Measure | Annual base salary | Signing bonus |
|---|
| Mean | $153,566 | $34,027 |
| Median | $160,096 | $30,000 |
| Range | $31,709 to $250,000 | $2,500 to $65,000 |
| Share reporting | 86.7% | 67.3% |
Pay is self-reported. Shares reporting are of students who accepted within three months, and salary data is withheld where fewer than four data points exist. Base salary excludes the signing bonus, so do not add the two. The report says 22% of graduates received stock or equity.
With permanent U.S. work authorization (90.9% reporting) the median base salary was $169,250. With non-permanent work authorization (81.5% reporting) it was $156,000. The report says the median base salary rose 12% from $142,800 for the Class of 2024.
Median base salary by industry, Class of 2025
| Industry | Median base salary |
|---|
| Consulting | $175,000 |
| Financial Services | $175,000 |
| Technology | $147,000 |
| Entertainment & Media | $135,200 |
| Healthcare | $131,500 |
| Consumer Products | $121,500 |
| Real Estate | $115,000 |
Industry of the job (share of those who accepted within three months)
Entertainment & Media
7.2% Nonprofit & Education
1.1% Share of those who accepted within three months, Class of 2025. Others: hospitality, manufacturing, transportation and logistics, agribusiness, law, engineering.
Function of the job (share of those who accepted within three months)
Finance & Accounting
24.4% Operations & Logistics
7.2% Data & Business Analytics
0.6% Share of those who accepted within three months, Class of 2025, from the report's function table. Within these, the report shows investment banking at 13.3%, product management at 8.9% and corporate strategy at 3.3% (inside Other).
Location of the job (share of those who accepted within three months)
West excluding California
7.2% Share of those who accepted within three months, Class of 2025. The U.S. regions total 93.9% and the global regions 6.1%. California splits into Southern California at 47.8% and Northern California at 20%.
Summer internships, Class of 2026
Of 309 students, 263 were seeking an internship, and the report says 99% of internship offers were accepted. Monthly base salary had a mean of $9,491 and a median of $9,370, with a range of $480 to $21,233 (85.9% reporting).
Employers
The report's 'top hiring firms' are organisations that hired four or more full-time MBA students in 2024-25, counting full-time jobs and summer internships together.
| Students hired | Employers |
|---|
| 20 or more | Amazon |
| 10 to 19 | Bank of America, The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Deloitte, McKinsey & Company |
| 4 to 9 | Actionist Consulting Group, Adobe Systems, Apple, Bain & Company, Citi, Epson America, EY-Parthenon, Google, Jefferies, L.E.K. Consulting, Mattel, Microsoft, Moelis & Company, PwC, Santander, Trammell Crow Company, UBS Investment Bank, UCLA Anderson Price Center, Voda Capital, Wells Fargo |
03 · Fees and scholarships
What it costs, and how to pay less
These are the academic year 2026-2027 figures on Anderson's financing page, which Anderson calls estimates, in US dollars. The page also gives academic year 2027-2028 (fall, winter and spring only). Anderson does not publish a separate budget for the class that starts in 2027.
Anderson's estimated costs, by academic year
| Cost | 2026-2027 | 2027-2028 |
|---|
| MBA program fees | $82,734 | $82,734 |
| Mandatory UCLA fees | $2,105 | $1,893 |
| Health insurance | $8,668 | $8,043 |
| Total mandatory charges | $93,507 | $92,670 |
| Food and housing | $33,562 | $28,767 |
| Books and course materials or supplies | $2,672 | $2,004 |
| Transportation | $4,455 | $3,819 |
| Personal | $3,755 | $3,219 |
| Total estimated student budget | $137,951 | $130,479 |
The 2026-2027 program fees are $10,635 for summer plus $24,033 each for fall, winter and spring. The 2027-2028 fees are $27,578 a quarter for three quarters. Anderson says program fees are a flat fee per year, not charged per unit or per course. It does not publish a two-year total.
Anderson's FAQ says international and domestic students pay the same program fees. It does not publish the amount of an enrolment deposit on the pages we read.
The application fee is $200. Anderson waives it for all U.S. military applicants, current UCLA graduate students and SIEML program participants, who upload documentation in the application instead of paying.
Scholarships and funding
| Scholarship | What you get and who it is for |
|---|
| Merit fellowships | Anderson says entering students are automatically considered for merit and donor fellowships before admission, with no separate application. For merit fellowships, decisions are made on the strength of the admission application at the time of admission, are final, last for a two-year period and are made by the UCLA Anderson Fellowship Committee. Anderson does not publish amounts on the page we read. |
| Consortium Fellowships | For applicants admitted through The Consortium and awarded membership. Merit-based, for two years. |
| Forte Fellowships | For outstanding students advancing women in business leadership. Students of all genders are eligible. Two years. |
| ROMBA Fellowships | Awarded to two students with demonstrated leadership in support of the LGBTQ+ business community. Two years. |
| Second-Year Donor Fellowships | A limited number that students can apply for in their second year. Awards are based on first-year core-course grades, community involvement and donor criteria. |
| TA and RA roles | Anderson says approximately 16% of full-time second-year students serve as TAs or RAs each year. |
| GI Bill | Benefits are available. Anderson says the CalVet waiver is not available to students in self-supporting programs. |
| Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan | FAFSA required, for U.S. citizens and permanent residents only. Anderson gives an 8.07% fixed rate for 2026-27, a 1.057% origination fee and an annual limit of $20,500. Repayment starts six months after graduation, with a 10-year standard repayment. No credit check and no prepayment penalty. |
Anderson's financing page says approximately 75 percent of your classmates will choose some form of financial assistance, and that half of students receive fellowships.
Anderson's pages differ: its financing page says half of students receive fellowships, and its FAQ says approximately 40 percent of the incoming class received fellowships last year. This page uses the financing page.
Could your profile earn a fellowship? Check where you stand before you apply.
Check my chances04 · Rounds and deadlines
Which round, and by when
Anderson lists three rounds. Round 1 closed on 1st Oct 2026 and its decisions are due on 11th Dec 2026. Round 2 is the next deadline.
Round 11st Oct 2026
- Interviews:
- Rolling, before 11th Dec 2026
- Decision:
- 11th Dec 2026
Round 26th Jan 2027
- Interviews:
- Rolling, before 26th Mar 2027
- Decision:
- 26th Mar 2027
Round 37th Apr 2027
- Interviews:
- Rolling, before 14th May 2027
- Decision:
- 14th May 2027
Anderson needs a complete application by 11:59 pm Pacific Time on the deadline date for it to be evaluated in that round. Interviews are by invitation, rolling, at any point before the decision release date. Anderson does not publish separate interview dates or invitation dates.
Anderson's FAQ advises applying earlier and says historically fewer applicants are admitted in the last round. Anderson has one intake a year and offers no deferrals: an offer is valid only for enrolment the same year.
A denied applicant cannot reapply in a later round of the same year but can reapply the next year. Anderson does not publish a deposit date on the pages we read.
Not sure which round to aim for? We look at your file and tell you.
Check my chances05 · Clubs and activities
Life outside class
Anderson's Clubs & Associations page groups its clubs as Professional (12), Identity (18), Interest (5), Institutions (4) and Athletics (5). The counts are ours. The Middle East and Africa Club is in the page's navigation, not its lists. The Anderson Student Association appears twice on the page and is shown once here, under Institutions.
Professional clubs
| Club | What they do |
|---|
| Association for Real Estate at Anderson (AREA) | 'Real Estate 101' educational events; mentorship programs, Days-on-the-Job (DOJs) and site visits; case competitions, local market tours and financial modeling training. |
| Energy and Cleantech Association (ECA) | An annual Energy Innovation Conference; a one-week fall energy trek for first-years to San Diego, Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area; an on-campus speaker series. |
| Entertainment Management Association (EMA) | Entertainment Career Night, its annual marquee recruiting event; an annual group trip to the Sundance Film Festival; studio visits in Los Angeles; hosts the Anderson International Film Festival with identity clubs. |
| Healthcare Business Association (HBA) | The annual one-day Vitals Health Care Conference; fall recruiting events with alumni, recruiters and health care firms; company visits, from local half-day visits to a weeklong San Francisco Bay Area trek. |
| Investment Finance Association (IFA) | Resume workshops and mock interviews for investment banking, investment management and corporate finance recruiting; the Fink Center Investing Conference and 'Training the Street' workshops. |
| Management Consulting Association (MCA) | An intensive interview preparation program for consulting recruiting; industry speakers and case workshops. |
| Marketing Association (MA) | Fall Career Night and Winter Career Night with recruiters and alumni; Days-on-the-Job at company offices; a speaker series with alumni mixers. |
| Net Impact (NI) | Impact Week, a weeklong series of workshops, panels, screenings and mixers; a Board Fellows program placing first-years as non-voting members on local nonprofit boards for one calendar year; the Social Impact Consulting Corps, a three-month pro bono consulting engagement with socially driven organizations in the Los Angeles area; the Net Impact Consulting Challenge case competition. |
| Sports Business Association (SBA) | A career night it calls the premier networking event; speaker events with facility tours; the Global Sports Business Forum in Pauley Pavilion; sports case competitions. |
| Strategy & Operations Management Association (SOMA) | Fall Career Night roundtables with recruiters and alumni; analytics workshops, including full-day R, Python and visualization sessions and shorter SQL and Tableau sessions; case competitions and mock interviews run by second-years. |
| Tech Business Association at Anderson (AnderTech) | A one-week product-building competition in which teams build a minimum viable product with computer-science students from outside Anderson; company-sponsored case competitions; the Emerging Tech Conference with the Entrepreneur Association. |
| Video Game Business Association | Alumni coffee chats; Gaming 101 sessions; partnerships with AAA and independent studios for member access to opportunities. |
Identity clubs
| Club | What they do |
|---|
| The Alliance for Latinx Management at Anderson (ALMA) | A Hispanic Heritage Month celebration with the Latin American Business Association; lunches with Latino faculty; events connecting students with Latino alumni in Greater Los Angeles. |
| Asian Management Student Association (AMSA) | The FAMSA Professional Development and Mentorship Program; a Lunar New Year event; a volunteer event at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. |
| Association of Veterans at Anderson (AVA) | A community for military veterans at Anderson, with support for the military-to-MBA transition and for career and recruiting. |
| Black Business Students Association (BBSA) | The Legacy Conference during Black History Month, open to the whole Anderson community; an allyship workshop with Out@Anderson, the Latinx alliance and the Women's Business Connection; mentorship and community resources. |
| Christian Student Fellowship (CSF) | House Church, a meal with Bible study; worship nights; a speaker series; a Christmas celebration and a Good Friday event. |
| European Business Association (EBA) | A Eurovision finale watch at a European pub in downtown Los Angeles; a cheese fondue night and a crepe party; the International Film Festival with EMA and the International Food Festival. |
| Greater China Business Association (GCBA) | A weeklong career trek in the Greater China region with alumni meetings; the Wilbur K. Woo Greater China Business Conference; a Mid-Autumn Festival for the first-year class. |
| Japan America Business Association (JABA) | A Japan trek that its page calls one of the biggest student-led events; a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournament with EMA; food and social events. |
| Jewish Business Students Association (JBSA) | A quarterly Shabbat dinner for members; an annual spring-break Israel Trek; dinners with Los Angeles Jewish executives. |
| Korean Business Student Association (KBSA) | Co-hosts the Lunar New Year celebration with GCBA and AMSA, per the GCBA page; social and professional events highlighting Korean culture and business. |
| Latin American Business Association (LABA) | One thematic BBQ dinner and one Latin American party per quarter; treks to Miami, Mexico and Colombia; academic lunches with Latin American professors. |
| Middle East and Africa Club (MEA) | Brings students together through social, networking and educational events centered on the cultures of the Middle East and Africa region. |
| Muslim Business Student Association (MBSA) | A speaker series with accomplished Muslim business leaders; Ramadan iftars and Eid dinners open to the Anderson community; career development and networking events with other clubs. |
| Out@Anderson (O@A) | LGBTQ+ Awareness Week; preparation for and events at the annual Reaching Out MBA (ROMBA) conference; a National Coming Out Day fireside chat; a monthly Brunch Series. |
| South Asian Business Association (SABA) | Holi and Diwali celebrations with the broader Anderson community; career development sessions such as resume review and mock interviews; career panels and tech talks. |
| Southeast Asian Business Association (SEABA) | A buddy program that gives every first-year student admitted from Southeast Asia a second-year buddy; monthly trips to a cultural site and a restaurant of that country in Los Angeles; the Songkran Celebration. |
| Taiwanese Student Business Association (TSBA) | A cultural exchange hub promoting Taiwanese culture and dialogue with other cultures, from its mission text. |
| Women's Business Connection (WBC) | Velocity, the Anderson Women's Leadership Summit; a Women in Entertainment, Media and Technology Brunch; women-focused industry networking events and mentorship. |
Interest clubs
| Club | What they do |
|---|
| Adam Smith Society (SmithSoc) | Discussions and debates with industry experts on economic, political and social issues; an annual meeting in New York City; joint events with USC Marshall's chapter and UCLA Law's Federalist Society. |
| Craft Beverages Club (CBC) | Quarterly brewery treks; a Meet-the-Brewer Series and home brewing events; beer education and tasting events. |
| Eats (AnderEats) | Exploring Los Angeles' diverse food scene together, with cooking and dining experiences, from its mission text. |
| Indoor Adventure Club (IAC) | The community for everything indoors, with board games, arts, crafts, video games, tournaments, bar trivias and arcade nights. |
| Wine Club at Anderson (WCA) | Meet the Winemakers on campus; a day trip to Santa Barbara wineries that typically takes place in the spring; a weekend trip to Sonoma or Napa that typically takes place in the winter quarter. |
Institutions
| Club | What they do |
|---|
| Admissions Ambassador Corps (AAC) | Class visits, campus tours and information sessions for prospective students; help running admissions events; Anderson says its members and student ambassadors conduct admissions interviews. |
| Anderson Onboarding Committee (AOC) | Partners with Student Affairs to shape the incoming class's onboarding experience and plans and runs onboarding events. |
| Anderson Student Association (ASA) | Governs the student body; every enrolled student is a member by virtue of enrolment. It organizes, coordinates and funds student-run activities and services. |
| Entrepreneur Association (EA) | A business plan competition with a financial reward; the Entrepreneurial Leadership Development Program, with monthly Friday meetings with entrepreneurial CEOs; networking with the LA venture capital community. |
Athletics clubs
| Club | What they do |
|---|
| Basketball Club at Anderson (AnderBall) | Playing and watching basketball, for students and significant others, from its mission text. |
| John Anderson Golf Club (JAGC) | Competitive, social and instructional golf events through the school year, for beginners to advanced players. |
| Outdoor Adventure Club (OAC) | Surfing and diving; hiking, camping and climbing; skiing and snowboarding day trips. |
| Soccer Club (SC) | Tournaments, including the University of Texas MBA Tournament in Austin; the traditional first-years versus second-years game and BBQ; friendly games against alumni and other business schools. |
| Tennis Club at Anderson (TCA) | A trip to Indian Wells for the BNP Paribas Open; get-togethers for major tournaments; play for all levels. |
Described as Anderson describes them on its club pages, which are listed under its Clubs & Associations page. Clubs change what they run each year.
06 · Process
From application to decision
Submit the application
Apply online. Anderson needs the complete application by 11:59 pm Pacific Time on the deadline date for it to be evaluated in that round. The application fee is $200.
Application reviewAfter the deadline
Anderson's Admissions Committee reviews applications. Anderson calls the review holistic and says the components are not weighted.
Interview invitation
Anderson invites candidates to interview after the review, at any point before the decision release date of your round.
Anderson says all candidates considered for admission are interviewed, and that an interview must be completed to be admitted but does not guarantee admission.
Documents after the invitationAfter you are invited
Send official test scores and official academic records as described in the invitation. Anderson says only invited applicants send originals.
The interviewScheduled after the invitation
About 30 minutes, by Zoom or in person at your choice.
Anderson says it is generally run by second-year MBA students.
Decision
Anderson re-reads applications after the interview, adds comments, and the Admissions Committee decides. Decisions are emailed by the decision release date of the round.
If you are waitlistedAfter the decision
Waitlisted applicants stay on the list until a final decision and get a status update at each round's decision release. Those still waitlisted when Round 3 ends in May can choose to stay on over the summer.
Anderson gives no individual waitlist feedback.
07 · What you need
What goes into the application
1. Eligibility
Anderson asks for a completed four-year bachelor's degree or equivalent. International applicants with a three-year degree may be admitted if the whole profile is strong enough. The degree must be completed before enrolment.
Work experience is not required, but Anderson says very few applicants are admitted without at least a year or two of post-bachelor's work. Internships do not count as full-time experience. The Class of 2028 average is 5.4 years.
2. Test score
Anderson accepts the GMAT, GMAT Focus, GRE or Executive Assessment, and says all are optional, with no minimum score. It uses your highest total score and does not super-score. The test date must be within five years of the application. Anderson accepts most at-home test scores and evaluates them the same way, except the TOEFL TIP Plus Solution for China and the IELTS Indicator, which it says are under review.
If you apply without a score, Anderson says you must submit an essay that provides evidence of your MBA readiness, such as quantitative coursework, analytical work experience, certifications like CPA or CFA, or an expired GMAT or GRE. Anderson does not state a word limit for it on the pages we read.
Anderson recommends differential calculus and statistics before you start, and says quantitative preparation gets special scrutiny.
3. English test
UCLA requires all graduate applicants to show English proficiency. It is waived if you hold a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited U.S. university, or from an institution where English is the sole language of instruction as verified by the World Higher Education Database. Work experience, citizenship or U.S. residence do not substitute. Otherwise you submit the TOEFL iBT or IELTS, with no preference between them. The test date must be no earlier than two years before you submit and no later than the round deadline. Test optionality does not apply to the TOEFL and IELTS.
Anderson's international-applicants page gives a minimum TOEFL of 87 and a minimum IELTS of 7.0. Its FAQ says almost all admits score over 100 on the TOEFL iBT, 610 on the TOEFL paper-based test, or 7.0 overall on the IELTS.
4. Essays
These are Anderson's prompts and word limits for the current cycle, as printed on its requirements page.
Short Essay 1 (required for first-time applicants, 250 words)
Describe your short- and long-term post-MBA goals, including your desired role, industry, and examples of target companies. How will an MBA support your path to achieving your goals, and which UCLA Anderson resources do you expect to rely on most to reach them?
Short Essay 2 (required, 250 words)
How do you hope your UCLA Anderson classmates will describe you by the time you graduate? What qualities and / or values do you want to be known for, and how will you demonstrate them as a student leader and community member?
Short Essay 3 (required, 50 words)
What is the first thing you would tell your classmates about yourself upon arriving at Anderson?
Optional essay (optional, 250 words maximum)
Are there any extenuating circumstances or additional context you would like to share with the Admissions committee?
Anderson says no preference is given in evaluation to applicants who respond to the optional essay. Reapplicants are required to answer the short essay prompts, and are suggested but not required to answer the optional essay.
Anderson says AI tools may be used to edit and proof essays for grammar, spelling and clarity, and that AI should not generate, rewrite, or significantly alter the essay's substance.
5. Recommendations
New applicants need two recommendations, and Anderson asks you to submit only two letters. Reapplicants need one new recommendation, which may be from the same recommender as before. Anderson prefers a direct supervisor or manager. Other options are current or past supervisors or managers, colleagues and clients. It says peers, family members and professors are generally not good selections. If you have been out of school less than two years, an academic recommendation may replace a work one.
You enter the recommender's details in the online application, and the recommender gets an email with an access code, valid for 180 days. The online form asks the recommender to evaluate your strengths and areas of growth and rate you across a variety of metrics. Its question topics are the recommender's interaction with you and your role, how you compare with other well-qualified people in similar roles, and the most important piece of constructive feedback given to you. Recommendations must be in by the deadline of your round, and Anderson says this is your responsibility.
If your supervisor does not know you are applying, Anderson's FAQ says to explain in the optional essay and use another work-related recommender.
6. Video or assessment
On the pages we read, Anderson's application has no video essay and no written assessment, apart from the essay for applicants who submit no test score. Waitlisted applicants may send an update through the Waitlist Interest Form as written responses or a video of no more than 2 minutes.
7. Other documents
A resume is required, ideally one page and not more than two. It does not replace the Employment section of the application. Upload scanned copies of your academic records with the application, and send official hard-copy records only if you are invited to interview. Your grades are read in the context of your own country's grading system and are never converted to the 4.0 scale. International applicants need translations of records not in English. The application fee is $200.
08 · What Anderson wants
How Anderson reads your file
Anderson says it defines its community by three core qualities: share success, think fearlessly and drive change. The Admissions Committee reads the whole application against them.
| Anderson looks at | In plain words |
|---|
| Share success | Collaborative, supportive, fully engaged, thoughtful in success. |
| Think fearlessly | Passionate, inquisitive, analytical, striving for innovation. |
| Drive change | Original and productive in pursuit of meaningful impact, optimistic in challenging times, strategic thinking and resilience. |
| Your work experience | Quality over quantity, with increasing levels of responsibility over time, impact in context, and leadership at work, on campus or in the community. The class profile shows 90% of the Class of 2028 switching careers. |
| Your academics | Grade trends, math-related courses and quantitative scores get special scrutiny. Grades are read in the context of your own country's grading system. |
| Your whole file | Biographical and academic background, achievements, awards and honors, employment history, recommendations, the short essays, and college and community involvement, especially leadership. |
| The interview | Communication skills, focus, reasoning, passion and understanding of what an Anderson MBA provides. Anderson says interviews are rarely the deciding factor. |
Anderson says individual components of an application are not weighted and that all materials within an application are considered important. It publishes no percentage for any part.
See how your file reads against these areas before you spend weeks on the application.
Check my chances09 · Interview questions
What candidates say Anderson interviewers ask
These are the five types of question candidates say they are asked, based on candidates' own accounts of their UCLA Anderson interviews from 2021 to 2026, almost all with second-year students. Nobody gets a fixed script, although some interviewers worked from a list. The tag says how likely that type of question is: high means it comes up in close to half of candidate accounts or more, medium in roughly a quarter to just under half, and low in fewer than a quarter.
| Topic | Chance | How it is usually asked |
|---|
| Walk me through your resume | HIGH | “Walk me through your resume, with a little more on the roles that matter most.” Candidates say the walk-through runs from 2 to 5 minutes, and the student often asks you to expand on a role or a volunteer activity. |
| Why an MBA, why now, why Anderson | HIGH | “Why do you want an MBA, and why at this point in your career?” “Why is Anderson the right school for you?” Candidates say specific reasons help, such as clubs, people and Los Angeles. |
| Plan B if your first choice does not work out | HIGH | “What is your plan B if you do not land your desired internship?” This question stands out in accounts of Anderson interviews. Those aiming at competitive roles such as consulting or finance say they were told how competitive those are and asked for alternatives. |
| Leadership, teamwork and challenge stories | HIGH | “Tell me about a time you led a team, formally or informally, and what you learned.” “Tell me about a time you faced a challenge and how you got past it.” Usually one or two behavioural questions, asked in a conversational way. |
| How you will contribute: clubs and community | HIGH | “How would you contribute to the Anderson community?” |
Candidates also report questions on short- and long-term goals and your own questions for the interviewer often, and strengths and weaknesses less often. Most describe a warm, conversational interview with no trick questions.
The group is modest in size and spread over six years, so treat tags as directional. In the 2026 accounts a plan B question came up in fewer interviews than in earlier years, and leadership style and weakness appeared. These are signals, not trends.
10 · Interview experience
What the interview is actually like
What Anderson says
| Topic | What to expect |
|---|
| Invitation | By invitation only, after the application review. Anderson says all candidates considered for admission are interviewed, that interviews take place every round, and that an interview must be completed to be admitted but is not a guarantee. |
| Format | About 30 minutes, by Zoom or in person on campus at your choice. Anderson says there is no difference in how the two are evaluated. |
| Who interviews | Anderson says interviews are generally conducted by second-year MBA students trained on the evaluation metrics. Its Admissions Ambassador Corps page says members and student ambassadors conduct admissions interviews. |
| Blind interview | The interviewer gets your resume but not your application. Anderson says all interviews carry equal weight. |
| Number of interviews | Anderson's pages describe one interview of about 30 minutes per candidate and do not state a number. |
| What it looks at | Communication skills, focus, reasoning, passion and understanding of what an Anderson MBA provides. Anderson also names social skills and readiness for the program. |
| What to prepare | Be ready to walk through your resume in 2 minutes or less. Anderson lists reasons for an MBA, short- and long-term goals, fit with Anderson and personal interests as question areas. It says to wear business attire and that photo ID is checked. |
| Not published | Interview dates and invitation dates, interview cities, and the number of interview slots. |
What candidates report
| Topic | What to expect |
|---|
| Who runs it | Almost every account is a second-year student. Admissions staff interviewers are rare in the accounts. A candidate who applied through The Consortium says the interviewers were also Consortium students. |
| Mode | Mostly video calls. A few candidates interviewed on campus, for example during a campus visit. |
| Length | Usually about 30 minutes, with stated times from about 25 minutes to nearly 50. Typically about 20 minutes of questions, then 5 to 15 minutes in which you ask questions or the student talks about life at Anderson. Occasionally an interview ran over, or a candidate felt rushed. |
| Tone | Warm, relaxed and conversational in nearly every account. Students often gave advice or shared their own experience, and several candidates say it did not feel like an interview. A few describe a student who was brisk and read from a list. |
| Running order | A casual opening and a short explanation of the format; a resume walk-through; why an MBA and why now; why Anderson; goals; a plan B question; how you will contribute and which clubs you would join; one or two behavioural questions; then your questions. |
| Your file | Lightly used. Questions follow the resume, and the student may ask you to expand on volunteer roles or what you changed in your job. Essays are rarely mentioned. |
| Surprises | More relaxed than expected, and some students turned it into a mentoring chat about careers or life at Anderson. Some candidates were asked about Los Angeles or whether they had visited. An applicant without a test score reports being asked how they would show readiness for the quantitative coursework. |
| Not reported | No account describes a case, a guesstimate, a group exercise, or a video or written task at the interview stage. |
Based on candidates' own accounts from 2021 to 2026. Tone and difficulty depend on the individual student interviewer, and recalled accounts can over-represent people with strong feelings. Check Anderson's pages for the current format.
11 · FAQs
Questions students ask about UCLA Anderson MBA
Is a GMAT or GRE score required?
No. Anderson accepts the GMAT, GMAT Focus, GRE or Executive Assessment but says all are optional, with no minimum score. If you apply without a score you submit an essay giving evidence of your MBA readiness. For the Class of 2028 it gives means of 718 on the GMAT 10th Edition and 660 on the GMAT Focus Edition, and GRE section averages of Verbal 162 and Quant 164.
How much work experience do I need?
Anderson says work experience is not required, but very few applicants are admitted without at least a year or two of post-bachelor's work. The Class of 2028 average is 5.4 years.
What are the essay prompts and word limits?
There are three required short essays: Short Essay 1 (250 words, first-time applicants) on post-MBA goals, Short Essay 2 (250 words) on how you hope classmates will describe you, and Short Essay 3 (50 words) on the first thing you would tell classmates about yourself. An optional essay of up to 250 words is available. The exact wording is in section 07.
How many recommendations do I need?
New applicants need two recommendations, preferably from a direct supervisor or manager, and Anderson asks for only two letters. Reapplicants need one new recommendation. They must be submitted by the deadline of your round.
How does the Anderson interview work?
It is by invitation only, after the application review. Anderson says all candidates considered for admission are interviewed. It lasts about 30 minutes and is generally run by a trained second-year MBA student. The interviewer sees your resume but not your application.
Is the Anderson interview online?
Anderson says the interview is by Zoom or in person at your choice, with no difference in how they are evaluated. Candidates' accounts from 2021 to 2026 describe mostly video calls, with a few on campus.
Which round should I apply in?
Anderson lists three rounds with deadlines of 1st Oct 2026 (decisions due 11th Dec 2026), 6th Jan 2027 (26th Mar 2027) and 7th Apr 2027 (14th May 2027). It advises applying earlier and says historically fewer applicants are admitted in the last round. The timeline on this page shows which are still open.
How much does the UCLA Anderson MBA cost?
Anderson's financing page estimates MBA program fees of $82,734 for academic year 2026-2027, total mandatory charges of $93,507 and a total estimated student budget of $137,951. It does not publish a two-year total. The application fee is $200.
Can I get a scholarship?
Anderson automatically considers entering students for merit and donor fellowships before admission, with no separate application. Its financing page says half of students receive fellowships, while its admissions FAQ says about 40 percent of last year's incoming class did. Anderson does not publish amounts on the page we read.
What are the pay and jobs like after Anderson?
For the Class of 2025, Anderson's report gives a median annual base salary of $160,096 and a mean of $153,566, in dollars as the report prints them. Of the 241 students seeking employment, 76.3% had a job offer and 74.7% had accepted a job three months after graduation. Among those who accepted within three months, technology (28.3%), consulting (25.6%) and financial services (19.4%) were the largest industries.