{"id":53491,"date":"2021-11-23T13:34:08","date_gmt":"2021-11-23T20:34:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/?p=53491"},"modified":"2021-11-23T13:34:09","modified_gmt":"2021-11-23T20:34:09","slug":"top-stem-mba-programs-a-list-and-overview-of-stem-opt-eligible-b-schools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/top-stem-mba-programs-a-list-and-overview-of-stem-opt-eligible-b-schools\/","title":{"rendered":"Top STEM MBA Programs: A List and Overview of STEM-OPT Eligible B-Schools"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Top<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

U.S. STEM MBA Programs: An Overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Restrictions on work visas during the 2019-2020 academic year\u2013when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its height\u2013depressed numbers of international MBA applicants. In fact, 48% of U.S. MBA programs reported a decline<\/a> in international applications for their 2019 entering classes; 23% of U.S. MBA programs reported a significant decline (a 21% or more drop in international applications)! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before the pandemic and to alleviate the uncertainty in the visa process, several American MBA programs found a strategic differentiator: STEM certification. Graduates of certified science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degree programs qualify for STEM OPT (Optional Practical Training)<\/a>, a 24-month extension of a student\u2019s F-1 visa to apply the skills they learned in their STEM degree studies in full-time employment in the U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[List of top STEM OPT U.S. Business Schools >>]<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, it\u2019s true that applications to business schools have strongly rebounded during the 2020 application season. Sixty-seven percent of U.S. programs reported growth compared to 2019, according to a survey of application trends<\/a> conducted by the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC). The international survey, conducted during the summer of 2020, included 1,085 graduate business programs in 325 business schools worldwide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the survey showed that international candidates remained far less likely to commit to enrollment than domestic students, and more likely to ask for deferrals. Growth among international business school applicants was significantly lower than for domestic applicants in the U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The GMAC\u2019s survey from 2019 was the first to inquire about a program\u2019s STEM-certification, and found that these programs were more likely to report growth in international applicants. A total of 195 of the 804 U.S. programs responding reported that their programs were STEM-certified (24%). Among them, the most common program types were Master of Data Analytics<\/a> (28%); Master of Finance (22%); and Master of Information Technology (14%). And while a majority of both STEM-certified (53%) and non-STEM (57%) programs reported declines in total applications during this period, STEM-certified programs fared better among international applicants. In the 2019-2020 academic year, 43% of STEM-certified programs grew their international applications, compared with 26% of non-STEM programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out the median GMAT scores for the top b-schools >><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given ongoing concerns over visa status and one\u2019s ability to work in the U.S. after business school, programs that are STEM-certified are sure to be more appealing to this applicant pool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While some MBA programs \u2013 such as Chicago Booth<\/a>, Wharton, Virginia Darden \u2013 now offer specific concentrations that qualify international students for STEM OPT, others \u2013 such as Berkeley Haas<\/a>, Carnegie Mellon Tepper, and Rochester Simon \u2013 qualify MBA graduates of all majors in their MBA programs for this extension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During 2021, MBA programs have seen a rebound in international applicants, and many schools (NYU Stern, Darden, and Yale) are touting this return. Still, they are maintaining their STEM certifications because it will pave the way for their graduates to get jobs and stay in the U.S. long enough to pay off or pay down their loans. Despite its cost, the MBA degree continues to pay robust dividends right off the bat. According to a recent Wall Street Journal article:<\/a> \u201cAt about 98% of universities that offer master\u2019s of business administration programs, graduates typically made more money two years out of school than they had borrowed, a Wall Street Journal analysis of federal student loan data for nearly 600 programs found.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

STEM MBA Programs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Name of MBA Program<\/th>Majors That Are STEM Designated<\/a><\/th>MBA Essay Tips<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Arizona State Carey<\/td>All MBA Platforms<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Babson MBA<\/td>1) Business Analytics and Machine Learning<\/a>
2) Quantitative Finance<\/a><\/td>		Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Berkeley Haas<\/td>All Majors<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Brigham Young Marriott<\/td>Management Science and Quantitative Methods<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Carnegie Mellon <\/td>All Majors<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Chicago Booth<\/td>All MBA programs<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Columbia Business School<\/td>MBA and EMBA programs<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Cornell Johnson<\/td>1) Two-Year Management Science MBA
2) One-Year Management Science MBA
3) Tech MBA
4) MPS in Management
5) MPS in Management - Accounting Specialization<\/a><\/td>		Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Dartmouth Tuck<\/td>STEM track<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Duke Fuqua <\/td>Second Major in Management Science and Technology Management (MSTeM)<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Georgetown McDonough<\/td>Management Science major<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Harvard Business School<\/td>Management Science track<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Indiana Kelley<\/td>Accounting, Business Analytics, Finance, Marketing or Supply Chain and Operations<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Lehigh University College of Business<\/td>Business Analytics (a concentration within 1-MBA)<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Michigan Ross<\/td>STEM track<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
MIT Sloan<\/td>MBAn<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
New York University <\/td>Tech MBA<\/a>
Two-year full-time MBA<\/a><\/td>		Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Northwestern Kellogg<\/td>Management Science<\/a>
MMM Program for Dual Engineering\/MBA Degrees<\/a><\/td>		Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Notre Dame Mendoza<\/td>MBA\/Master of Science in Business Analytics Dual Degree<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Pace University<\/td>MBA in Information Systems<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Purdue Krannert<\/td>MBA-STEM<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Rice Jones<\/td>All MBA Programs<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Rochester Simon<\/td>All Specializations<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Rutgers<\/td>STEM designation<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Stanford GSB<\/td>1) All MBA majors
2) MSx<\/a><\/td>		Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Texas McCombs<\/td>14 of the 22 concentrations for the full-time MBA program<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
University of California, Davis<\/td>All Majors<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
University of California, Irvine<\/td>Analytics in Digital Leadership concentration<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
University of California, Los Angeles<\/td>All Specializations<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
University of California, Riverside<\/td>All MBA Programs<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
University of California, San Diego<\/td>1) Full-time MBA 
2) FlexEvening 
3) FlexWeekend <\/a><\/td>		Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
University of Connecticut<\/td>1) Business Analytics 
2) Digital Marketing Strategy 
3) Financial Analysis and Investments<\/a><\/td>		Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
University of Delaware Lerner<\/td>Major in Business Analytics<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
University of Georgia Terry<\/td>Only open to U. of Georgia undergraduates; includes 45 majors<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler<\/td>All MBA Programs<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
University of North Texas Ryan<\/td>MBA in Business Analytics<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
University of Washington Foster<\/td>Management Science<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
University of Wisconsin - Madison<\/td>1) Specialization in Operations and Technology Management <\/a>
2) Supply Chain Management<\/a><\/td>		Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
USC Marshall <\/td>Specialization in Management Science<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Vanderbilt Owen<\/td>Finance Concentration<\/a><\/td>Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Wharton<\/td>1) Business Analytics
2) Business, Economics & Public Policy (BEPP)
3) Business, Energy, Environment & Sustainability (BEES)
4) Operations, Information & Decisions (OID)
5) Quantitative Finance
6) Statistics<\/a><\/td>		Tips<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re going to do our best to keep this table current. However, please do not rely on this table; confirm the STEM designation yourself to make sure that the MBA programs you apply to really have that designation. And if you find out a school has attained STEM certification and is not on the list, please let us know by emailing blog@accepted.com.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you would like to learn how to get into top MBA programs that offer STEM OPT eligibility and are a good fit for you,\u00a0register for a free consultation with me<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Accepted, we\u2019ve helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to top MBA programs and look forward to helping you too!\u00a0CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Team<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"by<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

By Jennifer Bloom, admissions consultant at Accepted for 20 years and Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW). She is an expert at guiding you to produce application materials that truly differentiate you from the rest of the driven applicant pool. If you would like help with your application, Jennifer can suggest a number of options that work with any budget.\u00a0Want Jennifer to help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n


Related Resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022\u00a0Navigate the MBA Maze<\/a>, a free guide
\u2022\u00a0M7 MBA Programs: Everything You Need to Know in 2021<\/a>
\u2022\u00a0Would You Like to Get Rid of Your Accent in English?<\/a>, a podcast episode<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article originally appeared on blog.accepted.com.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

U.S. STEM MBA Programs: An Overview Restrictions on work visas during the 2019-2020 academic year\u2013when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its height\u2013depressed numbers of international MBA applicants. In fact, 48%…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,939,775,243],"tags":[1498,42,918,886,1193,49,177,537,1027,1466,813,217,199,1254,954,355,1213,48,2372,831,44,1028,94,833],"class_list":["post-53491","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mba","category-accepted","category-admission-consultants","category-blog","tag-booth-school-of-business","tag-cmu-tepper","tag-columbia-business-school","tag-fuqua-school-of-business","tag-haas-mba","tag-harvard-hbs","tag-international-student","tag-international-students","tag-johnson-school-of-management","tag-kelley-indiana","tag-kellogg-school-of-management","tag-mccombs","tag-notre-dame-mendoza","tag-nyu-stern-school-of-business","tag-owen-graduate-school-of-management","tag-rochester-simon","tag-ross-school-of-business","tag-stanford-gsb","tag-stem-opt","tag-tuck-school-of-business","tag-ucla-anderson","tag-unc-kenan-flagler-business-school","tag-usc-marshall","tag-wharton-school","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53491","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53491"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53491\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":53494,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53491\/revisions\/53494"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53491"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53491"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53491"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}