An Overview of the M7 Business Schools

The term "M7 business schools" is used to describe the seven most elite business schools in the world. The M in M7 stands for magnificent, or magic, depending on whom you ask. Years ago, the deans of the seven most influential private business schools created an informal network known as M7. The network convenes a couple of times per year to share info and chat.                      

The M7 business schools include:

• Columbia Business School
• Harvard Business School
• MIT Sloan School of Management
• Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management 
• Stanford Graduate School of Business
• University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business
• Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania

In this article, we'll take a look at each of these schools in turn and explore some of the statistics associated with each school.

Columbia Business School

Columbia Business School is part of Columbia University, an Ivy League research university established in 1754. Students who attend this business school benefit from the constantly evolving curriculum and the school's location in Manhattan in New York City. Students can participate in several extracurricular programs that allow them to practice what they have learned in the classroom on trading floors and in board rooms, and retail stores. Columbia Business School offers a traditional two-year MBA program, an executive MBA program, master of science programs, doctoral programs, and executive education programs.

• MBA Acceptance Rate: 17%
• Average Age of Incoming MBA Students: 28 years old
• Average GMAT Score of Incoming MBA Students: 717
• Average GPA of Incoming MBA Students: 3.5
• Average Years of Work Experience: 5 years

Harvard Business School

Harvard Business School is one of the most well-known business schools in the world. It is the business school of Harvard University, a private Ivy League university founded in 1908. Harvard Business School is located in Boston, Massachusetts. It has a two-year residential MBA program with an intense curriculum. The school also offers doctoral programs and executive education. Students who prefer to study online or don't want to invest the time or money into a full-time degree program can take the HBX Credential of Readiness (CORe), a 3-course program that introduces students to the fundamentals of business.

• MBA Acceptance Rate: 11%
• Average Age of Incoming MBA Students: 27 years old
• Median GMAT Score of Incoming MBA Students: 730
• Average GPA of Incoming MBA Students: 3.71
• Average Years of Work Experience: 3 years

MIT Sloan School of Management

The MIT Sloan School of Management is part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT Sloan students get lots of hands-on management experience and also have the opportunity to work with peers in engineering and science programs at MIT to develop solutions to real-world problems. Students also benefit from the close proximity to research labs, tech start-ups, and biotech companies. MIT Sloan School of Management offers undergraduate business programs, multiple MBA programs, specialized master's programs, executive education, and Ph.D. programs.

• MBA Acceptance Rate: 11.7%
• Average Age of Incoming MBA Students: 27 years old
• Average GMAT Score of Incoming MBA Students: 724
• Average GPA of Incoming MBA Students: 3.5
• Average Years of Work Experience: 4.8 years

Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management 

The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University is located in Evanston, Illinois. It was one of the first schools to advocate for the use of teamwork in the business world and still promotes group projects and team leadership through its business curriculum. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University offers a certificate program for undergraduates, an MS in Management Studies, several MBA programs, and doctoral programs.

• MBA Acceptance Rate: 20.1%
• Average Age of Incoming MBA Students: 28 years old
• Average GMAT Score of Incoming MBA Students: 724
• Average GPA of Incoming MBA Students: 3.60
• Average Years of Work Experience: 5 years

Stanford Graduate School of Business

The Stanford Graduate School of Business, also known as Stanford GSB, is one of Stanford University's seven schools. Stanford University is a private research university with one of the largest campuses and most selective undergraduate programs in the United States. Stanford Graduate School of Business is equally selective and has the lowest acceptance rates of any business school. It is located in Stanford, CA. The school's MBA program is personalized and allows for a lot of customization. Stanford GSB also offers a one-year master's degree program, a Ph.D. program, and executive education.

• MBA Acceptance Rate: 5.1%
• Average Age of Incoming MBA Students: 28 years old
• Average GMAT Score of Incoming MBA Students: 737
• Average GPA of Incoming MBA Students: 3.73
• Average Years of Work Experience: 4 years

University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business

University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, also known as Chicago Booth, is a graduate-level business school founded in 1889 (making it one of the oldest business schools in the world). It is officially located at the University of Chicago but offers degree programs on three continents. Chicago Booth is well known for its multidiscipline approach to problem-solving and data analysis. Program offerings include four different MBA programs, executive education, and Ph.D. programs.

• MBA Acceptance Rate: 23.6%
• Average Age of Incoming MBA Students: 24 years old
• Average GMAT Score of Incoming MBA Students: 738
• Average GPA of Incoming MBA Students: 3.77
• Average Years of Work Experience: 5 years

Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania

The final member of the elite group of M7 business schools is the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Known simply as Wharton, this Ivy League business school is part of the University of Pennsylvania, a private university founded by Benjamin Franklin. Wharton is well-known for its notable alumni as well as its almost unparalleled preparation in finance and economics. The school has campuses in Philadelphia and San Francisco. Program offerings include a bachelor of science in economics (with various opportunities to concentrate in other areas), an MBA program, an executive MBA program, Ph.D. programs, and executive education.

• MBA Acceptance Rate: 17%
• Average Age of Incoming MBA Students: 27 years old
• Average GMAT Score of Incoming MBA Students: 730
• Average GPA of Incoming MBA Students: 3.60
• Average Years of Work Experience: 5 years