Your Chances at UVA Darden in 2024: Acceptance Rate & More

2023-2024 Application Cycle: Special Note for Round 2 and Round 3 Applicants Invited for an MBA Interview

Wondering about your chances now that you’ve been invited to an interview?

Unfortunately, there’s no way to answer to this question with certainty, as business schools do not publish figures on interview invites.

It is safe to guess that MBA programs interview approximately double the number of people they intend to admit. In crude terms, this means that your chances of acceptance are good—around 50%.

But remember that there are other factors at play which are not reflected in this generalized statement:

  • The post-interview decision will still depend on the strength of your application: outstanding applicants will have a better chance both pre- and post-interview.
  • Less competitive applicants—with lower GMAT scores, sub-optimal employers, and a less prestigious undergraduate degree—will be under more pressure to impress than a highly competitive applicant.
  • Anyone can have a surprising interview—for better or for worse.

Regardless of your initial application, your next step should be to prepare as effectively as possible for your MBA interview—with someone who has interview experience and an understanding of the program you’re applying to.

Menlo Coaching offers personalized, professional MBA interview preparation, tailored to your specific target programs.

See Your Interview Prep Options

With so many great business schools, it’s no wonder people struggle to decide which MBA programs to apply to! Arguably the most important step of the MBA admissions process, you may be wondering, which schools you should apply to, and which schools you will likely receive an offer from. To help, we’ve put together some fast facts covering key admission factors to help you determine your odds of getting accepted into the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.

If you’re wondering how difficult it is to get into the UVA Darden School of Business, then you’ve come to the right place. On this page, we’ll give you a quick overview of what it takes to get into UVA Darden’s MBA program and help you understand whether your profile is a good fit for school.

(Note: This page highlights Darden’s full-time MBA program. The other program option at Darden is the Executive MBA program.)

Fast Facts: Darden MBA

Acceptance Rate34%
GMAT Average716
GPA Average3.51
Avg. Years Work Experience5.9

Source: UVA Darden, Class of 2025 data

UVA Darden School of Business

Undergraduate Majors Represented in Darden’s MBA Program 

The top undergraduate majors represented in Darden’s MBA program are Business (29%), Economics (17%), and Science/Engineering (25%).

Top Undergraduate Universities from Darden’s MBA Class

The undergraduate universities most represented in Darden’s MBA class profile are: 

  • University of Virginia
  • United States Naval Academy
  • Colgate University
  • Vanderbilt University
  • Cornell University
  • The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • United States Military Academy at West Point
  • Georgetown University
  • Duke University
  • Georgia Institute of Technology

If your undergraduate college is listed above, that means that Darden has accepted many applicants with your education background in the past. It also shows that candidates who have gone to these schools have considered applying to Darden, and it is one indication that the business school has found students who have completed their undergraduate education at these universities to be successful.  

Darden’s Top Pre-MBA Industries

Darden’s top pre-MBA industries are financial services (22%), government (13%), consulting (13%), technology (12%), and nonprofit (7%).

Do You Have Enough Time to Apply in Round 2?

Take our quiz and find out whether you should submit in Round 2—
or whether you should wait to apply next year.

Looking at the pre-MBA industries shows you whether your profile is well-represented at Darden. Don’t worry if you don’t see your industry on the list—there might not be many students enrolled from your industry simply because many candidates didn’t apply to the program in the first place. The same goes for the pre-MBA employers data we’ve provided below.

Top Pre-MBA Employers Represented at Darden

The pre-MBA companies that are most represented in the Darden MBA class are: 

What does Darden value?

The University of Virginia Darden School of Business seeks a wide variety of abilities, leadership, work experiences, and academic backgrounds in its MBA candidates. Darden interviews are conducted by either admissions committee members, students, or alumni who will be looking for you to demonstrate soft business skills like communication and interpersonal skills.

Interested in finding out more about Darden? Visit our UVA Darden overview page.

Maximize your chances of acceptance to the UVA Darden MBA program with tailored guidance from our expert MBA coaching team.

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Learn why “success rates”
are not to be trusted

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for your needs

Prep for your consultation calls