The Yale School of Management (SOM) aims to “educate leaders for business and society” through purpose, passion and accountability. The program looks for students who are self-motivated and have a guided sense of purpose. While strong leadership skills are crucial for students in SOM, the program also seeks to develop professionals who can evaluate their own goals and values to foster integrity in the workplace.

Yale’s approach is to create an academic experience that is constantly monitoring and responding to changes in the business world and in the international community. Their teaching approach is increasingly case-based and relies on these real-life examples to teach wise managerial decisions and instill values and ethics.

In terms of grading, Yale SOM shuns the traditional grade point average because administrators and faculty want to encourage students to work in a cooperative and supportive environment. The school has instead developed a point-based system that monitors students’ performance internally. For each class, students earn a designation of Distinction, Proficient, Pass or Fail; the latter two reflect inadequate performance.

While Yale seeks students who are passionate leaders and motivated self-starters, it values team-based skills such as cooperation, brainstorming, mutual support and effective communication. SOM believes that individual potential is enhanced through mutual experiences, so it fosters a tight-knit community that is meant to help students challenge each other in constructive ways.