GMAC Advisor

Findings from GMAC™ snapshot survey of prospective students considering full-time MBA programs shows that candidate journeys are shifting in the context of pandemic-induced uncertainty. This suggests that a sustainable future of full-time MBA programs would require business schools to understand the nature and direction of evolving candidate journeys and engage the best-fit, diverse prospects for better enrollment yield.

The disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the imperatives of the racial justice movement, have reignited the debate about the use of standardized testing as an admissions instrument for Graduate Management Education (GME) programs. 

I recently came across this term—2020ne. It’s the logo of the Tokyo Olympics but it also describes the year to come, a transition from 2020 to 2021, for never has there been a time when so much of our hopes and plans for the year depends upon the legacy of the year that’s passed. We are mixed up in our feelings. Hope mixed with concern. Hope in the almost daily news about progress in the development and approval of vaccines for Covid-19—light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. Concern at the ever-increasing numbers of new infections hospitalizations and fatalities. A recognition, that while there is light at the end, the tunnel still exists and may be with us for a while.

The Graduate Management Admission Search Service (GMASS™) tool helps schools recruit the right mix of talent for their graduate business programs. As the largest global source of qualified candidates, GMASS is also the only source for candidates worldwide who are interested specifically in graduate business programs. GMASS candidates are highly motivated to connect with your business programs and can provide you with access to more than 500,000 active candidates that have identified themselves as wanting to be contacted by schools about graduate management education opportunities. 

GMAC’s annual Application Trends Survey of over 1,000 programs worldwide uncovered nuances in the demand for graduate management education and identified growth variations by regions, schools, and candidates. A combination of factors—including regional contexts, barriers faced by candidates, and strategies adopted by business schools— influenced the enrollment outcomes. Looking ahead, a survey snapshot of prospective students suggests business schools need to continue to innovate and adapt to the candidates’ shifting journeys.

With the US presidential election over and decided, well kind of, President-elect Joe Biden is moving forward with the building of his new administration. Though many of the faces surrounding the soon-to-be president may not look new as they bring years of policy and political experience into the fold. This week, Biden tapped long-time Washington strategist and operator Ron Klain to serve as White House chief of staff and other cabinet-level nominees are expected to be floated as the United States approaches its Thanksgiving holiday.

How is the demand for MBA and business master’s programs shifting in the context of COVID-19? GMAC’s annual Application Trends Survey uncovered nuances of the global demand for graduate management education and identified growth variations by program locations and types. One of the key takeaways is that decision-making, for schools and candidates, in this pandemic-induced economic downturn is about hedging risk and managing uncertainty. The reconfiguration of the enrollment funnel in terms of a higher number of applications and a lower yield shows that the 2020 application season for business schools was unlike any other.

How are prospective international students considering MBA and business master’s programs for the 2021 application season responding to US elections' outcomes? A pre-election poll suggests that international candidates are more likely to study in the US if Biden is elected president. In addition to direct implications for the US, alternative destinations competing to attract global talent are also likely to experience the impact of this shift in preferences.

Jackie Joyner-Kersee, former UCLA track star and winner of three gold, one silver, and two bronze Olympic medals said, “It's better to look ahead and prepare, than to look back and regret.” After a tumultuous four years, President-elect Biden’s victory in the US presidential election stands to greatly alter America’s future, not just at home, but abroad as well.

While data shows the tremendous classroom and economic benefits associated with welcoming foreign students, the US government seems intent on keeping them out.