Gen Z Is Coming and Things Will Never Be the Same

A new GMAC research brief offers an early look at the next generation of graduate business school candidates.

Gen Z—defined here as the generation born between 1996 and 2012—is beginning to complete their undergraduate degrees and make their way into the business school candidate pipeline. Though perhaps not yet, the attitudes, preferences, and aspirations of this generation are destined to drive changes large and small to global graduate management education.

In a new brief titled Gen Z: A First Look at the Next Generation of Graduate Business School Candidates, GMAC Research shares for the first time high-level survey findings related to Gen Z candidates’ journey to business school. The data detailed in the brief is based on the survey responses of 1,317 Gen Z mba.com registrants, as well as 7,466 millennial mba.com registrants, shown as a comparison group.

The brief offers early analysis of Gen Z candidates’ decision-making timelines, financing plans, program choices, influencers, post-GME professional plans, and media behaviors.

Findings detailed in the brief include:

• After their first consideration of business school, Gen Z candidates tend to move through the pipeline at a slightly slower pace than their millennial counterparts.

• Nearly 4 in 5 Gen Z candidates will receive financial support from their parents (77%), on average covering 43 percent of their total costs.
• Nearly two-thirds of Gen Z candidates say they prefer a business master’s program type (64%).
• Most Gen Z candidates want a limited amount of online coursework. On average, they say they want 20 percent of their coursework delivered online.
• Gen Z candidates’ decision making is more likely to be influenced by their parents/guardians and college/university professionals than millennial candidates.
• Gen Z candidates are most interested in pursuing careers in the finance and consulting industries.

For more, download the research brief. School professionals at institutions that accept the GMAT^® exam can access an interactive data report at gmac.com/prospectivestudents that enables users to filter the data by a variety of characteristics, including generation, gender, citizenship, residence, program type considered, and study destination intention. It is recommended that school professionals use the interactive report to drill deeper into the overall findings shared in the brief to understand differences across candidate characteristics.