GMAC Advisor

With applications on the rise this past year, business schools should not lose sight of keeping their brand top of mind with potential candidates.

Today it might sometimes seem like there’s more data available than you can handle. With candidate leads coming in from a variety of sources, it can be hard to take the time to search for and make genuine connections with prospective business school students.

The coronavirus pandemic has forced fundamental change for business schools as learning has moved online, and mobility among candidates, particularly internationally, has shrunk. It has also seen budgets squeezed and resources stretched, with headcounts among marketing and admissions teams falling.

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.

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.

Changing minds about b-school requires understanding and addressing concerns. Apply these four career-related insights to turn potentials into students.

European business schools have been a beneficiary of higher education reforms and the increasing pace of globalization. GMAT test-taker data shows sustained growth in the proportion of candidates considering pursuing graduate management education (GME) in Europe. As the impact of COVID-19 intensifies, how are prospective students adapting their choices, and what could be the implications for the communication strategies of European business schools?

Money concerns stop students entering b-school but can be addressed. Get 16 actionable tips to overcome the “too expensive” and “cannot afford” hurdles.