GMAC Advisor

In April 2022, GMAC published the latest edition of the Prospective Students Survey. This year, the survey included responses from more than 6,500 individuals from 156 countries. These students were asked about their perspectives on graduate management education, including preferred program types and career aspirations.

Last month, in what Inside Higher Ed called a watershed moment, it was reported that in the United States, the number of full-time, online MBA students eclipsed that of those studying on campus during the 2020–21 academic year. The data, provided by the Association to Advance Collegiate Business Schools (AACSB), shows that 45,038 students were enrolled in online programs in the U.S. last year with 43,740 in person. In an interview for Forbes with John Byrne of Poets and Quants, Will Geoghegan, chair of the Kelley Direct Program at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business, identified four trends in graduate business education behind the phenomenon: better recognition of the online MBA, significant technology advancements, enhanced in-person experiences in online programs, and lower opportunity costs.

Diversity is a popular buzzword in MBA recruiting. From achieving gender parity to building an international cohort, business school experts agree that a diverse class is a strong one. To achieve this diversity, B-school marketers not only need to appeal to international applicants, but also to candidates with academic backgrounds beyond business and economics.

Before going to business school, prospective students engage with all sorts of information sources to research and pick the best-suited program for themselves. Whether they are undergraduates hoping to go straight into business school, or experienced professionals seeking to expand their management skills, prospective students research extensively to assess the program decision factors that matter most to them.

More than ever, understanding GME industry trends is critical to staying ahead of the curve and positioning your programs for success in today’s dynamic and competitive landscape. While our recently published GMAC Prospective Students Survey – 2022 Summary Report is a fantastic resource for giving you insights into the market as a whole, you likely have questions not answered in the report that are more specific to the candidate populations you target for your programs.

According to a recent GMAC survey, four in five students enrolled in a business school report that their graduate management education prepares them for leadership positions. Looking at the data from the lens of gender, program, and regional diversity, we gain additional insights into enrolled students’ confidence in leadership preparation. The findings indicate that the value proposition of a graduate management education as a ground for preparing leadership talent remains strong among students even in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nine in ten alumni report a positive return-on-investment (ROI) from their graduate business education, according to the 4,658 respondents to the recent GMAC survey snapshot. A Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 30 shows that most alumni are likely to recommend their graduate business school to a friend or colleague. This data indicates that the value proposition of a graduate management education is strong; alumni report a high level of satisfaction with their educational outcomes, in line with their career ambitions.

Nine in ten corporate recruiters expect the demand for business school graduates to increase or remain stable in the next five years, according to the 2021 Corporate Recruiters Survey. This annual GMAC survey provides vital data for employers and business schools in understanding trends and insights about hiring, salaries, and skills for MBA and business master’s graduates.

A new GMAC survey snapshot of nearly 1,800 respondents shows that more than half of prospective students believe that admissions exams improve reliability, fairness, and transparency in evaluating graduate business school candidates. The data collected through mba.com Prospective Students Survey also highlights the diversity of candidates as their perceptions vary by region of citizenship and by preferred study destination (domestic or international). This data addresses questions raised by schools in the Information Needs Survey released earlier this year. It also provides insights to inform schools as they shape their global recruitment strategy.

International students comprise nearly two in three students enrolled in master’s level business programs at British business schools. As a result, Brexit uncertainties coupled with COVID-19 travel restrictions have been particularly severe for many business schools in the UK as international student mobility faced more disruption. Yet, data shows that demand for pursuing graduate business programs in the UK remains strong among international candidates.