AIGAC (the Association of International Graduate Admissions Consultants) recently released their 2019 MBA Applicant Survey, which substantiates the idea that today’s applicants continue to consider human interaction to be a competitive advantage. More and more, applicants see the importance of talking to current MBA students when selecting schools and making decisions. Current applicants continue to view growing in their careers as a priority, but not at the expense of making a positive impact on the world.
Additional survey findings include:
- Applicants applied to more schools this year: 4.5 schools this year compared to 3.8 last year.
- Due to the standardization of letters of recommendation, fewer candidates are being asked to write their own letters of recommendation.
- Working with an admissions consultant boosts self-awareness and improves communication skills prior to entering an MBA program.
- Selected social media outlets are being used more by applicants. More than 50% of applicants used LinkedIn as part of their school research this year. The use of Instagram increased from 19% last year to 25% this year.
- Female applicants expressed that schools got to know them less well than did males. With a score of 5 representing a school that got to know them best, females rated schools at 3.07 while males rated them at 3.20.
- The schools that ranked highest in getting to know applicants are:
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- Vanderbilt University – Owen Graduate School of Management
- Cornell University – Johnson Graduate School of Management
- UVA – Darden School of Business
- Dartmouth College – Tuck School of Business
- UNC – Kenan-Flagler Business School
- Duke University – Fuqua School of Business
- Carnegie Mellon University – Tepper School of Business
- Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management
- UT Austin – McCombs School of Business
- Georgetown University – McDonough School of Business
The survey was completed by almost 1,000 applicants between March 16 and April 7, 2019. Of these, 778 applied to at least one school. Females made up 37% of the respondents. 58% of survey respondents reside outside the U.S.
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