GMAC: Prospective Students Survey | New immigration policy update: Travel ban executive order has its day(s) in court | GMAC researchers will hold a webinar on international student mobility
May 19, 2017
Topical news for the graduate management education community
Among prospective MBA students globally, 22% already hold a master's degree, according to a survey by the Graduate Management Admission Council. The data suggest that MBA programs are not losing students to non-MBA, business master's programs, which instead may be "a stepping stone to continued professional development," said GMAC President and CEO Sangeet Chowfla.
President Donald Trump's revised travel ban executive order was the subject of two hearings in federal court during which oral arguments were heard. For more information about the hearings, visit GMAC's Immigration and Visa Policy Updates page.
Join GMAC Researchers for a complimentary webinar on Wednesday, May 24, at 12 p.m. ET to get an up-to-date snapshot of international candidate perceptions, decision-making factors and application-sending behavior in light of the current political climate. Register now.
Switzerland's IMD and Spain's IESE Business Schools topped rankings for executive MBA programs, according to the Financial Times. Both schools earned top two spots for open-enrollment and customized programs.
Nearly three-quarters of full-time MBA programs in the Asia-Pacific region reported an increase in international applications as of March 2017, compared with the same period last year, according to data from the Graduate Management Admission Council. Some school leaders say it's too early to tell if US immigration and travel restrictions are driving the trend.
Four members of the US Senate education committee have introduced a bill that would allow the federal government to track data about college students' employment and educational outcomes. A "student-unit record system" was banned as part of the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act in 2008, but supporters say the data would provide students better information about colleges.
If US travel and immigration policies cause international enrollment to drop by 5%, colleges could lose approximately $250 million in revenue, DrEducation researcher Rahul Choudaha says. Schools that stand to lose the most are those not highly ranked or located in less popular regions of the country, Choudaha says.
Canadian colleges and universities are reporting an influx of applications from foreign students. At the University of Alberta, an 82% increase in graduate school applications was reported, but it remains unclear how such increases may translate into enrollment.
Prospective MBA students should thoroughly research programs and contemplate how their experience and goals fit before writing their admissions essay, admission consultant Scott Edinburgh writes in this commentary. Tailor each essay to particular programs and point to specific classes and programs of interest, he suggests.
MBA students can get a leg up on the job search by taking advantage of career services offered on campus, writes Don Trynor, an executive MBA student at the Rotman School of Management in Toronto. In this commentary, he outlines how the career center and alumni network have helped him improve his job prospects.
