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New U.S. Administration Has Business Schools Wondering What’s Next

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How will the Trump presidency impact MBA admissions?

Business school deans ponder what the new U.S. administration means for them, a Wall Street media site publishes its list of MBA rankings, and we share the hottest business school trends to watch in 2017. Here’s the latest on the management education landscape.

Business schools express uncertainty in Trump era

The kind of uncertainty, excitement, and—in many cases—panic following the election suggests a tectonic shift that happens in American politics perhaps only once in a lifetime. If Brexit made business school deans across the world wonder about what was coming next, the election of Donald Trump makes them wonder even more so.

Trump’s election campaign was centered on the idea of putting “America first,” especially when it comes to reinforcing national borders—and that will have an impact. It’s the first time we have a U.S. government openly saying, “We don’t want people leaving the U.S.,” notes the dean of France’s Audencia Business School.

Our take: Whether Donald Trump’s election has any impact at all on business school admissions trends remains to be seen. It’s still way too early to predict. (BusinessBecause)

Many eggs, one MBA admissions basket

In our experience, most MBA applicants apply to at least four schools—and sometimes as many as six. Among those six, several could be really different from one another in terms of location, size, and level of competitiveness. For most prospective students, this makes sense: Keep your options open. But on rare occasions, it might make sense to apply to only one MBA programs, says one admissions experts. This could be because relocating is not an option, or because only this one particular MBA program has the specialization that you are looking for.

But the same admissions expert also cautions, “Whatever your reasons for pursuing one b-school, make sure your academic and professional profile is in line with that school’s requirements and expectations. This approach requires pragmatism and optimism in equal measure.” (U.S. News & World Report)

Job placement-focused MBA rankings published

Dealbreaker, a smart (and snarky) website that focuses on the ins and outs of Wall Street, is out with their own business school rankings that heavily weigh job placement rates and ROI. Other business school rankings, as you probably know, take a much more holistic approach, including some metrics that aspiring business school applicants may not care all that much about. Take a look at the list and you’ll see many familiar names, albeit in a different order than some other MBA rankings lists, including U.S. News & World Report.

As the list maker bluntly puts it, “All you need to know about an MBA program’s reputation quality is whether it helps you get the job you want at the company you want, and whether it gets you paid. (Dealbreaker)

MBA admissions trends to watch

With the new year, there are several business school admissions trends to watch—trends that can potentially impact your education. A former MBA admissions officer at top-ranked Harvard Business School says we should be looking at the following:

  1. Watch FinTech (financial technology): “If you’re going to business school in order to break into finance, you absolutely need to know about FinTech,” she says.
  2. Fewer, but more focused application essays: In recent years, admissions offices have streamlined the process. Fewer essays are required, and so are fewer words per essay. “Don’t be lulled into thinking that fewer questions necessarily translates to less time spent—the depth and subtlety of the questions that schools are asking these days requires a good deal of careful thought,” she cautions.
  3. Applicant pool: Two-year MBA programs in the United States are seeing fewer applicants, but that’s mostly because more people are getting good jobs and higher wages—and postponing their education. But that doesn’t mean MBA admissions is any easier. (BusinessBecause)

Grab our free checklist for business school admissions and start mapping out how an MBA will advance your career.

The post New U.S. Administration Has Business Schools Wondering What’s Next appeared first on Business School Insider.