MBA News: With Business School Applications Down, Now Is a Great Time to Apply

Studies and reports on business school application volumes have been popping up everywhere lately, and the conclusion from them all is that MBA applications are DOWN. A new report from Bloomberg Businessweek found that at seven of the top ten business schools in the country, applications have fallen from this time last year. Of course, these data are only from Round 1 applications, but the trend looks as though it will continue. According to the article, Stanford saw the largest drop of the top ten schools, with 586 fewer applications this year—down 8% from 2010. Chicago Booth, HBS and Kellogg all saw a decline as well. Still, other top schools—including Tuck, Michigan Ross and UCLA Anderson—have seen notable increases in application volume. What does this mean for business school applicants? For one, gaining acceptance just might be easier—with less competition, selectivity decreases. So now could be just the right time to apply.