Data from business school admissions professionals reveal which candidates programs seek to attract through targeted outreach.
Ninety-two percent of MBA programs and 88 percent of specialized business master’s programs conduct special recruitment outreach to targeted population segments. By targeting specific segments of the applicant pool, business school admissions teams seek not only to maximize the size of their high-quality applicant pool, but also to ensure they have a diverse mix of talented students to select for admission.
Data from the 2015 Application Trends Survey indicates that targeted outreach strategies differ by program type. Among full-time MBA programs, the top two candidate types targeted for outreach are international students and women—two groups whose representation in US full-time MBA applicant pools has increased in recent years. For three consecutive years, the majority of US full-time two-year MBA programs have reported increased application volumes from international students. The proportion of women represented in US full-time two-year MBA applicant pools has increased from 35 percent in 2011 to 40 percent in 2015.
Among professional MBA programs—including part-time MBA, executive MBA, and online MBA programs—working professionals are the top targeted group for recruitment. Among specialized business master’s programs—including Master of Accounting, Master of Finance, and Master in Management—undergraduate students are the top targeted group for recruitment.
For more information on targeted recruitment strategies and trends in graduate business school admissions, download the 2015 Application Trends Survey Report.