Choosing a business school is a two-way street: schools admit students whom they believe will thrive, while applicants determine the best fit for their professional goals. But as a recent analysis by Poets & Quants shows, that street has become crowded with increasingly competitive applicants. Average scores for the latest incoming classes at the world’s top business schools set new records—yet again; and topping the list of 50 schools with the greatest five-year increase in GMAT scores is none other than the Broad College of Business at Michigan State University.
According to the P&Q research, GMAT scores of students admitted to the Broad Full-Time MBA have increased by 29 points since 2012. The publication states that rising GMATs often suggest that a school is improving the quality of its incoming students and that, more than any other admissions data point, the GMAT is often considered a barometer of student quality.
“The continuing rise in average GMAT scores at top schools is not a surprise…As application volume continues to climb at top-tier schools, applicants feel compelled to maximize their scores,” says Dan Bauer, founder and chairman of The MBA Exchange, a leading MBA admissions consulting firm.
Broad’s spike in GMAT scores correlates with the college’s climb in national rankings. The Full-Time MBA ranked in the top 15 public programs across all national rankings, including Forbes, U.S. News and World Report, and Bloomberg Businessweek. Ninety-six percent of Broad MBA graduates secure employment within three months of graduation, with an average base salary 20 percent higher than when they enrolled.
