“There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.”

Mark Twain would’ve fit well in the Analytics Age. For him, data could be a means to mislead, an upstanding front for an insidious intent. He understood raw data could be manipulated to justify any position or presumption.

Decisions have always stemmed from data. These days, companies are deluged with it. Every click, purchase, or reply is collected, collated, and calibrated. The challenge now is how to interpret it. Data reveals preferences, predictors that drive positioning and forecasts. They enable companies to tap new markets and advance new products, identifying industry trends and operational bottlenecks along the way. When deployed correctly, data minimizes uncertainty and pinpoints opportunity.

A COMPLETE COLLECTION OF MBA PAY, APPLICATION AND SURVEY DATA

MBA candidates also use data to turn gut feelings into actionable insights. Like companies, MBAs are awash in data points. As applicants, they weigh GMATs, GPAs, and GREs to determine where they have a shot at admission. They pore over employment reports to identify the schools which offer the highest pay in the industries and functions they plan to pursue. At the same time, they must factor in issues like tuition, travel, living expenses, and debt – the total cost and the rate of return.

Poets&Quants has sometimes been dubbed a “rankings website.” That’s certainly something our readers demand from it. In reality, P&Q is more a data storehouse – a place that collects data from a variety of sources and places it on one platform. This time-saving ‘all-in-one’ feature pales in comparison to its true function: supplying expert analysis to help readers understand what the numbers mean…and how they impact the life-defining educational and career choices ahead of them.

This year, P&Q published over 120 data-related stories across our sites…not counting nearly 50 more stories related to actual rankings and another 30 analyses of class profiles and employment reports. They include analysis of one-year, online, executive, and STEM MBA programs, not to mention various Master’s degrees. They cover feeder schools and employers to top MBA programs – and top MBA feeders to industries like consulting, technology, and finance. The year features lists of the best admissions consultants and new faculty members and courses. In addition, P&Q covered employer and school surveys – along with the interview questions used on applicants at various schools. Of course, you’ll find complete listings of application deadlines and upcoming events.

Wondering how you fit into the bigger picture? Or, just looking to see what you might have missed this year? Below, you’ll find our 2019 collection of stories on inputs (GMAT, GPA, Acceptance Rates), outputs (Starting Pay and Placement), surveys (Best Party Schools), Student Profiles (Best & Brightest), and everything in between.