P&Q’s Must Reads: Average GRE Scores At The Top 50 U.S. MBA Programs

Hello everyone  — Welcome back to Poets&Quants’ Must Reads, a quick, digestible recap of the top business school news, sponsored by CentreCourt, P&Q’s virtual admission events.

I’m your host, Kristy Bleizeffer, and I’ll be highlighting the most important P&Q stories you might have missed. So, let’s get to it. 

No. 1:  Average GRE Scores At The Top 50 U.S. MBA Programs

In 2022, according to U.S. News data published in conjunction with their new ranking last month, submission rates of GRE scores dropped at 21 of P&Q’s top 50 business schools, including two top-25 B-schools that saw double-digit declines. That’s similar to the year-to-year decline seen at the top 50 schools the year before. 

And in terms of GRE scores — those are down, too. Across the P&Q top 50, 18 schools reported an increase from 2021 to 2022, down from 32 schools between 2020 and 2021; eight were in the top 25, down from 18. 

This story, which you can find our trending tab, has all the data we could mine about the embattled graduate admission test.

No. 2: 2 New Winners In The Financial Times’ Latest Twin Rankings

For the longest time, there was little to no change at the top of The Financial Times‘ pair of executive education rankings.

Those days are over.

For the second year in a row after putting its executive education rankings on hiatus in 2021, FT has crowned a new top program in both categories: IESE Business School of Spain in open-enrollment programs, and in the customized category, Duke Corporate Education, a U.S.-based education platform affiliated with Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

HEC Paris, last year’s top school in both the open and custom categories, was second in open programs this year and third in the ranking of customized programs. 

We have a detailed analysis of both rankings, and you can find it in our rankings tab.

No. 3 MBA Boosts Wages For Women & Minorities, But Gender Pay Gap Persists

While earning an MBA can significantly increase the pay of women and minorities immediately after earning the degree, it does not eliminate the gender pay and promotion gap, particularly for underrepresented minority women, according to a new study conducted by Forté Foundation.

Forte’s research found that an MBA can boost pay of women and minorities by 57% or more in their first post-degree job, but non-minority men experience a boost of 62%. That gap only widens as MBAs advance through their careers, despite an increase in women’s enrollment in MBA programs.

You can find the full report, and a breakdown of key findings, in our news tab.

No. 4: Our Weekly Round Up of  News You Can Use

No matter where you are in your MBA journey, we bring several helpful stories for you this week.

First up: How to Use An MBA For A Career Switch. This story offers practical advice from a leading MBA consultant and Forbes contributor. You’ll find it in our trending tab.

Next: Harvard Business School Puts Out Its New MBA Application Deadlines. If HBS is on your list of target schools, put these dates on your calendar. You’ll find the story in our admissions hub.

Finally: How Much Do MBA Students Borrow? Here’s A Way To Calculate Your Debt. This story explains why prospective MBAs need a good MBA calculator and where to find one.

You’ll find it in our news tab.

And, that’s it for this week’s Must Reads recap. 

I also want to alert school seekers to CentreCourt’s’ upcoming MBA Festival admission event. In these virtual panels, you’ll hear from admission gurus and career experts from leading business schools around the world. Our next event is June 6-7, and you can register now for free.

Again, I’m Kristy Bleizeffer, and you can join me next week, right here, for a recap of what’s important in the world of business education. Thanks for listening and, as always, stay informed!