P&Q’s Must Reads: M7 By The Numbers, 2025 Edition: Who Gets In — And What That Says About The MBA Market

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: M7 By The Numbers: Who Gets In — And What That Says About The MBA Market

After three years of softness in MBA applications, the elite have roared back.

Applications to the M7 — the so-called “Magnificent Seven” of U.S. business schools — spiked sharply in the 2023-2024 admissions cycle, reversing a downward trend that had raised questions about the value proposition at even the most entrenched programs. The Class of 2026, now halfway to their degree, looks not only more competitive on paper than their immediate predecessors, but also more diverse and gender-balanced. 

In this story, you’ll find all the data that matters – acceptance rate, yield, average GMAT, and more. Find it on our homepage.

No. 2: WE EXPECTED MORE’: Stanford GSB Students Call For Higher Teaching Standards 

This is the third in a series of stories detailing criticism from a host of current students at  Stanford Graduate School of Business, widely regarded as one of the most prestigious MBA programs in the world. 

But the students we talked to say there is mismatch between what Stanford projects and what happens in the classroom. One complaint is a persistent divide between courses taught by academics and electives taught by practitioners, which tend to be far more popular and well-reviewed.

You can find the full story as well as the other installments in our series in our trending tab.

No. 3: DOJ Memo Puts Business School Diversity Programs At Legal Risk

In yet another escalation of the Trump Administration’s agenda to reshape higher education, the U.S. Department of Justice last week issued formal guidance warning that even well-intentioned Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs may violate federal civil rights laws.

The guidance, dated July 29, warns institutions that programs or practices treating individuals differently based on race, sex, national origin, religion, or other protected characteristics are likely unlawful, regardless of intent. It applies to all ”entities receiving federal funds” which could include almost every university, public or private, that accepts federal research dollars, Pell grants, or federal student aid programs.

Learn what this guidance could mean for U.S. business schools from our homepage.

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: A Thought Experiment To Transform Your MBA Essays. In this story, uncover how a simple thought experiment can help MBA applicants craft honest, compelling essays by identifying your deeper values and momentum. Find it in our admission hub. 

Next: HBS Insider Explains How To Nail Your Essays. This article, up now on our homepage, offers tips for writing standout Harvard Business School essays to impress the admissions committee.

Finally: How To Prepare for The Wharton Team-Based Discussion. Learn to ace this stress-inducing group interview in this article, up now in our admissions hub.

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

I also want to alert school seekers to our events tab from our main menu. There, you’ll find all the upcoming admissions events for a range of degrees and programs including full-time and online MBAs, specialized masters, entrepreneurship and more. Registration is 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.

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