8 In 10 B-Schools Expect Fierce Competition Again This Admissions Cycle: Survey

A new Kaplan/Manhattan Prep survey finds B-schools girding for a strong application cycle

If you’re preparing to apply to business school in Round 2, expect to have a lot of company. Business schools say they anticipate another highly competitive MBA admissions season in 2025-2026 in comparison with the previous cycle, according to a new Manhattan Prep and Kaplan survey released earlier this month. 

The report finds that 84% of business schools predict the current application cycle will be at least as competitive as 2024-2025. Of those, 5% expect it to be much more competitive, 28% say it will be somewhat more competitive, and 51% believe competitiveness will remain about the same.

The findings come as global MBA demand remains high. According to the Graduate Management Admission Council’s 2025 Application Trends Survey, total applications to business master’s and MBA programs worldwide increased modestly, with notable regional variation. In the United States, overall applications declined 1%, but domestic demand rose 5% and nearly half of U.S. programs – 47% – reported year-over-year growth. Europe saw an 11% increase in total applications, with 65% of programs reporting growth, while East and Southeast Asia experienced a 25% overall increase, including a 42% rise in international applications. Globally, more than 1,170 programs participated in the survey.

WHAT ADMISSIONS OFFICERS WANT APPLICANTS TO KNOW

Admissions officers in the Manhattan Prep/Kaplan survey offered several pieces of guidance for applicants. “Many times,” one said, “candidates want to impress the admission committees. However, what admissions committees really want is to see who they are, and whether they fit with their program’s culture, values, and community.”

Another emphasized academic performance. “The thing students should know is that academic transcripts are the most important determinant of admissions. Anything else is secondary. Taking the right courses, getting good grades in these courses, having the right undergraduate major, these are the things that matter most.”

That advice is somewhat counterintuitive. Moat admission consultants do not believe that undergraduate GPA is the single most important metric for admissions into a competitive MBA program. Standardized test scores, essays, and admission interviews are thought to be more critical than a candidate’s undergraduate transcript (see How Important Is Each Part Of Your MBA Application?).

A third noted the importance of qualities beyond grades and work history. “Though holding strong grades and work experiences are reviewed, we also look at students’ communication and collaboration efforts, their motivations, curiosity about the field, emotional intelligence, and any leadership potential.”

TEST-OPTIONAL, BUT SCORES STILL MATTER

The survey also found that 75% of test-optional schools say a competitive GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment score still helps an applicant’s chances. Many schools adopted test-optional policies during the Covid-19 pandemic and have continued them to widen their applicant pools, though the most selective programs – including Harvard Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, the Wharton School, and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business – continue to require standardized tests.

“Competition for seats at top business schools remains intense,” says Stacey Koprince, director of content and curriculum at Manhattan Prep. “That’s driven not only by the enduring value and versatility of the MBA, but also by external forces – a job market that appears to be weakening and rapid advances in technologies like AI, which business schools are now integrating deeply into their curricula. 

“In this environment, applicants need to assemble the strongest application possible across every dimension. And while many schools are now test-optional, the schools we surveyed have clearly indicated that a strong GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment score can still serve as a powerful differentiator, giving candidates a meaningful edge in an increasingly crowded pool.”

Manhattan Prep/Kaplan noted that admissions officers from 86 full-time business schools across the U.S. were polled by e-mail between July and August 2025 for the survey. That was before the Trump Administration announced a $100,000 fee for H-1B visas and before round-up raids of immigrants in the U.S. became widely publicized, factors that will likely result in fewer international candidates this cycle. Included in the survey are 18 of the top 100 programs as ranked by U.S. News.

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