P&Q’s Must Reads: Poets&Quants’ Ranking Of The Best Online MBA Programs Of 2026

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: Seven MBA Admissions Trends & B-School Predictions For 2026

As we move into 2026, one thing is clear: the MBA admissions landscape is not just evolving: it’s recalibrating. After recent years of disruption driven by AI, geopolitics, shifting immigration policies, and changing candidate expectations, business schools are entering a new phase of less hype and greater intention, as well as a renewed focus on what can’t be automated.

Our colleagues at Fortuna Admissions have outlined seven admissions trends that you should watch for when applying to business schools for fall.

Find them in our trending tab.

No. 2: OPT Under Threat? What It Means for MBA ROI, Jobs & International Students

For years, Optional Practical Training has quietly functioned as one of the most important—and least discussed—pillars of the U.S. MBA value proposition.

OPT is not a side benefit. It is the bridge between classroom learning and real labor-market outcomes for tens of thousands of international MBA students. Without it, the math behind the MBA—particularly at full tuition—starts to unravel.

Yet that bridge is wobbling, Poets&Quants editor and chief John Byrne writes in this commentary.

Read more about the threats to OPT and what it means for international talent coming into the U.S. now, on our homepage.

No. 3: UCLA Anderson Taps Emory’s Gareth James As Its Next Dean

Emory Goizueta Dean Gareth James has been named the new dean of the Anderson School of Management at UCLA, a position he will begin this summer.

Of the move, James says: ““It is a time of extraordinary opportunity for UCLA Anderson and business education more broadly. With its deep roots in Los Angeles, a truly global city where technology, entertainment, entrepreneurship and social impact converge at extraordinary scale, UCLA Anderson is uniquely positioned to shape the future of leadership.”

James will have been in his job at Goizueta for four years by the time he leaves. He previously served as vice dean for faculty and academic affairs at USC Marshall as well as interim and deputy dean at the school.

Read more about the move and James’ tenure at Goizueta now, 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: 2026 MBA Interview Questions: A School-By-School List. Just in time for interview season, we gathered the most likely admission interview questions from the top program. Find it in our admission hub.

Next: Calling All Moms: Why Now May Be The Perfect Time To Get Your MBA. MBA Mama is a platform dedicated to helping mothers navigate B-school with admissions consulting & childcare support. Learn more about the platform in this article, now up on our homepage.

Finally: The 7 Biggest Mistakes That Sink MBA Applications (And How to Avoid Them). In this story, up on our homepage, A former INSEAD admissions director outlines seven critical MBA application missteps that create doubt in admissions readers.

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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