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Shifting Choices of Candidates: 2020
Application Trends Survey is Open
By
Rahul Choudaha, PhD
In
2019, half of responding Asia-Pacific programs reported year-on-year growth in
total application volume, according to the GMAC Application Trends Survey. Among programs from
Asia-Pacific, two in three reported growing (48%) or stable (20%) domestic
application volumes in 2019, and a similar proportion reported growing (37%) or
stable (32%) international application volumes. Also, the vast majority of
applicants came from within the region (90%).
How
are application trends likely to shift in the context of restricted global
mobility and heightened economic uncertainty in 2020? To
gauge the impact of COVID-19 on the
decision-making process of prospective students considering graduate
management education, GMAC is tracking and reporting the survey findings. The
snapshot survey findings show the regional differences in the reasons for the
concerns and the considerations of alternatives due to COVID-19. For example,
nearly 16 percent of prospective students based in the United States and Europe
reported they were extremely concerned or very concerned as
compared to 29 percent in Central & South Asia and 23 percent in East &
Southeast Asia. This indicates a higher level of concern about the impact of
COVID-19 among students in Asia which in turn may prompt a segment of them to
consider regional or local alternatives.
In
addition to gaining candidate insights, peer benchmarking information can help
business schools not only adapt to the current uncertainties but also build a
foundation for future strategies. One additional resource from GMAC is
Application Trends Survey which aims at helping business schools gain a deeper
understanding of shifting volume of applications and profile of applicants.
2020
Applicants Trends Survey is now open until September 11, and invitations were
emailed in the week of July 27, 2020. Please visit gmac.com/surveysignup to secure your invitation to
participate in this confidential survey.
By
participating in the research study, business schools will receive data that
would help in building data-driven marketing and recruitment strategies.
Participants would also gain a competitive advantage by gaining exclusive
access to a Benchmark Report and an Interactive Data Research Tool to conduct
customized data searches.
The
comprehensive report will analyze and report several data angles related to
enrollment funnel such as changes in application volume over time by programs
and applicant pool demographics, including candidate gender, age, work
experience, and citizenship.
Visit gmac.com/surveysignup to participate in GMAC 2020 Application Trends Survey.
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Dr.
Rahul Choudaha is Director of Industry Insights & Research Communications
at GMAC in the Washington DC
area. As a subject-matter expert on mobility trends, student choices, and enrolment
strategies, he evangelizes trends and insights related to global graduate
management education and careers on the foundations of research and
intelligence. He has presented more than 150 sessions at professional
conferences and has been quoted over 300 times in global
publications. Follow him on LinkedIn and Twitter.
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