So, there are 3 most notable trends in Round 1 of 2018-2019 MBA application to top business schools

STEP 1: Evaluate Your Profile

While applying to graduate schools, you should first evaluate your profile to gain an understanding of what schools are within reach and what schools should be put aside for better times. If your results are lower than the average of the students at a designated school, you should understand that you have lower chances of gaining admission to said school, unless you have something that can impress the Admissions Office – something outstanding that makes you stand out among the other applicants. Otherwise, either set your sights on a different school or put aside your application for a year and spend the next year improving your profile. Let’s discuss the different aspects that make up your profile.

Test Results

The majority of students who are thinking of applying to graduate school check their test results first. This includes both the scary and horrible GMAT and its friendlier younger brother, the GRE. While most applicants still prefer taking the GMAT, these days, more and more students are choosing the GRE. Schools usually do not have preferences of one exam over other, but there are still some schools that may ask you to take a particular exam. Harvard states that 88% of the students in their Class of 2019 took the GMAT, while only 12% applied with GRE results. At Booth, 7% of students have taken the GRE, and 93% have taken the GMAT. Let’s compare the average GMAT/GRE results of students accepted into the top 10 business schools*.

(Top 10 Business Schools according to the “US News” report)

If you are an international student, you may face an additional challenge: the English Proficiency Test. You can usually take either IELTS or TOEFL – most schools accept both. Bear in mind that this test is also important; your score should be at least 7.0 for IELTS or 100+ for TOEFL to be eligible to apply to the top business schools.

Your GPA

A low GPA can threaten your chances of acceptance into business school if you did not perform well during your undergraduate degree or other past academic endeavors. Usually, graduate schools do not establish a minimum GPA for application, although some do. Regardless, for top schools, the average GPA of accepted applicants is around 3.6 out of 4.0. Here are the average GPA scores of applicants accepted into some of the top universities*: