Press Release

April 10, 2024

Manhattan Prep/Kaplan Survey: Aspiring Business School Students Say the Rankings Have Lost Some Prestige, But Still Depend on Them

Kaplan

Fort Lauderdale, FL (April 10, 2024) ⁠— Results from a new Manhattan Prep/Kaplan survey of more than 300 aspiring business school students show that 55 percent of respondents believe that the rankings "have lost some of their prestige over the last couple of years”; 21 percent don’t believe that to be the case, while 24 percent aren’t sure.* But while most agree that prestige has been waning, they nearly unanimously (97 percent) say that a business school’s ranking will be critical to them in deciding where to ultimately enroll, with 65 percent calling it “very important” and 32 percent calling it “somewhat important.” U.S. News & World Report released their 2024 rankings on April 9.

And in a separate Manhattan Prep/Kaplan survey of business school admissions officers, 50 percent say the rankings have lost some of their prestige, a big jump from the 37 percent who held this opinion in Kaplan’s previous survey.** One admissions officer who holds a decidedly anti-rankings position shared, “They are a joke and are simply ways to generate revenue for ranking publications. Many schools attempt to game them.” But others took a more measured approach with one saying, “Rankings are still valuable as one of many informational tools students consider when deciding where to apply. There are so many other resources, like social media, that I believe are more influential.” And several admissions officers said they think the rankings are especially important to international applicants, compared to domestic applicants, because international applicants may be less familiar with American business schools.

The survey results come after a number of business schools were rocked by rankings scandals, including providing U.S. News & World Report with false data. But so far, there’s been no widespread rebellion against the rankings, as there has been among some top colleges, law schools, and medical schools.

“We’ve spoken with hundreds of business school admissions officers over the years and more than a few have told us, using gallows humor, that the night before the U.S. News rankings come out is the longest night of the year because they don’t get much sleep. Some truly believe their careers hang in the balance. That’s largely because so many business schools use their ranking as an important, if not the most important, student recruitment and fundraising tool,” said Stacey Koprince, director of content and curriculum, Manhattan Prep, which is owned by Kaplan. “While we believe the rankings can be useful to applicants, the risk is giving a school’s ranking too much weight in determining where you ultimately enroll. One piece of advice we always give students is to strongly consider the location of the business school. It’s beneficial in the long-term to attend a business school in the city or region where you plan on building your career because of all the local connections you’ll make—connections that can turn into lucrative job offers upon graduation. It’s a big reason why so many schools in the financial and business hubs of New York, Boston, and San Francisco are so popular.”

Contact russell.schaffer@kaplan.com to speak with a business school admissions expert.

*The online Manhattan Prep/Kaplan survey was conducted in March-April 2024 and included responses from 306 aspiring business school students across the United States.

**Based on the results of a Manhattan Prep/Kaplan survey conducted by phone and email in August 2023-February 2024 of 70 business schools across the United States; among them are 10 of the top 50 schools, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report.

About Kaplan

Kaplan, Inc. is a global educational services company that helps individuals and institutions advance their goals in an ever-changing world. Our broad portfolio of solutions help students and professionals further their education and careers, universities and educational institutions attract and support students, and businesses maximize employee recruitment, retainment, and development. Stanley Kaplan founded our company in 1938 with a mission to expand educational opportunities for students of all backgrounds. Today, our thousands of employees working in 27 countries/regions continue Stanley’s mission as they serve about 1.2 million students and professionals, 15,000 corporate clients, and 3,300 schools, school districts, colleges, and universities worldwide. Kaplan is a subsidiary of the Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC). Learn more at kaplan.com.

Press Contact

Russell Schaffer
russell.schaffer@kaplan.com
(917) 822-8190
X (formerly Twitter): @KaplanEdNews

Press Release Archive

Press Release

Kaplan Schweser Releases 2024 CFA® Program Survey: Charterholders and Candidates Say Artificial Intelligence is Having Big Impact on Careers and Express Overall Job Satisfaction

by Kaplan

Manhattan Prep/Kaplan Survey: Aspiring Business School Students Say the Rankings Have Lost Some Prestige, But Still Depend on Them

About Kaplan

Press Contact

Press Release Archive

Kaplan Schweser Releases 2024 CFA® Program Survey: Charterholders and Candidates Say Artificial Intelligence is Having Big Impact on Careers and Express Overall Job Satisfaction

Kaplan Releases Findings from Annual Medical School Admissions Officers Survey, Revealing Key Insights on Application Trends

Kaplan Named to Inc.’s 2024 Best in Business List for Groundbreaking Career Pathing Initiative

Association for Program Administrators of CSTEP and STEP, Inc., Now Providing All Students at its Member Institutions with Free Kaplan Test Prep Courses for Graduate School Admissions Exams

Kaplan Named to Newsweek’s America's Top Online Learning Schools 2025 List

Albion College Becomes First School to Offer All Students, Faculty, Staff, and Alumni Free Skills Development Courses and Test Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions Exams Through Partnership with Kaplan

Kaplan Earns 2025 Military Friendly® Employer Designation

Syracuse University College of Law Partners with Kaplan to Provide All Students with Free Prep Courses for the Bar Exam

Inc. Names Kaplan as a 2024 Power Partner Award Winner in Recognition of Being a Leading B2B Company

Kaplan Survey: Law Schools Lag on Official Policies on How Applicants Can Use AI in Admissions Essays, Potentially Leaving Them in Limbo

Kaplan Named to Newsweek’s Most Loved Workplaces® in America 2024 List

Kaplan Survey: 75 Percent of Admissions Officers Believe College Rankings Have Lost Their Luster

The College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company Launches Accredited Investment Fiduciary® Training for Financial Professionals Pursuing the AIF® Designation

Kaplan Survey: Most Buyer’s Agents Don’t Think New Commission Rules are a Good Thing, But are Ready to Face the Challenge

Manhattan Prep/Kaplan Survey: Most MBA Applicants Consider Their Social Media Posts “Fair Game” in the Admissions Process

Kaplan Comments on Major Changes to the ACT® Exam, Set to Launch in 2025

Kaplan’s All Access License Wins “Test Prep Innovation Of The Year” For Second Consecutive Year in the 6th Annual EdTech Breakthrough Awards Program

The City University of New York School of Law Expands Partnership with Kaplan to Provide All Students with Free Prep Courses for the Bar Exam

Sun Sentinel Names Kaplan a Winner of the South Florida Top Workplaces 2024 Award, Marking its Fourth Consecutive Annual Recognition

Kaplan Certified as a Most Loved Workplace® for Fourth Consecutive Year, a Recognition of Employees’ On-The-Job Happiness and Career Satisfaction

Fast Company Names Kaplan’s All Access License as a Winner in its 2024 World Changing Ideas Awards

Manhattan Prep/Kaplan Survey: Most Future Business School Applicants Wary about Unrestricted Use of AI in Admissions Essays

University of Detroit Mercy Partners with Kaplan to Offer Students Free Comprehensive Test Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions and Licensing Exams

The College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company Launches Financial Paraplanner Qualified ProfessionalSM Designation Program in Spanish to Better Serve Hispanic Investors

Manhattan Prep/Kaplan Survey: Aspiring Business School Students Say the Rankings Have Lost Some Prestige, But Still Depend on Them

Kaplan Surveys: Law Schools Believe the Rankings Have Lost Their Luster, but Pre-Law Students Still Find Them Useful

Barron’s Partners with Brainfuse to Offer Students Premium Content to Succeed Academically and Prepare for College Admissions Exams

Kaplan Launches Buyer Agency Professional Designation to Help Real Estate Agents Navigate Looming Major Changes to the Industry’s Business Model

Poznan University of Medical Sciences Expands Partnership with Kaplan to Offer Students Additional Prep for Medical and Dental Licensing Exams

Available for Media Interviews: The New Digital SAT® Launches March 9. Kaplan Experts Can Provide Answers to Top Questions.

Yale University Joins Dartmouth, MIT, and Georgetown in Requiring Applicants to Submit Standardized Test Scores; Kaplan Survey Suggests Other Schools Will Join Them

Kaplan Earns 2024 Great Place To Work Certification™

Kaplan’s All Access License Named to Tech & Learning’s Best for 2023 List, Citing Its Ability to Expand Opportunities

The College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company Releases 2024 Survey of Financial Planning Professionals

Kaplan’s $20K Tuition Sweepstakes Winner is Georgia Tech Student Emily Conn, a Future Doctor of America

Kaplan Survey: College Admissions Officers Think It’s OK to Visit Applicants’ Social Media, But Most Don’t

Kaplan Survey: Law Schools Concerned about Class Diversity, Amid Affirmative Action Ban Fallout

Kaplan Survey: Most Colleges and Universities Take Laissez Faire Approach Towards Use of GenAI in Admissions

Kaplan Survey: A Majority of Pre-Law Students Say It’s Important to Attend Law School With Students Having the Same Political Views

Kaplan’s AccelPro Platform Expands Peer-to-Peer Coaching and Career Development to New Audiences

Alabama A&M University Partners with Kaplan to Offer Students Free Comprehensive Test Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions Exams and Professional Certifications

Kaplan Named to Fast Company’s 2023 “Brands That Matter” List

Kaplan Survey: Most Pre-Law Students Don’t Think Law School Applicants Should Be Allowed to Use GenAI in Admissions Essays

Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical College Announces Partnership with Kaplan to Enhance Clinical Readiness and Education Outcomes for Aspiring Doctors

Rutgers Law School Partners with Kaplan to Provide All Students with Free Prep Courses for the Bar Exam

Kaplan’s Graduate School Tuition Sweepstakes to Give One Lucky Student $20K

Kaplan Named to Newsweek’s List of the Top 100 Global Most Loved Workplace for 2023

Kaplan’s All Access License for Colleges and Universities Wins “Test Prep Innovation Of The Year” in the 5th Annual EdTech Breakthrough Awards Program

Spelman College Partners with Kaplan to Offer Students Free Comprehensive Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions Exams

Hampton University Partners with Kaplan to Offer Students Free Comprehensive Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions and Licensing Exams

Sun Sentinel Names Kaplan a Winner of the South Florida Top Workplaces 2023 Award, Marking its Third Consecutive Annual Recognition

Kaplan Survey: Medical Schools Keep COVID-Era Admissions Policies to Keep Application Process More Flexible

Fisk University Partners with Kaplan to Offer Students Free Comprehensive Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions Exams and Professional Certifications

Kaplan Certified as a Most Loved Workplace® for Three Consecutive Years, a Recognition of Consistent Employee Happiness and Job Satisfaction

Stillman College Partners with Kaplan to Offer Students Free Comprehensive Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions Exams and Professional Certifications

Junior Achievement Announces Kaplan Partnership to Help High School Students Secure Their Post-Graduation Goals

HelloFresh Partners with Kaplan to Provide Free GED® Prep for Hourly Workers to Earn High School Equivalency Diploma

The Creating Pathways and Access for Student Success™ Foundation Partners with Kaplan to Boost the Number of Underrepresented Illinois Students in STEM Fields

Kaplan Wins the Association for Talent Development’s Prestigious BEST Award for Exceptional Employee Learning and Development Success

Talladega College Partners with Kaplan to Offer Students Free Comprehensive Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions Exams and Professional Certifications

Delaware State University to Offer its Students Free Prep Courses for Graduate-Level Admissions Exams Through New Partnership with Kaplan

College for Financial Planning®–a Kaplan Company Introduces Freedom Scholarships for Military Service Members and Veterans

Manhattan Prep/Kaplan Survey: Many Business Schools Say the MBA Rankings Have Lost Prestige and Would Welcome its Demise

Denison University Offers Students Free Comprehensive Prep for Graduate-Level Admissions Exams Through Partnership with Kaplan

Designed to Jump Start Careers, Financial Advising Accelerator Program Launched by College for Financial Planning®—a Kaplan Company

Howard University to Offer its Undergraduate and Graduate Students Free Comprehensive Prep for Admissions and Licensure Exams Through New Partnership with Kaplan

Vela Wood Law Firm Partners with Kaplan to Provide Free LSAT® Courses to Boost Number of Black Attorneys

Kaplan Partners with Amazon to Provide Amazon Employees with Comprehensive Career and Student Support Services

Fast Company’s 2022 World Changing Ideas Awards Recognizes Kaplan’s Career Core™

Kaplan Educational Foundation Taps KEF Alum Nolvia Delgado as its Next Leader

Keller Williams and Kaplan Partner on Groundbreaking Real Estate School

With Rise in Financial Planning Needs for Unmarried Couples, College for Financial Planning® Relaunches ADPA® Designation Program

Kaplan Launches First Shared Career Services Offering In Partnership With Wake Forest University, Leading Higher Ed Institutions to Promote Work Readiness

Kaplan Agreement With Digital Marketing Institute Provides Certification Program for Business Professionals

Kaplan Partners with Wall Street Bound to Prepare Diverse, Under-represented Youth for Careers in the Financial Services Industry

Survey: Nearly 80 Percent of College Students Want Legacy Admissions Banned