Press Release

January 24, 2023

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

Kaplan

New York, NY (January 23, 2023) ⁠— The decision by some top law schools to exit the rankings hasn’t led to anything similar among business schools (yet), but if it did, many admissions officers would welcome it, according to Manhattan Prep/Kaplan’s 2022 business school admissions officers survey*. Among the admissions officers surveyed at 117 full-time MBA programs across the United States, 37 percent believe that “business school rankings have lost some of their prestige over the last couple of years” and 29 percent disagree with that point of view; the remaining 34 percent didn’t express one view or the other. Additionally, 34 percent of business schools “think it would be a positive development, for both business schools and applicants, for business school rankings to no longer exist,” while 30 percent disagree; the remaining 36 percent didn’t express one view or the other.

These evolving views on the rankings come at a time of significant change on the MBA admissions landscape, with business schools looking for ways to boost their application numbers and many continuing to remain test optional, a COVID-era policy, as a way to accomplish this. It also comes at a time when some business schools and colleges have come under fire for reporting false data to game the rankings, hurting the system’s credibility.

Those who held negative views about the rankings shared these reasons:

“We should be focusing on fit, not prestige. What program is going to give the student the most positive experience and highest return on investment. We should be in the business of informing, not competing.”
“The methodology is often so terribly flawed. Some are so poorly done and are done so only to make money. Business schools have accepted that somewhat, but many of today's prospective students seem to have a more critical eye than previous prospects. They tell us the rankings don't have the influence they once had.”
“The criteria used for ranking is skewed to benefit the schools that already have more students and spend a lot of marketing dollars.”
“The audience is more aware of the subjectivity of rankings, some schools have chosen not to participate, and some of the rankings have produced questionable results.”

“Over the years, more than a few admissions officers half-jokingly said that ‘The most sleepless night for business school leaders is the night before the U.S. News rankings come out,’ since for some, their job hangs in the balance,” said Stacey Koprince, director of content and curriculum for Manhattan Prep, a sister company of Kaplan. “Whether there’s widespread rebellion against the rankings the way we’ve seen among top law schools remains to be seen. For prospective students our advice is to look at the rankings when deciding where to apply and enroll, as they serve as a useful aggregate of important stats like post-graduate job numbers and starting salaries, but also strongly consider which schools seem like the best fit for you personally and for your professional goals.”

To schedule an interview with a Manhattan Prep/Kaplan expert about the survey results, journalists can contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 917.822.8190.

*Based on the results of a survey conducted by phone and email between September and December 2022 and includes responses from 117 business schools across the United States; among them are 18 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 and development. Stanley Kaplan founded our company in 1938 with a mission to expand educational opportunities for students of all backgrounds. Today, all of our employees across 27 countries continue Stanley’s mission, working with hundreds of thousands of students and professionals and 12,000 corporate and 4,000 school and university clients worldwide. Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC). Learn more at https://kaplan.com.

Press Contact

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

Press Release Archive

Press Release

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

by Kaplan

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

About Kaplan

Press Contact

Press Release Archive

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

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

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

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

Kaplan Earns 2024 Great Place To Work Certification™

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fisk University 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

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

Kaplan's Transcender Practice Exams Win WINDOWS IT Pro Reader's Choice Award

New Mobile Application Gives Busy Nursing Students Flexibility to Study Anytime, Anywhere

Kaplan to Acquire Holborn College, a UK Leader in International Education

Kaplan Acquires Grockit Social Learning Platform and Test Prep Assets

Kaplan EdTech Accelerator, Powered by Techstars Announces 2014 Class of Education Technology Startups

Kaplan’s Language Business Rebrands to Kaplan International Languages

Kaplan Named One of America’s 100 Best Employers by Forbes

Education Corporation of America Purchases Kaplan College Campuses Added Scale Strengthens Entire Campus Portfolio

University of Liverpool Partners with Kaplan Open Learning

Kaplan Financial Launches First Virtual Class for Series 7 Securities Exam

SAT Prep Rocks! Kaplan and Defined Mind Release Compilation of Original SAT Vocabulary-Rich Hip-Hop, Rock, Alternative and R&B Music

Kaplan International Colleges to prepare students for the University of Brighton

Kaplan Acquires i-Human Patients, A Leader in Virtual Interactive Medical Simulations

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

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

Stanley H. Kaplan, Founder of the Test Preparation Industry, Dies at 90

Andrew C. Temte Promoted to CEO at Kaplan Professional

Purdue to Acquire Kaplan University, Increase Access for Millions

Kaplan Completes SmartPros Acquisition Expanding Its Continuing Education Offering in Accountancy and Financial Services

Kaplan International Acquires Europe’s Largest Language Agency and Enters French and German Language Market

Kaplan Acquires Leading Publisher of Professional Licensing Exam Guides in Engineering Field

Kaplan Acquires Genesis Institute to Further Facilitate Training and Development in the Middle East

Brandon Busteed Joins Kaplan in New Role Focusing on University Partnerships

Kaplan Acquires Barron’s-Branded Test Prep, Study Aids and Foreign Language Assets from Barron’s Educational Series

Concord Law School at Purdue University Global Marks 20th Anniversary

Kaplan Acquires the Healthcare Assets of Becker Professional Education

Kaplan Schweser and The Hong Kong SAR Society of Financial Analysts (HKSFA) Sign Strategic Partnership Agreement to Support Candidates on CFA® Program Exam Preparation

Concord Law School Merges with Kaplan University

Kaplan Closes Acquisition Of College For Financial Planning

Kaplan Professional Education to Acquire College for Financial Planning from Apollo Education Group

Kaplan’s Regional Real Estate Schools Renamed to Kaplan Professional Schools

Kaplan Professional Acquires the Real Estate School, a Provider of Real Estate Education in Houston, Texas

Keller Williams and Kaplan Partner on Groundbreaking Real Estate School

Kaplan Expands Corporate Training Platform to Include Financial Modeling Through Agreement With The Marquee Group

Kaplan Offers Companies Free Educational Programs For Their Employees Disrupted By The Coronavirus Crisis