Applications from women in Executive MBA programs were up substantially this year, representing 37% of the 2012 application pool, a full ten percentage points higher than the 27% last year. It was the largest shift across all of the MBA programs, whether full-time, part-time, or online.
That’s according to a new study by the Graduate Management Admission Council published today (Sept. 17). The study also found that more than half of executive MBA programs (61%) reported steady (12%) or increased application volume (49%) in 2012, and fewer programs reported decreasing volume this year (39%) compared with 2011 (42%).
Indeed, EMBA programs are faring much better than either full-time, two- or one-year MBA programs. The only MBA programs showing more growth in application volume than EMBAs is online/distance learning MBAs (see chart below)
GMAC said the median acceptance rate for the 63 EMBA programs responding to its survey was 80%, significantly higher than the 45% acceptance rate for two-year, full-time MBA programs. GMAC said this year’s median class size in an EMBA program was 36, up from 35 a year earlier. The study also found that 57% of EMBA students are over the age of 35 have been in the workforce more than six years. That compares with overall MBA candidates who are typically between the ages of 26 and 30 with three to six years of work experience.
Nearly half (49%) of executive MBA programs expect that between 40% and 100% of incoming students will receive funding through their employers.
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