Women Candidates

Women are looking to go to b-school in greater numbers than before—106,800 women took the GMAT exam in testing year 2011.

For the second year in a row, women now command more than 40% of the prospective students considering business school. More than ever before, women are making one of the best personal investments of their lives—by taking advantage of career-propelling programs ranging from intensive one-year courses, to full- and part-time MBA programs, and four-year doctoral programs.

Graduate business school is giving women a chance to achieve educational, career, and personal objectives in less time than it would take without an advanced degree. Read Women, B-School, and Career Gains to learn what female participants in two recent research studies say about the value of their graduate management education.

You’re not alone if you don’t feel quite ready to give the b-school idea a true test drive. GMAC data collected in 2011 confirm that some women visiting mba.com remain unsure about whether business school is worth the time, effort, and cost. Do any of these sound familiar?

• 52% of female respondents are concerned that business school will require them to spend more money than they have.
• 47% of female respondents are also worried that business school will cause them to incur a large financial debt.
• 24% of female respondents worry that they will struggle to find a job after graduating; 22% of men share the same concern.
• 34% of women are concerned about their test scores.
• 34% of women are concerned about the impact of business school demands on their time and energy.
• 25% of women are concerned their time for personal relationships will be limited.

Check out the Seven Worries That Get in the Way of B-School to learn more about the reality behind the concerns, and get links to additional resources you can use to develop strategies to overcome them.