New data released by the Forté Foundation and reported by the Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal this week show that a record number of women are enrolled at top MBA programs this fall. At over 50 of the top-ranked business schools in the U.S., Europe, and Canada, women average 39 percent of the class, an increase from nearly 38 percent in 2018 and 32 percent in 2011.
At the top of the list, the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis has almost approached gender parity, with enrollment at 49 percent female. Following closely behind, with 45 percent or more women, are The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. There are 19 schools that have 40 percent or more women enrolled, including Harvard Business School, the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, the Yale School of Management, and Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.
While this increase in female students has been linked to declining overall applications to MBA programs in the U.S., greater female representation has long been a goal of top business schools, with many making significant marketing and outreach efforts geared towards women over the last two decades.
The Financial Times highlighted the women’s ambassador program at Olin, which urges current students and alumni to encourage other women to apply, as well as a Women in Leadership Conference for prospective MBA students at University of Michigan’s Ross. Speakers at Ross’ annual event address issues pertinent to women including creating inclusive communities, becoming a better ally for other female students, and navigating imposter syndrome. The Dean of Michigan Ross, Scott DeRue, noted that at this year’s conference, 42 percent of attendees had designated Ross as their first choice for an MBA going into the event, but afterwards that number increased to 89 percent, suggesting that the content resonated strongly with prospective students.
Elissa Sangster, Forté Foundation’s chief executive, couldn’t be more pleased with the increasing gender balance in business schools. Like most educators, she believes this will improve business education for all by increasing the diversity of opinion in the classroom. “It changes the conversation between students and their tutors, whether talking about corporate strategies or how to manage people.”