B Schools

Gutting DEI? Not So Fast, Say B-School Applicants

According to a new study, two-thirds of prospective MBAs say finding a diverse community of fellow students matters.

Photo Illustration: Oscar Bolton Green for Bloomberg Businessweek; Photo: Getty Images
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In the federal government—and many state governments, as well—diversity, equity and inclusion is an evil to be exorcised from every corner of education. Colleges and universities are feeling the pressure across the breadth of their institutions—including business schools. But one constituency is assuredly not on board with eradicating DEI: people who want to enroll in business school.

That, at least, is what they’re telling the Graduate Management Admission Council. According to GMAC, two-thirds of US business school candidates say that equity and inclusion “are important or very important to their academic experience.” And 60% of this group, or about 40% of all US applicants, further declare that they “would rule out applying to a school that does not prioritize the topic.”