Number of potential b-school students worried about their plans skyrocketed after COVID-19
The number of potential business school students who said they are “very concerned or extremely concerned about the impact COVID-19 has on their pursuit” of graduate management education (GME) more than tripled between mid-March and mid-April — rising from 13% to 41% — according to a survey conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). Of course, that time period began shortly after the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the disease a pandemic. In addition, “the proportion of GME candidates reporting the job market as one of the areas of concern due to COVID-19 increased from 13 percent on March 15 to 33 percent by March 31. By April 15, the number rose to 50 percent.” During the same period, the number of candidates who said they may delay their pursuit of GME rose from 17% to 51%.
Source: GMAC
Official: Trump administration may target OPT program that lures foreign students
During a radio interview in late April, a senior Homeland Security official indicated that “the Optional Practical Training program (OPT) — by which hundreds of thousands of foreign workers, including thousands of MBAs, are allowed to stay in the U.S. longer without needing a hard-to-get H-1B visa — is now an administration target.” The government may also temporarily stop issuing H-1BA visas soon. A letter penned by several Republican senators who approve of the moves said, “these suspensions are critical to protecting American workers as our economy gets back on its feet.” There are now approximately 500,000 H-1B visa holders living in the United States. Last year, approximately 223,000 foreigners were enrolled in the OPT program. The two programs are considered essential by many business leaders and educators due to their ability to attract top-quality international students and workers.
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Source: Poets & Quants
Survey: College instructors don’t like remote education
The future of online college education does not look bright, according to a recent survey of college instructors in countries around the world. Researchers found that “just 22% said their experience so far with online instruction has made them think of it ‘very or extremely highly’ as an educational tool that universities can use after the pandemic subsides. Another 40% view it ‘not so highly’ or ‘not at all highly.’” More than half (55%) believe summer courses will be entirely online, while only 15% anticipate fully in-person classes. In addition, only half of respondents said, “they are satisfied with the support they’ve received from their colleges so far.”
Source: Education Dive
Most higher ed institutions predict declining international enrollment
It probably comes as no surprise that the vast majority — 88% — of recently surveyed colleges and universities said they expect international student enrollment to decline in the 2020-2021 academic year. Among the 599 institutions that participated in the Institute of International Education’s survey, “44% said they’re allowing international students to take online exams instead of in-person tests, 42% are updating accepted students more regularly and 40% are offering them the option to defer enrollment.” Most respondents — 85% — also expect fewer students to be interested in study-abroad programs during the upcoming academic year.
Source: Education Dive