MBA for Women: Common Myths

TopMBA.com talks to experts about some of the myths which discourage women from applying for MBAs. 

The year-on-year increase in the number of women across the globe taking the GMAT indicates that interest in MBAs is escalating among this population group. But open the door to an MBA classroom in most parts of the world, and the gender imbalance is clear – MBA programs are still highly populated by men.

All too often, women's preconceived perception of the MBA world paints a picture of a financially-heavy curricula and a male dominated environment, preventing female interest in the program from reaching fruition in the MBA classroom. However these preconceptions are not necessarily true of MBA study.

IMD MBA director of marketing, admissions and career services Claire Lecoq and IE Business School associate director of admissions Nita Swinsick explain to TopMBA.com the truths behind some of the most common 'myths' that deter some women from furthering their MBA application.

The MBA myths discouraging women

Myth one: "All MBAs are finance-focused and business orientated, so I can only apply for an MBA if I have a finance background."

Not having any finance or business experience continues to be a factor that prospective female applicants seemingly think could compromise their application.

This was the reason why Duke University's Fuqua School of Business MBA graduate Colleen Chelini was apprehensive about her application. "My background was not in business so there was some concern around what type of business skills I would need, and it was probably one of the reasons why I delayed my applications," she says.

However, Lecoq highlights that MBA students often come from a wide-range of backgrounds. "A lot of our MBAs don't have a business background and do well. In the current class there are people with an HR background, non-government operational experience, and even an ex-professional violinist. In terms of post-MBA careers, 70% of IMD graduates for example work in roles other than consulting and finance, and these typically include marketing, sales, strategy, internal consulting and operations, which seem to attract a lot of women."

Myth two: "I won't be able to maintain a balance between family life and full-time MBA study."

Another deterrent appears to be concerns over how to balance family life and full-time study, though a number of business schools offer services such as family support and 'partner programs.'

"You'll be surprised by how many other candidates bring their families with them when they come to study an MBA. In fact some schools will also have various support services. At IE for example, we have a partners club which organizes a weekly multilingual children's playgroup," Swinsick says.

However she advises that it is really down to the individual to find a balance between study and family life, and adds: "Many schools will offer extra-curricular opportunities and activities during the MBA program but it is impossible to attend all of them and so it is important that students know what their priorities are during the program and focus on these."

Myth three: "All MBA programs are male dominated, fostering aggressive environments with very few female students."

Some women may be put off by a learning environment that is highly populated by men. When Chelini was doing her MBA, only 22% of her class were female and during the start of the program she says there were instances where she felt intimidated by her male counterparts.

However as the program progressed, she found it empowering for women, "Our business communication class was great. It looked at the things that women would typically say that undermined themselves, such as giving a pre-cursor before making their points, 'I don't know how much this is worth, but…' or 'I don't know whether this hits the spot, but…' We also had some great speakers presenting as part of a female-specific conference held at Duke. The support and resources we were given certainly helped put any apprehension at ease."

Although figures by GMAC indicate that only 30% of women make up the overall MBA admissions across the globe, the percentage of female students differ from school to school.

Among the top ten business schools in Europe, as identified by the QS Global 200 Top Business Schools 2010/11, INSEAD and SDA Bocconi School of Management have the highest percentage of female students at 33%.

Swinsick advises prospective students to do their research, "The MBA environment and number of female students is different from school to school and very much depends on the business school and its culture. My advice would be to investigate the schools of interest by speaking to alumni, attending events and/or scheduling an informative interview."

In its ongoing commitment to an open and diverse world of management education, QS will host a series of Women in Leadership career forums in Europe and North America. Preceding the QS World MBA Tour fairs, these exclusive career forums will offer the pre-selected female candidates the opportunity to learn how to advance their management careers. The Women in Leadership forums will precede the QS World MBA Tour fairs in Toronto, New York, Washington DC, Moscow, Paris and London.