Admissions activity at many top US MBA programs rebounded in the 2025–2026 cycle after a prior slowdown, with application increases documented across the Poets&Quants analysis of US News data. The analysis finds 50 of 100 ranked schools reported application growth versus 70 in the prior cycle. Overall, the report says applicants submitted 3,686 more applications—about a 3% increase—up 21.3% compared with two cycles earlier. Notable increases include Chicago Booth, whose applications rose by 705 to 5,876, and Wharton, up by 291 to 7,613. The article also cautions that higher application volume did not consistently translate into larger classes: enrolled student counts rose at 32 of the top programs and fell at 50. Northeastern’s D’Amore-McKim is highlighted for a steep application jump (from 439 to 1,254) alongside notable enrollment growth.