As full‑time MBA markets soften, the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business doubled down on a deliberate strategy: cap cohorts at 80–100 students to tighten advising, employer ties and career outcomes. Terry leaders say smaller cohorts better manage recruiting volatility as internships shrink and employers hire more selectively. Harvard Business School announced its Class of 2027 profile amid the same market pressures, underscoring divergent institutional strategies: some schools chase scale and brand, others emphasize selectivity and experiential ties to employers. Both moves respond to pressure from AI‑changed recruiting pipelines, fluctuating international student flows, and shifting employer hiring models. For career services and admissions officers, the message is practical: employers’ summer associate classes are smaller, internships have become the de facto offer mechanism, and programs that tightly integrate recruiting prep into the curriculum can protect placement rates even in a tighter market.