Test Scores, GPAs Are Rising at Top MBA Programs

If you're applying to a selective MBA program, chances are good that the people you are competing against have higher grades and test scores than applicants in prior years.

Steady growth in MBA graduates' salaries and job opportunities has encouraged many talented individuals to apply to top business schools, experts say. That means applicants to elite MBA programs face stiff competition.

"Applicants should understand that as schools get more competitive, they have to keep developing their skills and show almost an unending passion for everything they've put their mind towards – business, community, and personal achievements," Vishal Sandhu, a 2015 MBA graduate from Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business and founder of the LumoSquid startup company, said via email.

[Read two successful MBA admissions essays.]

Over the past decade, the average GMAT score among incoming full-time students at the top 10 MBA programs in the U.S. News Best Business Schools rankings has risen dramatically. That's according to data the schools submitted to U.S. News in an annual survey.