Over the last dozen years, AACSB has worked diligently to compile the most comprehensive database for business education in the world. Everything from institutional characteristics to effective practices to global collaborations is now collected and available, primarily as a member benefit to member schools’ faculty and students, but we also serve as a source of information for the media as well. Understandably, this volume of data can be sliced and diced a variety of ways to explain the present state of business education, and to look for trends that may indicate future movements in enrollment, finances, admissions, governance, etc.
One topic that seems to have attracted the most research and analysis is gender, and specifically the growth, or lack thereof, in female students enrolled across all academic levels in the business school community. It is also a topic that serves as a perfect example of why careful consideration of the way data is reported is necessary to produce an accurate portrayal of current gender trends. In the academic years of 2007-08 through 2012-13, I can tell you with some assurance that the percentage of female students in Masters’ programs is inching upward. I can also tell you, with the same assurance, that the number of female students enrolled in Masters’ programs has declined. At first glance, these would seem to be contradictory statements; however, let’s take a look at a graphic representation of the data:
As you can see, what the data are really showing is a decline in Masters’ enrollment for both men and women. However, the rate of decline for women is slower. This makes it appear there is greater female visibility when, in fact, it more a case of less visibility among male students. Why there is a decline and why it is affecting men more than women are topics for another day, but the point here is that unless you see the data in its totality, you may be led to the wrong conclusions. It is the responsibility of every unbiased researcher and analyst to present their findings in the most thorough way possible so that any interested parties, be they student, faculty, or media, are properly informed. 
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