An article published on poetsandquants.com claims that applying to top MBA programs now might be a good idea. Many people are probably debating if this is a good time to invest a lot of time and money in an MBA degree, with the uncertainty in the global economy in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are several reasons that support the idea of applying to top MBA programs that will start in September 2021.

A recession and a health crisis will not last forever, but while it lasts, many people find their opportunities to advance at work diminished. Many more have already found themselves on unemployment. The Class of 2023 will inevitably graduate into a fully recovered economy, better prepared to take full advantage of the upturn. No less crucial, they will have been the beneficiaries of not merely the business basics or of the leadership development a strong MBA program provides; they will be steeped in both data analytics, specifically how to smartly harness massive datasets for decision making, and how to leverage new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, to gain important efficiencies in a business moving forward.

Of all the graduate degrees you could earn, an MBA from a top ranked business school is probably a good investment – 12 schools in the top 25 of U.S. News’s MBA ranking report starting salaries above $160,000, and 17 above $150,000.