June 2008 YTD GMAT VOLUME

Question

2008 GMAT Volume Thru June

US

TY  76,436 
 LY   71,274

+7%

Non-US

TY  44,039 
 LY   36,685

+20%

Overall

TY  120,475 
  LY  107,959

+ 12%

So these numbers do not scare me too much and seem to be on par with last year (at least for US residents)

For US residents, an extra 1000 people that scored a 650+ TY vs LY to compete with. And of those people some are not applying to b-school (20%). So that leaves 800 more people with a 650+ that would probably be spread out over 15-20 schools.

So I don't think we see that huge influx yet. The registration numbers show similiar increases so unless their is a huge increase in sept /oct / nov of test takers it will be on par with LY's competitiveness.

https://www.gmac.com/gmac/ResearchandTrends/GMATStats/CurrentGMATVolume.htm

This is the source (it goes back a few more years too) and you can download all sorts of interesting gmat statistics averages and number of takers byy undergrad, by country, by function etc

agold · Answer

This really helps take the edge off during a stressful time. Thank you!

ryguy904 · Answer

I seriously feel like I'm seeing double every time that I see the terp's posting one after another.

jallenmorris · Answer

Do these numbers include repeat takers? I'm a repeat for the month of July.

solaris1 · Answer

terp09 replies to the OP, terp26 - it took me a couple of minutes to figure out what exactly was going on in this thread!

Anyway, considering 30-40% of the classes at the top schools are internationals, I think the 20% increase there is more interesting than the 7% increase in domestic test takers. The domestic increase might just be more people taking the test twice or a third time. The 20% appears to be more significant.

terp26 · Answer

ha I knew that was going to throw people off hahahaha I will need to get a picture soon

terp26 · Answer

Yea these numbers include all sittings of the exam so repeats included (I put the link up)

jallenmorris · Answer

Anyone know the average % of test takers that repeat? Like 37% of all first-time test takers will take the GMAT again within 12 months? any stat like that?

IHateTheGMAT · Answer

US Registrations are up by just under 5%, so that's even less growth than actual test taker numbers posted by terp. The real competition this year is not among the wall street folks (despite all the hype), it's among international applicants. International applications have grown much faster than the US for a while now and I expect the weak dollar will exacerbate that. The 20% growth in international GMATs seems to confirm that. Although, one potentialy offsetting factor is that many international applicants will not apply to US schools, so where does most of the growth in intl GMATs come from - intl applicants to US programs or intl applicants to intl programs?

solaris1 · Answer

Why not? The dollar being where it is I think a lot of folks, especially those intending to return to their home countries, may think about a 2 year program in the US now considering it costs pretty close to what a 1 year program in Europe might.

IHateTheGMAT

Although, one potentialy offsetting factor is that many international applicants will not apply to US schools

BSchoolorBust · Answer

Hey guys, I'm from Australia. I know that several universities here are now requiring the GMAT for their own management programs, so this could partly explain the rise in international test takers.

BSchoolorBust · Answer

Guys,

Check this out: https://www.gmac.com/gmac/ResearchandTre ... 00TY07.htm

GMAT scores sent to US schools by non-US citizens have actually been decreasing since the peak of 2000 (latest data point is 2007). So, this might bode well for internationals.

So, where are these internationals going? Well, looking at the two graphs below, there seems to be a big interest in European and Asian schools - in particular, schools in the UK and India.

https://www.gmac.com/gmac/ResearchandTre ... ndTY07.htm
https://www.gmac.com/gmac/ResearchandTre ... 01TY07.htm

Another chart which supports the above - in the 25-30 age range, GMAT scores sent to US schools have actually declined from 2003 to 2007.

https://www.gmac.com/gmac/ResearchandTre ... 0Group.htm

But of course there are limitations with the data - it doesn't say anything about whether the trend is equally prevalent at all schools. For instance, I would expect that the top US schools will continue to attract a high number of applications, and that most possible the decline in GMAT scores sent to US schools is the result of candidates choosing to apply to a top 10 school in their region rather than a top 20-50 school in the US (ie. trend is in the tail). I can't say for sure though, as there is no school specific data.

pelihu · Answer

Yes, that's a very good point. Many of the business schools in China are starting to require the GMAT for local programs as well. Any new programs requiring the GMAT will have a huge impact on year-over-year numbers (essentially building upon a base of zero the prior year).

Good data and argument.

sonibubu · Answer

I was just going to say that. As a current Terrapin, I'm considering chaning my name to terp16 just to add to the confusion (and dropping my the pics and sig of course).

isa · Answer

Yes! let the confusion ensue

fatb · Answer

So many terps... too confusing for too early in the morning I was thinking to myself... why is the poster thanking himself.... :roll:

solaris1 · Answer

Just read this in today's WSJ, apparently the OG was one of amazon.com's top selling "Business/Investing" books in June.

ZOMG!!

terp26 · Answer

that's fine! If they are just starting studying in June for the GMAT they are in for a world of hurt trying to study as well as working on apps for the R1 deadline. Just make sure you get your apps in by R1 and you will be fine!

jasonc · Answer

was it also one of the top selling books in business/investing in one of the summer months last year or the year before?

though I'm sure the economy had something to do with it, most of the sales could just be seasonality

IHateTheGMAT · Answer

I like your optimisim. Haha

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