GMAT Volume Results - Thru Sept 30th

Question

GMAT Registration Thru end of Sept Year to Date: Worldwide 223K TY vs 200K LY International: 93K TY vs 73K LY U.S. 130K TY vs 124K LY https://www.gmac.com/gmac/ResearchandTre ... Volume.htm

Tarmac · Answer

Interesting that it just KEEPS going up.

And you know it's going to be through the roof for Jan-Sep 2009.

refurb · Answer

What I find most interesting is that most of the increase is with the international students.

The increase within the US is only 4.8%, while internationally it's a 23% increase.

Are US schools seeing a similar increase in international applicants?

RF

marshpa · Answer

Yeah, thats why most schools are now focusing on diversity..diversity in background, diversity in ethnicity.. etc..

refurb · Answer

Please explain.

You're saying that because more international students are applying, the schools are focusing on diversity? I don't follow.

From what I can gather, most schools (and corporations) have been focusing on diversity for at least the last 5 years.

RF

agold · Answer

Thank you for posting these every so often. They're an excellent barometer.

Kudos

buffdaddy · Answer

I think quite the opposite, the candidates are now more focused on diversity in their application, to stand out. With GMAT scores and applications on the up, a 710 (my score) doesn't stand out like it did 5-10 years ago. So we all have have to flex all our diversity muscle in the application

Tarmac · Answer

I think the international increase is 90% Indian IT and an additional smaller contingent from Europe

buffdaddy · Answer

I wish they broke down the "Non-US" into countries, or at least regions. This way it'd be easier to corroborate the theory that the "Non-US" rise is due to more asian and european schools needing the GMAT for MBA applications i.e non competing test-takers for us

refurb · Answer

I agree.

But I also think that b-schools are jumping on the diversity bandwagon, just like corporate America.

RF

Yahsek · Answer

So what are the chances that the sixth toe on my left foot gets me into b-school? :lol:

jimmyjamesdonkey · Answer

ok

buffdaddy · Answer

unfortunately YihWei you are only a 1/500 anomaly. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polydactyly

balki1867 · Answer

If you look elsewhere on the same site, it says that only ~65% of int'l GMAT scores actually get sent to american schools, which means the % that actually apply to american schools is even smaller. That number has been fairly consistent even through the 'lean' GMAT years (2005, 2006).

That's why I'm not freaking out about the numbers. I expect it to be more competitive than last year, but I'm not expecting a huge leap. Plus, as others have commented, I'm expecting even the int'l numbers to jump in areas that are already overrepresented.

buffdaddy · Answer

thanks for removing the controversy.

So, back to the GMAT discussion. Do you folks think that the rise in test takers could be because of re-takers who in the past would have been satisfied with a lower score?

highhopes · Answer

I think you're probably right, the competition for anyone outside the Indian IT pool is probably not much different. But, I would guess that the increase in the number of GMATs from Indian IT does increase the competition for that particular pool. I think there are plenty more very smart, very capable candidates left in India.

I work in IT, so trust me, I work with plenty of Indians. Almost none (if even any) have any trouble conversing, they were mostly educated in British schools and they probably speak better english than many Americans. I think there are still a lot of these types jumping on the B-school band wagon and I wouldn't consider that pool diluted as of yet.

highhopes · Answer

Ha - did anyone see that the newest Bond girl had this? I was really excited to see her six-fingered hand, but apparently she had them joined as a kid. :cry:

refurb · Answer

Good analysis. I agree as well.

RF

refurb · Answer

B-school? Probably won't help. But I bet the chicks love it!!

RF

rusk521 · Answer

Its no surprise that there is an increase in the number of people taking the GMAT per year; and the increase in applications to B-School.

But what was the percent increase for total B-School slots for this past year? The top 25 schools might not be taking on more students, but this isn't entirely true for the rest of the programs. Each year a few more MBA programs are created, and many recently established schools are still rapidly expanding. Maybe these numbers will help offset the increase of test takers.

Can anyone chime in?

GMAT Volume Results - Thru Sept 30th

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