More People Signing Up for the GMAT

The worldwide number of GMAT registrations for the first seven months of 2006 is 4.2 per cent higher than registration volume for the same period in 2005, the Graduate Management Admission Council says.

GMAT registration volume inside the U.S. grew by 3.51 per cent. Outside the U.S., volume rose by 5.72 per cent.

U.S. registration volume is higher than it has been since 2003. Some people see this as another indication of renewed interest in MBA programs by U.S. students and professionals following several years of declining application volume.

GMAT registration volume is fairly reliable as a general indicator of upcoming business school application trends. Registration volume tracks the number of GMAT exams that are being scheduled. It should not be read as an indication of the number of people interested in MBA programs, since a single applicant might register for the test several times. However, in the past, a rise in GMAT registration volume has usually been followed by a rise in business school application volume. It's not unreasonable to expect that the current increase in registration volume will be followed by a rise in b-school applications this fall and winter, especially in light of other signs of growing interest in MBA programs.