Graduate School Enrollments Drop

Today's Chronicle of Higher Education and Inside Higher Ed report that the number of students taking the Graduate Record Examination will decline in 2008, the first time in history that the GRE has seen a fall in test-taking during an economic downturn. In contrast, business schools and law schools apparently will continue to be safe ports in the economic storm, with GMAT (10.4%) and LSAT (6.2%) registrations both up sharply this year (although, as I noted last week, a big contributor in the surge in LSAT takers is the ABA's rule change requiring law schools to report a student's highest, rather than average, LSAT score).

The Chronicle of Higher Education Reports.

GRE Test Taking Drops This Year, Unlike in Past Downturns

The nonprofit organization that administers the Graduate Record Examinations is projecting that the number of tests given this year will dip—despite a slowing economy, which typically pushes people into graduate school.

Inside Higher Ed examining the cause of the drop explains why this is happening.

"Part of the concern arises because M.B.A. programs also typically see increases in applications in tight economic times, and evidence suggests that the pattern will be true to past experience for the business schools. The number of people taking the Graduate Management Admission Test is up this year — both in the United States and abroad."

By Dr. Paul Caron: Associate Dean of Faculty
Charles Hartsock Professor of Law
Univ. of Cincinnati College of Law