Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions reports that the registration for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is up 9% from last year, 675,000 people registered for the test in 2009.
Russell Schaffer, Senior Communication Manager at Kaplan Test Prep has said that “Many students and young professionals view graduate school as a safe haven to ride out the challenging job market and come out even more employable”. This could be one reason why the GRE has seen an increase in registration.
ETS, the maker of the GRE, has also recently announced major changes to the test’s scoring, content, length and navigation. This may also be encouraging people to take the test sooner rather than later, people may feel more confident taking the test now as they know what they’re getting. You can read more about the potential changes to the GRE on our 'The New GRE Test' article.
Although the number of registrations for the GRE has increased the GMAT is still the most popular admissions test for potential business schools students, although it is important to consider both tests when thinking of applying to an MBA program. More schools are now accepting the GRE as well as the GMAT, and the tests do have different structures and content so one may suit you more than the other.