Current Test-Taker Trends
Have you ever wondered who takes the GMAT? Who are your fellow test takers? Where do they come from? What do they do? How many of you are there? This week, we begin a new series that aims to answer these questions and to give you a better sense of how you fit into the overall pattern of test takers so that you can better plan your application.
Let's focus on the numbers: how many people take the test each year, and which are the busiest months for the GMAT. Knowing the number of test takers per year can give you a sense of how competitive the application process will be. The more test takers, the more likely you will be competing against more people for admission to business school. Granted, many people who take the GMAT do so simply to get it out of the way and do not intend to apply to business school for two or three years (remember, your official score is valid for five years). But the bulk of test takers in any given year will probably apply to business school during that year's application cycle. According to GMAC (Graduate Management Admissions Council - the organization that oversees the GMAT program), most people take up to two years to complete the application process from the time they begin considering business school, and most of these people will take the GMAT within 10 months of actually applying.
According to statistics compiled by GMAC the number of test takers per year (worldwide) over the past several years seems to have peaked in 2002 and fallen slightly every year since then:
2000 - 205,402
2001 - 236,994
2002 - 249,632
2003 - 218,037
2004 - 203,613
2005 (through May) - 85,379
What does this pattern reveal? The sudden uptick in 2001-2002 was probably the result of the down cycle in the economy that began in 2000 when the Internet bubble burst and many younger people who had thought their jobs were secure in technology fields sought a competitive edge by pursuing an MBA. Similar upticks can be seen during those years in applications to law schools as well. As the economy has continued to stabilize, the number of applicant to business school has dropped off, to levels slightly below those before 2001. GMAC reports a very slight increase in GMAT activity for the first 5 months of 2005 (compared to the same period in 2004), but the number of test takers is still not at the record levels seen in 2002. This is good news for those planning to apply to business school this year or next: you will have somewhat less competition in the applicant pool. Of course, admission to the top 20 MBA programs will always be difficult, but your odds are somewhat better when fewer people submit applications.
As for which times during the year are busiest for the GMAT, our experience has been that the numbers tend to reflect the application cycle itself. Since most applications are due between December and March, the heaviest GMAT activity is usually between October and February, which means that GMAT preparation is usually at its heaviest between June and November. Keep this in mind when deciding when to begin your prep and schedule your exam: do not leave the decision until the last minute - you may find yourself unable to attend the course of your choice or schedule the exam on the day or for the location of your choice.
The breakdown by gender (with average score for that gender) for the past few years is given in the chart below:
As we discussed last week, there has been a slight downward trend in the number of people taking the GMAT over the past few years, for both men and women. But even with the overall decrease, the number of men taking the test is still significantly greater than the number of women taking it. This is generally reflected in the composition of the student bodies at most business schools, where men almost always outnumber women.
Notice as well that the average GMAT score is appreciably higher for men than for women. This is great news for women with high GMAT scores, since they will stand out not only because they are women, but also because they are a coveted subgroup within a coveted subgroup. Of course, many other factors come into play in the admissions process (e.g., GPA, work experience, recommendations, etc.), but anything that draws positive attention to your application can only help your cause.
As for age, the range of GMAT takers goes from less than 20 years old to over 50, with the greatest number between the ages of 26 and 30. Refer to the chart below:
As you can see, the number of people taking the GMAT is greatest in the mid- to late twenties range. The number of people taking the test below the age of 20 is negligible, probably because most people wait until a few years out of college to apply to business school. And the number taking the test later in life is also smaller because fewer people at that stage of their careers feel the need for an MBA and/or are willing to endure the financial burden business school can entail. Chances are if you are considering business school, you are at a relatively early stage in your career and will find yourself competing for admission against other people in your cohort.
As for ethnicity, the vast majority of GMAT takers are white (75%), with Asians and Asian Americans making up 10%, African Americans making up 8%, Hispanic Americans making up 6%, and Native Americans making up 1%. If you belong to one of these smaller groups, your application will stand out from the crowd.
The next most popular undergraduate field of study for GMAT test takers is science. An average of 37,383 science majors have taken the GMAT every year since 1999. The most popular subfield within science is engineering, with an average of 22,319 GMAT test takers per year since 1999. Other science subfields with significant representation are computer science (5,008), biology (2,855), and mathematics (1,311). The average GMAT score for science majors is 571 since 1999.
The predominance of business and science majors helps explain the discrepancy between the percentiles in the quantitative and verbal sections of the exam. Many of these majors perform exceptionally well in the quantitative section, thus lowering the overall percentiles in that section. In other words, when many people perform well in quantitative, it becomes that much harder to achieve a high percentile rank even though one's performance in the section may be quite good.
After science, the next most popular undergraduate field of study is social science, with an average of 21,005 GMAT test takers per year since 1999. The most popular subfield within the social sciences is economics, with an average of 11,328 GMAT test takers per year since 1999. Other social science subfields with significant representation are political science (2,700), history (1,604), and psychology (1,448). The average GMAT score for social science majors is 547 since 1999.
Perhaps predictably, the least popular field of study for GMAT test takers is the humanities, with an average of 4,229 majors per year since 1999. The most popular subfield within the humanities is English, with an average of 1,338 GMAT test takers per year since 1999. No other subfield within the humanities has an average of over 1,000 GMAT test takers per year. The average GMAT score for humanities majors is 540 since 1999.
The undergraduate major with the highest average GMAT score is physics, with an average score of 611 since 1999. No other undergraduate major has an average GMAT score above 600.
Approximately 61% of GMAT test takers plan to attend business school full-time. Another 26% plan to attend part-time. About 5% plan to attend an executive MBA program. And about 8% are not sure of their plans at the time of their GMAT.
The state with the highest average GMAT score since 1999 is the District of Columbia (ok, we know Washington, D.C. is not a state, but...), with an average GMAT score of 560. No other U.S. region has an average GMAT score over 550. Other states with high average GMAT scores include Vermont (547), Utah (545), and California (542).
Outside of the United States, an average of 59,891 people have taken the GMAT every year since 1999. The three countries with the greatest average number of GMAT test takers per year are India (8,240), China (5,159), and Japan (4,872). Other countries with significant numbers of GMAT test takers include Canada, France, Germany, Brazil, and Indonesia.
The country with the highest average GMAT score? Little Lichtenstein, that alpine principality tucked away between Switzerland and Austria, has an average GMAT score of 598 since 1999. Granted, even in its busiest year Lichtenstein saw a grand total of four GMAT test takers, but it still has an impressive GMAT average. Other countries with high averages include Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, and the United Kingdom, all of which have average GMAT scores around or above 550.
Copyright 2005 , MG Prep, Inc.; May not be reprinted without permission.
Let's focus on the numbers: how many people take the test each year, and which are the busiest months for the GMAT. Knowing the number of test takers per year can give you a sense of how competitive the application process will be. The more test takers, the more likely you will be competing against more people for admission to business school. Granted, many people who take the GMAT do so simply to get it out of the way and do not intend to apply to business school for two or three years (remember, your official score is valid for five years). But the bulk of test takers in any given year will probably apply to business school during that year's application cycle. According to GMAC (Graduate Management Admissions Council - the organization that oversees the GMAT program), most people take up to two years to complete the application process from the time they begin considering business school, and most of these people will take the GMAT within 10 months of actually applying.
According to statistics compiled by GMAC the number of test takers per year (worldwide) over the past several years seems to have peaked in 2002 and fallen slightly every year since then:
2000 - 205,402
2001 - 236,994
2002 - 249,632
2003 - 218,037
2004 - 203,613
2005 (through May) - 85,379
What does this pattern reveal? The sudden uptick in 2001-2002 was probably the result of the down cycle in the economy that began in 2000 when the Internet bubble burst and many younger people who had thought their jobs were secure in technology fields sought a competitive edge by pursuing an MBA. Similar upticks can be seen during those years in applications to law schools as well. As the economy has continued to stabilize, the number of applicant to business school has dropped off, to levels slightly below those before 2001. GMAC reports a very slight increase in GMAT activity for the first 5 months of 2005 (compared to the same period in 2004), but the number of test takers is still not at the record levels seen in 2002. This is good news for those planning to apply to business school this year or next: you will have somewhat less competition in the applicant pool. Of course, admission to the top 20 MBA programs will always be difficult, but your odds are somewhat better when fewer people submit applications.
As for which times during the year are busiest for the GMAT, our experience has been that the numbers tend to reflect the application cycle itself. Since most applications are due between December and March, the heaviest GMAT activity is usually between October and February, which means that GMAT preparation is usually at its heaviest between June and November. Keep this in mind when deciding when to begin your prep and schedule your exam: do not leave the decision until the last minute - you may find yourself unable to attend the course of your choice or schedule the exam on the day or for the location of your choice.
Personal Backgrounds of GMAT Test Takers
How do you compare to the rest of the group in terms of age, gender, and ethnicity? This information can be useful in deciding how to market yourself in your applications (i.e., what aspects of your background make you stand out from the crowd?).The breakdown by gender (with average score for that gender) for the past few years is given in the chart below:
| Sex | 1999-2000 | 2000-2001 | 2001-2002 | 2002-2003 | 2003-2004 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 115,808 | 129,392 | 146,355 | 137,801 | 124,502 |
| Mean score | 543 | 541 | 543 | 545 | 541 |
| Female | 73,290 | 80,954 | 89,931 | 85,473 | 78,679 |
| Mean score | 505 | 503 | 505 | 504 | 501 |
As we discussed last week, there has been a slight downward trend in the number of people taking the GMAT over the past few years, for both men and women. But even with the overall decrease, the number of men taking the test is still significantly greater than the number of women taking it. This is generally reflected in the composition of the student bodies at most business schools, where men almost always outnumber women.
Notice as well that the average GMAT score is appreciably higher for men than for women. This is great news for women with high GMAT scores, since they will stand out not only because they are women, but also because they are a coveted subgroup within a coveted subgroup. Of course, many other factors come into play in the admissions process (e.g., GPA, work experience, recommendations, etc.), but anything that draws positive attention to your application can only help your cause.
As for age, the range of GMAT takers goes from less than 20 years old to over 50, with the greatest number between the ages of 26 and 30. Refer to the chart below:
| Age | 1999-2000 | 2000-2001 | 2001-2002 | 2002-2003 | 2003-2004 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Below 20 | 18 | 18 | 22 | 35 | 38 |
| 20-21 | 1233 | 1316 | 1390 | 1430 | 1451 |
| 22-23 | 12,437 | 13,712 | 15,522 | 15,944 | 15,245 |
| 24-25 | 18,015 | 19,836 | 22,440 | 21,476 | 19,890 |
| 26-27 | 21,004 | 23,363 | 26,991 | 24,814 | 21,999 |
| 28-30 | 26,874 | 30,061 | 34,074 | 30,264 | 27,429 |
| 31-34 | 19,458 | 22,625 | 25,850 | 23,762 | 21,106 |
| 35-39 | 9847 | 11,170 | 11,687 | 10,909 | 10,334 |
| 40-49 | 5769 | 6136 | 6363 | 5992 | 5788 |
| Above 50 | 1132 | 1135 | 988 | 1014 | 1016 |
As you can see, the number of people taking the GMAT is greatest in the mid- to late twenties range. The number of people taking the test below the age of 20 is negligible, probably because most people wait until a few years out of college to apply to business school. And the number taking the test later in life is also smaller because fewer people at that stage of their careers feel the need for an MBA and/or are willing to endure the financial burden business school can entail. Chances are if you are considering business school, you are at a relatively early stage in your career and will find yourself competing for admission against other people in your cohort.
As for ethnicity, the vast majority of GMAT takers are white (75%), with Asians and Asian Americans making up 10%, African Americans making up 8%, Hispanic Americans making up 6%, and Native Americans making up 1%. If you belong to one of these smaller groups, your application will stand out from the crowd.
Undergraduate Fields of Study and Intended MBA Courses of Study
The undergraduate field of study with the greatest representation in the GMAT test-taking pool, unsurprisingly, is business. An average of 51,524 business majors have taken the test every year since 1999. The specific area within business with the greatest representation is finance, with an average of 12,064 GMAT test takers per year since 1999. Other business subfields with significant representation are accounting (10,708), management (8,776), and marketing (5,606). The average GMAT score for business majors is 504 since 1999.The next most popular undergraduate field of study for GMAT test takers is science. An average of 37,383 science majors have taken the GMAT every year since 1999. The most popular subfield within science is engineering, with an average of 22,319 GMAT test takers per year since 1999. Other science subfields with significant representation are computer science (5,008), biology (2,855), and mathematics (1,311). The average GMAT score for science majors is 571 since 1999.
The predominance of business and science majors helps explain the discrepancy between the percentiles in the quantitative and verbal sections of the exam. Many of these majors perform exceptionally well in the quantitative section, thus lowering the overall percentiles in that section. In other words, when many people perform well in quantitative, it becomes that much harder to achieve a high percentile rank even though one's performance in the section may be quite good.
After science, the next most popular undergraduate field of study is social science, with an average of 21,005 GMAT test takers per year since 1999. The most popular subfield within the social sciences is economics, with an average of 11,328 GMAT test takers per year since 1999. Other social science subfields with significant representation are political science (2,700), history (1,604), and psychology (1,448). The average GMAT score for social science majors is 547 since 1999.
Perhaps predictably, the least popular field of study for GMAT test takers is the humanities, with an average of 4,229 majors per year since 1999. The most popular subfield within the humanities is English, with an average of 1,338 GMAT test takers per year since 1999. No other subfield within the humanities has an average of over 1,000 GMAT test takers per year. The average GMAT score for humanities majors is 540 since 1999.
The undergraduate major with the highest average GMAT score is physics, with an average score of 611 since 1999. No other undergraduate major has an average GMAT score above 600.
Approximately 61% of GMAT test takers plan to attend business school full-time. Another 26% plan to attend part-time. About 5% plan to attend an executive MBA program. And about 8% are not sure of their plans at the time of their GMAT.
International GMAT Test Takers
The three U.S. states with the largest numbers of GMAT test takers are California, New York, and Texas. These also happen to be three of the most populous states, so it is not surprising that they would have the most GMAT test takers. Since 1999, California has had an average of 17,911 GMAT test takers per year. During that same period, New York has had an average of 13,582 test takers per year. And Texas has had an average of 11,525 test takers per year. No other states have averages over 10,000 test takers. Other states with significant numbers of test takers include Illinois (7,519), Florida (7,111), Massachusetts (6,158), New Jersey (5,717), and Pennsylvania (5,313). The states with the greatest ratio of GMAT test takers to overall population are Massachusetts (1 : 1031) and Utah (1 : 1175). This means that a larger percentage of the overall population in those states have taken the GMAT.The state with the highest average GMAT score since 1999 is the District of Columbia (ok, we know Washington, D.C. is not a state, but...), with an average GMAT score of 560. No other U.S. region has an average GMAT score over 550. Other states with high average GMAT scores include Vermont (547), Utah (545), and California (542).
Outside of the United States, an average of 59,891 people have taken the GMAT every year since 1999. The three countries with the greatest average number of GMAT test takers per year are India (8,240), China (5,159), and Japan (4,872). Other countries with significant numbers of GMAT test takers include Canada, France, Germany, Brazil, and Indonesia.
The country with the highest average GMAT score? Little Lichtenstein, that alpine principality tucked away between Switzerland and Austria, has an average GMAT score of 598 since 1999. Granted, even in its busiest year Lichtenstein saw a grand total of four GMAT test takers, but it still has an impressive GMAT average. Other countries with high averages include Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, and the United Kingdom, all of which have average GMAT scores around or above 550.
Copyright 2005 , MG Prep, Inc.; May not be reprinted without permission.
