After several years of decline, business school admissions have started to rebound this fall. Two-thirds of full-time and 62 percent of part-time MBA programs report higher application levels this year, according to a recent national survey conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), which administers the Graduate Management Admission Test.

Following this trend, applications for admission to DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business in Chicago rose 22 percent this year. The renewed interest boosted new student enrollment in Kellstadt’s evening and weekend MBA programs by 9 percent, to 246 students, this fall. Overall, new student enrollment for Kellstadt’s combined master’s degree programs increased by 22 percent, to 411 students, this year.

“Supported by better economic conditions, more working professionals feel comfortable about making the investment in business school to advance their careers,” said Ray Whittington, Kellstadt dean. “DePaul’s career-focused curriculum, which allows customization and flexibility, and our continuing reputation for high quality make our program attractive.”

Prior to this year, demographic shifts (fewer MBA-aged students) and economic downturns (including the dot-com bust) had adversely affected MBA enrollments nationwide. Competition also has been keen in the Chicago market, which is home to more than two dozen MBA programs. But this year’s improved job outlook for business school graduates has rejuvenated interest in earning an MBA, according to GMAC.

“GMAC surveys conducted in 2006 show that average salaries for new MBAs are continuing to rise and the majority of business school graduates are again able to secure a job,” a GMAC news release about its graduate school application survey stated. “Corporate recruiters, meanwhile, report that they feel better about the economy—and are visiting more business school campuses to hire newly minted MBAs.”

Robert Ryan, assistant dean and director of DePaul’s MBA program, observed that a stronger regional economy, with Illinois’ unemployment currently at its lowest mark since 2000, also is benefiting DePaul’s program. “Prior to this year, local merger activity and high unemployment rates among white collar workers made some working professionals hesitate to apply for business school,” he said. “Now that economic conditions are improving regionally, professionals who were waiting are now applying.” He noted that the average age of DePaul’s new business students is 31 this year compared with 28 in previous years.

High rankings earned by DePaul’s part-time MBA program in October could help with future student recruiting, he added. DePaul’s graduate entrepreneurship program earned a No. 2 ranking nationally from Entrepreneur magazine/Princeton Review and Crain’s Chicago Business rated DePaul’s MBA program No. 3 in the competitive Chicago market, just behind programs at Northwestern University and University of Chicago.

Offering highly respected, practical, flexible programs of business study, DePaul's College of Commerce encompasses the university’s undergraduate business program, with 4,424 students, and the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business, which enrolls 1,806 students. Kellstadt offers part-time evening, full-time day and weekend MBA programs as well as other specialized master’s degrees. Twenty-six MBA concentrations are offered, allowing students to tailor their educational experience to meet professional needs. This fully accredited program is ranked 11th in the nation by U.S.News & World Report in its “America’s Best Graduate Schools” guidebook, which surveyed 399 schools.