Richard Gwin/Journal-World PhotoA year ago, David Whinery could have traded his law practice for a career in business consulting with no problems.
Now, with a slumping economy, the Topeka defense attorney and Lawrence resident says the offers he was getting are no longer available. So he’s returning to school this fall to get a master’s degree in business administration from Kansas University.
“The more degrees you have, the more employable you are,” he said. “I know employers have gotten a lot pickier. They aren’t interested in training you. They want someone already trained.”
Whinery is part of a growing trend at KU and nationwide: Workers are returning in droves to graduate school to weather the recession and hone their skills for better days.
“The recession tends to bring people back,” said Doug Houston, director of graduate programs at KU’s School of Business. “For those who are unemployed, it’s a time for them to regear their careers. For those who have a fear of potential layoffs, it’s another form of job insurance.”
Total application figures for KU’s more than 80 graduate programs won’t be known until after deadlines pass later this spring. But two of the largest graduate programs the School of Business and the School of Law are seeing higher numbers of prospective students for the fall semester.
The MBA program has about 80 applications for the fall semester, up about 20 percent over past years, said Dee Steinle, the program’s associate director.
And attendance at information sessions is up. One held two weeks ago in Overland Park drew 65 people. Another this week is expected to draw 100 people. Steinle said similar programs in the past would draw 80 people for the entire year.
“Certainly, there’s a ton of interest,” she said.
The School of Law also has been busy fielding applications. With more than two weeks remaining until the deadline, the school already has 800 applications for its fall class about the same number it received for all of last year.
“It’s the economy,” Dean Steve McAllister said. “A big part of it is people aren’t sure what’s going to happen, and this is a safe thing to go school for three years.”
Having more applicants doesn’t mean bigger classes at the schools. It just means more students will be turned away.
KU’s full-time MBA program admits about 40 percent of its applicants, which number about 125 per year. Its part-time MBA program at the Edwards Campus in Overland Park admits about 150 of its 350 to 400 applicants each year.
The School of Law usually admits 175 first-year students each year. That was 22 percent of last year’s applicants.
“It allows us to be a little more selective,” McAllister said. “The end result is to get the same size class, with a bigger pool and stronger pool of applicants.”
Ginny Fuerst entered KU’s MBA program this spring after spending three years as a teacher. Fuerst, daughter of School of Business Dean Bill Fuerst, said once she decided to leave the education field, another degree became a necessity.
“The jobs definitely aren’t beating down the door,” she said. “It definitely is convenient to do it now because it’s not like there are so many opportunities. Things are kind of in a state of transition, kind of in a slowdown.
“Maybe I’ll just keep going for another degree and another degree until we have an economy I can get a good job in.”
Richard Gwin/Journal-World PhotoA year ago, David Whinery could have traded his law practice for a career in business consulting with no problems.
Now, with a slumping economy, the Topeka defense attorney and Lawrence resident says the offers he was getting are no longer available. So he’s returning to school this fall to get a master’s degree in business administration from Kansas University.
“The more degrees you have, the more employable you are,” he said. “I know employers have gotten a lot pickier. They aren’t interested in training you. They want someone already trained.”
Whinery is part of a growing trend at KU and nationwide: Workers are returning in droves to graduate school to weather the recession and hone their skills for better days.
“The recession tends to bring people back,” said Doug Houston, director of graduate programs at KU’s School of Business. “For those who are unemployed, it’s a time for them to regear their careers. For those who have a fear of potential layoffs, it’s another form of job insurance.”
Total application figures for KU’s more than 80 graduate programs won’t be known until after deadlines pass later this spring. But two of the largest graduate programs the School of Business and the School of Law are seeing higher numbers of prospective students for the fall semester.
The MBA program has about 80 applications for the fall semester, up about 20 percent over past years, said Dee Steinle, the program’s associate director.
And attendance at information sessions is up. One held two weeks ago in Overland Park drew 65 people. Another this week is expected to draw 100 people. Steinle said similar programs in the past would draw 80 people for the entire year.
“Certainly, there’s a ton of interest,” she said.
The School of Law also has been busy fielding applications. With more than two weeks remaining until the deadline, the school already has 800 applications for its fall class about the same number it received for all of last year.
“It’s the economy,” Dean Steve McAllister said. “A big part of it is people aren’t sure what’s going to happen, and this is a safe thing to go school for three years.”
Having more applicants doesn’t mean bigger classes at the schools. It just means more students will be turned away.
KU’s full-time MBA program admits about 40 percent of its applicants, which number about 125 per year. Its part-time MBA program at the Edwards Campus in Overland Park admits about 150 of its 350 to 400 applicants each year.
The School of Law usually admits 175 first-year students each year. That was 22 percent of last year’s applicants.
“It allows us to be a little more selective,” McAllister said. “The end result is to get the same size class, with a bigger pool and stronger pool of applicants.”
Ginny Fuerst entered KU’s MBA program this spring after spending three years as a teacher. Fuerst, daughter of School of Business Dean Bill Fuerst, said once she decided to leave the education field, another degree became a necessity.
“The jobs definitely aren’t beating down the door,” she said. “It definitely is convenient to do it now because it’s not like there are so many opportunities. Things are kind of in a state of transition, kind of in a slowdown.
“Maybe I’ll just keep going for another degree and another degree until we have an economy I can get a good job in.”
Richard Gwin/Journal-World PhotoA year ago, David Whinery could have traded his law practice for a career in business consulting with no problems.
Now, with a slumping economy, the Topeka defense attorney and Lawrence resident says the offers he was getting are no longer available. So he’s returning to school this fall to get a master’s degree in business administration from Kansas University.
“The more degrees you have, the more employable you are,” he said. “I know employers have gotten a lot pickier. They aren’t interested in training you. They want someone already trained.”
Whinery is part of a growing trend at KU and nationwide: Workers are returning in droves to graduate school to weather the recession and hone their skills for better days.
“The recession tends to bring people back,” said Doug Houston, director of graduate programs at KU’s School of Business. “For those who are unemployed, it’s a time for them to regear their careers. For those who have a fear of potential layoffs, it’s another form of job insurance.”
Total application figures for KU’s more than 80 graduate programs won’t be known until after deadlines pass later this spring. But two of the largest graduate programs the School of Business and the School of Law are seeing higher numbers of prospective students for the fall semester.
The MBA program has about 80 applications for the fall semester, up about 20 percent over past years, said Dee Steinle, the program’s associate director.
And attendance at information sessions is up. One held two weeks ago in Overland Park drew 65 people. Another this week is expected to draw 100 people. Steinle said similar programs in the past would draw 80 people for the entire year.
“Certainly, there’s a ton of interest,” she said.
The School of Law also has been busy fielding applications. With more than two weeks remaining until the deadline, the school already has 800 applications for its fall class about the same number it received for all of last year.
“It’s the economy,” Dean Steve McAllister said. “A big part of it is people aren’t sure what’s going to happen, and this is a safe thing to go school for three years.”
Having more applicants doesn’t mean bigger classes at the schools. It just means more students will be turned away.
KU’s full-time MBA program admits about 40 percent of its applicants, which number about 125 per year. Its part-time MBA program at the Edwards Campus in Overland Park admits about 150 of its 350 to 400 applicants each year.
The School of Law usually admits 175 first-year students each year. That was 22 percent of last year’s applicants.
“It allows us to be a little more selective,” McAllister said. “The end result is to get the same size class, with a bigger pool and stronger pool of applicants.”
Ginny Fuerst entered KU’s MBA program this spring after spending three years as a teacher. Fuerst, daughter of School of Business Dean Bill Fuerst, said once she decided to leave the education field, another degree became a necessity.
“The jobs definitely aren’t beating down the door,” she said. “It definitely is convenient to do it now because it’s not like there are so many opportunities. Things are kind of in a state of transition, kind of in a slowdown.
“Maybe I’ll just keep going for another degree and another degree until we have an economy I can get a good job in.”
Richard Gwin/Journal-World PhotoA year ago, David Whinery could have traded his law practice for a career in business consulting with no problems.
Now, with a slumping economy, the Topeka defense attorney and Lawrence resident says the offers he was getting are no longer available. So he’s returning to school this fall to get a master’s degree in business administration from Kansas University.
“The more degrees you have, the more employable you are,” he said. “I know employers have gotten a lot pickier. They aren’t interested in training you. They want someone already trained.”
Whinery is part of a growing trend at KU and nationwide: Workers are returning in droves to graduate school to weather the recession and hone their skills for better days.
“The recession tends to bring people back,” said Doug Houston, director of graduate programs at KU’s School of Business. “For those who are unemployed, it’s a time for them to regear their careers. For those who have a fear of potential layoffs, it’s another form of job insurance.”
Total application figures for KU’s more than 80 graduate programs won’t be known until after deadlines pass later this spring. But two of the largest graduate programs the School of Business and the School of Law are seeing higher numbers of prospective students for the fall semester.
The MBA program has about 80 applications for the fall semester, up about 20 percent over past years, said Dee Steinle, the program’s associate director.
And attendance at information sessions is up. One held two weeks ago in Overland Park drew 65 people. Another this week is expected to draw 100 people. Steinle said similar programs in the past would draw 80 people for the entire year.
“Certainly, there’s a ton of interest,” she said.
The School of Law also has been busy fielding applications. With more than two weeks remaining until the deadline, the school already has 800 applications for its fall class about the same number it received for all of last year.
“It’s the economy,” Dean Steve McAllister said. “A big part of it is people aren’t sure what’s going to happen, and this is a safe thing to go school for three years.”
Having more applicants doesn’t mean bigger classes at the schools. It just means more students will be turned away.
KU’s full-time MBA program admits about 40 percent of its applicants, which number about 125 per year. Its part-time MBA program at the Edwards Campus in Overland Park admits about 150 of its 350 to 400 applicants each year.
The School of Law usually admits 175 first-year students each year. That was 22 percent of last year’s applicants.
“It allows us to be a little more selective,” McAllister said. “The end result is to get the same size class, with a bigger pool and stronger pool of applicants.”
Ginny Fuerst entered KU’s MBA program this spring after spending three years as a teacher. Fuerst, daughter of School of Business Dean Bill Fuerst, said once she decided to leave the education field, another degree became a necessity.
“The jobs definitely aren’t beating down the door,” she said. “It definitely is convenient to do it now because it’s not like there are so many opportunities. Things are kind of in a state of transition, kind of in a slowdown.
“Maybe I’ll just keep going for another degree and another degree until we have an economy I can get a good job in.”
