Once again, here's a passage about the further education in MBA programs in this financial tsunami. Apart from that, the way of describing and comparing figures  is also useful for writing task one in IELTS.

Going back to school isn't just for kids any more. There is more competition among adults applying to the nation's top MBA programs. A survey by the Graduate Management Admission Council found that two-thirds of full-time MBA programs saw an increase in applications in 2006. That's compared to only 21% seen increases the year before. Part-time and executive MBA programs are also sifting through more applicants. It's not just members of the old boys club who are applying. The survey shows that more women and minorities are looking to advance their careers with an advanced degree. So why are people applying now? Some suggest that the increase in applications could be a result of a slowing economy. More people are willing to attend school during a slowdown and hope things will pick up after graduation. Others see it as a career investment. A survey by the same group conducted in May found that the average starting salary for MBA graduates is 92, 000 dollars. That's 4. 2% more than just a year ago.