With much of the application season drawing to a close, I found it interesting to hear today from a top 10 school dean about the data on EMBA programs. It seems that despite all the hype, EMBA aps were DOWN across the board this year by an average of 38% over last year. If you think about it, this makes perfect sense in light of the economic retrenching in the corporate world. The same bad economy sends individuals back to the full time MBA programs in droves, but since most EMBAs are sponsored by their companies, it follows that poor market conditions would discourage these companies from laying out the high price tag to send their top performers away to study. If only these companies would realize that it makes the most sense to send executives to school during a down cycle than at the peak. The good news is, if you are in the market for an EMBA, go ahead and apply as soon as you can. The odds are much better that you will be accepted. Good luck!