Fewer jobs lure more to grad school

The tough job market is pushing more and more people to consider graduate school, officials at the University of North Carolina and Duke University said.

UNC saw 17 percent more applicants this year than last. Almost 10,000 more people applied to begin graduate studies in the fall semester. Applications are up 24 percent since 2008.

At Duke, the trend is the same, Keith Lawrence, director of media relations said Tuesday.

In 2008, about 25,000 people applied for admission to the university's graduate and professional schools, including the divinity, law and medical schools and the Fuqua School of Business.

In 2009, that number grew by about 2,000. Although numbers are not final for Fall 2010, Lawrence said the growth trend was expected to continue.