There has been a lot of discussion lately about Wharton’s MBA program dropping in its prestige, mainly based on the decrease in its application numbers in recent years. A Wall Street Journal article claimed Wharton to be no longer among the top choices for MBA candidates and that the resignation of its Director of Admissions is related.

According to a post on the admissions committee’s blog, 2014 has actually shown an increase in Round 1 applications: “If you believe that application volume is an indicator of the relevance of an MBA program, then I’m pleased to announce that our Round One numbers are up.” Though they did not provide additional data, it seems it was important for them to convey the message of a change in trend from the drop of over 17% in application volume in the last five years, including a 6% drop in 2013.

Wharton connected the drop in applications with the addition of group interviews to the application process. Impressive numbers in Round 2 and 3 could reaffirm Wharton as a top program retaining its prestige.