<p><a href=“http://www.dailypennsylvanian.com/vnews/display.v/ART/42198dbe830c9[/url]”>http://www.dailypennsylvanian.com/vnews/display.v/ART/42198dbe830c9</a></p>
<p>at least its only a 3% increase...</p>
<p>are the veiled digs at Princeton really necessary?</p>
<p>As usual, the numbers reported in the Daily Pennsylvanian cannot be reconciled with data reported on Penn's official site, where they claim to have received 18,831 total apps last year, and 3,837 ED apps. If the "official" numbers for RD and ED apps last year are correct, then apps did not rise 3% as claimed by the Daily Pennsylvanian for the Class of 2009, but actually declined slightly, with ED apps virtually flat.</p>
<p>COMPARE:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.upenn.edu/about/facts.php%5B/url%5D">http://www.upenn.edu/about/facts.php</a></p>
<p>Who cares really?</p>
<p>NYCFan,</p>
<p>Stop spreading propaganda. The Penn site were numbers for the class of 2007. This year is the class of 2009. They didn't post 2008's numbers for some reason.</p>
<p>Article says:
Penn has received 18,749 (2009) applications, compared to 18,202 last year (being the class of 2008). Penn # of apps for 2007 is 18,831.</p>
<p>Not nearly as up as other places...wonder why?</p>
<p>Why? Did you read the article? Your reading comprehension leaves something to be desired.</p>
<p>"Brown (16,835), Columbia (18,236), Cornell (24,114), Dartmouth (12,615), Harvard (22,717) and Princeton (16,077) all received a record high number of applications.</p>
<p>Yale received 19,430 applications, 245 fewer than last year.</p>
<p>"I think all of the Ivy League schools are recruiting more actively," Stetson said, although he did acknowledge that Cornell's increase of 16.2 percent and Princeton's increase of 17 percent were partly due to those school's decision this year to join Harvard, Yale and Dartmouth by accepting the Common Application."</p>
<p>Schools like Dartmouth and Harvard have a lot of "What the heck" type of applications. Penn has MUCH less of those. I myself had a "what the heck" application to Dartmouth, as did a lot of my friends. Its application is so easy, it's the common app + peer rec (which you don't do). Next to Wash U, Dartmouth has the easiest application. Penn's application has a couple of essays and requires much more time. That's why it has not increased: People have to think about the time they have to invest in Penn's application.</p>
<p>Yes, the article was pretty self-explanatory...and I completely agree with your analysis of "what the heck" applicants to Harvard and Darmouth (and other Ivies with barely any additional supplemental work needed like Yale).</p>
<p>Penn had more applicants for the class of 2007 than 2009. It's RD admission rate for the class of 2007 was either 16.5% or 17.5% depending on who you believe. Yet the DP says admission rate this spring (I assume RD rate for the class of 2009) will be 14%. What gives.</p>
<p>DP admissions stories, over the years, have been notoriously error-prone and unreliable.</p>
<p>The University itself cannot escape blame entirely, however, since Penn does by far the worst job of any Ivy school in publishing timely and complete admissions statistics.</p>
<hr>
<p>NOTE: it is entirely possible that Penn's 2009 admit rate may fall, even as the number of applicants also falls or stays virtually flat.</p>
<p>How so? Three factors:</p>
<p>(1) a record-high 48% of the class of 2009 has been filled with juicy 100%-yield ED admits;</p>
<p>(2) like other Ivies, Penn is using the "likely letter" device to feel out RD applicants and, hopefully to get them partially committed in advance of the technical April 1 admit date; and </p>
<p>(3) like other elites, Penn may follow the trend to goose the yield rate by "going lean" on RD admits, and making broader use of the waitlist to fill openings. (Note that the waitlist admits are, like ED admits,plucked like fruit hanging from the lower branches as 100% yield folks. They aren't "formally" admitted until they commit to enroll.)</p>
<p>Pennstergo, I think now in 2009 Penn will probably have a higher yield. Perhaps that's why the admission rate will be 14%? Another possibility for the lower percentage is the greater amount of early decision acceptees.</p>
<p>Yeah Duckstamper, that explains a couple schools increases (Cornell, Princeton) and Harvard increased its financial aid so that's a reason as well. But Brown (up 10%), Dartmouth (up 8%), Duke (up 7%), Columbia (up 5%), Georgetown (up 6%), Amherst (up 17%)...the list goes on. Also, the "what the heck" theory doesnt work because the same theory applied for those schools already on the common app for last years class. Then again, its probably alot easier for Amherst or Dartmouth to go up since they are smaller than Penn.</p>
<p>Slipper1234</p>
<p>"Also, the "what the heck" theory doesnt work because the same theory applied for those schools already on the common app for last years class."</p>
<p>Please make your sentences coherent. I had to read that twice.
And no, the very fact that Dartmouth has the Common App allows people do to "what the heck" applications. The Common App is easy. Everyone does it. Everyone at my school does it. The first thing the counselors recommend is to write an essay that fits the common app's essay criterion. And in this time when acceptances are harder to get, people tend to apply to many more schools. It is not unheard of for people to apply to 8-9 schools with the common app; Dartmouth and Wash U are certainly two of the easiest schools to apply to. </p>
<p>With the rise of low acceptance rates (Yale in the single digits now), people apply to more schools now. And the first schools they apply to are the schools that are the easiest to apply to (i.e. Dartmouth).</p>
<p>Let me give an example. I applied to Dartmouth because the application is essentially the common app + a peer rec. I could just ask a friend to write it and I'm done.</p>
<p>But I also applied to Chicago. I spent a lot of time debating whether I should apply to Chicago or not: this is because Chicago's application requirements a couple unique essays (I cannot recycle my common app essays). In the end I did because I researched Chicago and I found that it could be a good fit for me.</p>
<p>You are missing my point completely. </p>
<p>Simple terms for a simple mind:
2003: Dartmouth is on the common app
2004: Dartmouth is on the common app</p>
<p>Both would be "what the heck" years for the school. But Dartmouth still increased 8% so some other factor generated the increase. </p>
<p>There is a constant in terms of "what the heck applications".</p>
<p>slipper...duskstamper actually had a good point againstyour REAL point (even though he thought your point meant something diff):</p>
<p>the low admissions rates of last year (many recordlows) scare this years students into applying to more schools (hence the accross the board increasin in applications - xept yale) - hence the greater amount of apps to dartmouth</p>
<p>Evidently you didn't read my posts. Please work on your reading comprehension skills. It would save us both time. </p>
<p>Truths:
Dartmouth is on the common app
Penn is NOT on the common app</p>
<p>Change over time:
Elite research universities (and colleges like Dartmouth)
are becoming increasingly selective. </p>
<p>Typical Applicant Response:
Apply to more elite unis+ LACs to increase chances for admission to an elite university.</p>
<p>I promise you the average apps/student increased over the past year. Since it's that much easier to apply to Dartmouth than Penn, there will be more "what the heck" applications for Dartmouth because the selectivity of the schools forces students to apply to more schools. The first schools they will apply to are the top elite ones with easier applications.</p>
<p>Okay, now I get you. I wasn't clear on your theory that "what the heck" applications increase disproportionally as schools get more competitive. Still doesnt explain the rise at Duke, Brown, Amherst, Columbia. Then again, its better for people applying to Penn this year. These things go in waves. Yale was up big last year, Princeton down big, etc...</p>