<p>Gulp. Things are getting more competitive, for sure.</p>
<p>Seems like almost all the elite LACs are seeing big increases. Hard to know if it's just a reflection of the baby boom echo generation or what.</p>
<p>I think it might have to do with the simplicity of applying to multiple colleges, by way of the Common Application.</p>
<p>I wouldn't be suprised if the whole Common App thing fell out of fortune within the next few years, so as to end the pattern of people applying to 10,000 safety schools / schools they won't even attend. I must admit, I'm a product of Common Application Fever, if it should be so called. I applied to 10 schools only about 6 or 7 would I even want to attend.</p>
<p>I've heard the common app theory and it's probably got something to do with it. What seems odd to me is why that hasn't played havoc with the schools' assumptions about yield. If more kids are applying to multiple match and reach schools, wouldn't that mean that kids who ordinarily would accept admission to a certain school have more choices in that category, and therefore some schools will get a smaller yield than in the past? If so, you'd think that would force schools to take a lot more people from the waitlist, but all evidence is to the contrary.</p>