<p>Total apps up 5%</p>
<p>(1) former early appliers to Harvard, Princeton & UVa now sending out multiple apps
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/28/opinion/lweb28college.html?ref=opinion%5B/url%5D">http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/28/opinion/lweb28college.html?ref=opinion</a></p>
<p>
[quote]
Applications to Colleges Are Breaking Records (news article, Jan. 17) suggests several possible reasons for the increase, but does not recognize the contribution to these numbers of the canceled early admission programs.</p>
<p>In 2006, Harvard, Princeton and Virginia collectively admitted 2,500 students who applied to their early admission programs. These students submitted one application rather than the 8 to 10 applications common among high-aspiring high school students.</p>
<p>With these early admission programs gone, we can expect between 20,000 and 25,000 new applications flooding admissions offices of colleges and universities around the country.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>(2) Economic slow-down driving some in recession states back to school (more of a grad school phenomenon)
<a href="http://www.myfoxaustin.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=5605465&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.8.1%5B/url%5D">http://www.myfoxaustin.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=5605465&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.8.1</a>
[quote]
Rather than tread water at a dead-end job, more adults are returning to college during the economic downturn. All five colleges based in Southwest Florida have reached record enrollment levels, and the State University System of Florida reports 13.4 percent more people applied to graduate school in 2007 than the prior year.</p>
<p>"This is the largest increase in graduate school applications, in both number and percentage, as far back as our records go," said state Chancellor Mark Rosenberg.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>The Marquette University student newspaper (The</a> Marquette Tribune) is reporting an increase of applications -- up 1,886 apps from 13,036 last year to 14,922 this year "so far." That's what? -- about a 12 or 13% increase?
That comes on top of last year's 16% increase, according to archived news releases on the university's website.</p>
<p>Princeton is now reporting an increase in applications of 12%, for a total of 21,262. This percentage is twice as much as the 6% increase they originally claimed.</p>
<p>Princeton</a> University - Princeton sets applications record for fourth year in a row--UPDATED</p>
<p>likewise, U Chicago has some revised numbers as well, pushing their total increase to 20%.</p>
<p>Chicago</a> Maroon » College apps jump by record numbers</p>
<p>
[quote]
Applications to the College rose nearly 20 percent this year, resulting in the largest applicant pool in the history of the University. The College received 12,381 applications for the 2008–2009 year, up from 10,334 applicants last year, said Michael Behnke, vice president and dean of College enrollment at the University.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>up 16% thus far in the count</p>
<p><a href="http://www.thehoya.com/node/15164%5B/url%5D">http://www.thehoya.com/node/15164</a></p>
<p>
[quote]
Georgetown received a record number of applications this year, but Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Charles Deacon said that this will lead to a three-percentage drop in the overall acceptance rate from last year.</p>
<p>Deacon said approximately 18,750 people applied to Georgetown this year, surpassing last years record of 16,163. He added that a final number of this years applications is not yet available, as applications are still being received.</p>
<p>The high number of applicants will necessitate a lower acceptance rate this year, Deacon said.</p>
<p>Normally, we would take the admit rate of the previous year about 21 percent and use that number for the current applicant pool, he said. But he said that the sheer number of applicants makes the 21 percent standard impossible.</p>
<p>Administrators have decided to admit about 18 percent of both early and regular decision applicants. The policy of admitting the same percentage of early applicants as regular decision applicants is one that Georgetown has always stuck to, Deacon said.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>errata on U Richmond (post 179)...Otis, the US News database is always 1 year old, that is, their data are for the class of '10, hence your % calc represents a two year increase. According to Richmond's 07-08 CDS (<a href="http://oir.richmond.edu/CommonDataSets/CDS2007_2008_FINAL.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://oir.richmond.edu/CommonDataSets/CDS2007_2008_FINAL.pdf</a>), 6649 applied last year, hence 7500/6649= 13% increase thus far from last year.</p>
<p>Vanderbilt 30%
Chicago 20%
Harvard 18%
Amherst 17%
Yale 17%
Georgetown 16%
Northwestern 14%
Richmond 13%
Princeton 12%
Dartmouth 11%
Williams 11%
RPI 10%
Swarthmore 9%<br>
Brown 8%<br>
Cornell 8%<br>
Middlebury 7%<br>
MIT 7%<br>
Duke 5%<br>
Will & Mary 5%<br>
Columbia 4%<br>
Virginia 4%<br>
Stanford 3%<br>
NYU 0% ?
Penn 0%</p>
<p>PC,</p>
<p>So what do these rankings mean? I have no idea. Your take?</p>
<p>My take is that on a macro basis, these numbers show just how much turmoil has been created by:
1) the elimination of ED/EA by HY and the expanded number of applications to the most selective colleges;
2) the increased numbers demographically;
3) the increased numbers absolutely of those high schoolers choosing to pursue a college education; and
4) the increased numbers of internationals in the system.</p>
<p>On a micro basis, the percentage numbers can be a little misleading because some colleges, like Vanderbilt, are starting from a lower base. So, while their percentage increase is truly impressive, in absolute terms it is not much different from many of the other highly selective colleges. In the case of Vanderbilt and U Chicago, I think that these two colleges are the biggest winners as Vanderbilt is gaining a national level of recognition/prominence higher than ever before while U Chicago is attracting a broader group of applicants rather than just the stereotypical quirky intellectual kids. This will continue next year as U Chicago adopts the common application. Furthermore, and IMO most importantly, the development of Vanderbilt, U Chicago and others as truly national players is good for the whole system and gives top high school students more choices of schools with different flavors.</p>
<p>Hawkette: Glad you chimed in; How much of Vandy's increase do you personally attribute to the fact that they eliminated the "Why Vandy" essay on their supplement? And in addition, how much do you think eliminating that essay will affect stats? Will it be only high flying kids with ivy stats being accepted? (I mean how hard can it be to hit submit?)</p>
<p>^^^I'm not Hawkette, but I'll chime in anyway.</p>
<p>Rodney, speaking as a Vanderbilt fan, and parent, I do think the overall profile of the accepted student body will be somewhat stronger in terms of scores, gpa, course choices and types of ecs, but I definitely don't think there is any danger of "only high flying kids with Ivy stats" being accepted.</p>
<p>Personally, I think Vanderbilt is absolutely a viable option for kids with those records, but I doubt that I have convinced everybody else of that, yet. I'm guessing that Admissions recognizes that some of those tippy top applicants will be attending only if they land one of the big merit awards. </p>
<p>There is a feeling among a lot of people at Vanderbilt that the new freshman Commons residential project is responsible for a good deal of the increase in applications.</p>
<p>I don't know about the Vandy essay thing. Was that really that big a hurdle to do? I have heard a lot about the difficulty of the U Chicago app and theirs sounds a lot more demanding than a "Why Vandy" question and thus a greater deterrent. U Chicago's move to accept the common app will be a big change which I suspect is a lot more significant than any change that Vandy made. Expect to see a sharp drop in U Chicago's acceptance rate going forward. I would be surprised to see Vanderbilt sustain such a growth rate next year. It will probably go up as the school's profile is high and going higher, but the power of big numbers will come more into play and affect the percentage change. </p>
<p>As for Vanderbilt's student stats, like most top colleges, they are going up. Over the last decade, they have made great gains and have closed (and in some cases exceeded) the gaps with the lower end of the Ivies. Given Vandy's increased ED and RD applicant pools (up 41% and 30%), it is quite likely that those students were of higher statistical quality than ever before and I would expect their student profile numbers to go up again next year. Because of their location, they are unlikely ever to get the same quantity of applications as similarly sized colleges (Columbia, Brown, Georgetown, Duke or slightly larger Northwestern, U Penn, even ND), so their admit rate is not likely to go much below 25% which would be higher than all of the aforementioned colleges. </p>
<p>For me, the fascinating thing to watch this spring and summer will be the number of admits and the yields and how well admissions departments are able to manage to their targets. Schools like Vanderbilt, Northwestern, U Penn, Columbia, Brown, Duke have an advantage with ED programs while U Chicago, Notre Dame and Georgetown will be scrambling to retain their winter EA admits. That, combined with the use of merit aid and the new financial aid plans from many top colleges make this a very, very unsettled scene for colleges and students alike. Expect to see a lot more use of the waiting lists by many of these colleges, and probably later and later in the summer than ever before.</p>
<p>I wish I understood how much of the increase is due to (#1) an upswing in applications/student, and how much is due to (#2) increased demographics (whether from U.S. baby boom, increased # of higher-performing college-bound or increased # of international applicants). </p>
<p>If the increase in applications is mostly due to #1, then there should be a corresponding decrease in selectivity (if colleges want to be sure to fill their classes), because at the end of the day, one student's bottom can only fill one university's seat. Right? or am I missing something?</p>
<p>Colleges at the top end of the desirability scale can continue to increase in selectivity for a LONG time, bucking demographic trends. I think my FAQ post on demographic trends has already been posted to this thread.</p>
<p>Isn't the increase in apps also due (partially at least) to more aggressive marketing efforts at certain schools? I noticed Richmond is on the list. A couple of years ago, when my son was applying to colleges, they absolutely swarmed him with marketing materials. Both before and after he was accepted. The tours were also designed to impress. We experienced a similar approach with Lehigh. Plus they gave money too (like Vanderbilt from what I understand). I know Vanderbilt has gone to great lengths to present an image of a national (ve regional ) school with all kinds of kids (vs just rich southerners).</p>
<p>memake, </p>
<p>analyzing demographic trends is difficult. Certainly the rise in college bound baby echo kids does not begin to account for the rise in app numbers, but that's the wrong metric, as some of the increase could be due to a perceived flight to quality as state universities undergo another round of appropriation cuts from state legislatures. That, combined with rising tuition costs at state universities makes the private option a bit more attractive. </p>
<p>toneranger, You been on a U. Chicago tour? no effort to sugar coat that experience. you apply there because you expect to work hard and want a challenge.</p>
<p>no, haven't been to U of Chicago - but they are really quite unique.
Wondering though about places like Richmond, Vandy, Wake Forest, etc.
They seem to have pretty slick marketing - as well as big investments in amenities for students (rec centers, dorms, etc). Trying hard to pull them in...and it's working.</p>
<p>memake,
One number that I have quoted a few times is that there were 1.4mm high school graduates in 1993-4. In 2006, there were 2.3mm. Demographics have played huge roll in the overall increase in applications and have only fed the pattern of increased numbers of applications per student, for the most selective schools, from probably 3-5 to more like 8-10.</p>
<p>The rec center at Vanderbilt is nice enough, but does not compare (and I should be putting that in caps) to the rec centers at quite a few public universities I have seen, including our flagship public (how many ways can we spell excess?). The new dorms are not just new dorms, but a new (old) approach to "freshman life", a reintroduction of the residential college approach.</p>
<p>So, I agree that Vanderbilt is trying hard "to pull them in" and get the word out that they are interested in building a diverse, national, student body, but I don't think it quite hits the mark to insinuate that their efforts can be summed up as 'marketing amenities'.</p>