<p>Princeton University for the fifth consecutive year has set a record for students applying for admission, receiving 21,869 applications for the class of 2013. Over the past six years, the University has experienced a 60 percent increase in applications.</p>
<p>The number of applicants for the class of 2013 represents a 2 percent increase over last year's record of 21,370 completed applications for the class of 2012, which had an applicant pool 6 percent larger than for the class of 2011. Applicants for that class were up 8 percent over the applicants for the class of 2010, whose applicant numbers represented a 6 percent increase over those for freshmen for the 2009 class.</p>
<p>The record-setting interest from student applicants comes as the University plans to enroll its highest number of freshmen in history -- 1,300 students -- in keeping with a planned gradual expansion of the size of the undergraduate class that culminates with the freshmen who will enroll in the fall. </p>
<p>The increase in applicants also accompanies greater numbers of students applying for financial aid. The Office of Admission has seen an increase from 70 percent of students applying for financial aid last year to 75 percent of applicants for the class of 2013 applying for aid.</p>
<p>Butternut, what are you talking about? Harvard's applicants count went up 5.6% and Yale's (as well as Duke's, MIT's, and Stanford's) went up >10%. 2% is terrible.</p>
<p>Plus 1300 students will be enrolled, so keeping a 60% yield rate means we'll be accepting 10% of our applicants. That's an embarrassment - to have our acceptance rate increase at this time in history where baby boomers' kids are going to college.</p>
<p>I wasn't expecting such a (relatively, lol) low number compared to Harvard's 29,000!
But wheee, these stats kind of make me happy - I've got <em>maybe</em> a chance now!? :D</p>
<p>Application numbers are really fairly meaningless, Princeton's application is alot more involved than that of other schools (or at least it used to be?). It does a great job of weeding people out who are there to just "throw in an application." The lower numbers don't make it any easier to get in, sure, the acceptance rate will be higher but a higher acceptance rate amongst a stronger pool is pretty meaningless (see UChicago :) )</p>
<p>The numbers do not surprise in the sense that Princeton's financial aid, despite the Unviersity's assertions, is now generally no better and in some cases less generous than that of the school's chief rivals. With this part of the playing field leveled, many students who plan to apply to only one or two from among HYP are going to select H or Y over P.</p>
<p>Im a little surprised that there wasnt a larger increase in the total number of applications. Still, this is good news for applicants! </p>
<p>PimpDaddy, it is true that the Princeton application takes a little more work. For example, correct me if Im wrong, but I believe that Harvard does not require any supplemental essays. An applicant can simply submit the common application or the universal application without customizing it for Harvard. Yale, however, saw a bigger increase in applications than either Harvard or Princeton and it, like Princeton, does require a supplemental essay. Last year Princeton and Yale had an almost identical number of applicants but Yales number increased to about 26,000 this year for a 13 or 14% increase.</p>
<p>The demographic bubble explains most of the increases at all of these schools. At some schools the increases were very significant. Brown was up 21% this year. Stanford was up 20% and Duke was up 17%. Im certainly glad Im not applying to college these days.</p>
<p>I know "Princeton University has offered admission to 1,976 students, or 9.25 percent of the record 21,369 applicants for the class of 2012." </p>
<p>and as you've said, theyre trying to get 1300 matriculations, increase from 1240 last year.. So what's the projection of the # that they're offering admission to?</p>
<p>"Yeah, if I were the Princeton administration, I'd be sooooo embarrassed! Clearly Princeton has lost its prestige!!!"</p>
<p>Sarcasm doesn't work when.. yeah, Princeton's administration probably would be pretty embarrassed when the acceptance rate goes up (you're right!). Did I say anything about prestige? Didn't think so. Although that will likely go down slightly as a result as well.</p>
<p>Besides, what the hell do you know. You're probably just an outsider thinking "wow it's so prestigious that even if it drops in prestige who cares." That's understandable. Except the administration actually should care. They have a hundreds of years old name to uphold.</p>
<p>PS: Did our application suddenly become more selective and "involved" than last year's or something?</p>
<p>I'm guessing it's because Harv and Yale MASSIVELY marketed financial aid; I had to dig to find annnnyyyything from Princeton. The recession, imo, handed HYSDM etc. their numbers.</p>