Early Decision Applications Up despite Financial Meltdown

<p>hmmm...sounds like there is some apples&oranges accounting here. In the Williams report (numerous posts back) and more recent Penn report, both with decreased ED apps from last year, both have apparently excluded the Questbridge numbers from their initial tallies. [Williams had them last year, too, but Penn is apparently new to Questbridge this year.]</p>

<p>So, perhaps the Questbridge numbers will be counted in (at each institution as the Williams report inferred) once Questbridge apps select that institution...just guessing, as I'm not sure how the Questbridge ED process works. If MIT is counting them in now at this point, is their count premature?</p>

<p>I am pretty sure Questbridge represented a meaningful part of Chicago's 42% EA increase last year (but nothing like half); I assume they are also included in the reduced number this year. The Daily Pennsylvanian news story said the Penn had gotten about 220 Questbridge applications, not included in its ED numbers. Even if they had been counted, Penn still would have been down slightly compared to last year.</p>

<p>I am a little shaky in my understanding of how Questbridge works, but it seems close enough to EA to have it make sense to count them as EA applications (as MIT and Chicago apparently do). ED comparability is more doubtful.</p>

<p>final # for George Washington ED 1 = +43%</p>

<p>[url=<a href="http://media.www.gwhatchet.com/media/storage/paper332/news/2008/12/04/News/Early.Decision.I.Applications.Rise.By.50.Percent-3569556.shtml%5DEarly"&gt;http://media.www.gwhatchet.com/media/storage/paper332/news/2008/12/04/News/Early.Decision.I.Applications.Rise.By.50.Percent-3569556.shtml]Early&lt;/a> Decision I applications rise by 50 percent - News<a href="the%20title%20is%20misleading">/url</a></p>

<p>[research, next update, don't forget to add Georgetown EA +2%]</p>

<p>333- on Tufts from last ED season:
Tufts keeps early admission numbers secret UWIRE: Powered by The Content Generation</p>

<p>so I wouldn't get your hopes up that Tufts will join the world of transparency.</p>

<p>Back to the Elon article, interesting that they did not mention the EA numbers. Do many schools offer both EA and ED? It would be interesting to see if the EA numbers rose while ED figures remained flat, especially at an increasingly popular school like Elon, which has a nice low price-tag!</p>

<p>I think that Colorado College has both.</p>

<p>
[quote]
I am a little shaky in my understanding of how Questbridge works, but it seems close enough to EA to have it make sense to count them as EA applications (as MIT and Chicago apparently do). ED comparability is more doubtful.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Some QuestBridge partner colleges make the National College Match binding, and about five do not. </p>

<p>QuestBridge:</a> Students: Partners</p>

<p>Does anyone know stats at Lehigh for ED?</p>

<p>Yes, I had seen that article. I was hoping things might be different this year. The justifications offered for this policy make no sense.</p>

<p>Last post was meant to refer to Post 164 about Tufts</p>

<p>better source for Wesleyan: up 36% (as compared to the 40% previously reported)
The</a> Wesleyan Argus - Despite recession, ED apps see dramatic increase</p>

<p>333-- Tufts is one of those schools that defies most attempts at transparency, although I admit they have a nice fact book. My son applied there 2 years ago & was accepted, so I've put some time in to study them. They are pretty hung up on SAT scores, too, in addition to being somewhat secretive.</p>

<p>ED applications:</p>

<p>St. Olaf - Up 50%
George Washington University-Up 43%
Wesleyan - Up 36%
Claremont McKenna - Up 28%
Duke - Up 25%
Pomona - Up 20%
Northwestern - Up 15 %
University of Richmond - Up 14%
Colby - Up 13%
Haverford - Up 13%
Dartmouth - Up 12.5%
Middlebury - Up 12%
Cornell – Up 9% (probably ED, but may be more)
Barnard – Up 8% (probably ED, but may be more)
Hamilton - Up 8%
Bowdoin - Up 7.9%
Union College - Up 7%
Amherst – Up 5% (probably ED, but may be more)
Occidental – Up 3.5%
NYU - Up 2.3%
Elon - Up 1%
Dickinson – flat
Johns Hopkins - <0.6>
Brown - <4.5>
Williams - <6.5> (as of 11/14)
UPENN - <8%>
Tufts - No Comment</p>

<p>MIT EA - Up 25%
Northeastern EA - Up 23%
Stanford EA - Up 18%
Yale EA - Up 10.4%
Georgetown - Up 2%
U Of Chicago EA - <15%></p>

<p>Tulane running ahead in apps</p>

<p>Hard to decipher this article as it doesn't discern between early & RD....by my calculation, apps are running 19% ahead (RD?) as of Thanksgiving.</p>

<p>Academic</a> standards rise - News</p>

<p>Is there any information on the ED stats for Oberlin?</p>

<p>This article notes that some California RD applicants are (1) pulling back on east coast private school aspirations, and (2) writing more applications:
College</a> application plans change as family budgets shrink - Los Angeles Times</p>

<p>Speculation, unsubstantiated, on the Columbia U board that Columbia apps are ~2900 or a 16% increase.</p>

<p>calimom: for what it's worth, the President of Oberlin said recently that applications were at the same level as in previous years...not sure what that means about ED, but he didn't mention a surge or decrease.</p>

<p>Thanks for the information on Oberlin, mamenyu--it's reassuring to know that numbers are similar to previous years.</p>

<p>Does anyone know about the numbers at Vassar?
My feeling about early decision is that last year was so painful for so many regular decision applicants. My daughter ended up with her 5th choice...rejected by two and waitlisted by two others that she really wanted to attend. (also accepted by others that were further down the list). It was so much effort to visit those schools and put in those applications, plus she had an art supplement. I would advise ANYONE to apply early if they have a strong choice school. The end of her senior year was nerve wracking...the beginning was filled with college visits and writing apps. This is a horrible process and anything that can be done to make it more tolerable should be done. And, that means applying early and having it over with.</p>

<p>Wake Forest ED up 22%</p>

<p>according to this 2nd hand report: College</a> applications go face-to-face... without having to brush your teeth
note that WF went SAT optional this year.</p>