<p>There was a thread last year on this topic, but I'm wondering what you all think about this year's applications/acceptance/financial aid at boarding schools.</p>
<p>I have heard that inquiries and visits are down at most schools this year. Traffic on this board certainly seems slower too.</p>
<p>I wonder if the trend of last year will continue----top tier schools having an increase in applications despite the bad economy. </p>
<p>Any thoughts?</p>
<p>I see a downward turn across the board. In addition to the fact that families have less resources and FA is harder to get, in tough economic times people would take a closer look at the value of a BS education. We’ve heard even the top schools are cutting back on staff hiring, facility upgrade and even food offering. And the concern over the disadvantages of the “unhooked” students getting into the most selective colleges continues. IMO, the applications to even the most popular schools such as Andover that had a 16.6% admission rate and 78% yield last year will be flat or decrease.</p>
<p>I have a friend that is full pay whose daughter was waitlisted last year at one of the top schools. He has been surprised at the attention his daughter is getting this year as she reapplies. I agree that all charities must be stressed thinking about rates going up AND deductions for charitable giving going down. It would certainly keep me up at night.</p>
<p>You can’t raise taxes and have this government spending like a drunken sailor on leave (pardon the cliche) in a current economy like ours, and have the private sector’s philanthropy towards their private schools remain unaffected.</p>
<p>It’s fun to go back and read the old posts, and see who said what then compare and contrast to what is happening now:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/573003-financial-market-impact-endowments-financial-aid-applications-etc.html?highlight=economy[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/573003-financial-market-impact-endowments-financial-aid-applications-etc.html?highlight=economy</a></p>
<p>The forum is much quieter this year. My subjective impression? More “serious” parent enquiries, searching for the appropriate school for a child. There may not be more parents, but the number of student applicants using this board has dropped dramatically. I think many parents have leveled with their children about family finances, so far fewer students dream of persuading their parents to pay an extra four years of tuition.</p>
<p>Also, perhaps I’m wrong, but there seem to be fewer international applicants.</p>
<p><< crickets >></p>
<p>Periwinkle, I think most of your observations are accurate, except I believe if the schools will see an increase of any group of applicants this year, it will be the international students. There’s no sign that Korean students are becoming less interested, and the Chinese are quickly catching up. In fact, I suspect that last year’s record high number of applicants was attributed partly to the surge of international applicants.</p>
<p>It’s going to be tough. IMO the number of applicants will remain about the same as last year, that’s my optimistic perspective. I asked A/Os’ last Spring how things went and that was the typical response. I’m only referring to several BS, certainly not all of them. Some got hit harder than others. Full pay obviously does have advantages. All the schools struggle, as they do every year to keep the door open to those unable to pay the full amount. To say that the BS will just be full of rich but not academically strong students is hogwash. The well off kids that I have met are smart, witty, athletic and most definitely suitable and ready to be part of so many of the BS communities mentioned here on CC and including those that don’t get so much play. When schools have the large endowments coupled with successful annual funds they do what they can to increase diversity which comes sometimes at the expense of not accepting a perfectly fine full paying applicant. Now the boards have to rethink that course of action and at the same time retain those students already enrolled who may require even more financial assistance including some of those who were once full paying. But the caliber of students will remain the same. The unfortunate outcome will be that potential families exploring the possibilities of BS for the first time will hold off and likely never look back again. Currently I look out my office door and see half an empty office, now there’s a scary taste of reality.</p>
<p>IMO, student interest will remain relatively constant because students and parents may continue to apply and see what kind of fin. aid package they get. The more interesting facts will be the outcome of acceptances and yield as to whether this economy will change the socio-economic make up of those students who get to attend BS.</p>
<p>The NY Times published something last week about prep school decreasing financial aid for next year. Most said that they would use funds to keep current students, but will offer less to new students.</p>
<p>To Erlanger’s comments, I think you have to keep in mind that maybe half of all boarding school applicants are not applying for aid. They know they won’t qualify, but $45,000 a year is a lot of money, especially if they don’t know how long they will keep their job.</p>
<p>In my town in a NY suburb, the paper stated that 62 private school students returned to public school this year, way more than expected. That is a mid sized town with 4 elem., a middle, and a high school. So obviously those were 60 families who changed directions on the private school idea.</p>
<p>It will be interesting to see what happens… my business is way way down. If it weren’t for China and Korea, I’d be in trouble…</p>
<p>I think its not gonna be like 2009 for several reasons.
<p>Good for me though, I’m applyin this year.</p>
<p>There have been 496 views of this thread since it was posted on 11/9.<br>
That’s probably lower than it has been in the last few years, especially for a high-interest topic. However, there is still lurker traffic. Most of the current posters are not provocative enough to entice the lurkers to come out. Also, there seem to be fewer experienced students and parents posting than in the past. I also suspect that the HADES (I wince at the acronym!) talk that has been going on for some time made the uninitiated uneasy with this shorthand.</p>