<p>"For students, the uncertainty could be good news: colleges will admit more students, offer more generous financial aid, and, in some cases, send acceptance letters a few weeks earlier. Then again, it could prolong the agony: some institutions say they will rely more on their waiting lists. But there is no question, admissions officers say, that this year is more of a students market."</p>
<p>Seems to sum up the insanity all of the app statistics being posted about on here have caused, in a somewhat comforting light...</p>
<p>(And I would just like to point out: web cam interviews at Wake Forest?)</p>
<p>One of the craziest years to apply... largest class ever + unstable economy? I smell a supremely large waitlist.... or even overcrowding come fall.</p>
<p>I just had this discussion with my family. I think state schools could have severe overcrowding. When I was a freshman at Rutgers (back in the dark ages, I was in the first class of women in 1972), many more students accepted than what they expected - perhaps because having women at a formerly all male school made it more attractive. It was also the baby boom (sound familar?). They had to convert dorm lounges into barracks style housing - they hurriedly put up plywood partitions so the lounge would have a door. As students dropped out during that year, they were gradually able to dismantle the lounge dorm rooms, but it took almost all year for them all to go.</p>
<p>I think state schools will either increase admit standards and have overcrowding or both. I am not convinced that a lot of privates will increase enrollment. I think the top ones wont and below that, they will be worried about getting qualified admits -- but we'll see.</p>
<p>Looked at in its entirety, this article says: "Maybe acceptances will be up and maybe they will be down, depending." "Maybe more will be waitlisted, and maybe they won't." In the end, it really doesnt say much.</p>
<p>I think it will be a crazy year, and the last job in the world I would want is enrollment manager at any place other than a top 50. The state Us have to be concerned --are they going to end up with double the number they wanted? Where are they going to put them all? The privates -- will kids end up giving up deposits if the economy gets even worse???</p>
<p>The public 4-year schools in my state are reducing admission because their budgets have been slashed. Some even are considering eliminating academic departments.</p>
<p>I really think that schools are going to accept about the same numbers as they have in previous years and have big waitlists.
This way they will able to control how many kids end up coming. There is alwsys the off chance that way more people come than they expect but i think in the vast majority of cases, having a large waitlist to fill up the empty spots as needed works well for schools</p>
<p>My state's public schools accepted fewer students last year, and plan to do the same this year. Even with those actions, class size will be bigger due to budget cuts and the fact that more students are choosing to go to state schools.</p>
<p>there's a very simple solution to too many applicants. accept the ones who are willing to spend 4 years tenting on the lawn. voila, no overcrowding of dorms ;)</p>
<p>State schools are gonna be cramped. A friend of mine called Indiana U today about housing - they said that if he doesn't get his forms in ASAP, there's a solid chance he'll be in temporary housing next year. Over-crowded already!</p>
<p>There's another wrinkle to this. Many private schools have seen their application numbers fall this year and some have suggested they will increase their freshman class in order to make up for their own revenue shortfall. Those factors will also affect the acceptance rates. I definitely think there will be bigger wait lists and that these might actually be viable. </p>
<p>I'm from California, and here UC and CSU schools are accepting significantly fewer students than usual. It's kind of a scary thought, because the moderately difficult entrance UCs are my safeties. I'm a much better private candidate anyway... lol</p>