<p>NJ Res...at least in some cases, the number of students being admitted IS declining. At Yale, for example, not only did the overall acceptance rate drop to 8.6% (setting this year's Ivy League low), the number of admitted students also dropped, reflecting a steadily increasing yield over the last few years. Of course, a hike in applications also contributed to the decline in acceptance rate.</p>
<p>some interesting things to consider:
-the number of hs grads is expected to continue rising for the next few years.
-the percentage of hs grads continuing to college is also increasing.
-the number of applications per student also seems to be on the rise.</p>
<p>of these, the last may be the most interesting. i, for one, expect to see colleges react to this soon by rejecting or waitlisting those students applying from schools that are known to permit unlimited college apps. those high schools that limit apps to 6 or 7, as some of the best NYC public schools do, will probably see their students receive even more favorable treatment. if a college knows there is a good chance you will attend if accepted, there is a higher likelihood of acceptance. if they know there is little chance that you'll ultimately attend, they will be reluctant to accept you and watch their yield suffer.</p>