<p>"Effects of the Economy on the Admission Process, 2008-09," a study by the National Association for College Admission Counseling, June 2009.
<a href="http://www.nacacnet.org/PublicationsResources/Research/Documents/EconomySurveyResults.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.nacacnet.org/PublicationsResources/Research/Documents/EconomySurveyResults.pdf</a></p>
<p>See also a follow-up AP story:
The</a> Associated Press: Economy forces 2009 grads to dump dream colleges</p>
<p>From the NACAC report:</p>
<p>"In an attempt to quantify a few basic admission trends for the current admission cycle, NACAC surveyed its high school and college members in May 2009 to find out how their counseling and admission departments, as well as the students they serve, have been affected by the current economic recession."
[snip]</p>
<p><Students College Plans as Reported by School Counselors (see Table 1)
Seventy-one percent of respondents indicated an increase in the number of students foregoing their dream schools in favor of more affordable options. Counselors at public schools were more likely to report an increase compared to those at private schools.</p>
<p> Nearly 60 percent of respondents indicated an increase in the number of students planning to enroll in public versus private colleges in Fall 2009, as compared to Fall 2008 numbers. Thirty-five percent reported no change.</p>
<p> Thirty-seven percent of respondents indicated an increase in the number of students planning to enroll in community colleges versus four-year colleges.</p>
<p> Almost 40 percent of respondents indicated that the average number of applications per student had increased from 2007-08 levels. Forty-six percent indicated no change.></p>
<p>See Table 2: changes in yield rates at public & private schools, broken down by region, as well as changes over last year in number of students withdrawing from an Early Decision commitment for finanacial reasons, and changes in waitlist behavior by colleges.</p>