<p>The economic crisis has left students and parents wondering more than ever about being able to afford the cost of a four year college education - and that has radically changed the pattern of college applications.</p>
<p>Recession</a> Alters College Admission Process - CBS News</p>
<p>Written by Russ Mitchell</p>
<p>As usual, though, CBS gets the story wrong. There’s no particular evidence of a radically altered college admissions process. What CBS doesn’t bother to report is that many of the LACs hit their all-time record high application numbers last year. For example, Swarthmore set a new record number of applications in 2007. Then, beat that 140 year old record by an additional 17% last year. Applications are up 50% in the last three years. So, this year fell back between 2007 and 2008 and is the second highest number of applications in the school’s history (after a prohibitive 16% acceptance rate last year sliced off a layer of “reach” applications as a waste of time). </p>
<p>Yet, in the CBS world, this is a “radical alteration”. I would suggest that the peak demographic bulge we are experiencing now has simply rolled through the college landscape like a wave. It first hit the Ivy League schools, sending their acceptance rates to near-zero. Seeing the impossibility of admissions there, students (especially international students one-clicking the Common App) targeted the next layer down including the top LACs which were then still in the semi-possible 20% acceptance range. Those dreams were dashed with plummeting acceptance rates over the last two years, and the wave continues, now hitting the publics.</p>
<p>To be sure, the economy has wealthier familes now hunting for merit aid and lower sticker prices. To be sure, the economy is putting a damper on the international apps that have fueled the crazy run-up. But, I would suggest waiting a year or two before proclaiming a “radical alteration”.</p>
<p>I’ve wondered how the common app has affected the increase in overall apps as well, IDad. If all apps had to be done individually - and manually, just for kicks - what would happen to the overall numbers?</p>
<p>BINGO HighlandMOM I think common app is a significant reason for the explosion in the number of schools students apply to. Not the only reason but it is so much easier with the common app and online submission.</p>
<p>It’s 3 factors.</p>
<p>a) We are at the peak of the echo-boom (children of the baby boomers) where graduating high school seniors are at an absolute peak. Significant declines begin in some regions (northeast, mid-atlantic) this year or next.</p>
<p>b) The Common App has people applying to many more schools than they used to. This has driven application numbers up, acceptance rates down, but hasn’t really changed the underlying dynamics of who gets in.</p>
<p>c) The international applications have gone through the roof over the last five years. It’s so easy to apply. Nearly impossible to get accepted. Even harder to get the financial aid to attend.</p>
<p>All in all, it’s just a classic “bubble” that was always going to start letting out air in the 2009-10 time frame due to underlying demographics.</p>
<p>Agreed. Many kids S2 knows from his HS applied to as many as 20 schools. When S1 was doing this admissions thing just 4 years ago, most of his friends were between 5 and 7.</p>
<p>4th factor - more kids are going straight into college from high school - there fewer going through “gap years”</p>
<p>BTW, what CBS calls a “radical alteration” was an increase in acceptance rate at Swarthmore (before waitlist) going from the lowest ever at 15% to the second lowest ever at 17%. </p>
<p>If CBS bothered to look at any data, they would see that these kinds of year to year variations are the rule rather than the exception at liberal arts colleges.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.swarthmore.edu/Documents/administration/ir/AdmitYieldRatesChart.pdf[/url]”>http://www.swarthmore.edu/Documents/administration/ir/AdmitYieldRatesChart.pdf</a></p>
<p>We are talking about schools that are not household names. Any little thing can drive applications up or down 10% – a mention in a magazine, a documentary on MTV, etc. Never, every use a one year snapshot as data for small colleges. The small sample size will bite you every time.</p>
<p>Brandeis had 1000 fewer applicants this year from around 7,700 to 6,700. That seemed like a fair number to me, but good for us. :)</p>
<p>A few years ago when RPI got on the Newsweek 25 new Ivy list - their acceptance rate went from over 60% to about 40%.</p>
<p>I think we still have to wait to see what yield is like maybe
over a couple of years to draw any conclusions. I doubt there
will be significant change at the top schools but lower down the
list we may see some movement. It’s not so much the drop in
apps thats important but slight increases in acceptance rates,
small drops in sat averages and even a 1 or 2% change in
economic diversity. It’ll be a couple of years before those stats
can be evaluated. I do think from personal experience and the
board here this year that lower level LACs are picking their admits
very carefully - who’s likely to come and who’s likely to pay.</p>
<p>I’ll also report for interresteddad’s benefit that Swarthmore has
been very busy this week - potential students for next year
mixing with decidees for this year. There was a bit of mob scene
at Dunkin Donuts at lunchtime.</p>