<p>In the past weeks, we have learned about the numbers for 2010 ED/EA at our most elite universities, for both applications and admissions.</p>
<p>Except for Harvard, the number of applications continued the "increasing trend" with several schools exhibiting double digits increases. Brown and Penn, in particular, had spectular increases in the numbers of ED applications. </p>
<p>It may be time for the rag to seek the input of a few Whartonites in the future. Oh well, Penn's admissions numbers are most often suspect, so we'll forgive yet another inconsistency and a mixup between RD and TOTAL applications. </p>
<p>In other news, applications at MIT grew by about 7% for a total of 11,231. This seems consistent with the increase o almost 11% in early applications. </p>
<p>Columbia received a new high of 19,730 applications (a 8.8% increase) with 17,061 applications at the College and 2675 at SEAS.</p>
<p>From the Penn article..."To avoid a repeat of the housing shortage caused by the surprisingly high rate at which accepted students matriculated last year, Stetson said the Admissions Office will be very conservative, keeping the admission rate for regular decision low at 12 to 14 percent and using the wait list heavily."</p>
<p>Looks like we're going to see a lot of in limbo waitlistees this spring...</p>
<p>Nay Nay Nay.......Penn will only go to the waitlist if their yield is lower than predicted~~~~~~~~say as a reaction to the recent crime wave. I don't look for the waitlist to come into play very much at all.</p>
<p>From the article...."The regular decision applicants averaged a score of 671 in Critical Reading, 675 in Writing and 704 in Math." </p>
<p>I couldn't find Penn's common data set, but according to US news (fall '04 matriculants), Penn's SAT range was V: 650-740, M: 680-760. Moreover, USNews reported that 53% scored over 700 (v) and 68% scored over 700 (m). </p>
<p>Unless the article is incorrect, or USNews is incorrect, it appears that their test scores declined significantly (or am I missing something Xiggi?).</p>
<p>The average SATS of those who apply is lower than the average of those who are accepted. Most schools get a significant percentage of applications from students who essentially have no prayer.</p>
<p>I no longer spend any time trying to reconcile the data provided by Penn. The office of admissions seems to give the dissemination of numbers the same care that the National Enquirer does to the news. Their numbers are always inconsistent and, for my money, a combination of wishful thinking, total fabrication, and vivid imagination. </p>
<p>More detailed info on Columbia from the university's press office:</p>
<p>
[quote]
Columbia experienced a 23 percent increase in undergraduate applications from non-US citizens or permanent residents. The largest increase in international applications came from Asia, an additional 26.3 percent more than last year...
Overall, Columbia experienced an almost nine percent (8.9 percent) increase in undergraduate applicants seeking entry for the Class of 2010, which represents a 66 percent increase during the last ten years. Most regions of the U.S. sent more applications: the Northeast increased by eight percent; the Midwest by 12 percent; the Southwest by 6.3 percent and the West by 6.4 percent.</p>
<p>Almost 20,000 (19,736) undergraduate students applied to Columbia's two full time colleges, representing an eight percent increase (17,061) for Columbia College, and a 14.7 percent increase (2,675) for the Fu School of Engineering and Applied Science.
<p>"Stetson said the Admissions Office will be very conservative, keeping the admission rate for regular decision low at 12 to 14 percent and using the wait list heavily."</p>
<p>This is Lee Stetson at his best! Intimating that Penn DOES operate with acceptances rates of 12% is nothing but another feeble attempt to align Penn with the averages of the Ivy League -obviously with smoke and mirrors, since facts do not support the assertions!</p>
<p>The mention of "the surprisingly high rate at which accepted students matriculated last year" speaks volumes about the expected yield at Penn.</p>
<p>good point, I-dad. However, I searched the Daily Penn achives and found the report for the ED apps. Stetson provide the same quote for this group, as well: </p>
<p>"Though this batch of applicants was the first to take the new SAT, which includes a writing section and is graded on a different scale, Stetson said that those accepted scored in an average percentile comparable to last year's, "which was very strong."</p>
<p>However, in Jan '05, the admissions office proudly proclaimed an increase in SAT scores from 1410-1413 (for class of '09). Soooooo, assuming they have the data, and failed to report it, the M+V must have declined for the ED acceptees from the '05 pool.</p>
<p>"The average SATS of those who apply is lower than the average of those who are accepted. Most schools get a significant percentage of applications from students who essentially have no prayer."</p>
<p>and the average for the students who attend in yet another divergent yardstick. :)</p>
<p>No RD data from UChicago yet, they just posted EA:</p>
<p>The Office of College Admissions enjoyed an 11.8 percen increase in early applications this year, with major strides made in minority recruitment. The 2,764 early action applicants mark one of the largest pools in the Colleges history... Up by nearly 300 early applications compared to last years pool, the 11.8 percent increase is a large jump compared to the two percent increase seen last fall.</p>
<p>How awful! Pretty much guarantees that a larger proportion of students don't end up where they REALLY want to be, and do end up at schools, equally difficult to get into, where they are more likely to be unhappy. More than outweighs any possible advantages that these institutions might achieve by rejecting more applicants.</p>
<p>Can't say as I see this as good news - either for students or the schools.</p>
<p>xiggi - It does look like the Penn newspaper goofed in reporting this. Seems to me that they should have said an 8% increase in TOTAL number of apps not in RD apps. Last year's TOTAL number of apps for Class of 2009 was 18,824. This year's 20,300 would make an 8% increase for number of total, not regular apps. There was an increase in ED apps of 21% this year, and what looks like a just under 5% increase for RD apps.</p>
<p>Just from what I've gleaned from a few years of following these message boards - </p>
<p>It seems like in Year A, a college will accept a low percent of applicants and then be forced to go to the waitlist to fill out the class. In response to that, the college will accept a higher percentage in Year B, with little waitlist movement. So in Year C, they will start the cycle over. </p>
<p>I think last year was a Year B, so according to my theory colleges will be accepting a lower percentage this year.</p>
<p>I think what you get is simply more piling on. People (rightfully) feel so insecure about their admissions chances that they just pile on more applications, even to places they don't really want to go. And, because of the vagaries of class selection in a "seller's environment", more of them will end up in just those places; many of the colleges (including the most selective ones) end up with students who would actually rather be somewhere else, but never had the chance. </p>
<p>It's great for those who sell "admissions services", though. ;)</p>
<p>There are simply more high school graduates this year. And the upward trend will continue until 2009, when the number begins to decline. Echo boomers.</p>
<p>In my S's school, we are seeing all kinds of students face more difficult college admissions. Not just those applying to the most selective schools.</p>