<p>I'm pretty sure that they get the figure by taking the total # of students studying abroad in 2004-5 (col 6--and this will contain freshmen through seniors) divided by the total undergraduate degrees conferred (col 7--basically the graduating seniors only). Their heading for the final column "estimated undergrad participation in study abroad" is maybe slightly misleading.</p>
<p>Interesteddad's point is significant: these figure say little about the quality or duration of the study-abroad experiences. There's a story, perhaps urban legend, about one of the colleges that claimed to send all of their students abroad. An admissions dean from a competing college asked, perhaps a little enviously, how they did it. The reply? "We put the ones who haven't fulfilled the requirement on a cruise ship and make sure it leaves American waters."</p>