<p>
[quote]
This is the second consecutive year Smith has received a historic number of applications, according to the Office of Admission. This years slight bump in applications for the class of 2010 follows last years 14 percent increase.
[/quote]
I haven't posted in a while, but something on the Smith website caught my eye this morning. Smith has had a tremendous bump in numbers of applications the last two years (classes of '09 and '10). What is your take on why this is happening?</p>
<p>Because the numbers of applicants are rising at all highly selective institutions right now (more students -> more competition -> more applications)</p>
<p>Because more folks are applying and being rejected ED at most selective schools. The result is more applications chasing the same number of places.</p>
<p>It's much ado about very little.</p>
<p>i think there could be a slight differential between theincrease of applicants across the board and the increase at smith. i think that the lower acceptance rates cause people to apply to more schools where there's a better chance of getting in than the likes of harvard, princeton, etc. I also think that at Smith in particular, more students are looking at "fit" and that there's been some good press about women's colleges lately.</p>