Whats with this "biggest graduating class" stuff

<p>So it seems like a fact to me since I've heard/read it a lot of places that 08's high school graduating class is the biggest in a while or "has ever been". But I can't seem to get something straight, are people saying this is going to be the largest number of people applying to colleges or people just graduating from high school and thats it.</p>

<p>I would assume that there'd be a positive correlation between the two.</p>

<p>Where did you hear this?</p>

<p>Both. Why? Lotta baby boomers had kids 16-17 years ago... (echo boom)</p>

<p>Are we just hte largest or the smartest too? Oh god...<___< i'im screwed</p>

<p>At my school we're the smartest and the biggest. Two 2400 SATs so far and a 36 ACT (me!!!).</p>

<p>well I hope colleges compare students from the same high school instead of the entire applicant pool, or I may have to apply to junior college.</p>

<p>It's not so much being the smartest as it is a consequence of the industrial and technological revolutions.</p>

<p>That is, in short, that society is increasingly moving towards even more specialization. The trend can be followed in the education system pretty simply, as a college degree is now a prerequisite for even most entry level jobs. Unlike many generations past(Harry Truman was not a college graduate, for example) this new generation has a heavy emphasis on further education than high school. Your parents' generation, I believe, did not put nearly the same emphasis on college. </p>

<p>Therefore, due to both the large amount of children of the baby boomers, and the vast increase in need for college, without any corresponding increase in school size, the acceptance rates of many schools is being slashed considerably.</p>

<p>Or, at least, this is my understanding of the situation.</p>

<p>Actually, the population boom will peak with the high school class of 2009.</p>

<p>^^^PERFECT! =/ lol</p>

<p>As the size of the graduating class increases overall, it makes sense that naturally, more people will apply to college making it more competitive.</p>

<p>and for the echo-boomers being born 16-17 years ago, now they're coming of age to apply to college if thats what you were saying...?</p>

<p>actually our 08 class has the most kids with something like ~400, but our 09 class (my class) only has ~310</p>

<p>The population of the US is growing and the dropout rate is falling. Of course the graduating class will be bigger in '08 than it was 10 years ago.</p>