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Vol. 23 No. 7
March 2009
Inside Admissions Offices
A to Z (well...W)
MARCH 2009 continues
to have a few surprises for counselors and admissions officers
alike. Not surprisingly, community college and public university
applications appear up, observers say because of the economy.
Some private colleges are down for the same reason. Yet the most
selective colleges continue to attract a record number of applications,
others suggest, because of generous financial aid policies. Here's
CB's round-up.
Amherst Up. Amherst C. accepted 140 early admission
students, or about 31 percent of the early applicant pool. The
Amherst Student reported that the Class of 2013 is expected
to total 465 students, 25 more than last year.
Ball State Up/Down. In-state applications to Ball State
U. in Indiana are up by 5 percent for fall 2009. However, out-of-state
applications plunged by 40 percent. "It sounds like a large
number," Tom Taylor, vice president of enrollment, marketing
and communications, told The Ball State Daily News. "But
it's somewhat misleading. We're still at just under 2,000 out-of-state
applications. And we're expecting about 3,600 freshmen."
He thinks out-of-state students are sticking closer to home in
these difficult economic times.
Bowdoin Dips. A total of 5,929 students applied for
Bowdoin C.'s Class of 2013, a 1.7 percent decrease from last
year. The slight decline probably reflects "the poor state
of the economy and its effect on a family's ability to pay for
a liberal arts education," Scott Meiklejohn, interim dean
of admissions, told the Orient, the student newspaper.
Bowdoin admitted 209 out of the 693 Early Decision applicants.
ED applications for this year increased among students of color,
with 40 admitted compared to 32 for last year. And the college
admitted 27 of 90 Maine residents, six more than for last year.
About 64 percent of all applicants intend to apply for financial
aid, up from 57 percent last year.
Of the exclusive Maine college's 15 peer institutions, Meiklejohn
said that most had experienced a 5 to 20 percent decline in applications
this year. For example, applications at Colby C. fell by 7 percent
overall, despite a 15 percent increase in first-round Early Decision
applications.
Brown's Record. Brown U. received nearly 25,000 applications,
a 21 percent increase over last year. Applications were substantially
stronger from southern and western states. Early Decision applications
actually decreased by 100 though, to 2,348. Of those, just over
550 were admitted, consistent with previous years.
Dean of admissions James Miller told the Brown Daily Herald
that Brown's new aid policy that eliminates loans for students
from families earning less than $100,000 and reduces loans for
all financial aid students probably contributed to the increase.
But he said, "I think it's fair to say the increase we've
seen is unexpected, particularly given the economic difficulties
many families are facing." The university's recent switch
to the Common Applications accounted for between 5 and 7 percent
of the applications growth.
Dartmouth's Record. Dartmouth C. received another record-breaking
number of applications this year, from 18,007 students, up nearly
9 percent. Maria Laskaris, dean of admissions and financial aid,
told Dartmouth News, Early Decision applications were
also 9 percent higher for this year than last. The Ivy League
school admitted 401 students through ED and about 1,800 through
the regular decision program. About 1,095 of those students are
expected to matriculate in September.
"We'll have some difficult choices to make," Laskaris
told the paper. The school's acceptance rate will be between
11 and 12 percent, the lowest in school history. Dartmouth is
need-blind in admission and offers free tuition to students from
families with incomes below $75,000.
Cooper Union. Perhaps because of its policy of full
scholarships (excluding housing and living expenses) regardless
of need, Cooper Union is among the nation's most competitive
colleges. Cooper Union is historically known as a place where
famous speeches were delivered by the likes of Abraham Lincoln,
Teddy Roosevelt and even Barack Obama. But it is probably its
scholarship policy in difficult economic times that drove a 70
percent surge in Early Decision applications for this year. Overall,
Cooper Union expects to receive about 3,300 applications this
season for 265 spots in its Class of 2013. That includes the
750 applications for 30 seats in the Irwin S. Chanin School of
Architecture. The school's endowment includes ownership of the
famous Chrysler Building, which it leases. (For more on Cooper's
storied past, see the February 9 issue of The New York Times.)
Minnesota Down. Applications are down at three of Minnesota's
prestigious private colleges, Carleton, St. Olaf and Macalester,
according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. The paper also
said that applications for all 17 colleges in the Minnesota Private
College Council were mixed. "Some grew substantially, while
others leveled off after years of dramatic increases. Overall,
they're down less than 5 percent."
Yet applications are one thing, enrollment another. "The
worry is thatstudents who would come to these small private schools
either aren't going to go to school or they're going to look
at a lower-cost alternative," John Walda, president of the
National Association of College and University Business Officers,
told the paper.
New Orleans Calling. According to The Times-Picayune,
Dillard U. in New Orleans more than doubled applications compared
to last year. This year 2,497 students applied compared to 1,189
last year. Loyola U. received 3,610 applications, a 15 percent
increase over last year's 3,135. They are competing for 750 freshman
slots. Our Lady of Holy Cross C. attracted 298 applications,
a 4.5 percent increase over last year's 285. The U. of New Orleans
received 2,100 applications, an 8 percent jump over last year's
1,950.
Princeton Proud. Princeton U. hit a new record for
the fifth straight year. Nearly 22,000 students applied for the
Class of 2013, a 2 percent increase and 60 percent jump in the
past six years. Princeton is increasing the size of its first-year
class, but only to 1,300 students. Despite current economic turmoil,
all admitted students with need remain eligible for Princeton's
full no-loan financial aid.
Texas Soars. All four Texas universities with January
deadlines reported record applications for fall 2009. The U.
of Texas-Austin attracted a record 31,000 applications, 1,800
more than last year. Texas A&M U. saw a 6.7 percent jump
in applications. SMU says when it's done with its calculations
it expects a school record of over 9,000 applications. And Rice
reported more than 11,000 applications.
Tulane Flooded. No, this time it was not by a hurricane,
although 70 percent of the New Orleans campus was damaged by
Hurricane Katina. This year, Tulane was flooded with applications
from high school seniors. In fact, 40,000 of them sent in applications,
shattering last year's record of 34,125! Applications have more
than doubled since the great hurricane and flood inflicted its
$650 million dollars of damage.
Rhode Island Up. Freshman applications to the U. of
Rhode Island increased 11 percent or by about 1,309 students
compared to last year, according to The Providence Journal.
Rhode Island C. attracted the most freshman and transfer applications
in its 154-year history. Applications to the Community C. of
Rhode Island increased by 6.5 percent.
UC Record. Despite budget problems, a record number
of students have applied to the U. of California. The 10-campus
university attracted 126,701 applications, about 5,700 more than
last year. The increase was fueled by an 11.2 percent increase
in transfer students, largely from community colleges. Transfers
have grown by 20 percent since 2007.
Overseas applications soared by nearly 29 percent. However,
with the number of high school graduates leveling off, applications
from Californians rose by only 1.6 percent, compared to 7.7 percent
last year.
UC Riverside led the way with freshman applications, fielding
7.7 percent more than last year. Applications to UC Santa Barbara
declined by 5 percent. UC Berkeley received about 300 fewer applications
from families earning between $60,000 and $100,000 per year,
than last year, Berkeley admissions director Walter Robinson
reported.
U. of I. Surge. More students than ever-25,000-plus-applied
to the U. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for this year. Applications
to all U. of I. colleges were up by more than 12 percent. The
highly-competitive college of engineering was up by 15 percent
to 5,300. Tuition and cost of living at the U. of I. is $20,000,
but expected to increase because of state funding problems.
UW Dip. Undergraduate applications to the U. of Wisconsin-Madison
declined for the first time in five years. The total number of
applications fell from last year's record high of 25,073 to 24,263
this year. "That's a pretty big decrease for us to see,"
Joanne Berg, vice provost of enrollment management, told Madison.com,
web site for the city's newspapers. "We don't know why."
She speculated that the recession, cheaper options and fewer
applications filed by students to cut back on fees are likely
causes. Additionally, the number of Wisconsin high school graduates
peaked last year. About 1,000 fewer in-state residents applied
to UW-M this year. In-state tuition is $7,570. The out-of-state
rate is $21,820. Last year, only 53 percent of applicants were
admitted.
Wabash Record. Wabash C. in Indiana received 1,456
applications this year, breaking a two-year-old record. Why is
the school doing so well in times of economic hardship, and when
applications were down at many peer institutions? According to
Steve Klein, dean of admissions and financial aid, "We're
doing things well. We recruit the old fashioned wayperson to
person. We build interpersonal relationships with students and
their families that endure." The school is also using new
technologies "blogs, Facebook and even YouTube."
William and Mary Up. The C. of William and Mary received
more than 12,000 applications for the first time in its history,
3.4 percent more than last year, and the fourth record-setting
year in a row. Minority applications were up 7 percent. About
3,000 of the applicants will be offered a place in the freshman
class and about 1,380 are expected to enroll.
Williams Early Record. Williams C. in Massachusetts
accepted 231 out of 614 Early Decision applicants to the Class
of 2013. The number of early applicants was a Williams' record.
The students were about evenly split between males and females.
And 21 of the accepted are African American, 15 are Asian American
and 14 are Latino. Williams is need-blind in its admissions and
meets 100 percent of a student's demonstrated need.
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The Stimulus for
Higher Ed
HOW WILL THE FEDERAL
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act impact students, families
and higher ed institutions? An estimated $32 billion will be
spent on higher education ranging from scientific research to
building modernization. Details are still unfolding. But here
are a few key items in the plan:
- Tax Credits. According to an analysis by the Associated
Press, "College students-or their parents-are eligible for
tax credits of up to $2,500 to help with tuition and related
expenses in 2009 and 2010. Families who won't earn enough to
pay income tax could still get up to $1,000 in extra tuition
help."
- Pell Grants. The maximum Pell Grant would increase
from the current $4,731 to $5,350 beginning July 1 and to $5,500
in 2010-11.
- Savings Plans. Under the 529 college savings plans,
computer expenses are now an allowable expense.
Joyce Smith, CEO of NACAC, said that also, "The Pell
Grant increase and the education tax credit will help prevent
students already in school from dropping out because of their
families' reduced ability to pay tuition and fees."
Officials from the National Conference of State Legislatures
noted in a conference call to reporters that stimulus funds to
"enhance" existing funding streams (such as the Pell
Grant) will operate under existing rules.
A number of organizations are outlining the Act. (See the
Current Issues on CB's web site www.collegeboundnews.com
for direct links to online resources.)
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Enrollment Trends
Arizona State Enrollment Caps. State budget cuts
amounting to $88 million, or 18 percent of the base state budget,
are forcing Arizona State U. to cap enrollment and cut four
dozen academic programs. The application deadline for the
fall's freshman class was moved up five months to March 1. The
university said applications to ASU's University College will
be accepted after that only in "exceptional cases."
Programs will be closed in the colleges of arts and sciences,
the arts, education, teacher education and leadership, technology
and innovation, interdisciplinary arts and sciences and the management
and agribusiness school. The social work program in Tucson will
be closed. ASU is also suspending funding of its AIMS scholarship
program. ASU president Michael M. Crow said, "Making cuts
of this sort now is extremely painful to all of us at ASU, but
we have no choice."
Community Colleges. Enrollment is soaring at the nation's
community colleges, driven primarily by economic factors. According
to the Associated Press, enrollment at the seven community colleges
of New Hampshire is up between 4 and 19 percent. In Maine and
South Carolina, enrollment soared by 20 percent. Pennsylvania's
Northampton Community C. is up this spring by over 10 percent
East Tennessee. East Tennessee State U. hit an all-time
enrollment record this spring of 13,126, 5 percent larger than
last spring. Romona Williams, vice provost for enrollment services,
said, "A combination of factors continues to make ETSU an
appealing choice for students. This includes our academic programs
and numerous opportunities for involvement on campusincluding
working with a faculty member on a specific research project."
ETSU also benefits from an in-state tuition option for residents
from three counties in southwest Virginia and seven counties
in Western North Carolina.
North Alabama. The U. of North Alabama's spring enrollment
fell slightly to 6,541 students. UNA president Bill Cale told
the Florence Times Daily that the numbers were "not
a surprise to us. Having graduated the largest class in UNA's
history last Decembera decline was inevitable." UNA is also
looking to lower the number of its international students from
1,300 to 900. Students from Kenya "seem to be having a good
experience here," said Evan Ward of the Center for International
Programs. "We're getting close to 40 or 50 students from
Africa each semester."
Olivet's Enrollment. Olivet C. in Michigan posted its
largest enrollment in school history this spring. The Lansing
State Journal attributed the gains to "improved facilities,
programs and recruiting and retention efforts." Also, the
Olivet College Community Connection Grant reduces tuition costs
for area students.
On Staten Island. The C. of Staten Island in New York
City saw a 5 percent increase in enrollment last September and
expects an additional 4 percent increase in the fall, bringing
it to a projected all time high of 13,092.
St. John C. Staten Island campus has seen a 5 percent increase
in applications, John Rooney, director of admissions, told the
Staten Island Advance. And more students seem to be going
to school closer to home. For example, Wagner C.'s director of
admissions told the paper that its number of applications from
Staten Island residents has doubled this year.
Minority Count. According to a recent Journal of
Blacks in Higher Education, African Americans account for
12 percent of students in the Class of 2012 at Columbia U., 10
percent at Yale, 9.4 percent at the U. of Pennsylvania, Brown
6.7 percent and Cornell 4.5 percent. Meanwhile, the percent of
African Americans enrolled in the 2012 class at Johns Hopkins,
Washington U. and Vanderbilt was 6.7 percent.
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THE COUNSELOR'S CORNER
Financial Angst
"The financing system for college is in real
crisis," Barmak Nassirian, associate executive director
of the American Association of College Registrars and Admissions
Officers recently told the Associated Press. "Every one
of the participants in the system is experiencing hardship...."
Students who have been relying on private loans are the ones
who face the greatest challenge. Since the financial meltdown
began, 39 of the 60 private lenders have stopped lending.
But federal student aid is still available and Congress has
appropriated even more for this year than last. That's good,
because applications for federal financial aid applications jumped
by 10 percent this year, according to the U.S. Department of
Education.
Meanwhile, state student loan programs are being pressured
by large state budget deficits. And many states will be increasing
their tuitions to state schools, some by double digits. No wonder
families are feeling financial aid angst this year.
Midyear Losses. Many students under extreme financial
stress simply faded away the second semester of this school year.
Nearly one fourth of private colleges and universities and 13
percent of public institutions reported that semester-to-semester
retention was worse than last year, according to a survey by
The Chronicle of Higher Education and Moody's Investment
Services.
Schools Rally Aid. In response to a 30 percent increase
in requests for aid, Syracuse U. launched a fall emergency drive
to raise $2 million to help, reported flatheadbeacon.com. The
Syracuse Responds initiative had already extended special aid
to retain 350 students who would have been forced out.
After significant numbers of students were forced to suspend
their education, historically-black Spelman C. in Atlanta has
begun matching endangered students with donors who are helping
to cover their bills.
Manchester C. is covering any aid gaps after federal and state
aid for low-income Indiana students. Its "Triple Guarantee"
includes a four-year graduation schedule or the fifth year is
free. And those who don't immediately land a job after graduation
can return for more free classes. Other colleges, such as Merrimack
C. in Massachusetts, have frozen tuition for next year. Others,
such as The Ohio State, have pledged to increase aid as tuition
rises.
Swarthmore C. will continue its "no loan" policy
for students "with demonstrated need" and other financial
aid promises, despite an almost 30 percent hit to its endowment
over the past few months. But Laura Talbot, Swathmore's director
of financial aid, told the Brown Daily Herald that the
college may only be able to make that guarantee for the next
school year.
Colby C., which has a "need aware" admission policy
and recently introduced a "no loan" policy, saw its
endowment slump by nearly 25 percent. Lucia Whittelsey, director
of financial aid, wrote the Brown student paper that about 63
percent of the admission applicant group receives aid and expects
to make no changes in its policy. But Colby president William
Adams said the school remains "committed most fundamentally
to current students, faculty, staff." Future events may
dictate future changes.
Amherst C. has a "need-blind" admissions policy
and president Anthony Marx recently wrote his school's community
that, "We will make some adjustments to our spending, while
ensuring that we can maintain our core commitments."
Illinois Reopens Grants. The Illinois Student Assistance
Commission gave a second chance to thousands of its state college
students who were previously rejected for financial aid last
July. Many students who initially received grants did not use
them because they apparently dropped out. So an additional 6,200
students were awarded $9 million in grants from the Monetary
Award Program.
Welcome Mat for Out-of-Staters. The line between in-state
and out-of-state is being broken down at some public colleges
and universities as they seek to lure more students.
For example, Mansfield U. in Pennsylvania offers deep tuition
discounts for students who reside in nearby New York. East Stroudsburg
U., also in Pennsylvania, offers tuition breaks to students from
nearby New Jersey who major in math and science fields. The U.
of Alaska has established tuition agreements with Canada.
Rhode Island C.'s "good neighbor effort" gives a
nearly $6,000 tuition discount to students from Connecticut or
Massachusetts who live within a 50-mile radius of the college's
home base in Providence.
This fall, Southern Illinois U. in Carbondale will begin offering
in-state tuition to students from Indiana, Kentucky and Missouri.
And Youngstown State U. in Ohio is reducing out-of-state fees
for students who live in eight counties along the Ohio and Pennsylvania
border. (Is this the beginning of a national discounting trend?)
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SCHOLARSHIP SCOOPS
Latino STEM Scholarships. The Advancing Hispanic
Excellence in Technology, Engineering, Math, and Science (AHETEMS)
Scholarship Program deadline is April 1. Merit-based and need-based
scholarships amounting between $1,000 and $5,000 are available
for Latino/a high school graduating seniors, undergraduate and
graduate students who demonstrate both motivation and aptitude
for a career in science, technology, engineering or mathematics.
Go to www.ahetems.org/scholarships.html.
Rheumatoid Arthritis. UCB,
a global biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Atlanta,
Georgia, is sponsoring 30 one-time scholarships of up to $10,000
each to patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or
with someone in their immediate family with the disease.
Students who are "reaching beyond the boundaries of rheumatoid
arthritis and fulfilling educational ambitions" can be seeking
an associate's, undergraduate or graduate degree or be enrolled
in trade school. March 20, 2009, deadline. To find out more go
to: www.reachbeyondra.org/scholarship
or call 888-854-4996.
Rural Math & Science Teachers.
The Western Governors U., the online, nonprofit university with
the only NCATE-approved teachers college in the U.S. has extended
its Rural Mathematics and Science Educators Scholarship Program
by making 50 additional scholarships of $7,500 available to current
teachers of math or science in a U.S. rural school district.
The U.S. will need approximately 280,000 new mathematics and
science teachers by 2015. Go to, www.wgu.edu.
Urban Mathematics and Science
Teachers. Western Governors U. has also announced the WGU
Scholarship for Urban Mathematics and Science Educators. The
scholarships are for urban dwellers who want to earn a license
to teach math or science in their school districts. Also, teachers
living in urban areas who want to earn a master's degree are
eligible. Scholarships are worth $3,000. Find more information
at www.wgu.edu/urbaneducator.
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NEWS YOU CAN USE
AP Grows. Some 15.2 percent of the public school
graduating Class of 2008 scored 3 or higher on Advanced Placement
tests, up from 12.2 percent for the Class of 2003. African American
students made up 14.4 percent of students participating in AP
classes. Latino students accounted for 15.4 percent of AP students.
And 17 percent of AP test takers were low-income students, up
from 16.2 percent in 2006.
Engineering Gap. Despite
a crying need for new engineers, the number of students graduating
from college with an engineering degree declined by 1.2 percent
in 2007, according to a survey by the American Society for Engineering
Education. At the same time, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
has projected a need for 160,000 more engineering positions between
2006 and 2016. And that decline may continue, since undergraduate
engineering enrollment dropped in both 2004 and 2005.
Fewer Freshmen Return.
Fewer freshmen are returning to the same school for their sophomore
year. According to a recent survey by ACT, only 66 percent of
first-year college students came back to the same institution
for their sophomore year in 2007-08, down from 68 percent the
previous year and 69 percent in 2005-06. This is the lowest retention
level since ACT began gathering the data in 1983.
Four-year private schools posted the highest rate, 73 percent.
Four-year public institutions retained 71 percent of their first-year
students. But all saw their retention rates decline.
"The recent trends are troubling, particularly in light
of increasing efforts among colleges to retain students,"
said Wes Habley, ACT's principal associate, who has been working
on the data since 1983.
The exception to the trend was at two-year public colleges.
In 2007-08, an all-time high of 54 percent of these students
returned for a second year compared to 51 percent in 2006-07.
View the complete data at www.act.org.
Name Change. The Florida
legislature has rechristened Florida State U. as "The"
Florida State U. That was its original designation, but the three
letter title fell into disuse.
Out of Reach? In 2000,
only about 30 percent of Americans thought that a college education
was the only way to succeed. But the National Center for Public
Policy and Higher Education now finds that 55 percent of Americans
feel that a college education is not only desirable, it is essential
for success. However, 67 percent of Americans now feel that many
qualified people do not have the opportunity to attend college,
primarily for economic reasons.
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COLLEGE BOUND's Publisher/Editor: R. Craig
Sautter, DePaul University; Chief Operating Officer: Sally
Reed; Assistant Editor: Emma Schwartz; Illustration:
Louis Coronel; Board of Advisors: Lisa Burnham,
Edina High School, Minnesota; Claire D. Friedlander, Bedford
(N.Y.) Central School District; Howard Greene and Matthew
Greene, authors, The Greenes' Guides to Educational Planning
Series; Frank C. Leana, Ph.D., educational counselor;
M. Fredric Volkmann, Washington University in St. Louis;
Mary Ann Willis, Bayside Academy (Daphne, Ala.).
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