Vol. 24 No. 6 February 2010

Aid Issues
Top Survey Results

LAST MONTH, CB reported on the initial results from its 24th Annual National College Admissions Trends Survey. By press time, 86 colleges had responded to the survey which tracks the trends at a wide variety of colleges coast to coast. This month, CB profiles who got into the entering Class of 2009. Colleges reported on the size of their freshman class, whether they accepted more international students than last year, how many minority students they admitted and if they had more students requesting financial aid, or not.

EMERGENCY AID GRANTED
As the recession roared last year, colleges scrambled to accommodate students who suddenly found themselves unable to afford college. What’s striking is their range of responses to providing aid.

Nava Lerer, Adelphi U., for example, said, “The university established an emergency fund to help students unable to pay their bills.” Baldwin-Wallace C. replaced the loss of state aid and, under special conditions, grant awards increased, according to Susan Dileno. Brandeis U. “set aside a reserve fund of approximately $1 million,” said Mark Hewitt. At Emory U., “The financial aid staff met weekly in committee to discuss and find funding for families that faced new financial difficulties with job losses and asset depreciation.”

Gannon U. reported that, “Due to the country’s economic downturn, 2009-2010 renewable financial aid funding was increased for incoming students and the university also made additional funding available in ‘stimulus’ money for new and returning students/families… facing adverse effects brought on by these conditions.”

Clearwater Christian C. made “larger awards.” DePauw U. “increased merit awards for some students.” Embry-Riddle Aeronautical U.-Daytona Beach said, “The university reallocated funds to assist students.” Hampden-Sydney C. created a “new parent loan.” Illinois Wesleyan U. found itself “more attentive to appeals.”

At James Madison U., there was a new “program called Madison for Keeps,” a “fundraising initiative for students experiencing economic hardship.” And Johns Hopkins U. obtained “additional funds.”

Loyola Marymount U. gave “more money for appeals.” Ohio U. “used Institutional Grant Funding for State Grant Reduction.” The Ohio State U. also replaced state grants and made emergency loans. Oklahoma City U. utilized the resources of the Department of Education in looking at special conditions. It formed an institutional fund for students in need.

Quincy U. “increased its Academic Scholarship for 2010-2011.” Sacred Heart U. increased awards and increased work study. Thomas More C. “instituted a new program called the Thomas More Trust, which increased awards and guaranteed tuition increases of not more than 3 percent.”

Likewise, the U. of Bridgeport “increased aid.” The U. of Michigan-Ann Arbor “offered more scholarships.” Valparaiso U. awarded more need-based aid. Wabash C. made up for a drop in state grants to Indiana schools. Wagner C. instituted “need grants.” And Whitman C. trustees approved an increase of $1.5 million in scholarships. William Patterson U. said “efforts were made to ensure students received award letters early.”

In all, 44 percent of colleges in CB’s survey said they took emergency steps to increase financial aid.

The other colleges providing emergency aid included Butler U., Campbellsville U., Chapman U., Duquesne U., Embry-Riddle Aeronautical U.-Prescott, Florida State U., Franciscan U., Greensboro C., Lewis and Clark C., Marymount Manhattan C., Mount Mercy C., Muhlenberg C., Providence C. and Purdue U.

But 35 percent said they did not take emergency measures to increase aid.

STATE OF FINANCIAL AID
Overall, CB wondered if colleges had more students requesting financial aid this year? Eighty-seven percent said, “Yes.” In fact, Phyllis J. Schultz, Lawrence U., noted, “The May 1 National Candidates Reply Date passed with many students still on the fence weighing financial aid offers from multiple schools (and quite often trying to play those schools off each other).”

And “Do you offer new merit scholarships to first-year students?” CB asked.

About 51 percent of colleges reported that they did have new merit scholarships. These included: Adelphi U.; Baldwin-Wallace C.; Bucknell U.; Clearwater Christian C.; Duquesne U.; Embry-Riddle Aeronautical U.-Daytona Beach; Embry-Riddle Aeronautical U.-Prescott; Florida State U.; Franciscan U.; Gannon U.; Greensboro C.; Hampden-Sydney C.; Harvey Mudd C.; Illinois Wesleyan U. ($5,000-$19,000 per year); James Madison U.; Lewis and Clark C.; Longwood U.; Loyola U. Chicago (Dean’s Award for $4,000 a year); Loyola Marymount U.; Marymount Manhattan C.; Nazareth C.; New C. of Florida (New College and Mathematics and Science Awards); Ohio U.; Ohio Wesleyan U. (competition for an additional $8,000 scholarship); Oklahoma City U.; Philadelphia Biblical U.; Point Park U.; Quincy U. (Franciscan Service Scholarship—a $1,000 service scholarship opportunity for incoming students to promote and reinforce Franciscan values); St. Lawrence U.; U. of California-Santa Cruz; U. of Idaho; U. of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and Wagner C.

Aid to International Students? A common question from CB’s international subscribers is whether or not a college gives financial aid to international students.

Seventy-one percent of colleges said, “Yes.” These included: Adelphi U. (non-need-based scholarship only); American U.; Aquinas C.; Baldwin-Wallace C. (need-based); Brandeis U.; Bucknell U.; Campbellsville U.: Chapman U. (it’s merit-based; no need-based); Claremont McKenna C. (some); Clearwater Christian C.; Colgate U.; Creighton U.; DePauw U.; Dickinson C.; Elon U. (merit scholarships only); Embry-Riddle Aeronautical U.-Daytona Beach and Prescott; Franciscan U.; Gannon U.; Georgia Southern U.; Greensboro C.; Hampden-Sydney C. (academic scholarships only); Hope C. (limited money available); Hendrix C. (merit-based only); James Madison U.; Illinois Wesleyan U. (no restrictions); Johns Hopkins U.; Kalamazoo C.; Lafayette C. (need-based; limited funds, so very competitive); Lawrence U.; Lewis and Clark C. (need/merit available); Louisiana State U.; Loyola U. Chicago (merit only if qualified); Marquette U. (institutional aid only;) Marymount Manhattan C. (merit only); Middlebury C.; Mount Mercy C.; New C. of Florida (scholarships only); Oberlin C.; Ohio U. (merit scholarships only); The Ohio State U.; Ohio Wesleyan U.; Oklahoma City U.; Philadelphia Biblical U.; Point Park U.; Providence C. (merit only); Purdue U.; Quincy U.; Saint Michael’s C. (mainly merit-based); Scripps C. (up to 50 percent tuition); St. Lawrence U.; Thomas More C. (must qualify for institutional global perspectives grant); U. of the Arts (merit aid only); U. of Bridgeport; U. of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (merit awards; not eligible for need-based aid.); U. of Oklahoma; Valparaiso U. (merit only); Wabash C.; Wagner C.; Wartburg C.; Whitman C. and Yale U. (no restrictions).

THE SIZE OF THE 2009 CLASS
Forty-nine percent of colleges reported they had more applications in 2009 compared to 2008. (See the CB January issue.) Then, 57 percent of colleges accepted more students. About 61 percent used a wait list. But only 23 percent of colleges last year ended up with a higher yield compared to 2008. Finally, CB asked, “What is the size of your 2009 first-year class?”

“Our freshman and new transfer class size is lower as a result of the economy and families choosing lower-priced options… despite their preference for Embry-Riddle,” said Lesley Al-Hajeri, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical U. in Daytona Beach, Florida.

In the end, 50 percent of colleges fielded smaller class sizes compared to 2008. (These follow, with the actual size of their first-year class in parenthesis.)

Alfred U. (465); American U. (1,641); Aquinas C. (402); Binghamton U.-SUNY (2,030); Bucknell U. (920); Butler U. (946); Dickinson C. (582); Duquesne U. (1,432); Embry-Riddle Aeronautical U.-Daytona Beach (862); Embry-Riddle Aeronautical U.-Prescott (318); Hampden-Sydney C. (295); Hendrix C. (412); Hope C. (803); Illinois Wesleyan U. (521); Lawrence U. (352); Longwood U. (1,010); Louisiana State U. (4,789); Marquette U. (1,947); Marymount Manhattan C. (487); Mount Mercy C. (150); New C. of Florida (218); Ohio Wesleyan U. (498); Philadelphia Biblical U. (191); Point Park U. (530); Providence C. (955); Sacred Heart U. (909); Saint Michael’s C. (475); Scripps C. (203); St. Lawrence U. (580); U. of the Arts (509); U. of Bridgeport (440); U. of California-Santa Cruz (3,228); U. of Illinois (6,991); U. of Iowa (4,063); U. of North Florida (1,108); U. of Oklahoma (3,760); Wartburg C. (480) and Whitman C. (421).

But 44 percent ended up with a larger class size in 2009: Adelphi U. (1,005); Baldwin-Wallace C. (755); Brandeis U. (781); Campbellsville U. (518); Chapman U. (1,032); Clearwater Christian C. (157); Colgate U. (750); Creighton U. (1,054); DePauw U. (744); Emory U. (1,315); Florida State U. (6,196); Franciscan U. (640); Gannon U. (649); Georgia Southern U. (3,539); Greensboro C. (237); Harvey Mudd C. (207); Husson U. (531); Johns Hopkins U. (1,349); Kalamazoo C. (391); Lafayette C. (316); Loyola Marymount U. (1,385); Middlebury C. (603); Nazareth C. (492); Oberlin C. (809); Ohio U. (4,072); The Ohio State U. (6,607); Oklahoma City U. (410); Quincy U. (249); Temple U. (4,203); Thomas More C. (292); U. of Idaho (1,777); U. of Michigan-Ann Arbor (6,079); U. of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (3,960); U. of North Dakota (1,992); Valparaiso U. (845); Wagner C. (519) and William Patterson U. (1,435)

And a few colleges ended up with about the same class size as in the past. These included: Elon U. (1,293); James Madison U. (3,952) and Yale U. (1,308)

HOW DID MINORITY STUDENTS DO?
Each year, CB asks, “How many U.S. minority students did you admit in 2009 compared to 2008?” In this year’s survey, 61 percent said they admitted more minority students

These included (with the number if noted): Adelphi U.; Alfred U.; American U.; Brandeis U.; Butler U.; Campbellsville U.; Chapman U.; Colgate U.; DePauw U.; Duquesne U.; Emory U.; The Evergreen State; Florida State U. (4,859); Gannon U.; Georgia Southern U.; Greensboro C.; Hampden-Sydney C.; Hope C.; Illinois Wesleyan U.; James Madison U. (1,635); Johns Hopkins U.; Kalamazoo C.; Lafayette C. (482); Lawrence U.; Lewis and Clark C.; Longwood U.; Loyola Marymount U.; Marquette U.; Marymount Manhattan C.; Nazareth C.; New C. of Florida; Oberlin C.; Ohio U. (1,075); Ohio Wesleyan U.; Oklahoma City U.; Philadelphia Biblical U.; Sacred Heart U.; Saint Michael’s C.; Temple U.; U. of California-Santa Cruz; U. of Iowa; U. of Michigan-Ann Arbor; U. of North Carolina-Chapel Hill; U. of North Dakota; U. of Oklahoma; Valparaiso U.; Virginia Tech; Wabash C.; Wagner C.; Wartburg C. and Whitman C.

Nineteen percent of colleges admitted fewer minority students. These included: Baldwin-Wallace C.; Bucknell U.; Dickinson C.; Embry-Riddle Aeronautical U.-Daytona Beach; Embry-Riddle Aeronautical U.-Prescott; Harvey Mudd C.; Husson U.; Mount Mercy C.; Ohio State U.; Point Park U.; Quincy U.; Scripps C.; St. Lawrence U.; U. of Idaho; U. of Illinois and the U. of North Florida.

New C. of Florida reported, “Changes in family income sometimes made a difference in enrolling serious students who had once given serious consideration only to more expensive private colleges and/or out-of-state public universities.”

And the following colleges admitted the about same number of minority students in 2009 as in 2008: Binghamton U.-SUNY; Claremont McKenna C.; Clearwater Christian C.; Creighton U.; Elon U. (1,226); Franciscan U.; Hendrix C.; Louisiana State U.; Middlebury C.; Thomas More C.; U. of the Arts; U. of Bridgeport; William Patterson U. and Yale U.

THE RATIO OF MALE TO FEMALE
About 73 percent of colleges said they admitted more women than men last year. These included: Adelphi U.; Alfred U.; American U.; Baldwin-Wallace C.; Brandeis U.; Bucknell U.; Butler U.; Campbellsville U.; Chapman U.; Colgate U.; Creighton U.; DePauw U.; Duquesne U.; Elon U.; Emory U.; The Evergreen State C.; Florida State U.; Franciscan U.; Gannon U.; Hope C.; Illinois Wesleyan U.; James Madison U.; Kalamazoo C.; Lawrence U.; Lewis and Clark C.; Longwood U.; Loyola Marymount U.; Loyola U. Chicago; Marquette U.; Marymount Manhattan C.; Middlebury C.; Mount Mercy C.; Nazareth C.; New C. of Florida; Ohio U.; Ohio Wesleyan U.; Oklahoma City U.; Philadelphia Biblical U.; Point Park U.; Providence C.; Quincy U.; St. Lawrence U.; Temple U.; U. of the Arts; U. of California-Santa Cruz; U. of Iowa; U. of North Carolina-Chapel Hill; Wagner C.; Wartburg C.; Whitman C. and William Patterson U.

Colleges admitting more men included: Binghamton U.-SUNY; Claremont McKenna C.; Clearwater Christian C.; Embry-Riddle Aeronautical U.-Daytona Beach; Embry-Riddle Aeronautical U.-Prescott; Georgia Southern U.; Greensboro C.; Hampden-Sydney C.; Harvey Mudd C.; Johns Hopkins U.; Lafayette C.; U. of Idaho; U. of Illinois; U. of Michigan-Ann Arbor and Yale U

Saint Michael’s C. and the U. of North Dakota were 50-50. Eighteen schools chose not to answer this question.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS INCREASE
What may strike survey readers at first glance is the sheer breadth of countries represented at U.S. colleges and universities. The New C. of Florida, for example, notes, “For the 2009-2010 academic year, our international students come from 21 different countries. The maximum number of students from any country is three. The countries represented by three students are: Argentina, Canada, and India.” Oklahoma City U. has students from India, South Korea and Saudi Arabia. Yale U. notes that there is “no majority” of students from one country.

Emil Rinderspacher, U. of Iowa, noted that as a trend in 2009, there were “increased application numbers from international students, especially China.”

Fifty-six percent of colleges noted they accepted more international students in 2009 than in 2008. These included, with the nations sending the greatest numbers: American U. (China); Alfred U. (China, Japan and Korea); Binghamton U.-SUNY (Asia); Brandeis U. (China, Korea and India); Bucknell U. (China, Japan, Myanmar, South Africa, Vietnam and Turkey); Chapman U. (Asia); Claremont Mckenna C. (China, India, Korea and Jordan); Colgate U. (Korea, India, Vietnam, China and Canada); DePauw U. (China and India); Duquesne U. (India and China); The Evergreen State C. (students come from 21 countries); Gannon U. (India, Saudi Arabia and Canada); Greensboro C.; Florida State U. (Canada, China, South Korea and India); Georgia Southern U. (Honduras, Nigeria, The Bahamas, Burkina Faso, Korea); Hampden-Sydney C. (China, Germany and Jamaica); Illinois Wesleyan U. (China, India, Pakistan and Nigeria); John Hopkins U. (Asia); Kalamazoo C. (China, Jamaica and Mexico); Louisiana State U. (Honduras, India and Korea); Loyola Marymount U. (Asia, 1. Indonesia 2. China); Loyola U. Chicago (China, South Korea, other SE Asian countries); Marymount Manhattan C., “varies greatly”; Marquettte U. (China and India); Nazareth C. (India, Nepal and Italy); The Ohio State U. (China, India and Korea); Ohio U. (China); Point Park U.; Providence C. (Central America and Western Europe); Quincy U., “varies”; Saint Michael’s C. (Canada, Japan, Europe); St. Lawrence U. (Canada); U. of Bridgeport (China); U. of Idaho; U. of Illinois (China and South Korea); U. of Iowa (China); U. of Michigan-Ann Arbor (China, Korea and Singapore); U. of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (China); U. of Oklahoma (Asia); Valparaiso U. (China and Saudi Arabia); Virginia Tech (China); Wabash C. (China); Wartburg C. (Japan, China and Nigeria).

Forty percent of colleges said they received fewer applications: These schools, with the number of applications, were: American U. (14,969); Brandeis U., in Massachusetts, (6,814); Bucknell U. (7,572); Clearwater Christian C. (278); Colgate U., in New York, (7,816); Creighton U., in Iowa, (4,752); Dickinson C. (5,026); Elon U. (9,041); Embry-Riddle Aeronautical U.-Prescott (1,039); Emory U. (15,599); The Evergreen State C.; Florida State U. (25,133); Gannon U. (3,019); Harvey Mudd C., in California, (2,340); Hendrix C. (1,572); Kalamazoo C., in Michigan, (1,979); Lafayette C. (5,635); Lawrence U. (2,516) and Lewis and Clark C. (5,342).

And the following colleges accepted fewer international students, and where the majority of their students come from: Adelphi U. (India, Canada and Nepal); Dickinson C. (China, Bulgaria, Argentina, India and Uruguay); Elon U. (United Kingdom, France, Germany, Korea and Costa Rica); Embry-Riddle Aeronautical U. (India, Canada and Germany); Emory U.; Harvey Mudd C.; Hope C. (Japan); Husson C. (Canada); James Madison U. (Asia); Lafayette C. (China); Philadelphia Biblical U. (Korea, Canada and Myanmar); Sacred Heart U. (Asia and North America); Scripps C. (India); Temple U. (People’s Republic of China); U. of the Arts (South Korea and China); U. of North Florida; Wagner C. (Canada); Whitman C. (Asia, Europe and South America) and William Patterson U.

About 21 percent of colleges accepted the same number. These included: Baldwin-Wallace C. (Vietnam); Butler U. (Australia and the United Kingdom); Campbellsville U. (Japan); Clearwater Christian C. (Caribbean Islands); Creighton U. (Latin America and the Middle East); Embry-Riddle Aeronautical U.-Daytona Beach (India, Korea and Nigeria); Franciscan U.; Hendrix C. (China and Rwanda); Lawrence U. (China); Lewis and Clark C. (Asia, Saudi Arabia); Middlebury C., Ohio Wesleyan U. (Vietnam, China and Pakistan); Thomas More C. (Germany and Mexico) and U. of North Dakota (China).

Last Word. Phyllis J. Schultz said Lawrence U. is giving students this advice: “Think about—but don’t worry about—the economy. While many families have seen college savings plans suffer in the current economic environment, many of them forget that they may become eligible for more financial aid from colleges. …Take the shot at your dream colleges and give them a chance to provide you with an admission offer….”

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THE COUNSELOR'S CORNER
Admissions Watch for 2010
Why are colleges coast to coast reporting jumps in applications this year? Some speculate it is because families are fishing for financial aid. Others believe there really are more students applying to college. Still others say applying to multiple colleges relieves the anxiety in families. They hope to get in somewhere. Time will tell. In the meantime….“Yes,” according to 48 percent of colleges in the survey. But the movement was not uniform.

Aloha. Applications to the U. of Hawaii at Manoa jumped by 25 percent for the fall 2010 semester. According to the Star Bulletin, this year’s 6,025 applications topped last year’s 4,848 apps. This year, enrollment at the school has already reached 18,729.

Chicago High. The U. of Chicago attracted an historic high of 19,306 applications for the class of 2014, or an amazing 42 percent more than last year. Applications to the U. of C. have doubled since 2006. School officials attribute the increase to many factors, including greater research opportunities with faculty, a new study abroad center in Paris, a new initiative in China and new on-campus dorms and recreation facilities.

Harvard’s Record. Freshman applications soared at Harvard C. for this year, climbing over 30,000 for the first time in school history. The Harvard Gazette noted that applications have actually doubled since 1994. Most of the increase spans the past five years since Harvard implemented several financial aid initiatives to insure accessibility to talented students of all backgrounds. To recap: All expenses are covered for students from families with incomes below $60,000. Families earning up to $180,000 contribute about 10 percent of costs. About 70 percent of students receive some form of financial aid. Also, Harvard’s new School of Engineering and Applied Sciences has attracted students at a higher rate of increase than other programs.

Harvard’s admissions staff was not immune to the economic turmoil, though. Its staff was cut by 10 percent. Its travel budget was cut in half. Recruiting publications were reduced. But electronic communications were increased.

Johns Hopkins Early Surge. The Johns Hopkins U. recorded a 10 percent boost over last year in Early Decision applications for this fall to a record 1,155. Regular applications were up 13 percent, according to the Baltimore Sun. Because more students were admitted last year, this year’s class will be smaller by design. That means the acceptance rate is likely to fall from 27 percent to 17 or 18 percent, John Latting, director of undergraduate admissions, told the paper.

Loyola U. Maryland Soars. Loyola U. Maryland posted a 30 percent increase in applications for the class of 2014. The school, which recently changed from a college to a university, re-emphasized its Jesuit tradition of “engaging students morally and intellectually” in its recruiting. And Elena Hicks, director for undergraduate admissions, said that Loyola has expanded its recruitment from Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey into Georgia, Florida, Virginia, Texas and Ohio.

NU ED Record. Northwestern U. attracted 1,770 early decision applications for fall 2010, and admitted 572 of them, according to The Daily Northwestern. Among those who were admitted were 34 African-American and 34 Latino students. Both groups also submitted ED applications in record numbers. NU deferred 48 applicants to view their senior grades.

“We’re pleased that it was an increase,” Michael Mills, associate provost for university enrollment, told the student paper. “We’re pleased that the pool was more ethnically and racially diverse. We’re very pleased that qualitatively the class was as strong as previous years.” He added, “Given the severity of the economic downturn, there’s a sense that the stakes have never been higher in terms of the choices students make.”

Princeton Up 19 Percent. Princeton U. attracted 19 percent more applications for this year than last, with a record 26,166 students vying for admission. Over the past six years, Princeton’s applications have soared by 91 percent. Nearly 98 percent of applicants applied online, using the Princeton supplement. Because of the new SAT writing component, Princeton required applicants this year to take only two, instead of three, SAT subject tests. Princeton will enroll 1,300 students in the class of 2014.

Last year, 75 percent of the Ivy League school’s applicants applied for financial aid, which covers 100 percent of demonstrated need and offers only grants, not loans. This year, 90 percent indicated they planned to do so. “It appears our financial aid message of affordability is reaching more students than in the past,” said Janet Rapelye, dean of admission. Both domestic and international students are eligible for Princeton’s aid packages. And since 2001, all of its graduates have left school without debt.

Stanford Tops Last Year. Stanford U. drew a record number of applications for this fall, more than last year’s record 30,428. The school said some international applications are still arriving. The total number includes 5,556 early applications. But 753 students have already been accepted from that group, while 700 were deferred to the regular pool. Last year, 2,300 applicants, or about 7 percent, were admitted for the 1,700 spots in the first-year class. Stanford is the nation’s third most selective college, behind Harvard and Yale. This year, the cost of room and board and tuition rose to $48,843. About 80 percent of students were awarded some form of financial aid.

U. Cal Record. All campuses of the U. of California system recorded increases in applications for fall 2010. Overall, 134,029 students applied for admission. Much of the increase came from a 17.5 percent jump in applications from transfer students. Freshman applications were up 2.4 percent. This is in spite of the 32 percent leap in student fees voted by the Board of Trustees in November.

The campuses at Merced, Riverside and Irvine witnessed the largest increase in applications. UCLA and UC Berkeley posted the smallest growth. Part of the rush of transfers from community colleges is the result of a 20 percent budget cut at the California State U. system, reducing enrollment by 40,000 students and taking no transfer students.

UMBC Benefits from Good PR. U.S. News & World Report recently named the U. of Maryland Baltimore County one of the nation’s best up-and-coming universities. This seems to have translated into a 27 percent increase in the number of applications the school received for this fall. At the same time, the average SAT scores of applicants shot up by 17 points. “Students and parents are aware of these honors,” Yvette Mozie-Ross, assistant provost for enrollment management, told the Baltimore Sun. “They mention it on campus visits all of the time.”

Virginia Vista. The U. of Virginia posted a new record high 22,396 applications for the class of 2014, a 3 percent increase over last year. Gregory Roberts, UVA’s dean of admission, attributed the flood of applications to the school’s Number 1 “Best Value” ranking among public colleges for the second year in a row by the Princeton Review, among other things. At the same time, applications to the School of Nursing increased more than 20 percent.

UVA meets 100 percent of its students’ demonstrated need, with grants rather than loans, for students from families earning 200 percent of the federal poverty line.

Wesleyan Has Steady ED Apps. According to The Wesleyan Argus, the number of Early Decision I applicants decreased by 9 students after last year’s significant jump. In 2008, Wesleyan U. had 509 ED I applicants, up 35 percent from the year before. Wesleyan accepted 237 students ED I, with 54 percent of those being women. About 71 percent of ED I students reside outside of New England, up from last year. Three percent are international students and 14 percent are people of color

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Whither Campus Visits?
CB asked, “Do you consider campus visits a factor in your admission decision?”

“Yes,” said Adelphi U., Alfred U., American U., Baldwin-Wallace C., Brandeis U., Bucknell U. “part of the discussion of demonstrated interest,” Campbellsville U., Dickinson C., Emory U., Franciscan U., Harvey Mudd C., Husson U., Illinois Wesleyan U., James Madison U., Lafayette C. “to some extent,” Louisiana State U., Middlebury C., Nazareth C., New C. of Florida, Ohio State U., Ohio Wesleyan U., Oklahoma City U., Quincy U., Sacred Heart U., St. Lawrence U., Saint Michael’s C., U. of Bridgeport, U. of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Wabash C., Wagner C. and William Patterson U.

Claremont McKenna C. noted it had “more campus visitors” last year. Creighton U. saw “more summer visits and more students visiting only once.”

The Ohio State U. thought this “a good trend. Campus visits are on the rise; campus visits should be the biggest factor in a student’s college selection process….” And Thomas More C. said “students visited campus in much greater numbers.”

COLLEGE BOUND's Publisher/Editor: R. Craig Sautter, DePaul University; Chief Operating Officer: Sally Reed; Associate Editor: Emma Schwartz; Editorial Assistant: Reed Lubin; 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.).

In This Issue

Feature Articles
Aid Issues Top Survey Results

THE COUNSELOR'S
CORNER
Admissions Watch for 2010

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