Are applications really down now...and so should we quick apply this year?

[Anonymous]

Okay, not really for me but for my friend who at SOME POINT would want to move her boy to a different private school (since his ends at 8th). The question is, would she be better off just sticking to her own original timing, or should she venture to apply now in the hopes that the probabilities will be slightly better, with applications down as a result of the recession (are they?). Financially it would make no difference since the tuitions are all equivalent.

[Anonymous]

From our recent visit to a school, we were told they have more number of applicants this year than they had at this time last year.

[Anonymous]

For which school was that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From our recent visit to a school, we were told they have more number of applicants this year than they had at this time last year.

That is the oldest trick in the book.

[Anonymous]

My guess, based on absolutely no information, would be that applications would not be very different. On the other hand, the yield rate might fall as parents decide they'd rather save their money, so there might be more movement off the waitlist.

[Anonymous]

Why is the an old trick? I would think that telling you that they had LESS applications would encourage you to apply, which may not be in your interests, but it would give them more choice of applicants.

[Anonymous]

I have a friend who applied to a private school and whose child was accepted a couple of weeks later. I'm guessing they wanted to lock them up for next year because applications were down and they didn't want to wait until their official acceptance date and risk losing the potential tuition in case the economy gets worse. The popular schools will always fill their slots but I think the so so privates might be iffy.