What's behind the surge in applications to some schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:University of Texas saw a massive increase, from 72,000 to 90,000. USC got more than 42,000 EA applications. UVA saw a huge spike. Northeastern went from 98,000 applications to over 107,000. Overall, applications in the Common App increased from 6.3 million to 6.7 million.

I thought that the demographic cliff would be kicking in, but it looks like it is harder than ever.

Two of those are a great educational value
Northeastern likely up from marketing and fee waivers

Northeastern is actually better performing school than the other two

Lol. Sure.

Granny, wake up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know so many high stats kids who are applying to rolling EAs like Pitt and publics like Wisconsin and MN, when they have no intention of going. These are not their real safeties.

They're kids who just always do the most, so why not apply august before senior year begins to a bunch of EA publics because "I want to get my safeties in early, and I can apply to these schools and also do SCEA to Yale". Oh, okay!

Wait, I don’t get it. Why are early rolling schools “not real safeties”?

PP They are. But the kids I'm talking about really are hoping for T20 schools and the safety of choice is Macalaster or Santa Clara or GW or Wisconsin. And they should apply to a couple, but they apply to all of them plus Pitt but SUNY and then also GMU and maybe McGill because there's no essay and also UVM because they like to ski and it's like .. you really don't need 10 safeties, guy. You have a 1540, you're full pay, and are coming from a private school.

More and more I think private schools that limit apps are doing god's work on this.

I completely agree with this. My kid was deferred early and then between EA apps already submitted and RD submitted 25 apps. In large part because other kids from the school also submitted that many, including several of the kids that are assumed to be at the very top of the class (but were also deferred). So worry set in that the top kids would get all the spots and then the thinking became "i have to make sure i apply to a school that my very top friend did not". It's all so stupid. I would 1000% love if the school only allowed 10 apps a kid. It would have really helped this.

Where do you live? Is the school public or private? I haven’t heard of any kids applying to this many. My DC is at a DC private and the CCO is still recommending 9 schools and 12 max.

[Anonymous]

Texas has something that other states tend not have anymore, an abundance of youth. They have the 2nd highest percentage of under 18 years in America.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know so many high stats kids who are applying to rolling EAs like Pitt and publics like Wisconsin and MN, when they have no intention of going. These are not their real safeties.

They're kids who just always do the most, so why not apply august before senior year begins to a bunch of EA publics because "I want to get my safeties in early, and I can apply to these schools and also do SCEA to Yale". Oh, okay!

Wait, I don’t get it. Why are early rolling schools “not real safeties”?

PP They are. But the kids I'm talking about really are hoping for T20 schools and the safety of choice is Macalaster or Santa Clara or GW or Wisconsin. And they should apply to a couple, but they apply to all of them plus Pitt but SUNY and then also GMU and maybe McGill because there's no essay and also UVM because they like to ski and it's like .. you really don't need 10 safeties, guy. You have a 1540, you're full pay, and are coming from a private school.

More and more I think private schools that limit apps are doing god's work on this.

I completely agree with this. My kid was deferred early and then between EA apps already submitted and RD submitted 25 apps. In large part because other kids from the school also submitted that many, including several of the kids that are assumed to be at the very top of the class (but were also deferred). So worry set in that the top kids would get all the spots and then the thinking became "i have to make sure i apply to a school that my very top friend did not". It's all so stupid. I would 1000% love if the school only allowed 10 apps a kid. It would have really helped this.

Where do you live? Is the school public or private? I haven’t heard of any kids applying to this many. My DC is at a DC private and the CCO is still recommending 9 schools and 12 max.

Greater DMV Catholic

[Anonymous]

Schools need to pocket those application fees. At the edge of the college age population cliff, all downhill from here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:University of Texas saw a massive increase, from 72,000 to 90,000. USC got more than 42,000 EA applications. UVA saw a huge spike. Northeastern went from 98,000 applications to over 107,000. Overall, applications in the Common App increased from 6.3 million to 6.7 million.

I thought that the demographic cliff would be kicking in, but it looks like it is harder than ever.

Two of those are a great educational value
Northeastern likely up from marketing and fee waivers

Northeastern is actually better performing school than the other two

Lol. Sure.

Granny, wake up.

You are seriously delusional if you think anyone puts NEU above UT and Michigan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:so simple people. The year 2007 (year that most applicants this year were born) was the largest baby boom in history. So simple.

Most applicants are were born in 2006.

You have January - May of 2007. So, 5 months. June - August of 2007 most likely the kids are held back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:so simple people. The year 2007 (year that most applicants this year were born) was the largest baby boom in history. So simple.

Most applicants are were born in 2006.

You have January - May of 2007. So, 5 months. June - August of 2007 most likely the kids are held back.

really….is this what you are going to nit pick on? The point is that period, from from late 2006 to late 2007 where MOST of these applicants are from, was the largest baby boom years…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:University of Texas saw a massive increase, from 72,000 to 90,000. USC got more than 42,000 EA applications. UVA saw a huge spike. Northeastern went from 98,000 applications to over 107,000. Overall, applications in the Common App increased from 6.3 million to 6.7 million.

I thought that the demographic cliff would be kicking in, but it looks like it is harder than ever.

Two of those are a great educational value
Northeastern likely up from marketing and fee waivers

Northeastern is actually better performing school than the other two

Lol. Sure.

Granny, wake up.

You are seriously delusional if you think anyone puts NEU above UT and Michigan.

Sorry, granny...but NEU's premed program won out over Michigan. Two co-ops, one research, one clinical and the med school resume is all set. UT has so few OOS students. It makes sense if you are from Texas, otherwise, no.

[Anonymous]

I dont think you can write 22 strong applications.

Maybe there are schools that don't require essays or supps. Okay. But for those that do - every short answer, every quick take has to really be well crafted.

Our counselor says kids who apply to 7-8 schools usually have better options than kids who apply to 15+. I believe it

[Anonymous]

The "name" schools in urban areas, especially Boston, New York and Los Angeles are known to applicants world wide. From a pure marketing aspect, that part sell itself. If BU was in Lousiville, KY it wouldn't be a shell of itself.

Nothing is really going to change that dynamic. The appeal of a large, vibrant, cosmopolitan environment is a massive draw for Chinese and Indian students, not to mention the American Tik Tok obsessed youth of watching dorm move ins.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I dont think you can write 22 strong applications.

Maybe there are schools that don't require essays or supps. Okay. But for those that do - every short answer, every quick take has to really be well crafted.

Our counselor says kids who apply to 7-8 schools usually have better options than kids who apply to 15+. I believe it

Most of the 20+ applications are split he’s ill btw EA and RD.

RD applications written 2 months after EA can often be stronger. Writing good essay packages is a learned skill. You get better the more you do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I dont think you can write 22 strong applications.

Maybe there are schools that don't require essays or supps. Okay. But for those that do - every short answer, every quick take has to really be well crafted.

Our counselor says kids who apply to 7-8 schools usually have better options than kids who apply to 15+. I believe it

Most of the 20+ applications are split he’s ill btw EA and RD.

RD applications written 2 months after EA can often be stronger. Writing good essay packages is a learned skill. You get better the more you do.

+1

[Anonymous]

Does the College Board break down number of applicants from year to year or just applications? Going from 6.3 million to 6.7 million is a large jump, but maybe it's a function of just the same number of applicants applying to more schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:University of Texas saw a massive increase, from 72,000 to 90,000. USC got more than 42,000 EA applications. UVA saw a huge spike. Northeastern went from 98,000 applications to over 107,000. Overall, applications in the Common App increased from 6.3 million to 6.7 million.

I thought that the demographic cliff would be kicking in, but it looks like it is harder than ever.

UVA does not consider the 3000 additional applications to be a "huge spike"

False figures. UVA received almost 60,000 applications for class of 2028. For class of 2029, 4,079 applied ED, an 11% increase. The total increase for 2029 won't be available until
March. https://www.crimsoneducation.org/us/blog/uva-acceptance-rate/