On the Preference, we look at as typically as we are able to — though probably not as much as we should — to remind applicants and their parents that there about 2,000 four-year colleges in this country,
Office Ultimate 2007 Key, and that most accept a sizable majority of those who apply.
In its annual “State of College Admission” report, which is being released Wednesday afternoon, the National Association for College Admission Counseling has tallied a fresh statistic that underscores the above point: The average acceptance rate at four-year colleges and universities was 67 percent for last fall’s freshmen class.
For those families fixated on the nation’s most selective colleges — some of which accepted fewer than 10 percent of those who applied last year — such figures are probably of little comfort. But for others seeking to take a broader view, that 67 percent acceptance rate should be of some solace.
Surely,
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The report contains dozens of the most current measurements of the admissions process. But here’s another figure that is worth noting: Nearly one of every three colleges or universities (30 percent) experienced a decrease in applications in 2009. That is the largest proportion to experience such a drop since 1996. The authors of the report theorize that the sluggish economy is certainly a factor, with at least some applicants setting their sights on two-year colleges, at least initially.
One final statistic that seemed telling: Universities with early-admission programs continue to accept a higher percentage of applicants, on average, in those early rounds, with the chances of one’s being accepted early (as opposed to one’s chances in the regular pool) continuing to grow. For example,
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Microsoft Office Professional 2010, compared with 55 percent in the main round. By contrast, those figures were 61 and 55 percent, respectively,
Microsoft Office 2010 Professional, in fall 2006.
What’s your response to the figures cited above? And if you’ve sifted through the report yourself, which numbers caught your eye, and why? Please use the comment box below to let us know.