Each year, colleges admissions offices evaluate their matriculants and find new ways to keep up with the ever-changing landscape of prospective student applicants. Here are some fun facts on college admissions according to a recent survey:
- EARLY ADMISSIONS — More colleges are offering Early Decision and Early Action options and more students are utilizing these options. 31% of colleges in the US are now offering Early Action and 65% of Early Action applicants were admitted in 2013. Some schools fill up to 40% of their freshman class with Early Decision.
- WAIT LISTS — 45% of 4-year institutions utilize wait lists. The average wait list acceptance is 30%, although it is much lower at highly selective institutions.
- GENDER BALANCE — There are more girls applying to college these days than boys. The gap grew to 11% in favor of females in the last decade leading many institutions to initiate focused recruitment for boys.
- COUNSELING — The American School Counselor Association recommends that student-to-counselor ratios do not exceed a ratio of 250:1, but the national average is 460:1, and in California, to give one example, the ratio can approach 1000:1.
- TUITION — Average tuition and fees have soared 27% to $8,893 at public colleges since 2008, and have risen 14% to $30,094 at private non-profit colleges. All the more reason to save your money now.
For more information on this survey, please visit the Higher Education Research Institute site at:
http://www.heri.ucla.edu/cirpoverview.php
Happy Thanksgiving!
