Shaky Admissions Mean Generous Wait Lists
Posted 09 Sep, 2009
September is here, and for many colleges and universities across the country, the first day of school is a sort of D-Day: the day they see if all their plans–and backup plans–will pay off.
Summer Melt
All summer long colleges (especially those with high price tags) have been working to combat what many admissions officers refer to as the “summer melt”: the one-by-one drop-off of their incoming freshman class that occurs during the summer. Summer melt has always been a part of the freshman entrance equation, but it hasn’t been as much of a concern in previous years as it is now.
With the economy still in flux, more students than ever have been keeping their options open- some have considered taking a year off from school, while others have sent in deposits to multiple colleges so they have the opportunity to make a last-minute decision. Needless to say, this has been a scary proposition for many colleges, which are also being hard-hit by the downturn in the economy.
Plumping the Wait Lists
After a year of publicizing their offerings, over-filling their classes, and working out new financial aid offerings, colleges now have only one backup plan to keep their incoming freshman class full–the wait list.
In fact, it seems that even some of the most sought after schools are plumping their wait lists. Virginia Tech, which reportedly hasn’t even kept a last-minute wait list in several years, has created a list of students who will be runners-up for empty spots at the beginning of the school year. Their spokesman, Mark Owczarski, told the Washington Post that VT needs to fill the freshman class in order to stay on budget. Recent funding cuts from the state mean Virginia Tech needs the full tuition they were counting on.
Of the 5,000+ students starting at Virginia Tech this week, over 300 were admitted off the wait list.
Better Odds?
This year was a great year for students–just as home-buyers were experiencing a “buyers market,” the higher education sphere saw a “student’s market.” Many colleges have been more exuberant than ever about recruiting, and that has meant heftier aid awards for some, and fewer admissions obstacles for others.
Whether these improved odds will spill into next year’s admissions cycle remains to be seen, but until the economy improves, it is likely that colleges will be looking to meet their budgets by retaining as many of their recruitment policies as possible–and that could be good news for students who are planning to apply to college this fall!
All the best,
Deborah Fox
Deborah Fox is the founder of Fox College Funding®, a nationwide company that helps families find creative ways to reduce their college costs.
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September is here, and for many colleges and universities across the country, the first day of school is a sort of D-Day: the day they see if all their plans–and backup plans–will pay off.
Summer Melt
All summer long colleges (especially those with high price tags) have been working to combat what many admissions officers refer to as the “summer melt”: the one-by-one drop-off of their incoming freshman class that occurs during the summer. Summer melt has always been a part of the freshman entrance equation, but it hasn’t been as much of a concern in previous years as it is now.
With the economy still in flux, more students than ever have been keeping their options open- some have considered taking a year off from school, while others have sent in deposits to multiple colleges so they have the opportunity to make a last-minute decision. Needless to say, this has been a scary proposition for many colleges, which are also being hard-hit by the downturn in the economy.
Plumping the Wait Lists
After a year of publicizing their offerings, over-filling their classes, and working out new financial aid offerings, colleges now have only one backup plan to keep their incoming freshman class full–the wait list.
In fact, it seems that even some of the most sought after schools are plumping their wait lists. Virginia Tech, which reportedly hasn’t even kept a last-minute wait list in several years, has created a list of students who will be runners-up for empty spots at the beginning of the school year. Their spokesman, Mark Owczarski, told the Washington Post that VT needs to fill the freshman class in order to stay on budget. Recent funding cuts from the state mean Virginia Tech needs the full tuition they were counting on.
Of the 5,000+ students starting at Virginia Tech this week, over 300 were admitted off the wait list.
Better Odds?
This year was a great year for students–just as home-buyers were experiencing a “buyers market,” the higher education sphere saw a “student’s market.” Many colleges have been more exuberant than ever about recruiting, and that has meant heftier aid awards for some, and fewer admissions obstacles for others.
Whether these improved odds will spill into next year’s admissions cycle remains to be seen, but until the economy improves, it is likely that colleges will be looking to meet their budgets by retaining as many of their recruitment policies as possible–and that could be good news for students who are planning to apply to college this fall!
All the best,
Deborah Fox
Deborah Fox is the founder of Fox College Funding®, a nationwide company that helps families find creative ways to reduce their college costs.
Subscribe in a reader
Subscribe by Email
[...] College wait-lists are longer than ever. [...]