30,000+ applications for 3,000 slots

[upstater]

Went to the Fast Facts page mentioned above to get a little color and frankly was surprised to see that 75% of undergraduates on the Storrs campus are from CT. The reason for my surprise is that a couple of weeks ago there was article in the local paper that mentioned out of state students undergraduates now outnumber AL students on the Tuscaloosa campus. I would have thought UConn would have geographic reach on a par with BAMA, at least in the northeast. Really shocked that the undergraduate population is so local.

What's happening at Alabama is a sign of weakness, not of strength. The more local students you retain, assuming the scores are equal, the more commitment there is to higher education in that state. Schools that have very high out-of-state populations are likely in need of money and can squeeze out a profit from out-of-staters. This dynamic doesn't hold true at the best state schools where the cost per student (sometimes higher than $30k) far exceeds tuition. This literally means that such schools would lose money even on out-of-staters. State schools should serve their constituents as best they can.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

Kids in Georgia go to Alabama because they can't get into UGA.

 

[John Greene]

What's happening at Alabama is a sign of weakness, not of strength. The more local students you retain, assuming the scores are equal, the more commitment there is to higher education in that state. Schools that have very high out-of-state populations are likely in need of money and can squeeze out a profit from out-of-staters. This dynamic doesn't hold true at the best state schools where the cost per student (sometimes higher than $30k) far exceeds tuition. This literally means that such schools would lose money even on out-of-staters. State schools should serve their constituents as best they can.

Hum, lets see the cost of instate tuition at Tuscaloosa is $8,600 and out of state is 21,000. The cost of instate tuition at Storrs is $8,300 and out of state is 25,000 but somehow the fact that Bama has half of their 20,000 undergraduates paying the higher figure is a sign of "weakness". The taxpayers of CT should pray for such "weakness".

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Perhaps the 3k number represents the apps to the Storrs Campus and does not include the branches?

 

[johnhuskies95]

'Bama's President is from Fairfield I believe and he has made a big effort to get more students from out of state, particularly the Northeast.

 

[WestHartHusk]

Hum, lets see the cost of instate tuition at Tuscaloosa is $8,600 and out of state is 21,000. The cost of instate tuition at Storrs is $8,300 and out of state is 25,000 but somehow the fact that Bama has half of their 20,000 undergraduates paying the higher figure is a sign of "weakness". The taxpayers of CT should pray for such "weakness".

Just to summarize - you believe not providing our own students access to a well respected university is a sign of weakness and that a ~$50K investment to yield local leaders who help run and maintain top companies like UTC, GE, Travelers, etc within the state is a bad idea? Just to check your consistentcy, as a taxpayer would you support putting up tolls on all state roads and not allowing locals to use them because that too would make fiduciary sense?

 

[upstater]

Hum, lets see the cost of instate tuition at Tuscaloosa is $8,600 and out of state is 21,000. The cost of instate tuition at Storrs is $8,300 and out of state is 25,000 but somehow the fact that Bama has half of their 20,000 undergraduates paying the higher figure is a sign of "weakness". The taxpayers of CT should pray for such "weakness".

You have to look at it relative to cost-per-student.

If the cost-per-student at Alabama is $11,000 and $25,000 at UConn, then yes it's a sign of weakness. It signals that Alabama needs the profit (i.e. $21,000 OOS - $11,000 CPS) to fund the subsidy ($2,400) for in-state students. That not only means you have fewer state residents receiving a top notch education (which impacts the tax base) but it also means your school is desperate for sources of funding. Typically, schools with great endowments, lots of research grants, patents and licenses, think of tuition as a minor part of the budget (at some schools it's below 20%). So, these schools are working from a position of strength to service the educations of the top in-state students.

The logic is the same for private schools with very high international populations. You charge international students a premium to fund operations.

 

[UConnDan97]

I agree ... 3,000 does seem a little low. 17,800 total undergrads on the main campus and they would only allow for 3000 next fall? I think the number should be closer to 5,000.

I think this is starting to shed some light on what many people (including Susan Herbst) are complaining about lately: students are finding it difficult to finish "4-year" degrees in less than 5 years. Hard times finding availability for classes, since there are often not enough teachers to cover all of the classes needed. Herbst has been asking for a big boost from CT for funding for new teachers to fix the problem. So if people aren't leaving campus until 5+ years, we can't accept more than 3,000 students / year.

It was a little bit of a problem when I was there in the mid 90's (for the first year, we still had to fill out bubble sheets in Wood Hall and pray we got the classes), but it sounds like it's getting even tougher now...

 

[J187Money]

I went to Fairfield Prep. Cost $5K a year when I went. Now it's $16,400.a year.

Bargain. Was just told Hamden Hall is 32k. Ouch.

 

[Rumrunner]

I believe the common data set for the fall of 2011 will be out in a few weeks.

That will show the current freshman class had an admission rate of 49%, so about 5% points lower than the 2010 class. There was a noticeable jump in admissions, due to in part the use of the common application.

One statistic which I'm sure President Herbst will be focused on is the 50% SAT. This remained relatively static in spite of the increased selectivity. Of course the average SAT is still much higher than just a few years ago, as well as largely maintaining an upward trajectory. UConn has a new admissions director. We'll see how UConn fares in the next few years with respect to Herbst goal of making UConn more like a UNC, UVa, Michigan...the top publics.

Compared to our New England peers, and Rutgers, both objectively and perception wise UConn is well positioned to retain the distinction of being the top public in the northeast.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

No, something is wrong here. Only a percentage of students whom you accept actually come. If the class is about 3200, even allowing for other factors they would presumably have to admit at least 5000 students, wouldn't they?

Even Harvard and Yale don't assume everyone admitted comes.

Yes

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Branches? Other incoming transfers? Actual admitted Storrs' applicants?

3,000 Storrs' slots (not admitted students, just available Storrs slots) + incoming students from (1) branches and (2) transfers appears to make some sense. Knowing some kids will not opt to go to THE UConn campus, more than 3K will most likely be admitted to Storrs.

 

[John Greene]

Just to summarize - you believe not providing our own students access to a well respected university is a sign of weakness and that a ~$50K investment to yield local leaders who help run and maintain top companies like UTC, GE, Travelers, etc within the state is a bad idea? Just to check your consistentcy, as a taxpayer would you support putting up tolls on all state roads and not allowing locals to use them because that too would make fiduciary sense?

I re-read my post and darned if I can find anyplace where I said anything about relative access. Remember the UA system also has schools in Birmingham and Huntsville both of which have over 12,000 undergrads. In addition the Auburn system has 25,000 so even without counting junior colleges access is not an issue. With regard to UTC, GE, TRV don't know how many of their top managers were Uconn undergrads, do you? Finally I have no idea where your toll road analogy is going. For the record I don't think that AL has ever built an interstate toll road, I could be wrong since I only moved here from CT in the mid 80's.

 

[John Greene]

You have to look at it relative to cost-per-student.

If the cost-per-student at Alabama is $11,000 and $25,000 at UConn, then yes it's a sign of weakness. It signals that Alabama needs the profit (i.e. $21,000 OOS - $11,000 CPS) to fund the subsidy ($2,400) for in-state students. That not only means you have fewer state residents receiving a top notch education (which impacts the tax base) but it also means your school is desperate for sources of funding. Typically, schools with great endowments, lots of research grants, patents and licenses, think of tuition as a minor part of the budget (at some schools it's below 20%). So, these schools are working from a position of strength to service the educations of the top in-state students.
Before you push some of these points too far you better check the size of endowments and funded research for UA and UConn. Let us know what you find.

The logic is the same for private schools with very high international populations. You charge international students a premium to fund operations.[/quote

Before you push some of these points too hard you should check the endowments and funded research of UA and UConn. let us know what you find.

 

[auggie22]

i'm confused. isn't the class of 2016 the class that entered this past fall? if so, the applicant number as reported by the school and the wall street journal was just over 28,000, admitted was ~3300. was dez referring to the 2017 class that likely closes in ~ a month?

 

[auggie22]

disregard. it has been a long day at work. it's 2012, isn't it...

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I took my two cousins (from Boston area) on road trips to some colleges in New England. The older of the two visited Quinnipiac, UConn, Stonehill, Providence, UMass-Dartmouth, Bridgewater St, URI, BU and Northeastern among others. They both liked UConn best. She hasn't heard from UConn yet, but much of her decision hinges on grant/scholarships and final cost per year. I am curious as to whether she'll get into BU vs UConn.

I'm a recent ('09) BU grad, if she does get into BU and has any questions at all, I'd be happy to answer.

 

[upstater]

What would that prove? We're talking Alabama here, they don't subsidize much.

University of Alabama budget was $683 million, half came from tuition. That's very high. Total cost per student was $21,000.

UConn, on the other hand, is at $1.1 billion, $42,000 cost per student. Rate of support from the state: 30%. Tuition is at 25%.

That's a huge difference between the two schools.

Alabama has a $600m endowment, UConn is $300m. At a generous 5% interest, that's only a difference of $15 million a year or about $500 per student.

 

[upstater]

I think this is starting to shed some light on what many people (including Susan Herbst) are complaining about lately: students are finding it difficult to finish "4-year" degrees in less than 5 years. Hard times finding availability for classes, since there are often not enough teachers to cover all of the classes needed. Herbst has been asking for a big boost from CT for funding for new teachers to fix the problem. So if people aren't leaving campus until 5+ years, we can't accept more than 3,000 students / year.

It was a little bit of a problem when I was there in the mid 90's (for the first year, we still had to fill out bubble sheets in Wood Hall and pray we got the classes), but it sounds like it's getting even tougher now...

I just saw this stat when looking up UConn's budget. Over the last 15 years, there's a 52% increase in students, and a 12% increase in faculty.

 

[Rumrunner]

The student/faculty ratio is the first priority of Herbst. She has said as much. If additional profesors can't be hired, then the cap in enrollment which is in place now will be reduced further.

As for OOS students, I think it's university dependent of the proper ratio. 1/3 of UConn freshmen at the Storrs campus are OOS. That seems to be the sweet spot that UConn has settled on. That's the model at UVa, UNC (20-30%) The UC schools are going to that model, after historically limiting OOS to 10%. But the lure of foreign student money is too much for them to pass up.

 

[Yonick]

I'm the old fart who graduated in 1970. Total costs for the entire year were around 2K. That included books, room & board, plus tuition. My daughter graduated from Fordham in 1999 and it cost around 27K then. It's around 50K now.
Gads, have times changed.

 

[upstater]

I'm the old fart who graduated in 1970. Total costs for the entire year were around 2K. That included books, room & board, plus tuition. My daughter graduated from Fordham in 1999 and it cost around 27K then. It's around 50K now.
Gads, have times changed.

Ah, the days of the GI Bill.

 

[HuskyNan]

My son is starting to look at colleges. Given his grades (4.0+ GPA) and class standing (top 6%), he's being encouraged to apply to the Most Competitive colleges (he's looking at MIT, RPI and Brown) and Highly Competitive colleges (UConn, WPI and Northeastern). The guidance counselor suggested he pick a safety school, too, as UConn is not a safety school, even for a kid like my son.

 

[HartfordHank]

My son is starting to look at colleges. Given his grades (4.0+ GPA) and class standing (top 6%), he's being encouraged to apply to the Most Competitive colleges (he's looking at MIT, RPI and Brown) and Highly Competitive colleges (UConn, WPI and Northeastern). The guidance counselor suggested he pick a safety school, too, as UConn is not a safety school, even for a kid like my son.

Curious what is your son looking to study in college? Seems engineering focused.

 

[Nostical]

The guidance counselor suggested he pick a safety school, too, as UConn is not a safety school

Jerome Junior would also attest that UConn is not a Safety school! Hey Nan, how did you get your son to apply to such close proximity schools? Mine had wanderlust.

 

[HuskyNan]

Curious what is your son looking to study in college? Seems engineering focused.

Yes, engineering. Not sitting in a cubicle designing something then sending it off site to be built, he wants to be hands-on. He's thinking being a test or prototype engineer.

 

[HuskyNan]

Hey Nan, how did you get your son to apply to such close proximity schools? Mine had wanderlust.

He wants to stay close to home, I suspect so that he can come home on weekends and get his laundry done for him. He's no dummy.

 

[Adios]

lol @ get his laundry done for him. I've been doing my own since my freshman year in college!

 

[HuskyNan]

lol @ get his laundry done for him. I've been doing my own since my freshman year in college!

I taught my son how to bake, how to shop wisely, how to create a resume and how to appreciate the finer points of a beautifully executed pick-and-roll. My husband taught him how to fish and how to pretend he doesn't know how to do housework.

 

[kibblesnbits]

My son is starting to look at colleges. Given his grades (4.0+ GPA) and class standing (top 6%), he's being encouraged to apply to the Most Competitive colleges (he's looking at MIT, RPI and Brown) and Highly Competitive colleges (UConn, WPI and Northeastern). The guidance counselor suggested he pick a safety school, too, as UConn is not a safety school, even for a kid like my son.

Interesting. It seems like he's already thought this through. As an RPI alum and parent of an MIT student I wish him well with both schools. Personally, I'd replace Brown with Cornell for a high quality Ivy League engineering school but perhaps the former has a particular program that he's interested in. His highly competitive list are all excellent schools as well and provide pretty good diversity (from small, focused engineering school; to large urban university with an excellent co-op program; to a large public university with a greater breadth of offerings). Best of luck to him in finding the right match.

However, I notice one school that is conspicuous by its absence - a small technical university just a bit beyond the edge of civilization in the great white north that features a hockey team in green and gold. You couldn't get him to consider dear old mom's alma mater and the charms of beautiful downtown Potsdam?