Rutgers applications reaching record heights after Big Ten, CIC entry

[History Geek]

Don't put too much stock in the number of applications. Compared to when most of us applied to 4 or 5 schools, the world is very different now. I haven't look at Rutgers applications, but you can now apply at many schools for free or with a $25 fee. Thus kids apply at many more schools. It was just this week that one of the major universities proudly announced that applications were down 25% because thay had added a fee. They felt this decline was a positive in terms of overall quality of student applying.

I teach in a public high school and from what I'm hearing, many seniors are not getting into as many schools as they used to because the number of applications schools are receiving has gone up at least 10% or more across the board. This is because kids are applying to more schools on average. This is liking due to the fact it is becoming easier/cheaper to do so, as you state.

 

[History Geek]

I do think kids are applying to more schools than they used to. I'm sure being in the B1G helps Rutgers, but I think the Common Application helps more. From what I've read, many schools have had record numbers of applications this year.

Also this.

 

[upstater]

READ the March 28th issue of the Economist

Demographics? The US bracket of kids University age plateaus in a few years (ask any parent of elementary aged kids). In the Global world, the action is huge: it used to be meager. Ten years ago, 5 Countries had 50% University attendance of 18-22 year olds (including US); now that number is 54. Growth all across the world.

More foreign students I guess. But you can't only look at the nation's demos. You have to look at how colleges respond to lower revenues and rankings. By creating fewer seats. No one is expanding access for fear that higher acceptance rates will knock them down in the rankings.

 

[upstater]

I teach in a public high school and from what I'm hearing, many seniors are not getting into as many schools as they used to because the number of applications schools are receiving has gone up at least 10% or more across the board. This is because kids are applying to more schools on average. This is liking due to the fact it is becoming easier/cheaper to do so, as you state.

I think this is part of it. A bigger part may simply be that schools haven't increased their seat count in ages. Not only are there more applications, but also more applicants: for the same number of seats.

 

[History Geek]

I think this is part of it. A bigger part may simply be that schools haven't increased their seat count in ages. Not only are there more applications, but also more applicants: for the same number of seats.

Good point. That is likely another part of it. However, I don't think either of us have figured out why the jump pretty much across the board this year compared to last year? My colleagues in counseling are extremely interested in this question and are starting to explore it. Head scratching stuff going on this year.

 

[Kolumbo]

sorry...

 

[JayRU09]

Rutgers doesn't use the common application.

And UCONN showed an increase of 9%, compared to Rutgers' 12%, so I don't see how that is increasing at a faster rate.

 

[Sea Goat]

Rutgers doesn't use the common application.

And UCONN showed an increase of 9%, compared to Rutgers' 12%, so I don't see how that is increasing at a faster rate.

I'm "ok" with Rutgers having won powerball in this era of CR. Generally, I accept that many things in life (including UConn's dreadful situation in CR) occur for no good reason. Rutgers getting a B1G life vest while UConn languishes is a perfect example. Be content with your ridiculous good fortune and please stfu.

 

[ruthetiger]

I'm "ok" with Rutgers having won powerball in this era of CR. Generally, I accept that many things in life (including UConn's dreadful situation in CR) occur for no good reason. Rutgers getting a B1G life vest while UConn languishes is a perfect example. Be content with your ridiculous good fortune and please stfu.

Damn SID.

 

[BlueHen]

Rutgers doesn't use the common application.

And UCONN showed an increase of 9%, compared to Rutgers' 12%, so I don't see how that is increasing at a faster rate.

But Rutgers does accept electronic applications. It's easier to apply to schools now than it used to be. Rutgers is one of many schools that had an increase in applications. Is it because they are in the B1G? Or is it because they benefited from the same trend that benefited many other schools (including many non-B1G schools)?

 

[History Geek]

Correalation does not mecessarily mean causation.

 

[ruthetiger]

But Rutgers does accept electronic applications. It's easier to apply to schools now than it used to be. Rutgers is one of many schools that had an increase in applications. Is it because they are in the B1G? Or is it because they benefited from the same trend that benefited many other schools (including many non-B1G schools)?

It's not B1G related. It's because RU's a state school. Same way UConn will get a bump in application because it's a state school. State schools have been trending upward since the economic crisis happened, and to be honest a bachelor's degree from any school is nothing more than a thin piece of toilet paper. I've seen folks from no name schools do a better job than some folks from the jvies or wherever.

 

[Beatrix]

It's not B1G related. It's because RU's a state school. Same way UConn will get a bump in application because it's a state school. State schools have been trending upward since the economic crisis happened, and to be honest a bachelor's degree from any school is nothing more than a thin piece of toilet paper. I've seen folks from no name schools do a better job than some folks from the jvies or wherever.

Go to BGSU and Eco 101 is taught by a prof. Go to Alabama and the same class is taught by a prof. assistant. Who is getting the better education? Agree...if you're shooting for nothing more than a bachelor's degree that's gonna be a problem.

 

[BlueHen]

It's not B1G related. It's because RU's a state school. Same way UConn will get a bump in application because it's a state school. State schools have been trending upward since the economic crisis happened, and to be honest a bachelor's degree from any school is nothing more than a thin piece of toilet paper. I've seen folks from no name schools do a better job than some folks from the jvies or wherever.

It's not just state schools that are seeing a bump in applications.

 

[Sportsman5]

Go to BGSU and Eco 101 is taught by a prof. Go to Alabama and the same class is taught by a prof. assistant. Who is getting the better education? Agree...if you're shooting for nothing more than a bachelor's degree that's gonna be a problem.

My TAs were better teachers than my professors. TAs are younger and have more energy and passion due to not being burnt out or bored with teaching the same thing for the 20th time. And the way it is set up with something like econ at UConn is you get taught in a large lecture by the professor and then taught again by a TA in a small classroom. Therefore the information is reinforced twice and is presented each time in a different way. When I went to a small private school my freshman year the classes were all 15-40 students, but I learned as good or better with uconns system and got a 3.8 GPA. I'm not a genius, so obviously the teaching style worked.

 

[ruthetiger]

It's not just state schools that are seeing a bump in applications.

Understandable. However, I believe our tend to believe that most people feel that state schools are more affordable than privates. Spending upwards of 50 to 60 k dir an education is not necessarily proctoring imo.

 

[Sea Goat]

Understandable. However, I believe our tend to believe that most people feel that state schools are more affordable than privates. Spending upwards of 50 to 60 k dir an education is not necessarily proctoring imo.

More than that, however. There are many second tier private schools that just aren't worth the exorbitant cost. The top echelon private schools (ie. the Ivies, most Nescac, MIT etc.) will always do well because students from all over the world recognize their elite status. It is the expensive private schools that aren't as good as the best public schools that are going to be hurting. UConn has vastly improved in the last 30 years and it is a preferred choice for many of the best HS students. This is an anathema to a school like Syracuse because they can't justify charging more than twice what UConn charges for a year of attendance. I am sure Maryland, Penn State and Rutgers compare favorably to Syracuse for their residents for the same reason

 

[BlueHen]

Understandable. However, I believe our tend to believe that most people feel that state schools are more affordable than privates. Spending upwards of 50 to 60 k dir an education is not necessarily proctoring imo.

Many private schools can offer more financial aid than state schools can. My boys got better financial aid packages from Franklin & Marshall, Carnegie Mellon and Villanova than they did from Penn St, and the 'sticker price' for Penn St is much lower to start with.

The Ivies, Georgetown, Colgate and Franklin & Marshall (just to name a few) will meet 100% of your demonstrated need.

Rutgers meets about 57%, UConn meets about 62%. You can't just look at the asking price, you also have to figure in the financial aid award, and state schools typically don't have as much money to award.

 

[ruthetiger]

Many private schools can offer more financial aid than state schools can. My boys got better financial aid packages from Franklin & Marshall, Carnegie Mellon and Villanova than they did from Penn St, and the 'sticker price' for Penn St is much lower to start with.

The Ivies, Georgetown, Colgate and Franklin & Marshall (just to name a few) will meet 100% of your demonstrated need.

Rutgers meets about 57%, UConn meets about 62%. You can't just look at the asking price, you also have to figure in the financial aid award, and state schools typically don't have as much money to award.

I can agree with that.

But what about a school like NYU, who's endowment is typically low, surprisingly?

 

[BlueHen]

I can agree with that.

But what about a school like NYU, who's endowment is typically low, surprisingly?

They don't promise to meet 100% of demonstrated need, so I guess NYU could end up costing more than a school like Columbia, which does meet 100%.

On the other hand, schools don't want the entry decision to come down to money. Some schools will sweeten their financial aid offer if you can show that you got a better offer from a similar institution. You can't really negotiate, and you definitely can't play two schools against each other, but if your first choice offers less money than your second choice you can always ask the first choice to reconsider their offer.

NYU may be a school that is willing to do that.

 

[ZooCougar]

I really don't know much about higher education in New England other than what you all say and what my brother-in-law tells me (he grew up on Cape Cod, earned his Bachelors from Providence and his Masters from University of Indiana - Bloomington). It seems like, historically, private schools were on a higher status level than the publics, correct? In the Midwest, The big publics, except for Northwestern and U of Chicago) are the most desired. Going to a Big10 school is preferred over most other schools. It's almost like a seal of approval that a school is very good when it's in the Big10.

Rutgers, now being in the Big1o, just might be looked at more from Midwesterners, especially those that can't get into the higher rated Big10 schools. Ohio is a little bit different. Their state school system is huge and has many great schools, a couple are right up there with OSU in status (Ohio U is very highly rated).

I'd say this is mostly right. But it's not just the midwest, it's the south as well. SEC and ACC schools are at the top of the pile. I went to a private school in the south and when I first got down there I was surprised to hear how proud some of my classmates were that they had a brother or sister enrolled at Mississippi State or Tennessee. The guy across the hall from me was bragging about his twin brother getting into Georgia Tech, and I was like wow, what did he do wrong? LOL

Even still even easterner applying to colleges in the '90s would know that Wisconsin and Michigan were awesome schools. But you could never pay me enough to attend a dump like Illinois or Ohio State.

 

[ZooCougar]

More than that, however. There are many second tier private schools that just aren't worth the exorbitant cost. The top echelon private schools (ie. the Ivies, most Nescac, MIT etc.) will always do well because students from all over the world recognize their elite status. It is the expensive private schools that aren't as good as the best public schools that are going to be hurting. UConn has vastly improved in the last 30 years and it is a preferred choice for many of the best HS students. This is an anathema to a school like Syracuse because they can't justify charging more than twice what UConn charges for a year of attendance. I am sure Maryland, Penn State and Rutgers compare favorably to Syracuse for their residents for the same reason

Some of those second tiers are big regionally though. For example if you're from the mid south and you're going to settle there, then if you attended Hendrix or Centre then those schools have some serious cache in that region.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

I'd say this is mostly right. But it's not just the midwest, it's the south as well. SEC and ACC schools are at the top of the pile. I went to a private school in the south and when I first got down there I was surprised to hear how proud some of my classmates were that they had a brother or sister enrolled at Mississippi State or Tennessee. The guy across the hall from me was bragging about his twin brother getting into Georgia Tech, and I was like wow, what did he do wrong? LOL

I was a wannabe engineering major coming out of high school and looked all over in a vain attempt to escape the suburban hell I was trapped in CT. A lot of folks encouraged me to look at Georgia Tech advising its top notch and a lot cheaper than the private schools in the northeast (RPI, Union, Syracuse, Clarkson) that I was looking at. I am under the impression that G-Tech has been seen as a very good engineering school for years. Agree on what your impression of Miss St, Tennessee, etc. A lot of state pride; but, questionable end results.

Ended-up going to UConn as I did not get into RPI (nor U Buffalo) while Syracuse and Clarkson did not give me enough financial aid for it to make sense and my parents did not want to spend the extra money for me to go out-of-state to Delaware.

 

[upstater]

The cost of privates all depends on the particular schools' need-blind admissions policy.

Admitted students are literally given a grade, ABCD, by the admissions committee. The school then tries to meet the financial needs of all the As first. Then the Bs get a 25% reduction in the amount offered (25% less than need as determined by FAFSA), Cs 50% less and Ds 75%. There is a grid in the admission office that determines this.

But this only applies to the top schools that still do need-blind. Many privates have dropped it altogether and they just do whatever the hell they want with no rhyme or reason.

If you want to try an interesting experiment with your high school senior, try applying to one of the top privates without sending in a FAFSA or asking for financial aid. You're telling them you will pay $60k. I bet at most schools you 3.5GPA, 1200 SAT, child gets in.

It really pays to know which of the privates are still worth it, and which are not. For instance, my own biases would probably lean toward a child applying to Hamilton College but refusing to pay for Colgate. The schools are a couple miles apart. They probably draw from the same cohort of applicants. But one school gives you your money's worth for education, and the other is drifting toward Skidmore status (not that there's anything really wrong with that).