Unpredictable Year for College Admissions

In years past, statistical models aided college admissions departments in determining the number of students that would accept their offers. But this year, with the economy in disarray, colleges can't rely on their usual models for admitting students. They are trying to figure out how many students to accept, and how many students will accept them.

More students are opting to stay in-state and attend public colleges because typically they are more affordable. In response, public universities are seeing more applicants than usual and with state budget cuts, are capping enrollment (in California in particular). Private colleges are reporting less applicants but are offering more generous financial aid to help ease the stress of parents who are reluctant to commit four years of expensive private school tuition.

Click here to read the full article from the New York Times.