2009 State of College Admission
Posted by Erin Lewis at 10:16 am
This morning, the National Association of College Admissions Counselors (NACAC) released “2009 State of College Admission.” According to today’s New York Times article, this report reveals an increase in the number of students applying to college and a decrease in the acceptance rate at 4-year schools. The silver lining: after this year, the number of students graduating from high school is expected to decrease— from a high of 3.33 million, that is.
Perhaps the most staggering statistics are the ones describing the situation in guidance offices across the country. Student-to-counselor ratios are averaging 800, 900—even close to a thousand—per counselor in some states. One student who commented on this report called the application process “strenuous and exhausting.” I wonder if this is because she is one of the many students struggling to find adequate help.
I’d like to invite my readers to read my comment to The Choice blog post about this report. I’d also like to invite readers to share their own experiences with their guidance counseling offices. What does it do well? What could be done better?
Finally, if you have a question about the application process that you’d like answered by a former admissions officer, as always, place it in our comment box and we’ll get back to you!
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: 2009 state of college admission, college counseling, nacac, the choice
Discussion
“Strenuous and exhausting” indeed! As a senior, I would definitely agree with this take on the admissions process. I feel like everyday is a tightrope act of balancing homework with extracurricular activities, work, and the additional job of working on essays and studying for standardized tests. The competition is at an all-time high, and stress levels are, too. It has an effect upon not only me, but my parents as well; the whole family dynamic has changed. Beneath all of the tension and worry, however, is an undertone of cautious optimism. I know that this is the three months that will determine my future, and I can’t helped but feel excitement in this overwhelming process. Applying has also catalyzed self reflection; in writing my essays and deciding where to apply, I have discovered more about myself than I would have ever thought possible.
On that note, I have a question! It’s very last-minute, but I figured it would be worth asking all the same. I am applying early action to Yale University–today is the deadline. Though I submitted my Common Application and supplement last week, my school has yet to send out my transcript and teacher recommendations due to a backlog from a swine flu issue we had a few weeks ago, when I filed my request. Is it a problem if Yale doesn’t receive these pieces of my application by their November 1st deadline? I may be able to have it sent out as early as tomorrow, but I don’t want to be penalized for the lag caused by my school.
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