February 2005

Web-based applications have also made it easier for students to apply, pointed out Princeton Director of Admissions Janet Rapellye.

Another major reason for the increased number of college applications is the sheer number of high school graduates coming into the system.

The number of high school graduates keeps going up. There were about 2.5 million high school graduates in 1995, compared to a projected 3 million in 2005. The number will continue to increase, said David Hawkins, director of public policy for the National Association of College Admissions Counseling. The high school class of 2009 is expected to be the largest in U.S. history, with some 3.2 million graduates.

Some state-supported schools are reacting to the growing student pool by adding more classrooms and facilities.

"The competition for students has set off a building boom as colleges splurge on such amenities as wellness centers, food-court cafeterias, and, most recently, student unions with sports bars and night clubs," wrote the Wall Street Journal. But this effort to meet the needs of the "largest-ever group of students packing bags for college" is coming primarily from large state schools – not elite ones.

"You aren't going to find Harvard doubling its size or increasing its number of students. So you have the same number of students who can get into an Ivy school, but more competition because more students are applying," says Schmidt.

But does it really matter if you go to an Ivy League or other elite school?

"There's a clear benefit to (having a degree from) the top fifty or so colleges," says Caroline Hoxby, a Harvard economist who has researched college outcomes. A group of male students who entered top colleges in 1982 will each earn an average of $2.9 million during their careers, she predicted in a study, while those who attended other colleges would earn an average of $2.5 million.

"Connections made at the top schools matter," she says. "It's not so much that you meet the son of a wealthy banker and his father offers you a job, but that you meet specialists and experts who are on campus for conferences and speeches."

What should you do about this competition if you're determined to go to an elite school?

Chuck Hughes, who has authored books on college admissions, says acceptance comes down to three basic elements: academics, resume, and personal qualities.

The student should show leadership, but that doesn't necessarily mean a wide variety of limited accomplishments. Quality can be more impressive than quantity.

"I spend a considerable amount of time reviewing my clients' backgrounds to find the 'wow' factors that will distinguish them from the many other applicants who clear the academic qualifications hurdles and have well-rounded applicants. If you don't have anything to help differentiate your candidacy, you're putting too much faith in luck to help you get admitted," says Schmidt.

Still want to attend an Ivy League school? Get all the help you can, suggested Schmidt. Hughes thought that private consultants are worth considering. Aspiring students benefit from getting as much reliable information and advice as they can about their college choices and the admissions process.

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