College Applications Rise about 5 Percent

In the news item you mention the University of Chicago but not Stanford, which has also topped thirty thousand in applications. As a graduate of one and faculty member of the other, I suggest the latter would serve as a better comparison.

For Harvard admission applications to be over 30,000 this year indicates an exceptional desire of many high school seniors to attend Harvard. The fact that the Harvard financial aid package was recently expanded — thus encouraging more students in financial need to apply — is another reason for the huge number of applicants.

Thank you for your contribution professor, you have enlightened us all with your incredibly compelling insight.

I note with interest the only advertisment on the article page about the Harvard enrollment increase was from…
Phoenix University…. Now, there’s a sign of the times!

I assume Chicago was mentioned because a 42 percent increase (much higher, after all, than Harvard’s 5 percent rise) is newsworthy. But I don’t understand why neither this piece nor the linked Gazette article mention demographics. Though I’m sure the cited factors, especially the financial aid policy, are important, it seems to me that a rise in the overall number of college-bound high school seniors cannot be completely irrelevant to the doubling in applications since ’94. If I’m wrong, I’ll be happy to stand corrected.