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Press Releases Higher Education Appears to be Recession-Proof IvyWise College Counselors Say Getting into College is Tougher than Ever New York, NY (January 29, 2009) — The average cost of private college tuition has risen to more than $25,000 per year, according to the College Board, but the increased cost of college coupled with the economic recession is not deterring high school seniors from applying. Private college admissions counseling company IvyWise, LLC, conducted an analysis of the number of applications received by some of the nation's leading colleges and universities and found that on average, colleges received on average more than 10 percent more applications for the class of 2013 than they did for the previous year. Among those institutions reporting the largest increases in applicants are:
"Despite economic uncertainty, it seems that these students and their parents believe that college is a worthwhile investment," said Katherine Cohen, Ph.D., founder and CEO of IvyWise college counseling and the author of The Truth About Getting In. Dr. Cohen noted that the increased numbers of applicants makes sense, given that the high school graduating class of 2009 will be the largest in America's history, with 3.2 million students getting their diplomas. "These students have been working hard to get into the colleges of their dreams, and apparently, they are not letting economic conditions deter them from seeking the education that best meets their needs," she said. According to Dr. Cohen, some colleges are experiencing a slight gender gap, with female applicants exceeding male applicants by anywhere from five to 20 percent. Yale reported that 55% of its current applicant pool is female. "This isn't completely surprising. Liberal arts colleges saw the gender gap widening over a decade ago. Now, highly selective universities are seeing it, too. Currently the ratio of girls to boys applying to and attending college is 60:40 and some colleges are actually doing affirmative action for boys. So, I advise my students that this trend might play a role in how their applications are reviewed by a college," Dr. Cohen explained. Ralph Figueroa, Director of College Guidance at Albuquerque Academy agreed. "We are very direct with our female students and their parents, telling them that the process is just a little bit harder on them than on their male classmates. Seeing this trend extend into the national universities is a little discouraging, but it is just a reality we all need to recognize," Figueroa stated. The bottom line-there is more competition than ever before to get into college and so high school seniors should brace themselves for potential disappointment. "April will be a stressful month," warns Dr. Cohen. "Not only will many wonderful students not get into their top choice school, but if they do, their parents will still have to worry about whether there will be enough personal resources and financial aid available to make their child's dream a reality." Dr. Cohen selected as a blogger! Katherine Cohen, Phd is one of the few educators selected to contribute to Huffingtonpost.com. Rated #1 blog by Technorati.com, Cohen is will be sharing her viewpoint on all things related to frenzy behind college admissions. Read Dr. Kat's bi-monthly blog at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kat-cohen/ Dr. Cohen Media Highlight Reel Announcing the IvyWise Speakers Bureau If your school, community group or company is looking for a dynamic expert to address your audience on issues ranging from college application tips, to athletic recruitment, to financial aid secrets, look no further than the IvyWise Speakers Bureau. We have a comprehensive list of professionals who will ensure that your event is not only educational and informative, but entertaining and memorable. If you are interested in the IvyWise Speakers Bureau, email Rod Bugarin, Marketing Director, at rod@ivywise.com |
