Princeton Surge Beats Harvard as Applications Soar (Update2)

[FarCenter]

By Janet Frankston Lorin

Jan. 22 (Bloomberg) -- Harvard University and Princeton University received a record number of freshman applications as the recession drove more students to boost future job prospects by seeking admission to the top-ranked educational institutions in the U.S.

Princeton’s applications for freshman admission increased by 19 percent, while the number of applicants to Harvard, the most selective college in the Ivy League, rose 5 percent. Brown University’s applications soared 20 percent while Duke University’s jumped 12 percent.

More students are seeking admission to top-ranked universities because they think a degree from these schools can help them land a job after graduation, particularly during a time of economic uncertainty, said Mike Mills, associate provost for university enrollment at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, whose applications rose 9 percent.

“Flight to quality” is “the best safeguard you have at maximizing your opportunities,” Mills said in an interview.

The increase may make this year’s admissions process even more selective, as colleges have more qualified students for about the same number of slots as last year. Duke, in Durham, North Carolina, admitted 18 percent of applicants last year. This year it expects the rate to drop to 15 percent, said Christoph Guttentag, dean of undergraduate admissions in a telephone interview.

<SNIP>http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aGeZ8Z5lWwHI&pos=13

[enough]

1. Maybe people are finally realizing that if you can get into one of these schools,

you WILL get financial aid if you can't afford the price.