Capital Region colleges see rise in freshman applications

PHOTOGRAPHER: Marcy Velte

Despite hard economic times for many families looking to send their children to college, most Capital Region schools are reporting all-time highs in admission applications.

But just because more students are applying doesn’t mean more of them will be accepted. In fact, the increase in applications is leading some local private schools to become more selective.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute plans to accept nearly 2 percent fewer freshman applicants than last year, and at The College of Saint Rose, where a few last-minute applications are coming in, the plan is to accept 4 percent fewer than in 2010.

“We’re at capacity,” Mary Grondahl, vice president of enrollment management at Saint Rose, said in explaining in part why fewer letters of acceptance will go out.

As far as the record number of applications, she said applying to college and getting a degree are the best bet against a tough economy.

Grondahl said teens hear from counselors and parents — even the president of the United States — that a college education is vital to achieving the quality of life most people desire. This has caused a national trend of high college application rates, she said.

With freshman and transfer applicants combined, The College of Saint Rose so far has received 5,115 applications, the most ever. Acceptance letters were sent out to 3,015 potential students and 940 new students are expected to attend the school in the fall semester.

More than 5,100 potential students applied to Union College for fall 2011. It’s the second largest amount the school has ever had. The college’s all-time high for applications was in 2008, when 5,271 students applied. However, for the past two years the acceptance rate has stayed at 42 percent.

Only 565 of those accepted are expected to make up the class of 2015. Matt Malatesta, Union College’s vice president for admissions, financial aid and enrollment, said the acceptance rate is kept low in comparison to those who applied because the college’s 10-to-1 student-teacher ratio is what sets it apart from other schools. “Being small is who we are. If we changed that it would change everything.”

The college was also named the “best return on investment school” in the state by Bloomberg Businessweek. Malatesta credited a portion of the bump in applications to that article.

“It eases the minds of parents and students when an institution like Bloomberg is saying it,” he said at the time the article was published.

acceptance rate steady

Freshman application numbers for RPI and University at Albany are far greater, but UAlbany’s acceptance rate has stayed between 47 and 48 percent for the last five years.

At RPI, more than 14,500 students applied. This is a 163 percent increase from 2005, according to the college.

Only 5,601 freshmen vying for spots were accepted. Decisions for transfers will be made in May. A total of 1,300 new students are expected to attend the school in the fall.

Paul Marthers, RPI’s vice president of enrollment, said the record number of applications results from a combination of factors. In recent years, the school focused its marketing campaign on students around the world. He said there is also the general knowledge that RPI was one of the first science and technology institutions, and it draws on student interest in those fields.

The institution is becoming more selective because of the growing interest, but at an acceptance rate of 40 percent, Marthers said RPI’s selectivity is nothing compared to an institution like Harvard, where the admission rate is 6 percent.

The admission process is not over for UAlbany, though it is the fifth year in a row UAlbany has exceeded 20,000 applications. Around 10,500 will be accepted, according to Director of Admissions Robert Andrea. He hopes 2,250 freshmen will enroll. Transfer admission figures will not be known until July.

Andrea said he believes SUNY applications are on the rise, especially at UAlbany, because “in the last five years, people are getting comfortable with the tremendous opportunities we provide and the significant value in education we’re offering.”

skidmore applicants

Skidmore College application numbers are down by 4 percent, but it has also become more selective. Only 42 percent will be accepted over last year’s 47 percent.

Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Mary Lou Bates said the school over-enrolled by 100 student last year, so they are trying to make up for it by accepting fewer students for the fall of 2011.

The school received 5,770 freshman applications. Transfer applications are still being accepted. About 701 new students are expected to enroll.

Bates is blaming the lower application figure on the economy.

“Families are questioning if they can afford a private, liberal arts education,” she said, adding that in many ways fewer applicants are good for the college. “We only want students serious about Skidmore to apply.”

It’s the same reason Skidmore’s paper and online application fees are both $65, even though 95 percent of students apply online. Bates said waiving or lowering the online fee like some schools “could produce frivolous applications.” However, the fee can be waived if the student requests it because of financial hardship.

RPI does the same thing. The paper and online application fees are both $70.

The fees for The College of Saint Rose and Union College are a bit lower. The paper application for Saint Rose is $35 and applying online is free, while Union’s is $50 and free online. A flat rate for any SUNY application is $50. All money received goes into the college’s general fund.

Grondahl said Saint Rose wants any students who might be interested to apply and does not want them to be deterred because of the fee.

“The admission process is a journey,” she said. “I tell parents and students that all the time when they visit. A college starting out as a first choice can turn into a third choice and vice versa.”

No admissions representatives from Siena College could be reached for this story.