Top Schools See Record Applications For 2015

With the passing of January deadlines, colleges and universities are reporting record numbers of freshman hopefuls.

This year, the ten University of California campuses all attracted large volumes of applicants, with UCLA topping the list with a record 61,498 applications. Among private schools, Columbia University saw a massive 32 percent increase in applicants from last year, for a total of 34,587 applications.

Other Ivy League institutions saw more modest gains. Princeton and Brown each reported a 3 percent increase, and Yale saw a 5 percent gain. Applications to the University of Pennsylvania and Dartmouth College increased by 17 percent and 16 percent, respectively, and applications to Harvard University rose by 15 percent.

According to the Washington Post, the increases are likely a result of each candidate applying to more institutions rather than a significant growth in the applicant pool. And some universities attribute the boost to changes in their application process and other policies -- Columbia cited their switch to the common app as a contributing factor to the rise in applications, while Penn Dean of Admissions Eric Furda told the Daily Pennsylvanian that the university's increased efforts to inform students of financial aid options may have helped boost their rates.

Below, check out how many class of 2015 hopefuls top-tier institutions roped in, and how each school fared in comparison to last year.

Are you surprised by these numbers? Let us know in the comments section.

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University of California-Los Angeles: 61,498

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Comments

[smr92]

12:55 AM on 02/22/2011

I don't get why this website constantly ignores Cornell University. Last year it received the highest number of applicants in the entire Ivy league: 36,338.

[ndchris]

08:48 PM on 02/20/2011

Application numbers have been surging at all these schools since the early 2000's. Aren't most of these kids the youngest children of the baby boomer generation? That and the fact that many of these schools have moved to implement the CommonApp has strongly increased the number of students vying for admissions at top universities.

[trex90901]

08:33 PM on 02/05/2011

Wow 90 comments and not a single comment about Johns Hopkins. Don't worry, we're used to getting the shaft in these sorts of articles. 9th consecutive year of increasing application numbers, now at 19,201.

[Hare]

12:47 AM on 02/12/2011

What about Emory, isn't it suppose to be the top U in the South?

[ndchris]

08:43 PM on 02/20/2011

That is what UVA, Vanderbuilt, and Duke all try to claim as well. I am surprise that Emory isn't on this list, though.

[OB-GYN]

09:48 AM on 01/30/2011

The backroad to prestigious colleges: athletics, even if not top notch and especially if connected. Still have to apply though (meh).

[neu2015]

11:23 PM on 01/27/2011

What about Northeastern?

http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2011/01/24/applications_to_northeastern_surge/

[MrUnlimited]

01:03 AM on 01/28/2011

Northeastern is a decent school, but NOT a "top" school.

[Adriel Tjokrosaputro]

01:57 AM on 01/29/2011

I disagree.

In the upcoming years, Northeastern University will become one of the top schools in USA. I'm currently a student in NEU and I've seen so much growth in just one semester. Our rank (according to US News & Report) also increased from 96th to 80th and to 69th (2010). I wouldn't be surprised if by the time I graduate, NEU will be in the top 40 ;)

And by the way, of course our pride... CO-OP.

[epiphanyy]

08:51 PM on 01/29/2011

What about Boston College? What about Wesleyan, Swarthmore­, Amherst, Williams, Middlebury­, Emory, UVA, UNC Chapel Hill, Rice, Wake Forest, Lehigh, Washington University St. Louis, Vandy, Tufts, Cornell, and so many more?

[Arrive2 net]

07:47 PM on 01/26/2011

Maybe an application is the sincerest from of flattery. Most community colleges have articulation agreements so students with good GPA and relevant classes can basically walk from community college right into a participating university without losing a beat. I think there may be advantages to going to the same school for 4 years though... you will know the rules, professors, grapevine, and be familiar with the social environment.

Bernard Schuster
Arrive2.net
Twitter.com/arrive2_net

[fem56]

01:38 PM on 01/26/2011

The Common Application is nice for the students but perhaps it encourages a lot of "why not" applications. Last year around the popular January 2nd deadline we sat across from a young lady who was madly filling out applications. She had no idea where she wanted to go or what she wanted to do so she completed something like 28 applications.

[OB-GYN]

09:43 AM on 01/30/2011

Really. This is exactly what is going on, and statistically speaking, if she meets criteria, she will win.

[anova9]

05:11 PM on 02/05/2011

She would've had to pay application fees at all those schools, which would amount to a bundle! It's not practical for most to apply to more than 4 or 5.

[bigdog3232]

09:46 AM on 01/26/2011

Couldnt find a better photograph of Yale?.Wow.

[ytricala]

05:40 AM on 01/26/2011

Is the a result of narcissism?

[Snappy8]

01:51 AM on 01/26/2011

No jobs = more people going to college.

[OldHick]

01:34 AM on 01/26/2011

These are all foreign students. Currently 36% of the graduate students are foreign. There is a large number of Chinese and Hindu students, especially in math and science. In these areas, the CHinese are getting 60% of the new PhDs, as part of a social program to help out those who faced crackdowns, and cannot return to China, as well as those that are enrolled by the PRC. Large numbers of students are obtaining their PhDs for doing a simple laser experiment.
This is better than those who actually do nothing, I suppose.

[OB-GYN]

09:46 AM on 01/30/2011

Cite this please? I don't believe crackdowns in China are dismissing Americans' from PhD's.

The reality is American PhD's in science aren't worth much: the research wheel of fortune spits you out younger and younger in your career and the pay *ucks.

[palindrom]

09:46 AM on 02/05/2011

This article appears to be about the undergrad schools, not the grad schools, and the proportion of foreign applicants is much, much lower at the undergrad level. As for this "simple laser experiment" thing, I am a physics professor and I can't believe that's actually the case. Lasers are used in lots and lots of contexts -- but you need to do something new and substantive to get a PhD in the sciences.

[chedet]

01:31 AM on 01/26/2011

I don't understand. Some people here say you can get financial aids going to top schools but then why do most of the students still saddled with debts?

[Spartan112]

01:28 PM on 01/26/2011

Even though many students may apply to the top schools, the number they take doesn't change much.

[TFDNYC]

04:10 PM on 01/26/2011

Part of financial aid, in addition to scholarships, grants, etc. is students loans. Loans are part of one's "award package".

[TobacXela]

08:28 PM on 01/26/2011

Not at Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford and most other Ivy League schools. Their financial aid packages no longer include loans of any kind.

[epiphanyy]

08:38 PM on 01/29/2011

Not at top schools. Loans are capped at extremely low amounts. If you demonstrate financial need, you go to school for close to free.

[matty228]

11:48 PM on 01/25/2011

No Wash U? I'm pretty sure they receive well over 20,000 applications.

[liberalchick]

02:06 PM on 01/26/2011

They may not have released the numbers.

[BreezyinVA]

11:41 PM on 01/25/2011

I guess the rich are doing well.

[epiphanyy]

08:39 PM on 01/29/2011

With the exception of the UC schools, endowments are quite large and financial aid for demonstrated need is extremely generous. Frequently with loans capped at very low amounts.

[El Superbeasto]

11:15 PM on 01/25/2011

A good college used to help one achieve a decent life. In America 2.0, if you're not on top, you're nothing. Social mobility is at its lowest in generations, and top schools offer a better possible ticket up.