Big kids on campus before they arrive
Union-Tribune 4/30/07
At the University of San Diego, officials have more than doubled their offerings of overnight visits, which typically boost the likelihood of an admitted student attending the college.
Point Loma Nazarene University puts up dozens of scholarship recipients at a hotel on San Diego Bay and, after a day of informational sessions, treats them to a show at a comedy club.
It's a role-reversal.
Students who have worked diligently for years to get into college now sit back and weigh their options. Meanwhile, campus officials kick into high gear to lure the best and most diverse freshmen.
“It's pretty intense,” said Chip Killingsworth, director of admissions at Point Loma Nazarene University. “The good students are getting recruited from other schools, so we have to continue to keep the bar high in terms of reaching out to them.”
Tomorrow the deadline for more than 1 million high school seniors to decide which college they want to attend in the fall.
“It's a culmination of a very long process,” said Steve Pultz, the director of admissions at USD. “Many students have been heavily recruited for 18 months or two years. And now they have a month or two to make their decision.”
The intensity of competition feeds upon itself. More high school seniors are applying to colleges, raising the average academic requirements of admitted students. Those higher thresholds are pushing students to apply to more schools, which makes it harder for colleges to predict what percent of admitted students will enroll.
That has prompted colleges to adopt a more scientific and businesslike approach to their admissions cycle, said Barmak Nassirian, associate executive director at the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.
Every stage of the admissions process is more carefully considered, especially “yield events,” the activities planned to persuade admitted students to attend a college.
The numbers range widely, but the average college typically draws about 45 percent of admitted students, according to a 2006 report by the National Association for College Admission Counseling.
Overnight visits and student shadowing tours have been proven to boost enrollment.
Twenty-four percent of students admitted to USD generally enroll at the campus. Among prospective students who visit the campus and shadow a current student during the day, the number grows to 40 percent to 50 percent. Among those who spend the night at USD, it grows to 60 percent.
“We have to showcase our campus,” Pultz said, noting that the university has organized nine day visits for prospective students this year, a significant increase from the past.
The beauty of the campus helps distinguish the university, Pultz said.
Many undergraduate admissions officers at public campuses don't have the resources to host overnight visits and social outtings, but they invest heavily in campus tours or other large-scale events.
UC San Diego spent about $38,000 this year on events aimed at persuading admitted students to attend, including hosting a full day of activities for more than 14,000 students. San Diego State University spent about $70,400 on similar events.
Several students said they appreciate the efforts – the tours, congratulatory phone calls from faculty and students, and generous financial aid packages. In the end, many agree that what matters most is whether they feel the college is “a good fit.”
Jeff Henebury, a high school senior from Boston, was one of dozens of students visiting USD last week, accompanying a current student to classes and lunch. Henebury was blown away by the beauty of USD's campus but felt more comfortable with the Midwestern ambience of Macalester College in Minnesota.
“At Macalaster, the people seemed more geeky and friendly,” Henebury said.
Katelyn Young, 18, who lives outside Los Angeles, said she was charmed by the campus but was concerned that its small size wouldn't provide enough of a social scene.
Young, who is trying to choose between three universities, said she has enjoyed the power shift, but also finds it stressful.
“It's not a lot of time to decide what I want to do with the next four years of my life,” said Young, who has spent the past two weeks visiting USD, UC Santa Barbara and University of Arizona in Tucson.
Jasmin Hogan, 18, of Las Vegas could easily imagine herself attending the campus.
“I feel like I could fit in here,” Hogan said, eating a quesadilla in the campus cafeteria.
She liked the fact that the school is ranked higher than her other choices, and she favors its location.
“I think I could be happy here,” Hogan said. “I hope I'm making the right choice.”