If anything has caused fewer applicants to Big Ten schools in Michigan, it is not student laziness or student apathy. From the U.S. Supreme Court's 2003 reversal of the University of Michigan's admissions point system to MSU's concerted efforts to raise their own admissions standards, the tightened figures surrounding admission are more the result of college turmoil than any shift in student sentiment.
The myriad of factors surrounding how students determine which university they'll attend needs to be considered when rhapsodizing admissions numbers. In the past year, MSU applications have decreased by 14 percent and the school down the road has had an 18 percent drop. Neither of those statistics, though, are the result of students not being up to snuff. The college-admissions process is the one lacking.
Let's examine the factors:
Although the national economy isn't one of complete and irrevocable recession, it's definitely a determining factor for many applicants. The economy has made families looking to send their kids to college much more discerning in what they think they can afford. The economy and one calendar year of college-admissions policies in headlines complement each other in this regard. Students didn't get lazy in one year's time - they've been following the expectations, academically and financially, in headlines.
The 2003 Supreme Court decision upholding affirmative action in college admissions has also influenced the number of applications. As a direct result, minority applications to U-M dropped significantly. Much like fluctuations in stock prices, the smallest ripple can return an unforeseen loss. It's another example of college admissions itself turning off student applicants, but like always, the problem isn't permanent.
Outside of more serious issues, some students shy away from writing college application essays. Students might find the essays, which MSU and U-M now require, to not be their bag. This is not your grandfather's admissions process anymore. Or yours, for that matter.
Grade-point average is not and should not be the final word in college admissions, though announced efforts to raise academic standards unfairly imply so. MSU President M. Peter McPherson called for broader admissions criteria this week, meaning that a high-school student with a 3.4 GPA and hours of volunteer service would be in good standing compared to a purely academic 3.7 GPA.
One year of lowered applications does not represent a trend. But if university officials feel the need to better represent their standards for applicants, they should more ruthlessly pursue a campaign to educate the masses on current demands.
The idea that MSU can be an academically intimidating university to apply to can only help serve to help MSU in the future. If the economy and other factors feed into the selection process, then so much the better. Years from now, as today's undergraduates move into the workforce, a degree from MSU could be a commodity even hotter than it is now. A dip in college applicants is not an indicator that the kids are changing; it indicates that we are.
