Desperate for Higher Rankings,

Schools Deliberately Turn Down Applications

Angela Januzzi

August 17, 2007 

In the midst of the recent college rankings storm, in which 60 schools publicly refused to include themselves in US News & World Report’s annual top colleges list, the desperate tactics to improve schools’ rankings are being analyzed.

 For instance, because a school’s rankings increases based on the proportion of applications it turns down, thus increasing selectivity, schools are sending pre-filled applications to prospective students.  

Some colleges and universities are emailing prospective students information, not based on the likelihood of converting that student into an enrollment—but based on sheer drive to increase application quantity, thus rejection amount, and ultimate selectivity. Schools are also dropping application fees and dropping requirements to attract more students, simply to reject them. 

This strategy seems terribly misguided. Rather than spend money on attracting students a school is not planning to enroll, these administrations should instead be narrowing-in on the student demographics who will most likely remain at the school for the entire course of study, thereby increasing retention—and the overall sustainability of the school. 

Through direct response enrollment marketing, schools would most likely fare much better financially if they instead focused on drawing students who genuinely are interested in their institutions, rather than deliberately marketing to those who are not.  

Source: Finder, Alan. “College Ratings Race Roars On Despite Concerns.” www.nytimes.com. Posted: August 17, 2007.