Harvard University is the latest among Ivy League schools to report a drop in applications for the 2012-13 academic year.

Harvard fielded 34,285 applications from hopeful candidates for the academic year, down 1.9% from a year earlier.

The school joins Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania in reporting a decline. Columbia saw an 8.9% drop, while Penn said applications were down by 1.7%.

Why the decrease? In Harvard’s case, it could have something to do with the university’s decision to bring back its early application program this year. There has also been a drop in the number of high school seniors, according to BusinessWeek.

Do you think the number of applications to Ivy League schools will continue to drop? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

When Kaplan Test Prep first began asking college admissions officers whether they check applicants’ social networking pages, about 10% said they did. That was in 2008.

For Kaplan’s 2011 survey, the number jumped to 24% — and that number is probably low, since many respondents said that while they did not personally check an applicant’s page, others in their office did.

What red flags are admissions officers looking for? Vulgarities in blogs, photos showing alcohol consumption and “illegal activities” were cited as common offenders. About 1 in 10 of respondents said they found something online that hurt an applicant’s chances of getting in.

Should reviewing an applicant’s Facebook page be a part of the admissions process? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

Violet Goodwin applied for admission to Creighton University’s law school for the 2010-11 school year. Among other things, she submitted her Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) score and a report that included what is known as an LSAC index score.

Compared to other applicants, Goodwin’s LSAT score and LSAC index score were not good. Her 136 on the LSAT left her well within the school’s “Presumptive Deny” category, while her 1.9 LSAC index score was lower than that of anyone who was accepted that year.

But when the university rejected her application, she claimed race discrimination and sued for $10 million. According to Goodwin, her credentials were “as good as anybody’s.”

Except they weren’t. The court granted the university’s motion for pretrial judgment, pointing out that there was simply no evidence supporting the allegation that Goodwin was denied admisison based on her  race. Instead, the evidence showed she was rejected because her academic credentials did not meet university standards.

Cite: Goodwin v. Creighton University.

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This year’s admissions acceptance rates were lower than usual. For example, here are acceptance rates for:

• Yale (7.4%)
• Princeton (8.4%)
• Dartmouth (9.7%), and
• University of Pennsylvania (12.3%).

And here are some of the mistakes applicants made — which ultimately caused them to be rejected, according to The Daily Beast:

1. The F-bomb: “There was a really strong candidate we didn’t admit because he used an enormous amount of profanity in his personal essay. He had a string of F-bombs that was pretty remarkable. I am not opposed to profanity and sometimes it can work. But, every third word doesn’t work. Otherwise, he would have gotten in,” according to an admissions officer at Brown University.
2. The gimmick: “We had a student this year who sent a life-sized poster of herself in a box with a catchy jingle. It was attached to helium-filled balloons. When it was opened, the life-sized poster was supposed to go up in the air and unfurl before us like we were in a Harry Potter movie. But the balloons didn’t quite work. I don’t know that this hurt the student, but investing a few more minutes on the essay would have been a better use of her time. I just thought, ‘Wow, I hope it works out for her.’ I didn’t go look her up to make a statement one way or the other,” according to an anonymous admissions instructor.
3. The generic essay: “We wanted to know, why Penn? Did you submit a generic essay that was part of a school’s supplement—another school’s supplement? You may need to do a little bit more research before you hit the submit button. Take notes during the campus visit, and even if it isn’t your top choice, still understand that you need to speak to that school and show what you are going to contribute to that campus. Articulate why this school is for you. Students who do well will start citing faculty and programs they want to explore,” according to a University of Pennsylvania admissions dean.
4. The attempt at bribery? “We received pies this year, two from the same person. She was trying to say she’s not an athlete, but a really great baker. That was really sweet. We didn’t take her, but we ate the pies,” according to an anonymous admissions dean at a liberal arts college.

Click here to read more admissions red flags that the Daily Beast found.

What’s the craziest reason you nixed an applicant? Share your story in the comments box below — and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.

The statistics are discouraging: More than a quarter of entering freshmen eventually drop out; on average, it takes six years to get a degree; and more than half of under-25 employees are not happy with their jobs.

What’s behind these sad numbers, and what can be done to change them?

Enter author and motivational speaker John P. Strelecky, who has an important message for those entering college as well as current students: Find what you love to do, and then go do it.

Strelecky has these specific tips to help students avoid the trap of stumbling onto the wrong path:

• Don’t pursue a major based only on the employment prospects it creates.
• Find something you are passionate about. Passion leads to the drive that leads to success.
• Don’t rely solely on family and friends to make big academic and career decisions – especially if they don’t have direct experience in the relative area. Instead, talk to people who have done well in the field you are considering. Want to be an engineer? Get to know one.

Is Strelecky’s advice too simplistic – or does he hit the nail on the head? Tell us what you think in the comments section below – and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.

The number of colleges that use Facebook in connection with admissions and recruiting efforts has hit a staggering level, according to a recent survey. If a recent Kaplan survey is accurate, more than 80% of schools have jumped on the Facebook bandwagon and have begun using the site to connect with applicants.

That makes it more important than ever for budding undergrads to mind their p’s and q’s when it comes to their Facebook profiles. Among the tips offered by a recent report from Fox Business on the topic:

• Pay close attention to that profile picture. It’s easy to see and should never show something illegal or inappropriate.
• Avoid making extremely negative comments. Obviously, keep your page clear of any racist, sexist and homophobic remarks.
• Select privacy settings that restrict access to personal information and photos.
• Be careful when it comes to selecting Facebook friends.

Facebook can be used to the advantage of applicants — they can express interest by “liking” schools or affiliated groups.

Should a review of Facebook pages be part of the application screening process? Tell us what you think in the comments section below — and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.

In May 2009, the Chicago Tribune published a series of articles titled “Clout Goes to College.” In it, the paper investigated a list of University of Illinois applicants who were “relatives of certain influential individuals” and explored whether the applicants received preferential treatment.

In connection with the series, the paper asked the university for certain information under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. Specifically, it sought the names of the applicants’ parents and the parents’ addresses; the identity of anyone “who became involved in [the] applicants’ applications;’ the identity of university officials involved in the applications; and documents reflecting a shift in course with respect to the applications based on the involvement of the outside individuals.

When the school refused to turn over the info, the paper sued. The school defended by relying on a provision of the federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act that denies federal funding to schools that release education records (or personal info) relating to students without the written consent of their parents.

The school lost because the provision doesn’t stop the state or anyone else from releasing the information. Instead, it merely denies funding in the event the info is released.

Other FERPA provisions might block release, the court stressed — but the one relied on by the school does not.

Cite: Chicago Tribune Co. v. University of Illinois Board of Trustees.

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AdmissionSplash is a new Facebook app that helps students predict their chances of getting into colleges in three easy steps:

1. List the schools where students are applying
2. Fill  out a profile — short or long versions are available, and
3. Click to determine their chances of gaining admission.

Comparing students’ profile information, such as GPAs, standardized test scores and extracurricular activities, to universities’ admission statistics, the app’s algorithm calculates a student’s odds of getting in.

And the app really works, according to tests conducted at UCLA and NYU.

In a test at UCLA, the app correctly predicted admission decisions 85% of the time. And at NYU, the app was correct on 91% of its admission predictions.

And in true Facebook fashion: Students can post the results on their walls to share the predictions with their friends.

Will AdmissionSplash become a routine part of the college application process? Share your take in the comments box below.

Factors in everyday life — rather than traumatic situations — are the primary reasons many students drop out of college, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at Michigan State University.

More than 1,100 students from 10 U.S. colleges participated in the study and revealed the risk factors that lead to dropping out. Top reasons given include:

• depression
• financial aid problems
• tuition hikes
• bad grades, and
• conflicts with roommates.

What’s more, participants revealed that typical crisis situations, such as a death in the family, addiction or a significant injury played less of a role in decisions about staying in school.

Researchers hope the findings will help officials target students who will benefit from counseling and other services that are designed to help them stay enrolled in school during difficult times.

How does your school reach out to students who are thinking of dropping out? Chime in below.

Ursinus College in Pennsylvania recently saw its freshman application numbers drop by 1,700, compared to last year’s selection pool. But that drop was actually a deliberate goal of the school after a five-year period where its admissions almost tripled.

In 2005, Ursinus wanted to increase its freshman class by about 100 to boost numbers in new disciplines like biochem and the performing arts. They went with a direct-marketing firm that suggested waiving its $50 application fee and essay requirement.

The results: From 2005 to 2007, applications more than doubled. The numbers just kept growing from there – but that turned out to be a major misstep.

While on paper, the school looked like a hot commodity, the stats were misleading. The yield of applicants who actually accepted an admissions offer dropped from 30% in 2005 to 13.5% by 2010. Almost 87% of accepted students were turning down invitations.

To turn things around, the school parted ways with its direct marketer and revised its application process by:

• Restoring essay questions, including a response to a Mark Twain quote, and
• Requiring a graded high school term paper, to help Ursinus verify the applicant’s writing was genuine.

By making it harder for students to apply, Ursinus hopes those who submit more seriously consider attending if accepted. And while this tactic may affect its ranking in U.S. News and World Report, it may be worth it in the time saved by applicants and admissions officers alike.

A wise move, or will this hurt more than help? Share your thoughts in the comments section, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.

Compared to U.S. colleges and universities, schools in the United Kingdom are becoming a more attractive – and affordable – option for cost-conscious students. More than 3,000 undergraduate students realized this in 2009, applying to schools in the U.K. (1,330 of them were accepted). That’s a 27% increase since 2006.

While American schools average close to $40,000 a year, U.K. schools run from $10,000 to $20,000 for U.S. students (for those who can claim “home” status it’s less than $3,000).

Even the hallowed halls of the University of Oxford would only cost a U.S. undergrad a little over $20,000.

Of course, there are downsides – traveling costs, time zone confusion and cultural disparities – but that may be a small price to pay against the estimated $80,000 in savings. But advisors warn students that U.K. studies make it less likely they’ll have a network in place for job hunting after college, unless they plan on working abroad, too.

How can U.S. schools compete? Share your thoughts in the comments section, and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.

In 2003, the U.S. Supreme Court said it’s OK to consider race in admissions because it’s important to have a diverse student body.

But Abigail Fisher and Rachel Michalewicz, two white applicants who were turned down by the school, said UT goes too far by not only automatically admitting any Texas high schooler in the top 10% of his or her class but also separately considering the race of applicants when assigning them a “personal achievement score.”

Though the top 10% law does not by its terms admit students based on race, it was passed to benefit minorities and has led to an increase in minority enrollment.

The federal appeals court rejected the applicants’ claims. It said the school’s decision to make race-conscious admissions decisions was supported by “serious, good faith consideration” and furthered the legitimate goal of producing a diverse student body. The school’s admissions process was upheld.

You can read the full decision here.

Cite: Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin.

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After finding evidence of “overly aggressive sales tactics” used by the University of Phoenix, Kaplan University and other schools from the Government Accountability Office, the Florida Department of Education updated fair-consumer rules that require for-profit universities to shape up.

Under the revised rules, all for-profit universities in the state must train admissions officers and recruiters on ethical practices regarding college expenses.

University officials are now required to share specific financial information with students, including:

• cost
• terms of payment
• financial aid
• refund policy
• accreditation
• credit transferability, and
• job placement data.

Will this training help students better navigate their way through paying for college? Chime in below.

In a U.S. News & World Report analysis of 233 colleges, the acceptance rate for early applicants who were accepted early was 15 percentage points higher than the acceptance rate for those who applied by the regular deadline. Add in the fact that the disparity doesn’t take into account early applicants who are deferred and later admitted, and the gap widens even further.

Is the double-digit difference a red flag that indicates an underlying problem? It’s a tough question without an easy answer.

Some attribute the gap to the simple idea that more highly qualified applicants apply early. But others aren’t so sure. The doubters might point to isolated examples of extreme differences – such as the one reported by the University of Arkansas, where more than 80% of early applicants got in and more than two-thirds of regular applicants did not.

One thing’s for sure: Colleges with “early decision” programs – that is, programs that require a commitment to attend if the application is approved – take away any chance to compare financial aid packages. Students who need financial aid are usually told to avoid this route, U.S. News & World Report says.

Some schools, including Harvard University and the University of Virginia, have done away with their early admissions programs. But at many other institutions, they are alive and well.

Is that a good thing? Or is it time to do away with early admissions programs? Tell us what you think – and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.

The Board of Trustees at Florida Gulf Coast University passed a regulation claiming the school can refuse registration to any student with “a medical condition that may be harmful to members of the university community.”

FGCU is one of five state schools that wrote the clause – which has been on the books in Florida since 1986 – into its admissions regs. Its reasoning: It would be “helpful” if the school ever admitted a student with a disease that could put students or faculty at risk (such as Tuberculosis).

From a legal standpoint, the school says students who accept admittance enter into a contract, meaning it can request such information, much like a new employee might need to undergo a physical. In FGCU’s case, they request a list of received vaccinations, but otherwise allow students to report a disease to health services on the honor system.

However, it goes further than that: By law, if a student were diagnosed with a communicable disease, the doctor who made the diagnosis would be required to report it to the county health department – which would in turn report it to the school.

Is this an invasion of privacy, or a clever way to a school to protect its campus? Share your thoughts below.

According to a report recently issued by the National Association for College Admission Counseling, about one in three students transfer one or more times during their undergraduate education.

Rising education costs coupled with higher expectations from students concerning their chosen university could be the reason for this growing trend, experts say.

The report notes college admissions officers view the grade point average of a transfer student as the most important factor for admission.

However, Andrew Flagel, associate vice president for enrollment development and dean of admission for George Mason University, says some schools still view transfer students with a cynical eye.

He disagrees with this notion, saying, “[Colleges] are realizing that transfer students are a tremendous source of quality students and diverse students…”

With more students saving money by attending community colleges before transferring to a more traditional four-year college, it seems the transfer trend will continue.

Has your school seen a rise in transfer admissions? Tell us about it in the comments section.

Anastasia Megan is a precocious 13-year-old whose parents began home-schooling her soon after she completed the seventh grade.

Megan’s nearly done with all of her high-school level courses, and she wants to continue her studies at a community college. But something has gotten in the way: her age.

Officials at Lake-Sumter Community College have denied Megan admission, saying they’ve long required students to be at least 15.

Now the federal Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights is considering whether the college illegally discriminated against Megan based on her age. The case could end up setting some new ground rules for colleges that want to set minimum age requirements for their students.

Is 13 too young for college? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

The University of California does not approve high school religious or ethics courses unless they “treat the study of religion or ethics from the standpoint of scholarly inquiry, rather than in a manner limited to one denomination or viewpoint.”

The school says the policy is needed because the study of religion is multidisciplinary and should not focus on one tradition or point of view.

An association of Christian schools, a Christian school and five of the Christian school’s students sued, claiming the policy violated the Free Speech Clause, the Free Exercise Clause, the Establishment Clause and the Equal Protection Clause.

A federal appeals court disagreed. It said the plaintiffs did not show how the policy could lead to the suppression of protected speech. The policy does not stop high schools from teaching what they want, and it does not prevent high school students from taking any course they want to take, the court reasoned.

The evidence showed the university rejected some religious or ethics courses not because they included a religious viewpoint but because they were not college preparatory, lacked necessary information or materials, or had other procedural defects.

Cite: Ass’n of Christian Schools Int’l v. Stearns.

Should colleges have the right to discount high school courses based on their religious content? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

Kimberly Tingley-Kelley applied to the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine six times between 2002 and 2007. Her grades and GRE scores were on the low end of the range accepted by the school, but she was denied admission each time she applied.

Tingley-Kelley sued the school, claiming it denied her admission based on her gender and because she was a woman with young children and a husband in the military.

To support her claims, she pointed to her application review form, on which admissions committee members noted “concerns about how she’ll do in school esp. w/family, etc.” Another note pointed out that she’d be at school with two young children, while a third said Tingley-Kelley would have “a tough row to hoe.”

Tingley-Kelley also said her childcare responsibilities were discussed at length during admissions interviews.

This was all direct evidence that admissions committee members considered her status as a mother with young children and a spouse in the military when they chose to deny her admission, the court said. Therefore, it refused to grant summary judgment to the school on the discrimination claim.

Cite: Tingley-Kelley v. Trustees of the Univ. of Pennsylvania.

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In  “Crossing the Finish Line,” co-authors William Bowen, Matthew Chingos and Michael McPherson analyzed the educational records of more than 200,000 students who entered four-year colleges in 1999.

Among their findings: The grades students achieve in high school are the best predictor of how well they will do in college.

The authors also say that based on their findings:

• The type of high school a student attends isn’t a great predictor of whether he’ll finish college
• When it comes to most colleges, a student’s SAT and ACT scores don’t help predict whether he will earn a college degree
• Students who finish high school with a grade point average of at least 3.0 are a lot more likely to graduate from college than those who don’t, and
• Four-year colleges are a surer route to a degree than community colleges.

The book also says that among the students studied, white men were 6% more likely to graduate than black men with similar scores and grades, and women were much more likely to graduate than men.

What do you think is the best predictor of academic success beyond high school? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

When deciding whether to admit applicants, officials at the University of Texas at Austin consider a broad range of factors.

Included among the factors are “special circumstances,” such as the applicant’s socio-economic status, whether he lives in a single-parent home and whether languages other than English are spoken at home.

To help boost minority enrollment, the school added race as a special circumstance in 2005.

Two white females who were denied admission last year claimed the school’s admissions policies and procedures discriminated against them based on their race and violated their equal protection rights.

The court didn’t buy it. It said the school has a compelling interest in creating a diverse student body. Relying heavily on a 2003 Supreme Court ruling, the court said the school took reasonable steps to meet that goal.

When is a public university’s student body diverse enough? When it has a “critical mass” of minority students — that is, enough to “assure educational benefits deriving from diversity,” the court said.

Cite: Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin.

Should race be a factor in admissions decisions? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

At Penn State, an applicant for admission as a degree candidate revealed that he had been convicted of harassment, simple assault and driving while intoxicated.

In light of this history, Penn State told him he’d have to attend five free counseling sessions with a school counselor during his first semester.

When he refused to attend the sessions, the school cancelled his classes for the next semester and placed his admission on hold.

How did the student respond? He filed a lawsuit against the school, asking for $3.2 million.

The student argued that requiring him to attend counseling constituted cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment. He also said he was treated differently based on race, and he claimed he was denied his due process rights.

The court threw out the case. The Eighth Amendment’s bar on cruel and unusual punishment applies only to convicted prisoners, it pointed out. And there wasn’t enough evidence to support the race bias and due process claims.

Cite: Wright v. Speece.

How should applications that reveal criminal histories be handled? Tell us what you think in the comments sections below.