Student applications to Ohio University are down 5 percent from last year but the school is on track to meet long-term enrollment goals as of Jan. 1.
Director of Admissions David Garcia said that applications are up 2 to 3 percent compared to two years ago. Last year, the school received a record number of applications.
Last year was abnormal
said Becky Watts, chief of staff to President Roderick McDavis. If you look at the long-term trends there was a spike.
Watts said she is pleased that OU is poised to reach next year's enrollment goals despite economic and demographic obstacles.
We know that there has been an economic downturn and we know that there has been a demographic shift Watts said.
The priority deadline for freshman applications for Fall Quarter is Feb. 1, and the housing deposit for all students living on campus is due May 1.
While international and transfer applications are up 58 and 63 percent respectively, OU has admitted 18 percent fewer students than at this point last year.
Garcia said that the total number of in-state applications has increased but out-of-state applications are down - a trend he links to economic concerns nationwide.
Students want to stay close to home
said Garcia, who added that while applications from central and southern Ohio are up, applications from northeast Ohio are down significantly.
Garcia said that in addition to deterring many potential students in northeast Ohio from applying, economic worries may also keep those who do apply from coming to Athens next fall.
The numbers are probably going to be down because we don't know what impact the economy will have on students' final decisions
Garcia said.
Garcia added that schools across the state are receiving fewer applications as students look for education options closer to home, and he believes this trend will continue in future years.
I would expect that more students will be looking to apply to lower cost options due to the current nature of the economy
said Michael Chaney, communications director for the Ohio Board of Regents, who added that he expects application and enrollment numbers at regional campuses and community colleges to increase as a result of economic concerns.
The regional and community college campuses are offering more programs and becoming more accessible
which is why they have a higher rate of growth
Chaney said.
Some of Ohio's private schools are also seeing a dip in enrollment.
Applications at Kenyon College, Ohio's most expensive university, are down about 10 percent according to Jennifer Delahunty, the school's dean of Admissions and Financial Aid.
The lower number of regular applications isn't surprising because early decision applications to the $40,000-a-year school were slightly up, Delahunty said.
What we're hearing is that institutions are concerned that students aren't applying
said Tony Pals, director of public information at the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
According to Pals, private school prices are historically higher than public universities because their budgets are largely tuition-based, especially as their endowments continue to be diminished.
As family budgets are crunched
the fear is that many potential students won't even bother to apply to private schools
said Pals, who added that there has been a significant increase in schools announcing lower-than-usual tuition increases or choosing to freeze tuition prices with hopes of attracting applicants.
Despite the decrease in total applicants, Delahunty said that it is not in issue because in previous years the school has had more qualified applicants than it could admit.
We have been over-subscribed for many years and a slight downturn isn't an issue for us
