The New York Times reported late last month that St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., has had a major drop in regular applications next year. Though early admission applications are up, regular applications were done a whopping 30 percent compared to the same time in 2007.

From the NYT:

“’To be quite honest, I don’t know how we’ll end up,’ said Derek Gueldenzoph, dean of admissions at the college, in Northfield, Minn. ’By this time last year, we had three-quarters of all our applications. The deadline’s Jan. 15. If what we’ve got now is three-quarters of what we’re going to get, we’re in big trouble. But if this turns out to be only half, we’ll be fine.’

Not all private colleges are reporting fewer applications this year. Even in the Midwest and Pennsylvania, where most colleges seem to have dwindling numbers, some are getting more applications than ever. Still, in a survey of 371 private institutions released last week by the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, two-thirds said they were greatly concerned about preventing a decline in enrollment."

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/22/education/22college.html?_r=1&ref=education

St. Olaf still has time to bump those numbers up, but they sure are running out of it.

If numbers like those hit Saint Mary’s University, the school could feel a mighty pinch. SMU’s revenues are about 70 percent tuition and fee generated. If enrollment drops there, their revenue stream will take a major hit.

Check here and in the WDN’s print versions about how local universities are doing admissions wise in the next few weeks.

In the meantime, have you or anyone you known had to delay college because of the recession? Or have you had to shorten your wish list for the schools you wanted to go to?