Applications up at most Western Pa. colleges

Freshman application numbers at most colleges in Western Pennsylvania have increased — and, in some cases, skyrocketed — since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

Between 2018 and 2022, 11 of 13 regional colleges reported growth in the number of freshman applications they received. The University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University and Penn State saw the largest shares of new applicants.

It’s a trend that schools across the nation are experiencing. In March, the Common Application, an undergraduate admissions application that can be submitted to over 1,000 colleges and universities, reported a 21% increase in applicants and a 30% boost in submitted applications between 2019 and 2022.

The average prospective student is now applying to eight schools, according to data from educational research center EAB. But at the same time, the college-age population is decreasing and more people are questioning the value of a college degree.

Combine those factors, and colleges are toiling to attract more students and convince them to enroll, said Madeleine Rhyneer, EAB’s dean of enrollment services who previously served as Susquehanna University’s vice president of enrollment.

“You have fewer potential college freshmen and you have students applying to more schools,” Ms. Rhyneer said. “In terms of trying to maintain market share, most colleges and universities are working very hard to increase their applicant pool.”

Which local schools are seeing application increases?

In the Western Pennsylvania region, Pitt has seen the most dramatic rise in applications. The Oakland campus received over 53,000 applications in 2022 — a 78% increase compared to 2018. Pitt’s 2023 application numbers could indicate this surge isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

Duquesne and Penn State’s University Park campus reported the second and third-highest climbs in applicants; both schools saw growth upward of 60%. Duquesne received over 12,200 applications in 2022, while over 85,700 prospective freshmen vied for a spot at University Park.

Carnegie Mellon University also benefited from a significant application spike of 41%. The elite private university received over 34,200 applications in fall 2022.

Private schools Chatham University and Washington & Jefferson College saw 27% and 22% increases, respectively; both schools’ 2022 application numbers hovered at around 3,500. PennWest University’s three campuses received an 11% boost in applicants. Over 8,400 prospective freshmen applied to the state system school in fall 2022.

Four other universities — Seton Hill, Waynesburg, Slippery Rock and Point Park — reported modest applicant increases of under 10%.

The two schools that reported applicant declines were Allegheny College and the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, which saw application numbers fall 24% and 9%, respectively, during the five-year period.

Private schools Carlow University, La Roche University, Robert Morris University, Saint Vincent College, Grove City College, Geneva College and Westminster College do not share application data online and did not provide these data to the Post-Gazette.

Why the surge?

Experts attribute the application surges to several factors. Many universities now use the Common App, which allows students to easily submit their applications to multiple colleges in one fell swoop. The post-COVID introduction of test-optional admissions also incentivizes some students to apply to more competitive schools that no longer require SAT or ACT scores.

That means students who would struggle to get into Pitt’s Oakland campus in 2018 might have a better chance now, for example. But it also makes a student’s admission chances less predictable, Ms. Rhyneer explained. And unpredictable admission could prompt students to apply to more institutions.

“It used to be pretty predictable for students and high school counselors to figure out if you were going to get in, and then the pandemic demand for those [flagship] institutions just increased by a mile in almost every state,” she said. “Students who would have reliably gotten in in the past didn’t necessarily.”

Unpredictable costs could also provoke more applications. As the price tag of higher education grows, students might apply to more schools to see which ones offer scholarships or financial aid. Ms. Rhyneer thinks more students feel like they have to “hedge their bets” and cast a wider net.

Lauren Madia, the director of pupil services at Upper St. Clair, said she’s seen finances impact students’ decisions firsthand.

“The cost of postsecondary education is a big factor for many, many families,” Ms. Madia said. “Some of the application increases may be [to ensure] some options when it comes down to the final cost of education.”

And more applications could be attributable to the colleges’ efforts to boost applicants, Ms. Rhyneer said. Schools know that if they aren’t growing their application numbers, they will likely see enrollment drops. Many colleges became cognizant of this over a decade ago, while the Great Recession persisted but high school graduation rates were still increasing, according to Ms. Rhyneer.

Now, as the college-aged population declines and people migrate from Northeastern states like Pennsylvania, schools are vying for a smaller pool of applicants. To be competitive and meet enrollment goals, colleges need to try to attract more students, Ms. Rhyneer said.

“To stay in the game, [colleges] need to get more applicants, but it’s a lot of work for enrollment teams to be on top of their game,” she said. “[They need to] yield those students so that they can meet their enrollment goals.”

Applying to college doesn’t necessarily mean a student is college bound, though. Since the pandemic, Ms. Madia said the most persistent enrollment trend that she’s seen among Upper St. Clair students is that more students aren’t enrolling in college.

That trend is perhaps reflected in many colleges’ enrollment numbers — while most elite and flagship institutions have maintained steady enrollments since the pandemic, many affordable and accessible schools are seeing drops in their student populations. The Associated Press reported in March that more Americans are skipping college.

“We are seeing a shift away from students [attending college],” Ms. Madia said. “They’re applying, but deciding not to go to a four-year school right away. Some students are attending a two-year school and some students are going into trades… We are seeing fewer students actually opt to enroll.”