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Applicants Foregoing 'Dream Schools' in Recession

Oct. 21—The University of Colorado is Shelbi MacFarlane’s dream school, and the only out-of-state college on her list of a half-dozen to which she’s applying.

So starts her scholarship scavenger hunt.

MacFarlane — a high school senior from Austin, Texas, who plays volleyball and wants to study public relations or communication — said her parents have agreed to pay in-state tuition, but she’d be responsible for covering the remainder of the bill. Tuition and fees at CU amount to $28,186 this year for out-of-state students, and $7,932 for Colorado students.

A national report on college admissions trends released Tuesday zeroes in on the recession’s effects on high schoolers who are shopping for colleges. The report shows that more students are putting off college and are leaning more toward public universities than private schools.

More than 70 percent of high school counselors noticed an increase in the number of students foregoing their “dream schools” in favor of more affordable options, according to the report from the National Association for College Admission Counseling.

“CU is my top choice,” MacFarlane said. “I really want to go there, but I can’t afford it at all.”

Many high schools surveyed for the new report said they are increasing efforts to assist students during the recession — nearly three in four schools, for example, are planning more counseling sessions on financial aid.

Nearly 60 percent of college counselors surveyed reported they saw an increase in the number of students planning to enroll in public versus private colleges, and 37 percent saw an increase in the number of students planning to enroll in community colleges instead of four-year colleges.

A quarter of public school counselors witnessed an increase in the number of students who are postponing college because of financial concerns.

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