Much of the hype in media and watercooler talk centers on institutional prestige, often using the selectivity of university in first-year admission as a proxy. Should you try to make your institution more selective to increase its prestige?

If you think the answer is “yes” you might want to reconsider. From 2001 to 2023, first-year applications at public and private institutions that report data to IPEDS because they are not “open admission” have increased 211%, and while first-year enrollment has increased 43%, overall selectivity has not changed much.

Of more interest to me is the combination of admit rate and yield rate (the percentage of admitted students who enroll). When you boost your application numbers by pumping up “soft” applications–those least likely to enroll, your yield rate takes a hit; your admission office is spinning its wheels faster to get less done. And the interplay of these two things (the yield rate divided by the admit rate) gives us a powerful indicator of market prestige, called the Draw Rate.

The draw rate, too, can be manipulated, but only if you have a powerful position in the market to start. Overall, draw rates have fallen as tires have spun from .66 in 2001 to .36 in 2023. It’s the blue line at lower right.

At institutions called “Ivy Plus” those draw rates have skyrocketed over the same period, from 3 in 2001 to 13.4 in 2023. And this is why the obsession not only continues, but amplifies.

The key to enrollment success is being authentic with your markets. They’re a lot smarter than you might think. If you want to talk, go to my contact page at EnrollmentVP.com and let me know you want to take advantage of a free 30-minute consultation, or just email me.