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Friday, September 05, 2008

Not law but don't miss - "Students From the East Coast Descend on Indiana University"

A very long and fascinating article in the WSJ today by Hannah Karp, about how Indiana University is "the new Wisconsin" insofar as attractiveness to out-of-state students, particularly from East Coast prep schools, is concerned. Some quotes:

The nation's largest freshman class in history is moving into college dorms, hanging posters, meeting roommates and learning fight songs. In Indiana University's Assembly Hall last Friday, a remarkably large chorus hailing from private high schools in the Northeast was singing the school's ode to the "Cream and Crimson" in a pronounced New York accent.

It's a striking byproduct of one of the most competitive college admissions sessions ever -- an influx of East Coast prep-school students in Indiana. Indiana University welcomed about 260 students from the greater New York City area to the limestone lecture halls on its lush, leafy campus last week, up 12.5% from last year. Another 175 came from New Jersey, up 25% from 2007, and 50 hail from Connecticut. While the numbers of students matriculating from in-state and other parts of the country are steadily increasing as well -- the school had some 500 more students accept admission offers than it had planned for -- the last three years have been marked by unprecedented growth from the Northeast.

As students arrived in the quaint college town last week, there was some low-key clashing of cultures. "It almost feels like something's not right here. Everyone's just so friendly," said Steven Glassman, a 46-year-old attorney from East Hanover, N.J., after kissing his son, Jason, goodbye last Thursday. Mr. Glassman and his wife say the school is "hot" on the East Coast right now -- especially among aspiring business students -- but will still be a healthy transition for their son, "coming from a city of mean rotten people who will run you over without thinking about it." * * *

Prep-school guidance counselors say Indiana's longtime admissions director Mary Ellen Anderson set the East Coast influx in motion three years ago when she flew to New York and won over a large group of advisers at a breakfast presentation. She now tries to visit 13 to 15 private high schools in the tristate area each year and has seen a substantial increase in interest from several of them. * * *

IU has long been esteemed in academia as a top-notch public university, boasting some of the best music, journalism and business departments in the country and one of the largest out-of-state populations of any Big 10 school, now hovering at nearly 40% of the student body. The Hoosier basketball team also attracts talent from around the country, with five NCAA championships under its belt. [ILB note to WSJ - additional fact-checking needed here.]

Now an aggressive new marketing campaign, a determined admissions director and an increasingly cutthroat admissions process have pushed Indiana onto the radar of tony private schools.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on September 5, 2008 12:14 PM
Posted to General News