How many people get to attend their first option for college? 80%? 60% Well, if trends continue then that number is getting to be fewer and fewer. Try 58% in 2011 and the number keeps getting lower. While it is true many students are trying to get into elite and Ivy League schools, which are much harder to enter, even state schools are seeing few entries as their first choice. Out of those who do get accepted into their first choice, 18% decide not to attend there anyway. Compare this to its height in 1975 when a high rate of 80% were accepted into their first schools of choice.
The problem is mainly economic. With the bad economy, cuts to federal aid and soaring college costs, more students are finding the traditional schools unaffordable. Instead they are opting for online degrees and even military colleges which offer just as a great an education at a more affordable price. Interestingly enough, the students who do attend school of their choice are more likely to study harder and drink less than their predecessors. Go figure.