College admissions officers did not know what to expect heading into this year's application period. They wondered if the recession would drive students toward in-state or public colleges and away from more expensive ones - or committing to any college at all.
Despite evidence that such trends occurred nationally, Maryland admissions officers are generally relieved at how little change they have observed in the state.
Students applied and committed to Maryland colleges and universities, public and private, at robust levels this spring.
"Things look remarkably the same," said Shannon Gundy, director of undergraduate admissions at the University of Maryland, College Park.
It's somewhat surprising that Maryland students did not flood into the University System of Maryland from private and out-of-state schools, said Jacqueline King, assistant vice president of policy analysis at the American Council on Education.
"It suggests that our economy in Maryland is better than in a lot of other states," King said. "It also shows that helping kids do what they want with higher education is something families prioritize here."
That's not to say the recession produced no strain. Financial aid requests went up at many schools, and counselors said they're hearing more widespread cost concerns. Pricey universities such as the Johns Hopkins University reluctantly admitted fewer students who need financial aid. The aid office at College Park added Saturday office hours to accommodate more families.
"It's not so much that we're having more conversations about money," Gundy said. "It's that the conversations are so much more intense. There's a real desperation out there."
Nationally, some early evidence suggests that students shifted their interest from private schools to public schools because of costs. In a survey released this month by the National Association for College Admissions Counseling, 60 percent of counselors said they saw an increased interest in public institutions. More students than usual turned away from their "dream schools" because of economic fears, according to 71 percent of the counselors.
"The potential effects of the economy loomed large over this admission cycle," said Joyce Smith, chief executive officer for NACAC. "It appears that students and families were more concerned about cost, and plans about whether or where to enroll were changed as a result."
