Many universities across the U.S. are reporting record-low acceptance rates as LSU awaits final acceptance statistics for the class of 2015.
Though many colleges in the U.S. have seen decreasing acceptance rates in the last year, LSU’s have remained stagnant.
The University’s rates are higher than many colleges reporting dwindling acceptance percentages. In 2010, the University admitted 72 percent of applicants, 69 percent in 2009, 74 percent in 2008 and 73 percent in 2007, according to the Office of Budget and Planning.
Mary Parker, executive director of Undergraduate Admissions and Student Aid, said the University’s statistics for the fall 2011 semester (tentative 2015 graduation) should be available in May.
Tulane, a private university, admitted 25.9 percent of applicants for the fall 2010 semester, according to its website.
Fellow Southeastern Conference school Vanderbilt University accepted only 15.5 percent of applicants this year compared to 16.3 percent last year, according the school’s website.
More selective schools like Harvard and Columbia universities have seen record lows in admission rates. The Columbia Daily Spectator, Columbia’s student newspaper, reports a 6.4 percent acceptance rate. The Harvard Crimson, Harvard’s student paper, said the university only accepted 6.2 percent of applicants for the fall 2011 semester.
More than 50 selective U.S. schools have reported dropping rates for next semester, according to a report from The Huffington Post.
William Caldwell, history senior, said he was accepted to both Tulane and LSU but chose LSU because of Hurricane Katrina.
“I blew the ACT out of the water,” Caldwell said, explaining that he chose LSU even though it was easier to get into than Tulane.
Brian Savage, history junior, said he only applied to LSU. He said many of his friends did not get accepted into LSU and attended Baton Rouge Community College instead.
Savage said he was accepted because he took physics in high school — as LSU admission requirement — unlike many of his friends.
Admission difficulty at LSU is average for a state school in the U.S., Savage said, but is difficult for a Louisiana school.
 
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