Most Popular Colleges: Liberal Arts Colleges
So which colleges do students really want to go to? One way to find out is to look at a school’s yield, the percentage of applicants accepted by a university who end up enrolling at that institution in the fall. The figures in this table are from the fall 2007 entering class and show the admit yield and overall acceptance rate. If a school has a high yield (a large proportion of those admitted enroll), it means that the school is most likely very popular with a top reputation and that the students are highly motivated to go there. A very low yield means that the school could be a “safety” or second choice for many of those who apply. Colleges use yield as a key factor in determining how many students they need to admit each year.
| U.S. News Rank | Acceptance Rate | Yield | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States Naval Academy (MD) | 22 | 12% | 85% |
| United States Military Academy (NY) | 14 | 15% | 78% |
| Thomas Aquinas College (CA) | 60 | 60% | 76% |
| Berea College (KY) | 68 | 29% | 73% |
| Virginia Military Institute | 71 | 54% | 50% |
| St. John's College (NM) | 122 | 79% | 49% |
| Wheaton College (IL) | 56 | 55% | 49% |
| Calvin College (MI) | 115 | 95% | 48% |
| St. John's University (MN) | 71 | 74% | 46% |
| St. Mary's College (IN) | 104 | 81% | 46% |
| Washington and Lee University (VA) | 17 | 27% | 45% |
| Williams College (MA) | 1 | 18% | 45% |
| Middlebury College (VT) | 5 | 21% | 44% |
| Barnard College (NY) | 27 | 29% | 43% |
| College of St. Benedict (MN) | 84 | 75% | 43% |
| Berry College (GA) | 118 | 70% | 42% |
| Bowdoin College (ME) | 6 | 19% | 42% |
| Hillsdale College (MI) | 98 | 64% | 42% |
| Davidson College (NC) | 9 | 28% | 41% |
| Wellesley College (MA) | 4 | 36% | 41% |
| Amherst College (MA) | 1 | 18% | 40% |
| Claremont McKenna College (CA) | 11 | 16% | 40% |
| Sweet Briar College (VA) | 84 | 81% | 40% |
| Luther College (IA) | 88 | 83% | 39% |
| Pomona College (CA) | 6 | 16% | 39% |
| See Next 25 Schools » | |||
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Note: These are the schools ranked in the top half in this category, sorted in descending order by their yield. |
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Reader Comments
A better formula?
While the hope to make a very subjective decision objective is futile, I'd think some fairly simple formula could make this list more reflective of the reality on the street. I could see a formula incorporating the acceptance rate and the conversion rate. This could give Bowdoin much more credit for their 19% acceptance rate.To have a 19% acceptance rate and a 42% enrollment rate is pretty amazing.
For instance
Bowdoin: (81+42)/2=61.5 (where the 81=100-19)
Compared to Calvin: (5+48)/2=26.5
That seems more like it to me.
Bad, bad logic
The logic claims that a higher yield rate = a school that is more popular. This is way, way, way off ... and really the worst sort of guidance that I've seen.
First, the college might indeed be a second or third choice school, but those highly selective colleges with a lower matriculation rate are probably crossing over with some incredibly popular places ... how many students does Bowdoin lose to Harvard?
Why does Calvin rank very high for "popularity" but admit a whopping 95% of their applicants (very, very few who would be accepted to Bowdoin)? Probably because so many of those students didn't get into their first-choice college.
U.S. News takes it to a new low with this one, folks.
US Air Froce Academy
To Ryan,
Although the Naval Academy may be one of the toughest schools to be accepted into, you left out one key fact. The entrance requirements and standards of the Air Force Academy are much higher than those of the Naval Academy.
Many of the Cadets at the Air Force Academy were also accepted by Navy and Army. More importantly, many of the applicants of both Navy and Army were turned down by the Air Force. If you look at the entrance requirements of the Air Force Academy, the minimum SAT & ACT scores along with the required High School classes are much more stringent.
In 2001 the Air Force Academy was named the #1 overall academic experience by the Princeton review for its outstanding, rigorous academic program, student to teacher ratio (less than 10-1) and everything else from quality of life, athletics, etc. The Naval Academy has never come close to that type of ranking.
You do make a great point though; these schools should not be on that list.
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