Michigan State University: An Option for Quality Education
Applications for the school year 2011-2012 in Michigan State University (MSU), has increased in comparison to the number of college applications last year. According to Jim Cotter, MSU Director of Admissions, the school received close to 27,000 applications in 2010. This year, MSU is expecting more than 28,000 college applicants. However, the pattern of applications for the past 10 years in MSU is like a roller coaster ride with upswings and downswings in between various periods.
Despite the decreasing number of high school graduates in Michigan, in-state (Michigan) graduates are sending more applications to MSU due to the recessionary times. For instance, Sarah Rosser, a graduating high school student in Brighton, Michigan, plans to apply and hopefully study at MSU because her family is conscious about tuition expenses. Cotter believes that if the economy was in better shape, many college applicants might be exploring other places and other educational institutions a little bit more. Many of these in-state applicants however, are not being accepted to the MSU programs. Cotter stated that many Michigan district high schools are churning out high number of graduates but have low standardized test scores. This finding indicates that drastic improvements should be made in the Michigan school system. These low exam results are reflective neither of the skills of the students presently enrolled nor the quality of the student applicants to MSU. Aside from the scores in the standardized tests, other criteria used by MSU in choosing applicants are the high school grades, extracurricular activities and personal statements in their applications.
MSU has received a 10.5% increase in the number of out-of-state college applicants. Such increase is expected since MSU has spent close to $ .5 Million in 2010 for the marketing campaigns targeting the out-of-state students. MSU has marked its image among the present crop of students who would want to make different in the real world. College applications from international students have also increased this year according to Chris Bargerstock, MSU Assistant Director of the Office for International Students and Scholars. One reason that students from other countries apply and study in a college based in the United States is due to the referrals of the people close to them such as their siblings, relatives and friends. Other nationalities also believed that they can get better quality education in America. Lastly, economic reason (i.e. affordability) is a major factor as well why other nationalities like the Chinese decide to study in an American college.
Cotter is proud so far of the quality of accepted applicants at MSU. He stated that the number of MSU graduates is on the rise and the rate of retention among freshmen and sophomores is more than 90%. From the MSU perspective, if the student is not prepared and not qualified, that student would not be admitted to the University.