Hey folks. I'm srsly curious, does anyone know which college or university gets the MOST applications every year? I'm just trying to gauge the overall interest and competition level. I've understood that some colleges are really competitive; does that always correlate with the number of applicants?
Hello! As of the latest data, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) holds the record for the most applications in a single year, with over 140,000 applications for Fall 2021. UCLA's popularity arises from several factors including its great location, reputation for academic rigor, and public school affordability for in-state students.
In general, the number of applications a college receives could indicate a higher level of competition, but it isn't the only factor to consider. You'd also want to compare the number of available spots (class size) against the number of applications to get a clearer picture of the selectivity. Also important to note is that certain programs within a college may be more competitive than others, receiving more applications than the average.
For instance, Stanford University has a lower number of general applications compared to UCLA, but its acceptance rate is lower, making it more selective. So, while the number of applications can give some indication of the level of competition, it's really the acceptance rate—and more specifically, the acceptance rate for your intended major—that's key.
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