UGA recruitment down

The University of Georgia is failing to recruit some of the best students in Georgia, an ABH article states.

The university did not land as many of the state's very best graduating high school students this year as in previous years, UGA President Michael Adams says.

Even so, the incoming freshman class probably will set a record for average SAT scores and other academic credentials, Adams told trustees of the university's Arch Foundation.

High-achieving students in record numbers chose UGA this year, he said - just not all of the best and brightest.

Adams blames:

Based on what he's read in blogs and what he's heard parents ask, Adams believes that some top students may have chosen to go elsewhere because they have misperceptions about how state budget cuts are affecting UGA.

Nancy McDuff, associate vice president for admissions and enrollment management, says:

There's another factor - the University of Georgia is playing in the academic big leagues now. "These students have a lot of options," McDuff said - schools like Harvard and Princeton, as well as UGA.

Some of those top-tier universities have increased financial aid to students, she said. Some even have adopted policies that no students should have to borrow money to pay for college - and are awarding grants to cover expenses instead of approving student loans.

Other universities' financial aid may also help explain another unexpected trend - fewer in-state students who get admitted to UGA are enrolling this year.
In most years, about half the students in Georgia who get admitted to UGA ultimately decide to enroll here, and UGA planners expected to see that number rise this year because of the recession.

Instead, the percentage of in-state students who sent in deposits by the May 1 deadline actually decreased, McDuff said. "We're speculating that a lot of our competitors put a lot of money on the table," she said.

The Blogs are not to blame, we are in an economic crisis. There is less funding available to the University. It is no secret blog conspiracy to let people know what their legislators are doing, which is cutting the budget of the University. In fact, the reason this blog focuses on it is because we think it is wrong and hope that we, in some small way, will make people consider this at the ballot box.

I think Adams has handled the job of President during this economic downturn quite well. I hope he continues to do so.