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Vol.24, No. 03 Sept. 18, 1998

IN THE NEWS: The New York Times Reports the Big Apple Is Nation's New Hot College Town

ARTICLE REPORTS COLUMBIA IS IN TOP THREE MOST SELECTIVE SCHOOLS IN THE NATION, BEHIND HARVARD AND PRINCETON

BARNARD IS AMERICA'S MOST POPULAR WOMEN'S COLLEGE

A Metro front-page story in The New York Times last week declared the Big Apple is "becoming the college applicant's destination of choice." The Sept. 9 article, by education writer Karen W. Arenson, reported Columbia College's surging admissions figures: applications have risen 81 percent in the last five years; 12,251 high school seniors applied for the 955 slots in the Class of 2002, and the admission rate of 14 percent has made Columbia the third most selective school in the nation, behind Harvard and Princeton.

The Times article quoted President George Rupp saying, "We think a lot of this is because of the excellence in the programs we offer. But we know that a major ingredient is that New York is viewed as a hot town and a great place to be."

The article also pointed out that Barnard has become the most popular women's college in the country, with 3,841 applications for this year's incoming class of 549.

Barnard President Judith R. Shapiro said, "Students enter the gates, and it really is a community. But they walk outside and all of New York is there." The article also outlined innovative programs at Columbia that take advantage of the city's resources, such as "Passport to New York."