The decline in CUNY applications: Who and how come

In the fall of 1976 applications for admission to the City University of New York (CUNY) had dropped sharply. In total number they were down by almost 13,000 from 1974, a drop of approximately 18%. Several hypotheses have been posited for the sharp decline in student applicants to the City University. Analysis of data drawn from the computer printouts of the City University's allocations indicates that the end of open admissions, for example, does not, in and of itself, explain the application drop. Similarly, the change in allocation formulas at CUNY seems not to explain the enrollment decline adequately. Finally, the imposition of tuition, or the perception about tuition, appears by no means the single most important factor in the enrollment drop. This paper attempts to determine the characteristics of the students not applying and to examine the reasons contributing to the sharp enrollment decline.