Yield (also known as the yield rate or matriculation rate)
is a statistic in
college admissions
University admission or college admission is the process through which students enter tertiary education at universities and colleges. Systems vary widely from country to country, and sometimes from institution to institution.
In many countries, ...
which measures the percentage of applicants to an institution who, having been offered admission, go on to accept their offer.
It is calculated by dividing the number of students who enroll at an institution in a given year by the total number of admission offers sent. For example, an institution which makes 5,000 offers of admission in a particular year, but which enrolls 2,000 students that year, is said to have a yield of 40%. The yield rate is usually calculated once per year.
Purpose
As a statistical measure, yield has been used by college ratings services as a measure of selectivity, such that a higher yield rate is a sign of a more selective college. It is also taken to indicate greater interest from applicants in enrolling at a particular institution. For example, the yield rate for
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...
was 69% in 2016, while the yield rate for
Dartmouth was 55%, and the yield rate for
Colorado College
Colorado College is a private college, private liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Founded in 1874 by Thomas Nelson Haskell in his daughter's memory, the college offers over 40 majors a ...
was 37%.
[
]
Manipulation
The yield rate has sometimes been criticized for being subject to manipulation by college admissions staffs; in 2001, a report by Daniel Golden in ''The Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...
'' suggested that some college admissions departments reject or wait list well-qualified applicants on the assumption that they will not enroll, as a way to boost the college's overall yield rate. According to the report, these actions were part of an effort to improve a college's scores on the ''U.S. News'' college ranking.
References
University and college admissions
{{Education-stub