Ph.D. applicants up, admits not | Interactive graph

Despite significant increases in the numbers of applicants to Penn's Ph.D. programs, the number of acceptances at most schools will remain relatively similar to past years.

Some schools, such as the School of Arts and Sciences, School of Medicine, Graduate School of Education and School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, saw smaller increases in applications, while others, such as Wharton and the Annenberg School for Communication, reported much larger increases.

International applications - most of which came from China, India, Iran, Turkey and the Middle East - increased in all schools except the School of Nursing.

Only 10 of Penn's 12 graduate schools offer Ph.D. programs - the School of Law and the School of Dental Medicine do not. And although the School of Social Policy and Practice has a doctoral program, the school admitted twice the number of expected students last year and did not accept any new applicants this year, according to Associate Dean Ram Cnaan.

SAS, home to the most Ph.D. students, saw a 6-percent increase in applications, with international applicants increasing 19 percent, according to Penn President Amy Gutmann.

Despite the increase, SAS graduate division associate director of admissions Patricia Rea said the school offered about 10-percent fewer admittances this year, citing the current economy as a reason.

"We never know ahead of time what the acceptance rate will be, so SAS has prudently admitted a slightly smaller number," Gutmann said. "Other graduate schools . have remained basically steady."

Penn Med reported an 11.4-percent increase in international applicants over last year and the smallest overall increase at just 1.6 percent .

"Only 12 percent of our Ph.D. students are international, so the rise does not really affect us," Microbiology professor Susan Ross said.

SEAS reported a 7.7-percent increase in international applicants and an 8.5-percent increase overall. But while the school saw an increase in international applications overall, it saw a decrease in applications from India and Korea and an increase in applications from China, Taiwan and Iran, according to Joe Sun, SEAS director of academic affairs.

"Every year there has been a consistent increase in India and China applications," Sun said. "It is interesting to see a decline in numbers . but Ph.D. students are fully funded, so we do not know why they have dipped."

Although Nursing saw a 10-percent increase in applications, international applicants decreased by a third from last year, according to Nursing professor Lorraine Tulman - a trend unlike that in Penn's other schools.

GSE reported an 8-percent increase in applications from last year. Of 373 applicants, the school expects to enroll 20, according to GSE associate director of Admissions and Financial Aid Alyssa D'Alconzo.

Wharton, however, reported a 30-percent increase in applications. Robert Inman, vice dean of Wharton's Ph.D. program, explained that the school offered admission to 65 out of 1,182 applicants. More than 20 prospective students had accepted as of April 9.

Annenberg reported an even larger increase, with a 28.8-percent increase in overall applicants and a 43-percent increase in international applicants. The school's Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies Joanne Murray attributed the increase to "an improved international outreach program."

School of Design Graduate Admissions director Joan Weston said of 110 applicants, the school will welcome six incoming students in the fall, three of whom are international.

Although the School of Veterinary Medicine does not have a Ph.D. program, its comparable program received 35 applications and will enroll three students, all from the United States, in the fall, according to Associate Dean for Admissions Malcolm Keiter.

The article and interactive graph have been updated to reflect the correct percent change in applications received and acceptance rates for the Annenberg School for Communication.

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