Are the admissions statistics at Peterson's reliable?

[Simfish]

At that website, you could look at a lot of statistics. For example:

http://www.petersons.com/graduate-schools/cornell-university-graduate-school-field-of-astronomy-and-space-sciences-admissions-000_10028228_10088.aspx

But the information at the website says this:

Application Deadline: For fall admission, 1/15 for domestic students.

Application Fee: $70

Student Statistics: Average age 26. 77 applicants, 19% accepted, 3 enrolled.

I have a hard time believing that the average age at a school like that would be 26. While many people do take breaks and gap years, you also have a lot of very gifted students who skipped grades or entered college early. It still seems that the "default path" is to apply directly from undergrad, even if there may be a few much older students.

==

And for Washington (http://www.petersons.com/graduate-schools/university-of-washington-college-of-arts-and-sciences-department-of-astronomy-admissions-000_10037770_10088.aspx), the information is flat-out wrong (no way in hell would it have 150 applicants *and* a 1% acceptance rate - I've seen different statistics at grad school shopper). But is the information wrong for the other schools too? I would generally trust gradschoolshopper more, but there are some schools (and programs) for which these statistics aren't available.

 

[twofish-quant]

I have a hard time believing that the average age at a school like that would be 26.

With three admissions, one student can through everything off.

And for Washington no way in hell would it have 150 applicants *and* a 1% acceptance rate - I've seen different statistics at grad school shopper

Why not?

I would generally trust gradschoolshopper more, but there are some schools (and programs) for which these statistics aren't available.

The statistics are from self-reporting so you do have some data quality issues, but there isn't any particular reason why I'd doubt those numbers.

 

[Simfish]

With three admissions, one student can through everything off.

Oh, that's a very good point. Although I've seen similarly high average ages at other graduate programs I've looked at in the database (mostly bio programs). Although bio grad students are probably older than others on average. Math grad students are probably the youngest (on average), since it almost never helps people to have work experience if they want to pursue theoretical math - so I should look at the math programs in that database.

Why not?

Washington is my UG institution so I know that the actual rates aren't that low.

 

[twofish-quant]

Washington is my UG institution so I know that the actual rates aren't that low.

Graduate and undergraduate admissions are totally different animals. I can think of several large state schools with small astronomy programs that are more exclusive than Harvard.

 

[Simfish]

Graduate and undergraduate admissions are totally different animals. I can think of several large state schools with small astronomy programs that are more exclusive than Harvard.

I actually meant that I know that my UG's department rates aren't that low.

Which state schools were you thinking about, by the way?

 

[twofish-quant]

Also looking at the website for U Washington it appears that that they admitted a lot of people in 2009 but no one in 2010, so it's quite possible that for budget reasons they just decided not to admit anyone one year.

 

[twofish-quant]

I actually meant that I know that my UG's department rates aren't that low.

Which state schools were you thinking about, by the way?

Hawaii and Arizona.

 

[Simfish]

Also looking at the website for U Washington it appears that that they admitted a lot of people in 2009 but no one in 2010, so it's quite possible that for budget reasons they just decided not to admit anyone one year.

Hm, really? The 2010 data is below:

http://www.grad.washington.edu/about/statistics/admissions/admissions10.pdf

Acceptance rate is 20%.

 

[twofish-quant]

I'm looking at this list of current students, and there isn't anyone that joined in 2010. Lots of people in 2009.

http://www.astro.washington.edu/grad/gradresearch.html

 

[Simfish]

Oh okay, I guess that just means that they haven't updated the department website for them yet.

 

[twofish-quant]

On the other hand, they are a bit dodgy with statistics. On

http://www.astro.washington.edu/grad/why.html the description of the statistics doesn't match the link.

 

[Simfish]

On the other hand, they are a bit dodgy with statistics. On

http://www.astro.washington.edu/grad/why.html the description of the statistics doesn't match the link.

Hmm, I'm confused. What do you mean by that?