More people than ever are applying to both two-year and four-year colleges, and for seniors in high school, this has meant it is tougher than ever to get into schools that might have been theirs in the past.

&uot;With this year’s class, I’m seeing more rejections than I have seen in all my years here,&uot; said Rod Johnson, college counselor at Albert Lea High School.

The cause?

Johnson said a combination of factors is increasing competition. A sputtering economy pushed a lot of unemployed people to go back and finish college, more and more jobs are demanding at least a two-year degree, and competition to get into better schools is greater.

These factors have combined to create a different atmosphere altogether for applications.

School across the state and country have been able to increase their admissions standards because of these factors.

Mark Anderson, dean of admissions at Gustavus College in St. Peter, Minn., said Gustavus has raised its admission standards because it has received more applications than ever.

&uot;We have more students on our wait list than we have ever had,&uot; Anderson said. &uot;I think there have been students who would have been accepted in the past that we will probably have denied.&uot;

Public and private schools statewide are raising the bar.

At the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, applications are higher than ever.

According to the director of admissions for the university, Dr. Wayne Sigler, the number of applicants increased by 18 percent this year.

&uot;We had 17,610 freshman applicants,&uot; he said. &uot;We’ll probably offer admissions to 11,000, to enroll a class of 5,200.&uot;

Sigler said that increase has forced the university to raise its standards.

&uot;What has happened is that admissions have been very competitive for a couple of years,&uot; he said. &uot;That significant increase made a competitive situation even more competitive.&uot;

Sigler said the university has turned away students that it would not have in the past. This is not something that has gone uncriticized, due to the university being a public institution.

&uot;We’re very grateful for the strong interest in the University of Minnesota,&uot; Sigler explained. &uot;We certainly don’t take it for granted. We work very hard to give each app an individualized, careful, consistent and respectful review.&uot;

The two-year option has become more viable for many because of this. Most aren’t as strict in the applications process. But the option also can give students a large financial break and give them a start toward a four-year degree.

Johnson, along with other area counselors, is finding that the two-year college option is becoming more popular among students.

&uot;Sixty percent of the jobs out there require a two-year degree,&uot; Johnson said. &uot;So there are more jobs out there for the two-year grads than the four-year grads.&uot;

Two-year institutions are seeing more applicants than ever as well.

&uot;There are a lot of great two-year programs out there,&uot; Paul Moore, counselor at Glenville Emmons High School, said. &uot;I think they can give a lot of great opportunity.&uot;

Whether it is a two- or four-year degree, more students are finding tougher competition among themselves for getting into schools.

But, whatever the situation, high school seniors are always high school seniors.

&uot;I didn’t feel pressured,&uot; said Lindsey Davis, 18, a senior at Glenville-Emmons. Davis was accepted at Winona State University and the University of Wisconsin at River Falls. &uot;I waited until the last minute to apply.&uot;

The pressures of competition still come from the same places.

&uot;I have some friends who feel they should have worked harder to get their grades up,&uot; Sarah Greiberok, 18, also a senior at G-E, said. Most of that pressure comes from parents, though, she said.