Each year, colleges extend offers of acceptance to more students than they can accommodate, anticipating that a certain percentage will not attend. But this year, the University of Iowa underestimated the number of students who accepted. The incoming class will have 400 more students than they counted on, an increase of 10 percent over the last year’s freshman class.

The bigger class will mean a larger income from tuition for the college, in part due to an increase in foreign and out-of-state students who pay considerably more than in-state students. However, they are also facing a housing crisis and pressure to expand the most popular courses. The school has been reserving local apartment spaces and is temporarily transforming dorm lounges into rooms that will accommodate as many as eight beds.
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