Applicant vs true applicant numbers

Admissions
1

what is the difference between applicants and true applicant numbers?

2

The DOE defines “applicants” as the number of applicants that listed a program anywhere on their application. “True applicants” are defined as applicants did not receive an offer to a more-preferred application choice.

Another way of looking at “true applicants” is the total number of applicants that were explicitly rejected or sent an offer by a program. So for example, if an applicant’s application looked something like this:

  1. Program A
  2. Program B
  3. Program C
  4. Program D
  5. Program E

…and the applicant received an offer for their 3rd choice (Program C). In this case, this applicant would count towards “applicants” for all programs, but count towards “true applicants” for only Programs A, B and C (rejected, rejected, offered).