^^^ I get your point. In VA we have a running joke. Hard to get into UVA, but easy to graduate. Easy to get in VA TECH, but hard to graduate. This is all based on the starting class size and graduating class size.
Now, one thing to place into the graduation rate, is that cadets enter thinking it is going to be one thing and quickly realize that their illusion is just that and not reality. Some will DOR after BCT, some will be asked to leave (typically academics or medical), some will get to the point where they need to sign on the dotted line and they project themselves to being 27 or (31---flyers) and finally being given the 1st time to bolt, they realize that this is not their cup of tea.
Let's remember you are 18 when you enter and have never experienced this life, you can watch DVDs and the military channel, post on this site baseops and cc, but it is totally different when you get there and sleep on top of your bed, eat in 7 bites and never look down. For some they always have the light at the end of the tunnel in sight, for others they question why they are doing this to themselves.
Also the rise is occurring because of the economy. This is nothing new, when the economy tanks, the military gets more people, when the economy is great, the numbers decline. Two yrs ago, it was very rare to see somebody state they didn't get an ROTC scholarship. This yr, not only was this formed filled with people talking about rejection letters, but also I learned that there are scholarships as low as $2K, prior to that I thought there were only 3 types, 2,7,9
