With early decision applications up 57 percent over last
year, and those for regular decisions up 20 percent, admissions appears
poised to break the 4,000 mark for applications, according to Dan
Lundquist, vice president for admissions and financial aid.
Last year's total of 3,800 applications was an
all-time high.
“If the trajectory we are on continues, and I think
it will, we should see somewhere between a good and dramatic increase in
the applicant level,” Lundquist said.
The College has received 152 early decision
applications, up from 97 last year.
“I attribute the increase, for the most part, to
the College's enhanced efforts in external relations and
recruitment,” he said.
Admissions last week added an online application to
their Web site. By early this week, it had produced some 50 applications.
Quality indicators appear to be up, but it may be
another month before all the information is collected. “We are coping
with paper cuts and overtime trying to get the applicant information
entered, corrected and verified,” Lundquist said.
Though demographics appear to favor the higher education
market in general — more students are graduating from high school now
than since the 80's – that doesn't necessarily mean a huge number
will be Union material, Lundquist said.
“Among the high ability-high aspiration candidates,
people understand the value of a Union education,” he said. “No
matter how good the market, when the rubber hits the road, no kid will
attend a college unless the academic program and physical facilities there
are very attractive.
“We are not nipping at the heels of the Ivies, but
our overlap schools are very aware of what's going on here.”