Admissions updates

[Nguyễn Quỳnh My (nguyenquynhmy)]

Applications for Class of ’08 may number more than 5600

Upton Au - STAFF WRITER

With almost all regular applications for admission to the Class of 2008 counted, the College has received an all-time high of 5597 applications, up 4.7 percent from the previous year’s total of 5341, said Dick Nesbitt, director of admissions.

The number of students of color applying to the College increased nearly across the board, including a two percent increase in African-American applicants, a 6.7 percent increase in Hispanic applicants and a dramatic 25 percent increase in Asian-American applicants. The number of Native American applicants, which Nesbitt said was already very small, decreased slightly from last year.

Female applicants outnumbered male applicants, comprising 51 percent of the applicant pool. Last year, males and females applied in nearly equal numbers. “There are a lot more women than men in the pool,” Nesbitt said. “It’s kind of a trend that’s happening nationally, [especially] among liberal arts colleges.”

Applications from international students increased 1.6 percent from last year to this year’s total of 889. Nesbitt suggested that the upward trend in these numbers over the past few years can be attributed to the College’s international need-blind admissions policy, which took effect beginning with the Class of 2006. Since that policy was put in place, the number of international applicants has doubled.

“We’re really pleased with that,” Nesbitt said. “We work very hard to recruit under-represented students.” To reach students who might not otherwise consider Williams, the admissions committee uses the College Board’s student search service, which provides names and addresses of high school sophomores and juniors whose self-reported grades and performance on the PSAT exam fall within certain parameters.

Nesbitt declined to discuss the score parameters specified by the College in substantive detail, stating only that they were “very high.” He did say, however, that part of attracting “high-ability, low-income” students meant that the parameters for members of such groups “may be somewhat lower than the regular search.”

Nesbitt said that the reason for such a policy is a direct correlation between family income and SAT scores. Later in the admissions process, the College might also weigh SAT scores less heavily for members of groups that statistically do less well on the examination.

“If it’s [a candidate] from a lower income family or a family whose children are the first to attend college, we would look at academic achievement in high school and other things that [he or she] would bring to the College community and the level of diversity,” Nesbitt said.

The current pool is impressive in both the sheer number of applicants and in academic ability. “My sense from reading the applications is that this is a very, very strong group,” Nesbitt said. “That was also my sense with the early decision group.”

The College accepted 214 students through early decision, and will target a yield of 314 additional students, for a projected class size of 528. According to Nesbitt, approximately 900 more students will be admitted from the regular decision and deferred early decision pool.

Of the accepted 900 students, it is hoped that slightly fewer than 314 will accept the College’s initial offer of admission. The College would then turn to the wait list, comprising 700-800 students, to fill the remainder of the class.

Nesbitt estimates that with the few applications that trickle in from overseas past the deadline, this total may reach 5600 students.

Nesbitt said that the College’s current ranking atop the U.S. News and World Report college rankings may be part of the reason for the increase in this year’s number of applications.

“As much as people ask me about the US News and World Report, the whole idea [of ranking institutions of higher education] is a little bit silly. On the other hand, when you’re number one, it seems to have a positive effect on your pool of applicants.”

According to Nesbitt, things look promising: “There’s no question that this will be the most competitive year we’ve ever had, because there are so many highly qualified students.”


The Williams Record



Copyright (C) The Williams Record 2000 - 2002. All Rights Reserved.

 

[Nguyễn Quỳnh My (nguyenquynhmy)]

Close to 20,000 apply to the College

Pool is second-largest in Harvard history

Nearly 20,000 students have applied for entrance next September to the Class of 2008, the second largest pool in Harvard's history. "While not reaching last year's record total of 20,987 which was swelled by different Early Action rules, both the number (19,712) and the quality of the applicants bode well for an outstanding freshman class next year," said William R. Fitzsimmons, dean of admissions and financial aid.
Harvard returned this year to its longstanding policy of 'single choice' Early Action in order to help reverse a national trend in early admission which observers felt was not serving students well. "Many high school guidance counselors felt that early admission had become a frenzied rush to judgment for too many of their students, distorting the senior year and leading to less thoughtful college choices. We were pleased that this year's Early Action results indicated a return to a more measured college application process in which students feel less pressure to apply before they are ready," said Fitzsimmons.

Early Action applications declined from 7,614 last year to 3,887, a drop of 3,727. But Regular Action applications bounced back, leading to only 1,275 fewer applications than last year when students could apply simultaneously to an unlimited number of Early Action colleges as well as to one binding Early Decision college.

The SAT scores of this year's pool were strikingly similar to those of the Class of 2007. For both pools, over 56 percent scored 700 or more in the math SAT I and 49 percent reached 700 on the verbal SAT I; for SAT IIs, 10.2 percent of this year's applicants scored an 800 on the English test compared to 9.2 percent last year, while 13.6 percent of both pools had an 800 on the math.

Proposed academic plans also resemble last year's. Geographical distribution for both classes is similar as well, with a slightly smaller percentage of applicants this year from the mid-Atlantic and Canada, and somewhat more from abroad. While final ethnic percentages are incomplete because applications are still being read, there has been a modest increase in the percentage of minority applicants.

An important stimulant to the remarkable applicant pools of recent years is Harvard's twice-enhanced financial aid program. "Students and their families are increasingly aware that financial need is no barrier to a Harvard education," said Sarah C. Donahue, director of financial aid. "One of the most compelling features of our program is the flexibility offered to students receiving financial aid to customize their award package to support best their Harvard experience. In order to meet their 'self-help' expectation of $3,350 this year, students may choose to work 12-15 hours weekly and graduate with no loan indebtedness, use loans entirely and choose not to work, or work fewer hours and borrow only minimally. Additionally, if they have outside scholarships such as National Merit, they are able to replace their entire 'self-help' expectation, and eliminate any need to borrow or work. Last year, 270 students used this option," she said.

Almost 70 percent of undergraduates receive some form of financial aid, and nearly 50 percent receive grant assistance averaging $24,000 annually (ranging from $500 to more than $35,000 depending entirely on need). Low-, moderate-, and middle-income students benefit from financial aid. The average family income of a grant recipient is $87,000 and 1,100 families with incomes greater than $100,000 receive grants, including 187 with incomes above $160,000. Harvard will distribute more than $100 million in financial aid to undergraduates next year.

Getting the word out to local high schools throughout the United States and around the world about the opportunities at Harvard is an enormous undertaking. "In addition to direct mail and travel by staff, faculty, and students, our not-so-secret weapon is the 7,000 alumni/ae volunteers who visit high schools, attend college nights, and interview applicants," said Marlyn McGrath Lewis, director of admissions. "They are our crucial local link to students, families, and school officials. With all their work, including winter holiday and April 'admit' parties that are held in many locales, they further the bonds created in interviews and make a significant difference in our yield on admitted students," she said.

"More than ever, when the competition for the world's best students has never been greater and choosing among many fine applicants is increasingly more difficult, our alumni/ae make the critical difference through both their admissions volunteer work and their generosity in making financial aid possible," said Fitzsimmons.
Admission selection meetings are taking place now and will conclude on March 22. Notification letters will be mailed at 12:01 a.m., April 1, and electronic notification will take place after 5 p.m. that day. Students must reply by May 1.

From www.harvard.edu

 

[Nguyễn Thu Trang (musketeerlady)]

Holy crap! Jeez... it's getting harder and harder as the year goes... Can only cross my fingers then

 

[Trần Anh Dũng (TranAnhDzung)]

=O
=O
Holy cappy yappy Jebuz!!!

 

[Nguyễn Diệu Hương (dieuhautotbung)]

nhìn cái SAT score của bọn năm nay choáng quá.. thế này là đứt đuôi con nòng nọc rồi...
chị My ơi, Williams bao giờ có thông báo?

 

[Nguyễn Quỳnh My (nguyenquynhmy)]

Admission rate falls to 18.4%
Rob Streicker - STAFF WRITER

The College’s acceptance rate reached an all-time low of 18.4 percent this year, as only 1049 of the 5707 applicants were admitted. The applicant pool was the largest in College history, up 7 percent from last year, according to Dick Nesbitt, director of Admissions.

Of the 1049 students admitted, 214 students were admitted Early Decision. The College accepted 240 Regular Decision applicants in February as part of its Early Write program designed to notify exceptional candidates, and 585 students received acceptance letters in April. Ten students who were admitted last year and deferred their acceptance will enroll in the Class of 2008.

In the last four years, the acceptance rate has fallen from 24.1 percent for the Class of 2005 to 22.7 percent for the Class of 2006 to 20.4 percent for the Class of 2007 and now to 18.4 percent for the Class of 2008.

“Not only did we get more applications, it was a stronger applicant pool by almost any measure,” Nesbitt said. Of the accepted students, the average SAT score was 1442, 723 verbal and 719 math. This was eight points higher than the combined average score of last year’s admitted students.

Roughly 49 percent of the admitted students are male and 51 percent are female. The admitted group includes 127 African-Americans, 129 Asian-Americans, 108 Latinos, 5 Native Americans and 75 international students. Forty-two percent of the group identified themselves as white or chose not to say.

Nesbitt said that the College’s need-blind admissions policy for international students has dramatically increased the number of international applications over the last three years from about 400 applicants in 2001 to over 900 this year. “[The policy] gives more freedom in admitting high quality students from around the world,” he said. This year, 75 international students were admitted, representing more than 35 foreign countries. Nesbitt said the College aims to have 6 percent of each class consist of non-U.S. citizens.

Domestically, the most represented state was New York, followed by Massachusetts and California. Nineteen students hail from Berkshire County.

In evaluating candidates, the Admissions Office assigns “attributes” to each applicant. Of the admitted group, 172 received athletic tags, meaning those students were identified as capable of competing on the varsity level. Each year 66 athletes receive tips, increasing their chances for admission.

For the first time, the Admissions Office began tracking people with a strong, demonstrated interest in politics, admitting 25 such students. The admitted group also includes 114 musicians, 20 dancers, 45 writers, 128 researchers, 27 artists and 46 community service volunteers.

Roughly 115 children of alumni were admitted, which Nesbitt said is “higher than it has been in the past, but that’s because it was a stronger group.”

The College admitted 43 fewer students this year than it did last year, aiming for a class of 528 students. “The intent is to come up somewhere short of that 528 number, and then be able to go to the waitlist,” Nesbitt said. Anticipating “summer melt,” (students who choose over the summer to take a year off or attend another college), the Admissions Office hopes to have 540 deposits by the end of May.

Thanks to a larger group of students admitted early, the Admissions Office was in a better position to reach for the most qualified students. Nesbitt would like to yield 35 to 38 percent of the regular decision pool. However, he cautioned that the strength of the admitted students could lead to a low yield as the College will compete with extremely prestigious institutions for them.

“The biggest overlap of admitted students is with Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Amherst and Dartmouth – the usual suspects,” he said. “Going head-to-head with places like Harvard, Yale, Princeton, if we get 15 percent of those kids, we are actually doing pretty well. Whereas with Dartmouth and Amherst, we are doing well if we split students 50-50.”

While Nesbitt said the College’s number one ranking from the U.S. News and World Report may have had an effect on the number of applicants, he does not expect it to affect yield dramatically.

“If we can get people to visit Williams after they have been admitted, then we have a much better chance of yielding them,” he said. Nesbitt admitted students’ biggest hesitation about Williams is location.

However, he said that when people visit, they overcome those misconceptions because they see the ways the students and the College compensate for the school’s location. “Ultimately, it’s the people here that really sell the place,” he said.

Copyright (C) The Williams Record 2000 - 2002. All Rights Reserv

 

[Hồ Lê Việt Hưng (Atonix)]

Đáng tiếc năm nay Colgate không nhận bạn VN nào cả. Anyway, just an update.

Class of 2008 looks to be strongest ever at Colgate

Colgate University’s Office of Admission recently capped their pens and finished licking the envelopes on the letters sent to the 2,130 accepted students for the Class of 2008, believed to be the strongest admitted class in the school’s history.

The pool was whittled down from 6,547 applicants; a total of 720 students will eventually comprise the Class of 2008.

Class of 2008

• Number of applicants: 6,547


• Number of acceptance letters mailed: 2,130


• Average GPA (on 4.0 unweighted scale): 3.7


• Average SAT score: 1385


• Average ACT score: 31


• Class rank: Of the 40 percent who provided class rank, 83 percent were in the top 10 percent of their class; 94 percent in the top 20 percent.


“The applicant pool has just gotten stronger. When we look at the academic quality of our pool, the bottom has disappeared and the top level is pushed higher,” said Karen Giannino, senior associate dean of admission. “The result is enrolling great classes like the Class of 2007, and that makes us very excited as we wait to hear from the Class of 2008.”

Forty-eight states and 57 countries are represented in the admitted group, making for a geographically diverse class, said Giannino. The 2,130 accepted applicants attend 1,225 different high schools from around the world. Multicultural students make up 23.6 percent of the admitted class, up slightly from last year. International students comprise 4.3 percent of the total applicant pool.

“In terms of the students we've accepted into the Class of 2008, they are very often the best students in their high schools, have challenged themselves by taking some of the toughest courses available to them, performed well on standardized tests, and have shown that they can each contribute to the campus community in multiple ways: in leadership, through fine and performing arts talents, on the athletic field, devotion to community service, and by contributing to the diversity of our campus,” said John Corona, associate dean of admission.

Just over half the applications were submitted online, a testament to the growing importance, accessibility, and pervasiveness of college websites.

To project the number of students that will accept an offer from Colgate, the office will look at the history of student behavior and the yield – or number of students that accept an offer from Colgate – in the past few years. A third of accepted students will typically matriculate at Colgate in the fall.

“We’ve tried to protect ourselves against surprises in terms of how many accept this year. We know when students visit, they fall in love with the place. We’re hoping for an all-hands-on-deck situation for April Visit Days, to assist with yielding the strongest possible class,” said Giannino.

Alumni clubs in 27 cities across America also will host congratulatory receptions for newly accepted students during April. The receptions are a chance for prospective students, parents, and friends to pose questions to Colgate staff, alumni, and in many cases, current students and faculty.

“These are tremendous opportunities for parents and students to interact with alumni and staff,” said Giannino. “These events are so festive. It’s a great way to introduce people to the Colgate family.”

Giannino admitted that this year’s decisions were tougher than past years because the applicant pool was so accomplished.

“It feels like you’re splitting hairs: you’re looking at incredibly talented and interesting students. It’s fair to say more than 2,130 of these 6,547 (students) are compelling applicants,” she said.

Included in the Class of 2008 accepted pool are 216 Alumni Memorial Scholar (AMS) students. They represent the top of the pool, based on academic profile, leadership, and significant extracurricular achievements, such as notable scientific research, or contributions to one’s high school or community.

The average grade point average for AMS admits was a 4.02; the average SAT score about 1500. Fifty-one are their high school’s valedictorian.

A significant number of AMS students accepted this year are multicultural: 47, as compared to last year’s 33. Twenty-one are international students hailing from 16 countries.

“These students are the academic powerhouses, but they do so much above and beyond that,” said Doug Chiarello, assistant dean of admission. “They have teacher recommendations that say things like, ‘I come to work to teach students like so-and-so.’

“But they will contribute to all facets of Colgate life, not just academics and research. There are athletes, there are those involved in community service, and more,” Chiarello added.

That sense of commitment to Colgate was clearly evident in many of the personal statements applicants had to submit. The Colgate-specific essay this year was challenging, members of the admission staff admitted. Students were to imagine themselves at graduation in 2008, and were asked to speculate what their major contribution to Colgate as an “active citizen” would be.

“The students that stand out, outside of academics, are the ones with gripping personal statements. Reading these as an alum, you can sit back and say, ‘this one gets it; they get what Colgate is about.’ It’s interesting to see how students look ahead to see how Colgate fits into the grand scheme of life,” said admission counselor Steve Silversides ’03.

When asked to describe this year’s applicant group, Dean of Admission Gary Ross summarized the thoughts of the admission staff by saying, “The young men and women who will make up the Colgate Class of 2008 are truly sensational in every way. It has been a joy to work with each of them and we eagerly await the privilege of welcoming them to the Colgate community in August.”

Jess Buchsbaum
Office of Communications and Public Relations