DePauw breaks record of admission applications two weeks before deadline
By: Sam Weigley
Issue date: 2/5/10 Section: News
DePauw University has set a new milestone: more people are applying to DePauw than in any past year.
As of noon Thursday, the office had received a record 5,096 total applications. Although the total includes both completed and incomplete applications, the numbers indicate that a record pool of applicants is all but a foregone conclusion. The admissions office has moved the final application deadline from February 1 to February 15 in order to give people more time to finish their applications.
President Brian Casey was very confident about the rising number of applications.
"We are in a good place. We are aiming for a record-high number of applications," Casey said.
Christopher Wells, interim vice-president of Admissions and Financial Assistance, noted that he was excited about the rise in applications, but added that the process was far from complete.
"Right now I am cautiously optimistic," Wells said. "The numbers are pointing in the right direction, but we don't know how many final applications we are going to have just yet."
Another encouraging sign for the admissions office is the rise in applications for Early Decision and Early Notification. The office received 70 early decision applications, a 15 percent increase from last year. Also promising was the 1,715 Early Notification applications received, a ten percent increase from the previous year.
A remaining concern for the admissions office is trying to process a larger application pool while also trying to avoid an incoming class as large as the previous one. Last year, the admissions office underestimated the amount of people who would enroll, thus leading to a freshman class burdensome in its size.
Therefore, Wells said that if completed applications reach an all-time high, the admissions office will either have to accept a smaller percentage of students or tighten the supply of merit scholarships available to prospective students. Wells believes that a combination of both approaches will be used.
As of noon Thursday, the office had received a record 5,096 total applications. Although the total includes both completed and incomplete applications, the numbers indicate that a record pool of applicants is all but a foregone conclusion. The admissions office has moved the final application deadline from February 1 to February 15 in order to give people more time to finish their applications.
President Brian Casey was very confident about the rising number of applications.
"We are in a good place. We are aiming for a record-high number of applications," Casey said.
Christopher Wells, interim vice-president of Admissions and Financial Assistance, noted that he was excited about the rise in applications, but added that the process was far from complete.
"Right now I am cautiously optimistic," Wells said. "The numbers are pointing in the right direction, but we don't know how many final applications we are going to have just yet."
Another encouraging sign for the admissions office is the rise in applications for Early Decision and Early Notification. The office received 70 early decision applications, a 15 percent increase from last year. Also promising was the 1,715 Early Notification applications received, a ten percent increase from the previous year.
A remaining concern for the admissions office is trying to process a larger application pool while also trying to avoid an incoming class as large as the previous one. Last year, the admissions office underestimated the amount of people who would enroll, thus leading to a freshman class burdensome in its size.
Therefore, Wells said that if completed applications reach an all-time high, the admissions office will either have to accept a smaller percentage of students or tighten the supply of merit scholarships available to prospective students. Wells believes that a combination of both approaches will be used.
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