Number of applicants for Class of 2011 highest in Union history
Cara Gallivan
Issue date: 3/1/07 Section: News
Union College Office of Admissions reported that the applicant pool for the class of 2011 has far exceeded that of any other year in Union's history, with a 9 percent growth from last year's 4,373 applicants to over 4,800 applicants this year. Perhaps more importantly, the applicants for 2011 are also academically and otherwise more competitive, packing higher grades and more rigorous course loads.
Assistant Dean of Admissions Geoff Bowman recently reported, "the top end is growing, and the bottom is our old middle." Worth noting in conjunction with these basic statistics are the growths in both female, minority, and out-of-state applicant groups that admissions has been working hard to attract for a long while.
While reaping the rewards for their hard work is surely satisfying, the admissions staff has faced a significant challenge this year: support staff does not rise correspondingly with the burgeoning numbers. According to Vice President of Admissions Dan Lundquist, the office anticipated some growth based on feedback from prospective students' visits to campus, comments on the website, and the school's contact with high school guidance counselors.
As Lundquist explained, "we were expecting some kind of increase because we've been on a pretty steady upswing… but the closer we get to 5,000, it puts a squeeze on it [in terms of ] processing." As prepared as Admissions was, the sheer volume of applications has made the process extremely time-consuming. Lundquist admitted that while the work week is "not quite 24/7, but probably honestly 18/6," this is "the kind of problem you like to have."
In response to the increase in out-of-state applicants, Lundquist credits the close contact the admissions office maintains with other sectors of the college, especially its alumnae. Over the past 15 years, in-state enrollment has gone from approximately 67 percent of the student body to 40 percent, and this year, international applicants increased by 100 people.
Assistant Dean of Admissions Geoff Bowman recently reported, "the top end is growing, and the bottom is our old middle." Worth noting in conjunction with these basic statistics are the growths in both female, minority, and out-of-state applicant groups that admissions has been working hard to attract for a long while.
While reaping the rewards for their hard work is surely satisfying, the admissions staff has faced a significant challenge this year: support staff does not rise correspondingly with the burgeoning numbers. According to Vice President of Admissions Dan Lundquist, the office anticipated some growth based on feedback from prospective students' visits to campus, comments on the website, and the school's contact with high school guidance counselors.
As Lundquist explained, "we were expecting some kind of increase because we've been on a pretty steady upswing… but the closer we get to 5,000, it puts a squeeze on it [in terms of ] processing." As prepared as Admissions was, the sheer volume of applications has made the process extremely time-consuming. Lundquist admitted that while the work week is "not quite 24/7, but probably honestly 18/6," this is "the kind of problem you like to have."
In response to the increase in out-of-state applicants, Lundquist credits the close contact the admissions office maintains with other sectors of the college, especially its alumnae. Over the past 15 years, in-state enrollment has gone from approximately 67 percent of the student body to 40 percent, and this year, international applicants increased by 100 people.
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