There is good news from our Office of Admission. Our May 1st goal for deposits from incoming students has been met.
This year’s undergraduate enrollment targets for new full-time students included 1,594 freshmen and 182 transfers for a desired total of 1,776 new matriculants as of October 1, 2005. It appears that we will meet our overall target albeit with fewer transfers offset with more freshmen than originally planned. Estimates for October 1 counts assume an average level of “summer melt” -- a term used to describe the loss of deposited students between May 1 and October 1 as other institutions accept students from their wait-lists.
Hats off to staff in the offices of Admission and Financial Aid and to the admission planning team (Larry Chambers, Martha Gray, Jim Mica, Paula Mitchell, Yuko Mulugetta, Holly Tavelli, and Gerard Turbide) for their success. Thanks are also due to the hundreds of faculty, staff, students and alumni who contributed so generously of their time at each stage of the process. Prospects routinely tell us that it was the quality of their personal interactions with campus representatives that proved the single greatest influence on their decision to attend.
This incoming class was selected from an applicant pool that was the second largest, and that had the highest academic profile, in Ithaca’s history. A higher academic profile generally means we can expect a drop in yield and so must increase the numbers of our offers of admission as we are competing increasingly with more selective institutions. The adjustments in our admission models made by the planning team in recognition of our changing market position, coupled with outstanding community support throughout this year’s cycle, are the reasons for our success. We look forward to welcoming a class this fall that will not only be strong academically but, assuming current deposits hold, will be among the most racially and ethnically diverse. Congratulations to all who contributed to this year’s success!
Larry Metzger
Dean of Enrollment Planning
