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APPLICATIONS
ARE UP 8 PERCENT AT BARNARD
Following
a 20 percent spike in applications for early admissions last
fall, Barnard College has set a new record for regular applications,
receiving 4,366 by the January 1 deadline, an 8.2 percent
increase.
Setting a new record in applications, Barnard outpaced the
4,034 applications it received last year, and surpassed its
previous record of 4,075 from three years ago.
For early decision, Barnard received 405 applications, a 20
percent increase, and admitted 166 of those applicants for
the Class of 2008, according to Admissions Dean Jennifer Fondiller.
"This was an especially strong group of applicants,"
said Fondiller, who noted that the group included black belts
in karate, several student government and class presidents,
members of symphony youth orchestras, a founder of a school's
anti-discriminatory group, and national writing award winners
as well as minority representation of 35 percent.
Fondiller said the increase in both early and regular applications
reflects broader outreach by the College to prospective students
and wider recognition of the steps Barnard has taken to improve
its residence halls and other aspects of campus life.
Students who choose to apply early decision recognize what
sets Barnard apart as an intimate, selective residential liberal
arts college for women that is also part of a major university
community in New York City, with its tremendous resources,
Fondiller said.
This was the fourth straight year of rising applications in
early decision at Barnard. Last fall, the College received
334 applications for early decision. The number rose from
317 applications in 2001.
"We've been hearing a good buzz out there about the College,"
said Dorothy Denburg, Dean of the College, who cited several
factors that led to the increase in early applications, including
stepped-up efforts by admissions staff to reach prospective
students through increased availability of campus tours, and
interview opportunities. She said the expansion of campus
tours was key because students who visit Barnard are more
likely to apply, which is not universally the case in the
college process. "Once a student visits, she's sold on
the College," said Denburg.
"We've offered more opportunities for students to visit
the campus, on weekends, for example, and expanded our interview
sessions for prospective students, both on and off campus,"
said Fondiller. "We're delighted that this has paid off
in more students who realize that Barnard is their first-choice
college."
Denburg said the College was also hearing from likely applicants
that progress on improvements to student residences and campus
life had become more widely recognized. "We've made a
great deal of progress in many areas of residential life and
have plans for continued updates and it's become known more
widely in the applicant pool," she said.
Students who apply in the regular pool will be notified of
the decision by April 1. Barnard expects to enroll an incoming
class of about 550 students.
Contact:
Suzanne Trimel, (212) 854-7583, strimel@barnard.edu
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