Admissions balances rising applicant pool, fewer spots

Mike Ilardi Guest Writer

Faced with an applicant pool that is substantially larger than that of the Class of 2011, formerly the largest in Vassar’s history, the Office of Admissions is in the midst of an extremely difficult decision-making process.

“We have received 7,361 applications, as opposed to last year’s final count of 6,393,” said Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Davis Borus.

This year’s candidates are as geographically diverse as they are plentiful. The Office has received applications from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

There has also been a huge influx of international applications, coming from 92 foreign countries.
“The largest single [contributing] country is China,” said Borus, “which has produced 200 applications alone.”

But in the midst of an increasing applicant pool, Borus said that he and his team are “aiming for…a slightly smaller class.” The Class of 2012 will be capped at around 640 students, as opposed to last year’s goal of 660.

This decreasing class size is a response to two contributing factors, the first being the current size of the Class of 2011. Six hundred and eighty-two freshmen enrolled at the start of first semester, 22 more than were originally planned, creating problems for both residential life and academic registration. The second reason for decreasing the class size is next year’s anticipated housing crunch.

During the 2008-2009 academic year, Davison House will be closed for renovations. With 660 students or more, housing would be extremely tight.

Borus said that the College’s recent return to need-blind admissions has made “a positive difference” in how students and families view Vassar.

“People ask questions regarding the open curriculum, the accessibility of professors, and the guy-to-girl ratio,” said admissions intern Julia Lehman ’08. People are also curious about Poughkeepsie. “Applicants ask what the area is like, and whether or not we go into the city,” Lehman said.

Regular decision applicants are currently being admitted from the largest applicant pool in Vassar’s history. Based on the newly implemented need-blind admissions policy in addition to the College’s traditional admissions standards, students can expect an extremely talented and diverse Class of 2012.