May 16, 1997: Volume 40, Number 4

Class of 2001 at 540 Students; On Target for Budgeted Enrollment

Paid deposits for the Class of 2001 stood at 540 the morning of May 13, according to Dan Lundquist, vice president for admissions and financial aid.

The number — while down from last year's high of 626 at this point— is "right on" compared with other years and on target for a budgeted fall enrollment of 520, Lundquist noted. The number could top out as high as 560 before summer melt, he added.

About 15 students from the wait list have said they plan to deposit. "We have been trying to find students who emerged at the end of the process with a sharpened interest in Union," Lundquist said. Like Union, many colleges and universities have made "surgical use" of their wait lists, he said.

The Class of 2001 is under budget for financial aid with about 270 of the budgeted 290 on grant aid, Lundquist noted.

The College this year received 3,475 applications, accepting just fewer than 50 percent. Last year, when the College had about the same number of applications, the acceptance rate was about 54 percent.

The Class has the largest percentage of women – at 51 percent – and is the most geographically diverse. Of the latter, Lundquist noted that 46 percent come from New York State, compared with 50 percent last year, and 60 percent eight years ago.

Union Scholars this year number 61 — up from 18 in last year's inaugural effort — perhaps due in part to an overnight program for candidates of the honors track. Minority enrollment is close to last year's 12 percent. International students are up "a bit" in number from the low teens to the high teens.

Among peer institutions, there were no reports of "huge classes like last year and nearly every one used the wait list," Lundquist said. "Union could be the poster child for this admissions market."

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