March
1, 2002
Applications
to MHC Hit All-Time High Fourth Year Running
As of mid-February,
applications to Mount Holyoke had exceeded the 2,900 mark—surpassing
the goal set by The Plan for Mount Holyoke 2003 by more
than 10 percent and one year early. The 2,900 mark also signals
the fourth year in a row that the Office of Admission has had
the pleasure of reporting an all-time high in applications to
the College. The number of applications may still increase, predicts
Diane Anci, dean of admission, since the admission office is still
receiving international applications postmarked January 15.
Anci attributes the
rise in applications to several new initiatives. Eighty-five percent
of the prospective students who participated in one of two Shadow
Days submitted applications to the College. During Shadow Days,
potential applicants spend the day "shadowing" current
MHC students, experiencing a typical day at the College. Begun
in response to the requests of high school juniors and seniors
for unstructured, spontaneous, student-to-student experiences,
the Shadow Day program "has the highest yield of any on-campus
program the admission office has ever coordinated," says
Anci. Next year, admission will expand the program to three days.
Other initiatives
that have boosted applications include an outreach program to
student artists, which resulted in an increase in applications
from students who describe the arts as a primary interest. Aiding
in the effort were MHC arts faculty members, who reviewed portfolios
and performance videos submitted by applicants. Finally, Andrea
Ayvazian, the College's dean of religious life, brought a new
dimension to the admission effort by contacting students about
opportunities to participate in their faith traditions on campus.
According to Anci, many prospective students voiced appreciation
that the College encouraged discussion of these aspects of campus
life.
While the admission
office credits targeted communications and new initiatives for
a portion of the successes of the last few years, the most important
factor in the increase in applicants is "the current strength
and leadership of the College," says Anci. "Mount Holyoke's
message is well understood and recognized by students and their
families. The many new initiatives the College has established
and the increased name recognition we've achieved over the last
few years is helping to draw students to MHC in record numbers."
Within the applicant
pool, several trends can be identified. Says Jane Brown, vice
president for enrollment and College relations, "We were
concerned we might see a decline in applications from students
at a distance and from international students because of the events
of September 11. Applications from international students are
up approximately 20 percent over last year. After 9/11, we stepped
up the use of alternative recruiting measures, such as additional
mailings and the use of email and Internet chat rooms." The
number of ALANA (African American, Latina, Asian American, and
Native American) applicants remains impressively high after last
year's 40 percent jump. "Interestingly," adds Anci,
"while many of our peer institutions have seen an overall
decline in applications this year, with marked decreases from
Western states, Mount Holyoke is holding steady in California,
Washington, and Oregon."
Early-decision applications
have also increased. Since 2000, there has been a 22 percent rise
in the number of early decision applications. The early decision
pool is also more international than in previous years and the
strongest ever academically.
Still, elation over
another record-breaking year is tempered with "cautious optimism,"
according to Brown. Both Brown and Anci express concerns about
the possible impact of September 11 on enrollment, citing parents'
and students' heightened concerns over safety and a weak economy
as factors that may adversely affect the number of students who
will ultimately enroll at MHC versus the number who applied. "This
year is certainly filled with some unusual challenges," says
Anci. After September 11, the admission staff was unable to conduct
a number of scheduled activities. Two major international trips
were canceled, as well as the on-campus guidance counselor program,
which typically brings forty counselors from around the United
States and abroad to MHC. The number of students and families
visiting campus was down slightly, particularly in late September
and October.
"We have not
seen the last of the effects of September 11," says Anci.
"With this in mind, I am confident that the College community
will throw its full weight behind the enrollment effort while
we work to secure the class of 2006."
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