Applications Approaching All-Time High

Applications galore Acting Director of Admission Diane Anci (far right) and other Admission Office staffers gather by some of the many file drawers stuffed with applications for first-year admission to Mount Holyoke. Each applicant's folder is individually considered as tough choices are made about who will be admitted to the class of 2003.

With the January 15 application deadline behind us, but with applications continuing to come in, the Office of Admission is on the brink of receiving the highest number of applications in the College's history.

As of January 22, the count stood at 2,372 applications for first-year admission, representing a 14 percent increase over last year's total for that date of 2,079. The record to beat is 2,426 applications, a mark reached in 1980. Another "good year" was 1997, during which the College received 2,306 applications.

Interestingly, 171 of those 1997 applications came in to the office between January 21 and the end of the admission cycle at the end of January. Last year, 185 applications came in during that period. We now need fifty- five applications to break the record, which "seems quite doable," noted Acting Director of Admission Diane Anci. The two rounds of early decision have already broken all records. The College received 200 early decision applications, an all-time high.

Anci emphasizes that it is too early to know what accounts for this year's success story. Since only three-quarters of the applications have been entered into the database, she cannot yet conduct the analyses that will yield clues. However, she theorizes that major factors include the way the admission effort was managed this year, the hard work of the admission staff and a number of collaborative efforts conducted by many campus departments (including communications, financial assistance, international affairs, alumnae, and the Frances Perkins program). "The admission directors work hard, are well-seasoned, and are masterful at conveying the essence of MHC," says Anci. "They have also been able to grow and change with the College and to deliver sharp, consistent messages."

According to Anci, it is not uncommon for an admission director to work nine or ten weekends in a row in the fall and winter. During this admission season, directors made 476 school visits (to meet with prospective students and guidance counselors) in locales ranging from Abu Dhabi in the Persian Gulf to Hackensack, New Jersey; participated in 164 college fairs; held hundreds of individual interviews; and conducted summer information sessions for 400 participants. The office also brought more prospective students and their families to campus than ever before.

When it came to the management of the admission process, a "tight, focused approach" has clearly gotten results, according to Anci. In the publications realm, instead of sending prospective students one viewbox (containing three separate publications) as in the past, this year these brochures and other pieces were mailed separately over several months, so that prospective students had regular contact with the College. New publications for transfers and international students were created, and a cultural diversity brochure was sent to targeted groups of students. In addition, the Launch a Leader certificate (an application fee waiver) was redesigned to emphasize many compelling reasons to apply to MHC, and its distribution was expanded.

Travel and mailing efforts focused heavily on the Mid-Atlantic and New England states this year, with greater attention given to geographic areas that are "densely populated and have academically talented students who are likely to come to MHC," said Anci. Last year, the office focused on seventy-five geographic areas; this year's efforts focused on thirty-five. "Associate Professor of Economics Mike Robinson and the Enrollment Group helped us target our efforts where they made the most impact," said Anci. "This approach seems to be working." Finally, Anci said we should not overlook the tremendous contributions of the alumnae, student, and faculty volunteers who help with their work.

So keep your fingers crossed about that record, and remember that enthusiasm for MHC seems never to have been greater.

Photograph by Ted S. Warren