The number of Early Decision applications received by Columbia dropped 5.68 percent this year, a decrease that the Office of Undergraduate Admissions said was impacted by changes in the early application policies of “peer institutions.”
This year, Harvard University and Princeton University restored their
early admission programs, which allow prospective students to apply
early to only one college.
“The decrease in applications was influenced by decisions made by our
peers, Harvard and Princeton,” Jessica Marinaccio, director of
undergraduate admissions for Columbia College and SEAS, said. “But I’d
say it was only slightly affected, and not a very large influence.”
Both universities’ programs fall under the category of “early
action,” which is non-binding. Early action was previously eliminated at
both schools in September 2006, a decision that benefited
financially-disadvantaged applicants who otherwise would not have had
the opportunity to consider the financial aid offers of other
universities.
At the time of publication, Columbia’s admissions office declined to
provide information about the number of students accepted or deferred.
This year Columbia received 3,088 ED applications, a decrease from
last year’s 3,229 applications, of which a record low of 19.6 percent
were accepted. Despite the decrease in applicants, a statement from the
admissions office said that the ED pool “increased in terms of academic
quality indicators” and that the percentage of the class filled through
ED—around 40 percent—remained consistent.
“CU is becoming more and more selective and that’s wonderful news,
but the hardest part is saying no to students,” Marinaccio said. “We
don’t revel in saying no to so many.”
Barnard College received 561 applications, a 2 percent increase from
the previous year’s 550 applications. Harvard and Princeton received
4,245 applications and 3,547 applications, respectively.
Admissions officers and employees of the University’s financial aid
department mailed Early Decision acceptance letters to students of the
Class of 2016 in a ceremony on Thursday afternoon. Assembled on College
Walk before a red Toyota Sienna holding ten USPS boxes of admissions
envelopes, the enthusiastic group of about 30 cheered and sang “Roar
Lion Roar,” Columbia’s fight song.
“We spend so much on this process and to come to together and have
this ceremonial gesture is incredibly exciting,” Marinaccio said. “The
great thing about Early Decision is that when we admit a student we know
that they’re coming here. Tonight at 5 p.m. they’ll find out they’re
admitted to their first-choice university. That anticipation is very
exciting.”
Josh Cohen, of Atlanta, found out Thursday that he would be a member of Columbia Engineering’s Class of 2016.
“I still don’t know that it has quite sunk in yet,” he said. “I was
so nervous, and I was all shaken right up to the notification. I kind of
had to sit down for a bit.”
Ivan Romero, CC ’16, said that he would remember yesterday as a defining moment in his life.
“It was just kind of like my four years summed up into five seconds of my heart beating faster than it has ever,” he said.
http://www.columbiaspectator.com/2011/12/09/cu-receives-fewer-ed-applicants-2016
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