Applicants to CC hit a record high this year at 5,775, continuing the upward trend of the last few years since the recession.
“Not only are more students choosing to apply to CC but they are also more engaged with the college and are far more likely to apply under one of our early programs,” Mark Hatch, CC Vice President for Enrollment Management, said.
The percentage of accepted students who enroll, known as the yield rate, increased from 28 percent to 40 percent in the last ten years.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, enrollment in degree-granting institutions increased 37 percent between 2000 and 2010. Most of this increase was in four-year institutions.
“The exceptional quality of a liberal arts education and the outcomes and benefits reported by our graduates have historically been very positive,” Director of Admissions Roberto Garcia said.
A study by the Annapolis Group found higher reports of satisfaction with academics, teachers, and overall experience at the 130 Annapolis Group liberal arts colleges than at other private and public institutions.
“While many colleges have increased their applicant pools during this time, CC’s numbers are a bit more dramatic given our deliberate effort to reach students, and their parents earlier and more often,” Hatch said.
An increase in applicants leads to a lower percentage of accepted students. Since 2002, the admission rate has decreased from 56 percent to 22 percent applicants. According to US News, this puts CC in the top 50 colleges by lowest acceptance rate.
“Admitting more intellectually engaged students and admitting more students with great character and personal qualities are not mutually exclusive propositions,” Garcia said.
Though the increase in applications is exciting for CC, it also means more applicants will be turned down.
“While it’s a privilege to work at a college that has a strong applicant base, it’s not a source of pride that we have to turn down hundreds of very deserving students each year. Many of these students would have contributed in significant ways both in and out of the classroom here at CC,” Hatch said.
Ongoing efforts by the Admissions Office to reach out to diverse groups are paying off. A look at the applicant pool reveals a 30 percent increase in American-ethnic minority students in the last two years. Additionally, international applications increased by 41 percent since last year.
One effort by the Admissions Office was a promotional video, as seen on the CC website, created by CC alumni Arielle Gross and Emily Anding.
“We wanted to create a new, creative film for the college that really captured the CC quirk and spunk,” Anding said.
Next year’s freshmen class is expected to have 520 new students, with 45 more coming as Winter Starts.
Audrey Wheeler
Staff Writer