The number of both first-year and transfer applicants to the University has risen dramatically since last year as a result of the University’s decision to accept the Common Application, admissions officials told the Board of Visitors yesterday, and several Board members and University administrators are now hoping that the increase translates into more diversity on Grounds.
“It’s pretty clear that the Common Application is a factor in having an increased number of applicants than last year,” said Bill Harvey, vice president and chief officer for diversity and equity, noting that he hopes the increase in applications will lead to an increased number of minority students offered admission to the University.
When colleges and universities first begin using the Common Application, they typically see a six percent increase in the number of applicants, Harvey said, adding that the number of applications from minority candidates tends to increase by as much as 15 percent.
“We’re all encouraged by the applicant pool situation being larger from last year,” Harvey said. “We are seeing an increased percentage over last year of students from African American, Hispanic and Asian communities.”
According to data from the Office of Undergraduate Admission, to date the University has received applications from 11,632 females and 10,315 males. Among these applicants were 1814 Asian females compared to 1747 males, 806 black females compared to 554 black males and 475 Latino females compared to 391 Latino males.
Some Board of Visitor members expressed concern, however, about the discrepancies between minority females and males. Board member Syd Dorsey questioned whether the number of black women who come to the University to play Division I basketball further skews these figures. She suggested that if scholarship athletes were removed from the pool, the discrepancy between females and males may be even greater.
“In minority applicant numbers, we’ve stayed relatively the same the past 10 years,” Student Board member Adom Getachew. To change this trend, “it’s important to think about more effective means of outreach, growing your own, and considering what kinds of resources and commitments that will take for the University,”
Board member Warren Thompson echoed Getachew and cited a need for improvement.
“We’ve done a great job of letting people know we are discrete of diversity,” Thompson said, adding, though, that the University needs to improve its efforts to prepare students from diverse backgrounds so that those students can compete at the University’s high academic standards.
In this regard, Asst. Dean of Admissions Valerie Gregory suggested putting a greater effort into summer programs geared toward high school students. Vice Rector John Wynne agreed, noting that the number of students who demonstrate an interest in the University after participating in these summer programs is incredibly high.
“We’re going to have to be very deliberate and intentional in communicating,” Harvey said about the University’s efforts to reach out to minority applicants.
Gregory emphasized, though, that such outreach efforts can be hampered somewhat by the highly competitive atmosphere of college admissions today.
“We’re all competing for the same small piece of pie,” Gregory said, noting that “the pie is shrinking” in terms of the number of qualified minority applicants.
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