According to statistics released by the Office of Admissions yesterday, the total number of undergraduate admissions applications to the University dropped more than 16 percent this year.
The University received a total of 14,298 first-year and transfer student applications for next fall -- 2,792 less than last year's total of 17,090 applications.
The drop in application numbers this year is the most dramatic decrease for the University since 1989 when it received 13,387 applications as opposed to 17,050 applications in 1988.
Dean of Admissions John A. Blackburn attributed the drop in applications to a number of reasons.
Blackburn said the University implemented a new application system, which is a one-part packet as opposed to the two-part packet that has been in place in past years. However, the one-part packet cut down on the number of incomplete applications that the admissions office had received in past years, he added.
Blackburn said the increase in the application fee from $40 in 1999 to $60 this year might have been another factor. He also said the University received negative publicity regarding affirmative action issues and tracking lists, which may have deterred some prospective applicants.
In addition, the University's slip from its U.S. News and World Report ranking as the nation's top public higher education institution also might have contributed to the decrease, he said.
By contrast, some colleges in the University's peer group had an increased number of applications this year.
The College of William & Mary had 8,600 applicants this year, a 14 percent increase from last year's 7,500 applicants, said David Trott, W&M assistant dean of admissions.
Duke University admission officials said there was little change in their application numbers. Last year they had 13,888 applications and although the final count has not yet been given, officials estimate almost 14,000 applications this year.
But the University's Office of Admissions remains optimistic about next year's first-year class, Blackburn said.
"Although the quantity of applicants has dropped this year, the whole staff is very pleased by the quality of these applicants. We may even have one of our strongest classes coming in next year," he said.
The University already has offered admission to 860 of the 2,200 students who applied under the early decision program. This number is up from last year, when 803 of 1,900 early decision applicants were offered admission.
Admissions officials said they hope to mail decision letters to regular candidates by April. The deadline for accepted students to reply to the admissions offer is May 1.
"We intend to offer about 5,400 applicants admission to the University and expect slightly more than half that number to accept," Blackburn said.
Of this year's applications, 5,498 came from in-state residents, 8,800 from out-of-state residents and about 700 applications came from international students. As in past years, the upcoming first-year class will be comprised of 65 percent in-state students and 35 percent out of state students.
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