The University reported a 4 percent increase in first-year admissions applications in statistics released last Wednesday, regaining some of the ground lost in a nearly 15 percent drop in applications last year.
So far, 14,902 students have applied for admission to the University's Class of 2005, up from 14,350 at this time last year.
According to Dean of Admissions John A. Blackburn, the number may reach 15,000 because the University still is accepting revisions of incomplete or erroneous applications.
He credited the University's stature in higher education for the increase. "U.Va.'s academic reputation, quality of student life and tuition make it very attractive to high school students and their parents," Blackburn said.
"Undoubtedly the No. 1 ranking [in U.S. News and World Report for public colleges] helped too," Asst. Dean of Admission Marianne Kosiewicz said.
The number of early decision applications jumped 15 percent to 2,141 from 1,862 last year. Under the plan, 898 students were accepted and will attend the University, filling nearly 30 percent of the spots in next year's first-year class.
Many students apply early to avoid the financial cost and stress of completing many applications, while others consider the University their first-choice school and desire to end the anxiety-filled college admissions process, Kosiewicz said.
The number of black students applying to the University virtually was unchanged, from 1,002 to 1,004 for next year's first-year class.
Asian applicants for the class of 2005 numbered 1,741, an increase of 5.2 percent from last year's total of 1,655. Applications from Hispanic students increased 6.2 percent to 545 from 513 last year.
Applications from white students rose 0.8 percent from 10,364 last year to 10,447 for next year's first-year class.
Besides weighing the individual merits of the candidates for admission, the office also has to project the number of accepted applicants who will choose the University when deciding the outcome of each application.
Letters informing applicants of the University's decision will be mailed by April 1.
"Every application is read at least twice by a real person, and sometimes five or six times," Kosiewicz said. "The applicants have done a great deal of work, and we also do a great deal of work."
"Some people's applications are read to the entire office. We really agonize over it," she said.
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