Despite having eliminated the early decision option for students applying to the University in order to attract low-income students, the Office of Admissions reported only a small increase in the number of incoming first-year students considered low-income.
As of early August, the Class of 2012 had 185 enrolled low-income students, which is five more than the Class of 2011, and according to Associate Dean of Admissions Greg Roberts, a “handful” more than the average number of low-income students in a class.
“We certainly hoped to see a much greater change,” Dean of Admissions John Blackburn said. “We hope through the work that we are doing to see that sort of increase take place.”
Almost one year ago, the University of Virginia, Harvard University and Princeton University announced their decisions to eliminate the early decision option from their admissions processes. According to Blackburn, the University of Virginia’s decision was prompted by the desire to coordinate the admissions process with the goals of the University’s financial aid program, AccessUVa.
Under the early decision option, admission to the University was binding and the vast majority of students applying using the option were “upper middle-class, and primarily white,” Roberts said, noting that it was not reasonable for the University to be promoting equal access while offering the early decision option.
Blackburn maintained that the decision was ultimately a “philosophical” one, made to ensure that the admissions process and the goals of AccessUVa were coordinated, but he also acknowledged that the support from Harvard and Princeton was a factor in the decision.
“We’d been thinking about it for a long time time and decided that it seemed appropriate for major institutions to go on record for supporting this kind of decision, but if [Harvard and Princeton] hadn’t done it, it’s unclear if we would have done it,” Blackburn said.
He also said the three universities expected more universities to follow, but that has not happened so far.
Blackburn and Roberts both acknowledged that the move to remove the early decision option may have prompted some students to apply early to another school.
Though the University may lose some potential students to other institutions with an early application program, Roberts noted that the University has a wide variety of programs designed to attract students, especially minority, low-income and disadvantaged students.
“We travel all over the country with Harvard and Princeton to rural and urban areas,” Roberts said. “We talk to kids in eighth and ninth grade in places that they feel comfortable, like a church or synagogue. We tell them, ‘You can make it — here’s what you need to do.’”
After a student is admitted, Roberts added, he or she is encouraged to attend the University while the Office of Admissions works closely with the Office of Financial Aid to ensure a student’s needs are met.
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