Midd Brief Record Number of Apllicants Delights Admissions

Author: Alyssa Thurston

Middlebury College is enjoying its largest applicant pool ever this year, receiving approximately 5,470 applications -- which represents a three percent increase from last year's applicant pool -- for admittance into the Class of 2007.
Director of Admissions John Hanson did not attribute this increase to any single factor, as application numbers "have been growing steadily over the past few years as Middlebury's reputation broadens."
Hanson did cite the College's high ranking in U.S. News and World Report as an influential factor, and also attributes the increase in applications to "the growth in the number of people visiting Middlebury every summer who are pleased with what they see here."
When asked if a larger applicant pool would lead to an increased acceptance rate, Hanson replied "this is a question that we are going to be grappling with, as we can only accept so many students."
He noted that an increase in applicants is also indicative of a rise in the number of highly qualified students applying to the College, and that these same students would also be likely to apply to other schools that rank as the best in the country.
As a result, Middlebury College will face tougher competition in attracting students who have also been accepted to other prestigious institutions. The admissions office will confront the question of whether to maintain or adjust the current acceptance rate in order to account for this competition with other colleges and universities.