Admitted students yield at record rate

Author: Leslie Lim

The rough final Admissions numbers for the for the College's class of 2011 are in, and the most evident trend is the continued surge of applicants to Middlebury with a record high admissions yield of 47 percent.

This year's yield was greater than expected, and the Office of Admissions plans to keep the result in mind for the coming years.

With an applicant pool of 7,185 students this year, the College saw a 16 percent increase in applications, following an 18 percent increase the year before. The figures point to almost a 1,000 applicants/year increase over the last two years.

Dean of Admissions Robert Clagett, in an interview on May 7, remarked upon the consistency of the rise in applicants.

"The aggregate behaves consistently," said Clagett. "But this year, due to Middlebury's popularity, [we were] given a boost."

Currently, the admissions yield stands at about 47 percent. The number indicates those who plan to matriculate to the College after receiving an offer to enroll here. The yield is higher in admission terms than projected yields of 44 percent, Clagett explained.

"It's record-making for Middlebury College," Clagett said. "The highest [yield] in at least a decade."

However, the yield does not account for the "summer melt", a term used to describe those students who eventually decline the offer to enroll at the College after being offered a place off the waitlist of another school during the summer months. Usually the "summer melt" consists of seven to eight percent, which Admissions is actually counting on to achieve their hopes for a 2011 class of 603 fall admissions and 90 February admissions.

In addition to the yield, the Admissions office found and reported were rises in percentage of international applicants and domestic students of color applicants.

The College saw an increase in international applicants, consisting of 1158 students or 16 percent of the applicant pool, up from last year's 14 percent. Other regions such as the Mid-West, the Mid-Atlantic, New England, and the Rockies made-up consistent percentages of the pool, although the overall numbers of students were higher for each category.

The number of applicants of domestic students of color rose as well. Combining African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic-American and Native American students, students of color consisted of 26 percent of matriculates for fall admission, representing 159 students. The result was a rise from the 122 students last year that made up 22 percent of the class of 2010. It was noted that the actual admittance rate could decrease, but because the overall number of applicants had increased by so much, the overall number admitted could still be greater than before.

"We have a continued emphasis on reaching out to underrepresented groups in general," Clagett said. "To achieve greater socio-economic and racial/ethnic diversity at Middlebury."

The new all-expenses paid trip offered to students by Admissions could also have swayed the applicants to choose the College. Offered to 101 students who were "likelies" - some of the best and most appealing applicants - the trip paid for flights and invited them to come experience the College. 57 students out of the 101 likelies accepted, and among the 57 students 24 have decided to matriculate to the College, a 70 percent increase from the 14 likelies who decided to matriculate last year.

Admissions also sent out personalized letters of congratulations to all those offered a place at the College.

Sixteen full-time staff members handle the immense and lengthy process of admissions - reading applications, conducting interviews, and traveling to promote the College. Each staff member is responsible for about 500 applications, each of which is read by at least two readers.

Assistant Director of Admissions Shawn Rae Passalacqua commented on the difficult process of selection, which does not always allow person-to-person interaction.

"We don't always have an intimate portrait [of the student]. But while talking about each in committee, we remember names and stories - which is wonderful," Passalacqua said. "We want to enliven the campus, and it isn't about the statistics, but the human aspect [of things]."

As to Middlebury's increase in popularity, Passalacqua attributes it to the College as a whole. The attention given to visiting and prospective students by admissions, professors, staff and students gives the Middlebury environment a friendly feeling, he said.

Attesting to the quality of experience that may have attracted the increased number of students, Passalacqua recalls the number of thank-you letters the Admissions office receives - even from students who choose to go elsewhere or who were not even accepted.

"It's a tremendous compliment," Passalacqua said. "And though it doesn't happen everywhere, it isn't rare at Middlebury."

And as for improvements next year, Passalacqua ended on a positive note. "It is a collective effort to do all we can - to be more friendly, more environmentally-conscious, more Middlebury!"