University of Virginia Library

Admission Applications Drop,
Women's Acceptances Rise

By PATTI KYLE

Applications for University
admission next fall have
dropped significantly,
following a national trend, but
fewer "borderline cases" are
applying.

However, there is no
noticeable decline in
acceptances by women,
contrary to rumor. The
entering class will be 40 per
cent female, a one per cent
increase over last year's class. In
the College, the class will
remain the same as last year –
45 percent female.

Total engineering
applications fell sharply from
last year by about 20 per cent.
First-year enrollment last year
was 281, plunging this year to
235.

College Applications

College applications went
down slightly, from 7770 last

year to about 7223 this year.
Final enrollment is still
unknown, due to expected
summer cancellations, although
the deposit was raised from
$100 to $250 this year to
discourage late refusal of
admission.

On the other hand, nursing
school applications increased
dramatically from 241 last year
to 318 this year, for a
projected class of 145-150.

Architecture admission also
went up in competition, with
the largest increase coming
from transfer applicants.

Transfers

"Even within the
University, students are
interested in transferring into
the nursing and architecture
programs," Assoc. Admissions
Dean Conrad H. Warlick
observed. "People have become
very career-oriented. It's that
kind of appeal."

Despite the overall
admissions decline, the
University's drop was less
drastic than the national
average.

"Our applicant pool
declined about five per cent,
and the national average was
ten per cent for public
institutions and 18 per cent for
private institutions,"
Admissions Dean Ernest H. Ern
pointed out.

The percentage that accepts
admission offers is also
consistently higher than the
national average. The national
rate is 42 per cent; here it is 68
per cent for women and 58 per
cent for men.

Waiting List

The Admissions Office will
draw from the waiting list this
year, contrary to last year,
when an excess of about 170
acceptances forced the office
to abandon the list.