College Admissions reports 8 percent increase

College admissions staff have cause for celebration—the largest number of applications in the history of the University have been received—10,400.

“We are thrilled to think that significantly more students think of Chicago as a college worth their careful attention,” said Ted O’Neill, Dean of College Admissions.

The 8 percent increase from last year’s 9,567 applications can be attributed in part to new publications, Chicago’s top-10 ranking in the 2006 U.S. News & World Report and Chicago’s No. 1 ranking in Princeton Review’s “Best Overall Academic Experience for Undergraduates,” said Michael Behnke, Dean of College Enrollment.

This year marked another record for the Office of College Admissions, with 3,065 students applying Early Action—the most in College history.

“We place no restrictions on students and allow them to wait until May 1st to hear from all their options and compare financial aid awards,” Behnke said of the non-binding early application option. “Because of that flexibility, the program attracts applicants from every income quartile.”

Some colleges opted to eliminate systems of early admission last year, while Chicago administrators announced in the fall that the University’s Early Action option should remain intact, concluding that it has none of the perceived disadvantages for minority and less-affluent applicants inherent in other early application plans at other institutions.

Administrators, including President Zimmer, Dean of the College John Boyer, former Provost Richard Saller and several faculty committees, conducted in-depth research into the current non-binding Early Action program before concluding that no such disadvantage exists at Chicago.

“This was a good year for our Early Action program,” Behnke added.