Despite the rainy forecast, more than 1,050 prospective College of William and Mary students and their families will to flock to campus Saturday for the annual Day for Admitted Students.
“Finding the right college fit is an incredibly important part of the search,” Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions Jennifer Scott said. “It is our goal for them to leave with an understanding of why our campus is so unique and compelling.”
This year’s class of 4,400 accepted students came from a pool of record size with more than 12,800 applicants.
“We are very pleased with this group of admitted students,” Associate Provost for Enrollment and Dean of Admission Henry Broaddus said in a press release. “Thanks to another record-setting applicant pool, we admitted a group of students that is one of our most diverse and academically accomplished ever.”
Programs will take place across campus, from Zable Stadium to the Sir Christopher Wren building, which will provide a more complete view of life at the College. Students will have the opportunity to attend a variety of programs, and the day will culminate in an activity fair in the Sunken Garden.
More than 100 student organizations will be represented at the activities fair, and professors will give “fake lectures” as one of the featured activities.
A new component of this year’s Admitted Students Day is the “I AM W&M” campaign. The Office of Undergraduate Admissions handed out over 1,000 free T-shirts to current students. The T-shirts feature an “I AM ___” slogan on the back. Students were encouraged to fill the blank space with an activity in which they are involved at the College so prospective students can ask about them.
“We hope to give students that feeling, and that nobody will leave the weekend without all the info necessary to make an informed choice,” Scott said. “That’s a community effort – to show the best and brightest admitted students what William and Mary has to offer.”
Of the 4,400 students admitted, the College hopes 1,450 students will enroll. The office of admissions calculates how many students to accept based on matriculation rates from past years. 540 students have already been admitted and are committed to the College as part of the early decision process.
In the Class of 2015, 31.6 percent of students are ethnic minorities, and 9.6 percent are first generation college students.
“One of the things we are most excited about in this class is our chance to increase diversity on campus,” Broaddus said. “We recognize that the range of background and interests is what makes William and Mary such a special place.”
The incoming freshman class is also distinguished by its academic achievements: Over 86 percent of admitted students were ranked in the top 10 percent of their graduating class. SAT scores of admitted students for math and critical reading averaged between 1300 and 1490.
This year’s acceptance rate was 34.6 percent, just slightly higher than last year’s acceptance rate of 31.8 percent. In addition to the 50 students added this year, the College has agreed to add a total of 200 undergraduates to the community over the next four years.
“Next year’s entering class will be as strong as ever, and these students reflect the extent to which William & Mary continues to be a destination for the best and brightest students across the Commonwealth and around the world,” Broaddus said in a press release. “We look forward to welcoming them to the Tribe.”
Broaddus said that when students attend Admitted Students Day, there is an increased likelihood they will attend the College.
“One of William and Mary’s most appealing components is that it is a community,” he said. “The friendly appeal [of Admitted Students Day] really reflects that actual feel we have here on campus.”