Emory University sees record application numbers for fall
- 2/23/12
- Categorized in: DeKalb News, Education
Emory University has received a record number of freshman applications for the fall 2012 semester and more than 20 percent of them are from international students.
“We are seeing an interest in more applications from overseas, primarily from China,” Scott Allen, Emory University senior associate dean of admissions said.
Allen said as the university grows, it has expanded its initiatives and made more of an effort to engage with student groups across the country and overseas. He attributed the growing increase in Chinese applicants to the growth the Chinese middle class has seen in recent years.
“Typically kids in China looking to the states look toward the most well-known schools in the country and this dynamic plays out at all of the major universities,” Allen said.
Allen speculated as to why Emory might interest Chinese students.
“There are so many academic options, especially if you’re going to come so far for an education,” he said.
So far this year Emory’s College of Arts & Sciences has received 17,489 applications, including a record number of students selecting Emory as their first choice. The previous high for applications was 17,446 in 2008. Additionally, applications have increased 69 percent during 10 admission cycles.
Emory’s new Dean of Admission John Latting said admissions staff is still processing data but the applicants are “highly competitive in scores, achievements, diversity and engagement.” Applicants are competing for the 1,350 slots available for the class of 2016.
“This year saw several hundred more students identify Emory as their number one choice,” Latting said.
Over the past three years Allen said the application pool has grown 3 to 5 percent each year and the university has seen an average of 15-20 percent international students applying to the university.
“Every year we get applications from students who are from 90 to 95 different countries,” Allen said. “It has been a really good year for Emory so far—kids from everywhere are interested and we really enjoy diversity.”
