<p>Up 11 percent, admissions applications set new record</p>
<p>For the first time in the College’s history, applications passed the
5,000 mark; students seeking a spot in the class of 2012 increased 11
percent over last year’s class, from 4,650 to 5,160. Interest from
multicultural students looked particularly impressive, with applications
from African Americans up 61 percent; applications from Hispanic
students up 49 percent; and applications from Native American students
up almost 24 percent. Admissions staff will work to recruit 475 members
to the class of 2012 and to enroll approximately 25 transfer students.
About 40 percent of the class will be admitted via early decision. But
admissions staff weren’t the only ones busily recruiting the next class.
Johanna Farrar '03, who oversees Alumni in Admissions work and
coordinates requests for alumni interviews, estimates that at least 800
alumni interviews were conducted during the past recruiting season, up
about 27 percent from last year. The staff of Lindholm House offer a big
“Thank You” to all alumni, parents, and current students who encouraged
someone to apply to Bates. “I believe Bates College has attracted its
best pool of applicants,” said Dean of Admissions Wylie Mitchell, “and
we have the potential to select and enroll the most talented and the
most diverse class, ever.”</p>
<p>There is evidence for increasing popularity of Early Decision applications for Bates College. According to Wylie Mitchell, Bates College Dean of Admissions, there has been a 22 percent increase in applications for Early Decision compared to last year's pool. The number of students who applied for Early Decision for the class of 2012 has reached a record-breaking 527 after both Early Decision round one, due on November 15, and round two, due on January 1.</p>
<p>"It is very significant and very exciting for Bates to have attracted such a significant increase in Early Decision applications," Dean Mitchell expressed in reflection towards the applications.</p>
<p>Upon addressing the notion that Early Decision applicants seem to be very strong academically, Dean Mitchell remarked, "early applicants are probably a little more qualified."</p>
<p>Along with the increase in Early Decision applications has come an increase in multicultural applications. "More applications are coming from those who identify as [AHANA, African, Hispanic, Asian, Native American] then ever before," said Dean Mitchell in reference to the augmented multicultural statistics.</p>
<p>The admissions office has said that they expect to fill 40% of the class of 2012 from ED I and II. The class target number is 475. So ED admits would be about 190, for an admission rate of 36%. Regular Decision admission will be much lower this year due to the increase in applications. If Bates is counting on a yield (students accepted/students enrolling) of the usual 35%, then they'll need to admit about 820 out of the remaining 4633 applicants. So the RD admit rate will be a historically low 18%, while the combined admit rate will be a historically low 20%.</p>
<p>I agree with all your calculations except for the 18 percent acceptance rate - seems kind of low. To go from 29% to 18%?</p>
<p>If you look at the class of 2011 stats then you can see they took the total accepted number over the total number of applicants = x/100 then you get the acceptance rate. This number is regular applicants as well as early.</p>
<p>So for this year total (including early decision)...</p>
<p>Number of applicants = 5160
35% yield
475 spaces for admission</p>
<p>475/x = 35/100 ... x = 1357</p>
<p>So 1357 people are accepted</p>
<p>1357/5160 = x/100 ... x = 26.3% acceptance rate</p>
<p>Ayush753,</p>
<p>I looked for the international acceptance rate but I believe that Bates does not list that kind of information on purpose. All I could find was that last year there were 26/442 (not including transfer) international students. I just have no idea how many internationals applied.</p>
<p>Yes, thanks for pointing that out. Your calculations are closer to correct. I tried again, and think it's actually like this:
5160 applied; and target class size is 500 (475 plus 25 transfers)
Recent yield of 35% would require 1430 admits; 1430/5160 = 27.7% admit rate. That sounds about right with an 11% increase in apps.</p>
<p>I doubt that. There are a number of members of the group that are from previous years who joined (a bunch from class of 2011). Also there has been a recent discovery of some fake members... these being people making fake accounts of rude/frat boy/slutty girl type people just to mess with freshmen...</p>