<p>I was looking at the CDS, and noticed that the Class of '14, with 844 students, is the largest ever, and up from 778 for the year before.</p>
<p>Did Olaf yield higher than expected this year, or was this part of a plan to increase the size of the student body? Does it feel more crowded this year?</p>
<p>I’m almost positive that they did not plan for the class to be so large. Since I am in the Class of '14, I can’t compare it to crowdedness from other years, but it doesn’t seem too bad to me. They have had to add extra sections of some intro classes, and our room assignments were sent out a week later than previous years because they were still shuffling people around. I think there are more triples in Kittlesby than normal, but the rooms are sized for triples anyway.</p>
<p>I just went to an alumni event, and the President noted they yielded 2% more overall, driven especially by males from Minnesota which jumped 10%. They were pleased with the results overall, however, particularly that half of the class is from outside Minnesota, and that the new class is 50/50 female/male. They are making a deliberate attempt to reduce the size of the class this cycle, so applicants should expect it to get a little tougher.</p>
<p>Animull would be the one to talk to about how it feels. Triples in Kittlelsby are not such a bad thing–I lived in a Kittelsby triple my sophomore year and it was fine.</p>
<p>Thanks animull and John. The newest class was 410 M and 434 F; not quite 50/50, but much closer than in other years. </p>
<p>Given the overyield, I can see why next year will be “tougher” for admissions, but I hope it eases up when S2 applies for the Class of '16.</p>
<p>We visited after dropping off S1 for his first year at Carleton, and I came away thinking that St Olaf must be one of the most underrated LACs in the country.</p>