20,000 and Counting

Feb. 18, 2004

20,000 and Counting

University Receives Record Number of Applications for Admission

By Greg Licamele

A prospective student from Ohio unknowingly became a part of GW history as the 20,000th undergraduate applicant to the University in one year. This 20,000 milestone marks a rapid climb in interest and attraction to GW over the last 20 years, when applications were at the 5,000 level.

“It’s worth recalling we were getting 5,000 applications a year in the mid 1980s,” said University President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg at a Feb. 4 ceremony in the Office of Admissions. “For us to go to 20,000 in a relatively brief period of time in a university’s gestation is very special. I congratulate all of the people we don’t see — faculty, deans and staff, who also contribute to the process. The whole University infrastructure has ratcheted up our efforts.”

Kathryn Napper, director of undergraduate admissions who has been at GW for 25 years, noted previous milestones of 5,000 in 1982, 10,000 in 1995 and 15,000 in 2001.

“When we get to 20,000 and beyond, it is a testament to how the University has changed and grown over the years.” she said. “It was less than 10 years ago when we hit the 10,000 mark and now we’re already surging past 20,000. This further validates our stature as a top-tier university drawing more and more attention from the world’s most talented students.”

However, more applications do not necessarily equate to a significant increase in the number of students GW will admit this year or in the number of students that will actually enroll. Last year, 18,569 people applied, 7,114 were admitted (a 38.3 percent rate) and 2,274 enrolled.

Robert Chernak, senior vice president for student and academic support services, predicts a similar admittance rate.

“It’s too early to predict accurate numbers, but I don’t think you’ll see more of a variance than 1 percent,” Chernak said. “It’s not going to be a dramatic change. If we were at 38 percent last year, my suspicion is that we’re going to be somewhere between 37.5 and 38.5 percent this year.”

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Chart: Admissions Selectivity 1994-2003

National Trends: “Echoes” in the Halls of Admission