Incoming class shaping up to surpass targets

If next year's incoming class were a fighter jet landing on the aircraft carrier USS DePauw, administrators say they are increasingly confident about a safe landing on the deck runway. At least that's what Special Advisor to the President Christopher Wells said.

As of Monday 772 students - over 100 more than the University's goal - had sent in a deposit and committed to enroll at DePauw next year, said Vice President for Admission and Financial Aid Stefanie Niles. 750 of those will be freshmen.

Those numbers will almost certainly change before the next school year begins, administrators said. Some students submit multiple deposits, others are waiting to hear from waitlists at other schools, and some await solidified financial aid packages.

Niles said she is confident the University will meet both its enrollment and tuition revenue goals - an important step to make sure more budget cuts don't come to DePauw next year.

"We are very surprised by the real uptick in the yield," President Brian Casey said of the admission numbers.

Before this admissions season began, the University targeted an incoming class of 635 students earning $9,372,600 strictly in tuition revenue, Niles and Wells said.

"We certainly exceeded our own expectations given the challenges we face," Niles said.

Now that the number of enrolled students is over 100 students greater, Niles said she appreciates the "cushion" of a large class. If the average of 40 students who enrolled choose another school before the fall semester starts, DePauw will still meet its revised goal of 700 freshmen.

There is no single explanation for the increased yield, which Niles said was 625 as classes ended this time last year.

The admissions office saw sustained interest in DePauw throughout the academic year, hosting 700-800 more visits than last year. Niles said turning that momentum into a high yield is a "testament to the hard work of the staff" in the admission office.

The University hired a new consulting firm that suggested adjusting financial aid packages, and Casey said the change might have helped.

During the application review process, Niles said she realized more students would be asking for financial aid following the economic downturn and a 4.5 percent increase in tuition.

Therefore, the administration wanted to avoid cutting the financial aid budget. Instead, Niles said they targeted a larger incoming class to help meet the tuition revenue needed for next year's budget.

Liberal arts colleges in the Great Lakes College Association were raising tuitions 3 to 6 percent, Niles said, in one of the most challenging seasons in recent memory. Many expected lower yields, and Niles said informal conversations with colleagues indicated their predictions are coming true.

The expected decreased numbers never manifested themselves at DePauw.

"We're in a much more solid position than many of them [Great Lakes colleges]," Niles said.

A record 4,700 students applied, and just over 2,900 were admitted - an acceptance rate about 1 percent higher than last year.

Now the administration's focus shifts to preparation for next year. Wells said he is no longer concerned about falling short of the metaphorical aircraft carrier's runway, or admitting too few students to meet the budget's revenue goal.

He said he was worried instead about overshooting the deck and straining housing capacity with a class well over 700 students.

Niles said she learned from conversations with colleagues in housing that capacity should not be a problem.

Good feeling is pervasive in the admissions office for the combat crew on the aircraft carrier's deck.

"After working so closely with these incoming students for up to two years, to see them commit is a very good feeling," Niles said.