Newsroom
Applications to Occidental Top 5,000
Occidental College has received a record-breaking number of applications for the seventh consecutive year, topping the 5,000 mark for the first time in the school’s 118-year history.
Preliminary results show that at least 5,050 students submitted applications seeking admission to the Class of 2009, an increase of 4 percent as compared to last year. Overall, applications to Occidental have risen a remarkable 170 percent over the past eight years (as compared to 1,865 applications in 1997).
According to U.S. News & World Report, only 13 top ranked liberal arts colleges received 5,000 or more applications in 2003-04, the most recent year for which such numbers are available.
“I’m often asked why we have seen such a dramatic rise in applications,” said Bill Tingley, vice president for admission and financial aid. “It’s not the result of any dramatic changes here. Rather, it reflects the growing recognition of Occidental’s long tradition of excellence, its superb faculty, demanding curriculum, diverse and talented students, and its location in one of the world’s great cities.”
The applicant pool has increased not only in size but in quality, added Dean of Admission Vince Cuseo. “We expect this year's admit rate to be the lowest ever -- which means some very tough choices for our Admission staff," he said.
Newsweek has named Occidental one of the country’s hottest colleges twice during the past four years. Occidental plans to enroll approximately 430 students in its fall 2005 first-year class.