Cornell received the highest number of early decision applications in its history for its Class of 2020 — a total of 4,882 applications, three hundred more than last year — according to Jason Locke, associate vice provost of enrollment.
Columbia and Harvard University also received a record number of early decision applicants this year — 3,520 and 1,927 respectively. Yale College took in 17 percent of its 4,662 early applicants, according to the Yale Daily News. Princeton University also admitted the largest early decision class in its recent history, according to the Daily Princetonian.
Of Cornell’s early applicants, 27.4 percent were admitted and 23.6 percent were deferred to regular decision, Locke said. This acceptance rate also represents an increases from last year, when 26.1 percent of early applicants were admitted and 20 percent were deferred for the Class of 2019.
Harvard saw a decrease in its early admission rate from 16.5 percent to 14.8 percent this year, The Harvard Crimson reported. According to The Dartmouth, Dartmouth also admitted fewer students than last year.
Athletes comprised 14.4 percent of all admitted early decision students this year at Cornell. According to Locke, the high number is due to the fact that the university accepts most of its athletes early.
“Cornell recruits and admits athletes for all of its Division I teams every year, including women’s and men’s ice hockey,” Locke said. “Approximately 80 percent of all athletes in any given class will be admitted through early decision.”
Legacy applicants, who have a parent or grandparent who attended Cornell, make up 22.8 percent of admitted students, according to Locke.
Admissions statistics so far represent a diverse student community — 52.5 percent of admitted students are women, 33 percent are students of color, and 14.5 percent are international, Locke said.
According to the Yale Daily News, Yale’s number of applications from African American students increased this year by 10 percent. Dartmouth also admitted a more diverse early decision class than it did the previous year, according to The Dartmouth.
Applicants to Cornell were notified of their status on Dec. 10.
Data for Regular Decision applicants will be released after the January meeting of the Board of Trustees next week, according to Locke. The University will notify these applicants of their admission status in early April.