PULLMAN, Wash. — Continuing a three-year trend of increasing demand from highly qualified students, Washington State University has admitted its freshman class for fall 2003. Those students will soon begin enrolling for their fall semester classes during the Alive! Orientation sessions scheduled throughout the summer.
Janet Danley, director of enrollment management, said eligible freshmen applicants who have not yet been admitted for the fall semester and who still want to pursue a WSU education are being put on a waiting list.
Danley said the 2003 class will total more than 2,800 freshmen students, the yield from nearly 10,000 applicants. This year’s class is expected to be the most academically qualified in WSU history. “We look forward to a group of high potential students with many talents and unique and varied experiences,” she said.
In order to better evaluate candidates, WSU introduced a personal statement as part of the admission application process this year. “The personal statement has given us information about students that was not obtainable through only the admission application,” said Danley “We are learning that our prospective students are an enthusiastic, high-energy group of individuals who have not only excelled in the classroom but have also contributed to their families, schools and communities in many ways. This year’s class of freshmen promises to be an exceptional group of students.”
By July 19, WSU will notify all students on the waiting list of their admission status for fall semester 2003. “We will help these students — on a case by case basis — find ways to begin their education elsewhere,” the enrollment manager said.
WSU officials said the university’s academic offerings and world-class faculty helped attract outstanding students early in the admission period. Admission applications for fall 2003 have poured in as expected by the administration that recognized early on that the university would not be able to accept everyone who wanted to attend WSU.
“Students know our programs are very good,” she said. “The undergraduate education at WSU cannot be beat, and at the same time students realize they are able to work closely with acclaimed researchers.
“Everyone in the WSU system believes in making the extra effort necessary to teach tomorrow’s leaders,” Danley said.
“We encouraged prospective students to meet the March 1 priority date for admissions,” she said. “Those eligible who completed the process by that date were offered a space in the class. ”
The transfer class for the fall is also filling quickly. “WSU is a great choice for transfer students,” said Danley. “Those who applied before the March 1 priority date and met our admission requirements have been offered admission,” she said. “We continue to work with many others and expect a record number of transfer students, as well.”
Danley said the university hopes that future state funding for higher education will soon improve so that WSU will be able to increase the size of its freshman class for future years.
