Basking in its third bumper-crop year of student applications, Washington State University has chosen its freshman class for fall 2003. Many of those students — touted to be the best qualified in WSU history — already have begun enrolling for fall classes as part of the Alive! Orientation sessions, which began earlier this month.
Janet Danley, executive director of enrollment services, 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 – 04 class will total more than 2,800 freshmen, the yield from nearly 10,000 applicants. “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 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.”
On July 19, WSU notified 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,” Danley asserted.
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 administration officials, who recognized early that the university would not be able to accept everyone who wanted to attend WSU.
“Students know our programs are very good,” Danley said, “and allow them also to work closely with acclaimed researchers.
“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. “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.”
