U. ranks 60th in number of National Merit Scholars

The University ranks 60th among a group of 65 colleges and universities with the most National Merit Scholars in their freshman classes, according to a list recently compiled by The Chronicle of Higher Education. The University places sixth among Ivy League schools with 32. Harvard University heads the list, while Columbia University and Dartmouth University do not make the top 65. The University's low rating is partially due to the fact that it does not fund any merit scholarships, unlike many of the schools which attract more merit scholars. Admissions Dean Lee Stetson, who spent three years on the National Merit Scholarship selection board, said that even though the University writes to all National Merit semi-finalists, the University does not directly recruit them. "There is no recruiting because we can't offer them a scholarship," he said. Stetson added that the Ivy League schools agreed in 1955 that they would give no scholarships based on such reasons as academic performance, athletic prowess or performing arts. "They're all need-based," he said. He said he believes the University's low place on the list is due to several factors, including its relatively small class size and its lesser reputation compared to schools such as Harvard and Yale universities. But, Stetson added, "we're pleased in that position, and we'd like to see more." Elaine Detweiler, spokesperson for the National Merit Scholarship Corporation which published the statistics, said "there are a lot of variables in trying to draw conclusions from straight numbers." She added that recruitment activities can help bring merit scholars to any university. "Some colleges have made a concerted effort to attract merit scholars and they're fairly successful," Detweiler said. Shirley Bender, dean of admissions at University of Texas at Austin -- the third school on the list with 212 merit scholars of approximately 10,000 freshmen -- said the school is an "institutional sponsor." Bender said that UT funds 135 of the scholarships, but she would not say to what extent they were funded. "It's a matter of attracting high quality students," Bender said.