Applications for Class of 2003 hit all-time high

A total of 17,514 people applied for admission. The acceptance rate will likely dip to 27 percent. The Admissions Office is busy weighing the fate of a record number of applicants for the Class of 2003, Penn's strongest and most diverse pool ever. While officials expect some late applications to trickle in, 17,514 have already been received, up 6 percent from the 16,518 received at about this time last year. The enormous group means that the acceptance rate will likely be lower than ever before, possibly falling to 27 percent -- compared with 29 percent for the Class of 2002, Admissions Dean Lee Stetson estimated. This year's applicant pool had higher average SAT I and SAT II scores than any previous group, more valedictorians than ever before and the largest group of minority applicants. In addition, each of the four undergraduate schools received a record number of applications. "The applicant pool has been getting stronger and stronger each year. It's a very encouraging trend," Stetson said. "I expect the Class of 2003 to be Penn's strongest ever." The College received 11,122 applications, up from 10,587 last year, Stetson said. Wharton applications rose to 3,065 from 2,919. The Engineering and Nursing schools received 3,131 and 196 applications respectively, up from 2,859 and 153 respectively. There was also increased interest in the three dual-degree programs this year. Management and Technology -- the joint Wharton and Engineering program -- received 595 applications, compared with 584 last year. International Studies and Business received 622 applications, up from 575 last year. Thirty-seven people, 12 more than last year, applied for Health Care Management, the Nursing and Wharton program entering its third year. The applicant pool for the Class of 2003 is also the most geographically diverse ever. "We have a strong chance for a freshman class with representatives from all 50 states," Stetson said. The University also received a record number of international applications. The 2,464 foreign applicants -- up from 2,213 last year -- hail from six continents. A record number of minority students applied for admission to the Class of 2003. Black students submitted 1,094 applications, a 6 percent increase over last year. Asians filed 5,589 applications, a 10 percent jump, and 776 Latinos applied, 1 percent more than last year. Native Americans were the only minority group to submit fewer applications. The 29 who applied represented a 28 percent drop from the Class of 2002 pool. Women comprised 45.8 percent of this year's applicants, down from 46.4 percent last year. While there was a steep 13 percent drop in the number of legacies who applied this year in the binding early-decision round, the overall number of alumni children applying was virtually unchanged from last year: 884 versus 883. The applicants for next year's freshman class are stronger academically than ever before. The Admissions Office received a record number of applications from high school valedictorians and salutatorians. The mean class rank of the applicant pool is also higher than ever before -- around the top 4-5 percent of respective high school classes. This year's applicant had a mean SAT I score of 1346 and a mean SAT II score of 674 -- up from 1335 and 659 last year. Admissions officers will begin formal deliberations on the applicants in about two weeks. Acceptance, rejection and wait-list letters will be mailed on April 1.