Diversity. Minority enrollment. Equal opportunity.
It’s almost desensitizing to hear these buzzwords that have floated around the campus discussion on admissions for several years. However, with this week’s release of Northwestern’s newest application numbers for the incoming Class of 2015, it seems like the university is finally heading down a promising path in terms of these issues.
This year, the university received 30,529 applications, a more than 10 percent increase from last year. In the past five years, the number of undergraduate applications has nearly doubled, an almost unbelievable statistic.
The university’s extensive efforts to reach out to minority students, especially those in Chicago Public Schools, are starting to pay off in a very real way. Applicants from Chicago Public Schools jumped by 25 percent this year compared to last year, many of whom are African American and Latino students. Much of this can be attributed to the more generous financial aid programs that the university created as part of its new “Good Neighbor, Good University” initiative, which provides aid for high-achieving and underserved students in the Chicago and Evanston area.
The Class of 2014 was touted as “the most diverse freshman class” in NU’s 160-year history, both racially and socioeconomically. And the Class of 2015 is shaping up to make history again.
At the same time, NU is poised to accept a smaller freshman class this year. Higher applications and a smaller class size means a lower acceptance rate, which could potentially push NU into a coveted top 10 spot on the U.S. News & World Report college rankings. Although these rankings are an overhyped and often inaccurate metric with which to measure universities, it’s undeniable that parents and prospective students pay attention to them. A higher ranking could help boost the university’s reputation domestically and especially internationally, and President Morton Schapiro has made these goals a priority in the coming years.
Although more measures can always be taken to boost minority enrollment, the university has made significant strides since campus outcry two years ago over the mere 87 black freshmen who were in the Class of 2012. The administration should be commended for their efforts to make admissions more selective, but also more diverse.
College applications across the board are increasing, and it’s more important than ever for the university to distinguish itself from its peer institutions. Competitive high school students now apply to 10 to 15 schools, and with more and more schools using the Common Application, the number of applicants will only skyrocket in the coming years.
However, branching out to underrepresented high schools in the Chicago area is the easy first step. “Good Neighbor, Good University” is certainly starting to pay its dividends, but the program only targets students in the local area. For the university to be serious about spreading its national reputation and attracting a geographically diverse student body as well, it must devote more resources to attracting students from underserved high schools across the U.S. Otherwise, NU will risk eventually becoming known as a regional, Midwest school, rather than the international powerhouse it aspires to be.
This will not be easy. Flying admissions counselors out to the poorest schools in Alabama or New Mexico requires significantly more time and resources than recruiting in the Chicago area. The university currently doesn’t have enough funding to expand “Good Neighbor, Good University” beyond the Midwest. However, if the university really wants to reach top 10 status with greater prestige and greater diversity, it’s well worth the cost.
