Freshman Class: Record Numbers
The reasons for the increasing class size at UD
Tess Herbert
Issue date: 9/12/07 Section: News
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There are lots of new people to meet this semester, UD! Freshman, you may feel overwhelmed-but many upperclassmen feel the same about the novelty of meeting all of you. UD has broken its own records of enrollment for both this and last school year.
As a member of the senior class about to leave the environment that has shaped me so much over the last four years, I've wondered about the boom in new applicants and new students, and what UD will be like if incoming classes keep growing in number. Will the essential character of UD change?
Curt Eley, the Dean of Admission Management at our Admissions Office, gave me some of the answers. Though he couldn't tell me the specific ways that Admissions has changed its approach to recruiting students in the last two years, he really believes that his team has helped UD grow by being "honest about the University." For example, UD has always prided itself on academic excellence, and academic standards have been raised by our freshman and sophomores. Curt says that this year UD has the highest number of National Merit scholars per capita for any Catholic school in the US. While we do not have as many scholars as a larger school like Notre Dame, the proportion of National Merit scholars to the entire student body at UD is the highest in the country.
The E-pals feature on our Admissions webpage is an example of increased attempts to present UD honestly that I found exciting. It's a connection to the University's "underground" that students can use to ask questions and be in contact with friendly UD students. It helps them to get the scoop on student life and all of the other things that a formal college search guide or official web site might overlook.
For my question about whether the number of students at UD is changing the university's essential character, Curt referred me to President Lazarus' web page where the goals of UD education are stated. He assured me that the mission of the University will continue to remain the same. "More and more students nationwide are recognizing what Dallas does," he said. UD has achieved a 50% increase in the number of applicants per year, which is the largest increase in the country. The greater number of out of state students in our freshman and sophomore classes shows that UD is getting more attention across the country than before.
Because UD students continue to arrive excited to participate in everything the school has to offer, I'd encourage all upperclassmen to share what we love most about our school and find out what our freshmen have to share with us. It's the best way to pass on what we feel is worth keeping in the UD experience. Say hi to the freshman sitting next to you in your last Core class, participate in the Mentoring program, help a caffeine-deprived 8am Gen Bio student interpret the Cap Bar menu, etc. Be creative and think independently-if our student body celebrates UD in as many ways as possible, it can only result in a great year and a great many years to come!
As a member of the senior class about to leave the environment that has shaped me so much over the last four years, I've wondered about the boom in new applicants and new students, and what UD will be like if incoming classes keep growing in number. Will the essential character of UD change?
Curt Eley, the Dean of Admission Management at our Admissions Office, gave me some of the answers. Though he couldn't tell me the specific ways that Admissions has changed its approach to recruiting students in the last two years, he really believes that his team has helped UD grow by being "honest about the University." For example, UD has always prided itself on academic excellence, and academic standards have been raised by our freshman and sophomores. Curt says that this year UD has the highest number of National Merit scholars per capita for any Catholic school in the US. While we do not have as many scholars as a larger school like Notre Dame, the proportion of National Merit scholars to the entire student body at UD is the highest in the country.
The E-pals feature on our Admissions webpage is an example of increased attempts to present UD honestly that I found exciting. It's a connection to the University's "underground" that students can use to ask questions and be in contact with friendly UD students. It helps them to get the scoop on student life and all of the other things that a formal college search guide or official web site might overlook.
For my question about whether the number of students at UD is changing the university's essential character, Curt referred me to President Lazarus' web page where the goals of UD education are stated. He assured me that the mission of the University will continue to remain the same. "More and more students nationwide are recognizing what Dallas does," he said. UD has achieved a 50% increase in the number of applicants per year, which is the largest increase in the country. The greater number of out of state students in our freshman and sophomore classes shows that UD is getting more attention across the country than before.
Because UD students continue to arrive excited to participate in everything the school has to offer, I'd encourage all upperclassmen to share what we love most about our school and find out what our freshmen have to share with us. It's the best way to pass on what we feel is worth keeping in the UD experience. Say hi to the freshman sitting next to you in your last Core class, participate in the Mentoring program, help a caffeine-deprived 8am Gen Bio student interpret the Cap Bar menu, etc. Be creative and think independently-if our student body celebrates UD in as many ways as possible, it can only result in a great year and a great many years to come!
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