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BU officials report 40 percent rise in ED apps

Boston University received 40 percent more applications for early decision in 2012 than it did the previous year, BU officials said.

GRAPHIC BY ABIGAIL LIN/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

For early decision, 1,505 people applied to BU for the fall 2013 semester, while 1,069 applied for early admission for the fall 2012 semester, said BU spokesman Colin Riley.

“BU admissions professionals have done an outstanding job recruiting,” Riley said. “[There is a] significant increase in students who are expressing an interest to make a commitment by applying early decision to BU. It reflects well on the university and on the admissions professionals who reach across the world.”

The numbers reflect a 40.9-percent increase in early decision applications from 2011 to 2012.

There was a 21.2-percent increased in early decision applications from 2010 to 2011, reflecting an increase from 883 applicants to 1,069 applicants.

Of the 1,069 early decision applicants in 2011, 505 students were accepted early decision in March 2012 and committed to BU.

“They’ve [BU Admissions has] increased their efforts and during that time, of course, BU has become more competitive,” Riley said.

In October, employers in 20 countries ranked BU students the 17th most employable, higher than New York University or Brown University, according to a survey published by The New York Times.

BU joined the American Association of Universities, an invitation-only society of research universities, in November.

Applicants were able to submit their applications later than in past years as the early decision deadline moved from Nov. 1 to Nov. 5 to accommodate applicants affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Riley said BU Admissions has successfully increased awareness of it early decision option.

“The efforts of the Admissions department to make that opportunity known to students who wish to apply early and are willing to accept a binding commitment [have been successful],” he said.

Riley said the decisions will be released in mid-December.

Nicole Boardman, a senior at The Hill School who applied early decision to BU, said she was concerned that early acceptance would become more competitive with more applicants.

“That [the increase] makes me more nervous,” she said. “I thought maybe I’d get in for sure, but now it makes me really nervous.”

Boardman said BU’s apparent rise in prestige contributes to it becoming more competitive.

“With the economy, people want to get jobs,” she said. “They’re probably thinking about how they’re going to get a job after BU.”

Boardman said BU’s well-roundedness is one of its most appealing traits.

“It’s not just about academics or sports or art, it has everything,” she said. “The location is great and I love that it’s in the city … I’m also really into photography, and at BU I like how there are photography courses.”

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