First-year student applications are at an all-time high, as is the quality of the applicants, according to a report presented at the Trustee Meeting on Friday, February 21, by Admissions Director Robert Voss.
So far, WPI has received approximately 3075 applications, the most applications received in WPI's history, and 500 more than last year. The total number of applications received last year was 2710.
There is also a greater number of applicants who are in the top percentiles of their high school class: 839 are in the top 10% of their class, compared to 758 last year and 771 the year before; and 435 are in the top 11-20% of their class, compared to 394 last year and 368 in 1995. SAT scores are also significantly higher than last year (see accompanying data).
For the first time, high school students have been able to submit their applications via the World Wide Web. 800 applications have been received through the Web so far. An additional 700 applications have been received on disk, for a total of 1500 applications being submitted electronically.
The most popular major this year is Computer Science, with a record 505 applicants thus far. This represents a jump from last year's 317 applicants and the previous year's 222 applicants. Electrical Engineering also has an all-time high 423 applicants, compared with 310 and 295 in previous years.
Overall, there is a lower percentage of applicants from Massachusetts and New England, while more countries and states have been represented by the applicants. Their is also a higher number of foreign applications.