Admissions

Class of 2010 ‘Yields’ Record

More than 1,100 freshmen enrolled in the College’s Class of 2010, the largest class of new students in more than five years, thanks to a record-setting number of admitted students who chose to enroll.

Called the “yield,” the difference between admitted students and enrolled students gives a good sense of how strongly applicants feel about attending Rochester, says Jonathan Burdick, dean of admissions and financial aid in the College.

“We had a far better year than we expected,” Burdick says. “But even in a year when a lot of schools had a ‘good’ year, we had a bigger yield increase than any of our peers.”

All together, Rochester had 11,314 applications, also setting a new record and marking the fourth straight year in which applications topped 10,000. Of those, a total of 5,137 applicants were admitted—about 5 percent fewer than for the Class of 2009.

When the fall semester began in September, a total of 1,111 students enrolled.

Burdick says the College has tried hard to emphasize the distinctive nature of Rochester’s education through more personalized contact with prospective students and with applicants. Nearly all students have a one-on-one interview during the application process.

The College has developed a network of about 600 alumni volunteers to help conduct those interviews.

Burdick says the personal touch helps prospective students form a strong sense of whether Rochester is right for them, which helps guide their decision when it’s time to choose where to enroll.