Applicant pool up for class of '06

Admissions to accept same number of freshmen as last year

The future of JMU's student body is about to be decided as the deadline for undergraduate admissions applications approaches. By Jan. 15, JMU hopefuls must have their applications in the mail and will start the months of waiting for individual acceptance letters.

According to Mark Meadows, senior admissions counselor, next year's freshman class will look very similar to recent classes. Although not all applications have been received, a greater number of applicants is expected this year, he said. However, the number of acceptances will remain the same due to the stabilization of enrollment. The new freshman class will have approximately 3,200 students, Meadows said.

There do not seem to be any new trends in applicants, according to Meadows. Most are from Virginia and northern states including New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland, and have similar qualifications of current students.

"It looks like the new freshman class will be strong, but we've had really strong groups for the past few years," Meadows said.

Due to the attacks on Sept. 11, thoughts of staying closer to home might have deterred out-of-state students from applying to JMU; however, Meadows said this has not been the case. The true effect of this concern cannot be completely determined until acceptances have been mailed and students have made their final decisions, according to Meadows.

"(Sept. 11) didn't affect my choice of school just because I had my mind made up last year about where I wanted to go to school, and since then I've applied to schools even farther away," said Jamie Naughton, a senior at C.D. Hylton High School in Woodbridge, Va.

There were more applicants for early decision this year than in the past. Letters to these applicants have already been printed and were expected to be sent out last Friday, Meadows said.

Nathan Snyder, a senior at Broadwater Academy in Exmore, Va., applied to JMU for early decision. "JMU is definitely my first choice," he said. "If I get deferred I will be disappointed, but I'll still have my hopes up for an acceptance later in the spring."

John Hargrave, a freshman at Virginia Wesleyan College, is hoping to transfer to JMU. "I'm really looking for the atmosphere of a larger university and have no worries about attending a school far from home," he said.

Neither applicant commented on his chances of acceptance, but both said they are intrigued about what the school has to offer and will be excited if given the chance to attend JMU.

Now the heavy season for application reading will begin. According to Meadows, the Office of Admissions is working hard to get notices to applicants sooner concerning their acceptance. All responses will be mailed out on the same day, most likely near the beginning of April, he said.