The Class of 2007 is now over a third full, with the 394 early admissions acceptance letters mailed in mid-December filling 37 percent of the incoming freshman class.
The 32 percent acceptance rate is comparable to last year's figure, but remains much higher than the regular decision rate, which last year stood at only 20 percent.
1,217 students applied, a total up eight percent from last year, and the highest such figure in five years.
"The number of students that are admitted remains very consistent from year to year, but the percentage of each class comprised of early admissions acceptances fluctuates," Dean of Admissions Karl Furstenberg said. "We like to keep it down around 35 to 37 percent."
In November Furstenberg said that "this is the closest the early decision pool has ever been in male to female ratio." This trend has continued with the resulting early acceptances, as the College accepted more women than men early for the first time since the beginning of early decision. 198 women were admitted early compared to 196 men.
Also notable was an increase in the number of students of color accepted early this year. Of the 394 admits, 71 were given to students of color, constituting 18 percent of early acceptances.
"We did much better this year with students of color applying early, so we were able to accept more," said Furstenberg. "It constitutes a good start on the diversity of the class."
This year Dartmouth received the fewest number of early applications among the Ivy League schools, and consequently the percentage of the Class of 2007 comprised of early applicants also ranks among the lowest in the Ivies.
Yale's 557 acceptances will comprise 43 percent of its class of 2007. Columbia also accepted 43 percent of its class early, while Penn accepted 47 percent. Cornell joined Dartmouth at 37 percent.
Harvard, which accepted 1,150 students under its non-binding early admissions program from an Ivy-high 7,600 early applicants, cannot be sure how many will actually enroll. Harvard's enrolled class of 2006 was nearly 1,700 students.
Because none of the Ancient Eight schools are allowed to offer athletic scholarships per Ivy guidelines, "most of the athletic recruiting in the Ivies is done through Early Decision," Furstenberg said. This year Dartmouth admitted 112 recruited athletes, including five swimmers, despite the announced cut of the swimming and diving teams during the early decision deliberation process.
