Admissions fears impact of area crime

Dean of Admissions Willis Stetson said this week that increased awareness of violent crimes near campus may scare away potential students. But he said he does not think worry over crime caused a 5.5 percent drop in this year's Early Decision applications. Stetson and Admissions Officer Eric Furda, who recruits in the Philadelphia area, said the Philadelphia media's extensive coverage of crime, particulary the violent October 19 robbery of College junior Roberta Koeppel, has prompted more questions from prospective students about security and crime. Immediately following the robbery, prospective students did not seem more concerned, but during the last two to three weeks this has changed, Stetson said. "We are concerned that it might affect regular decision," Stetson said. "A number of our admisions staff feel it will." Stetson also said concerns about security -- and the effect of Philadelphia's financial crisis on law enforcement and other city services -- has spread to other parts of the country. Admissions representatives now mention security at every admissions program, and the staff is discussing ways to assuage students' fears in the spring when the students are deciding where to matriculate, Stetson said. Furda said security concerns seem to be more important now than during the last three years. "It is definitely more of a concern," Furda said. "People are not as ready to feel that as long as you are walking around and using common sense that is enough." Furda said current students' communication with prospective students is key in the admissions process, and that what students say about safety when they go home for Thanksgiving and Winter breaks will make a difference. "I think we have a very good admissions staff, but our best ambassadors are students," he said. "The enthusiasm has always been there, but if the students are worried they will tell their friends. Those concerns will be listened to and rightfully so." But the Admissions dean said crime was probably not behind the drop in Early Decision applications. Stetson said last night that students generally decide to apply Early Decision during their junior year of high school and recent events probably would not have changed their opinion of the University. Stetson said he expected a larger decrease in early admissions than there was. He attributed the decrease to a smaller number of 18-year-olds nationwide, creating a "buyer's market" in which students are reluctant to make a commitment to one school. But two other Ivy League universities reported slight increases in early decision applications. Dartmouth College reported a slight increase, receiving 1021 applications last year and expect about 1060 this year. Cornell University also reported an increase of a little over 100 applications this year, but a Cornell admissions spokesperson said the rise may be the result of the establishment of an early decision program in the seventh undergraduate school. This undergraduate school received 103 of the 2274 Early Decision applications to the Cornell this year. Columbia University, Brown University, Harvard University, Princeton University and Yale University did not have statistics available yesterday.

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