The applications are in for the Class of 2017 at all the 5Cs, and the schools have begun to process the information.
Claremont McKenna College reported that applications for the incoming Class of 2017 increased by nine percent, with 5,509 applications.
“The number of applicants increased [for CMC] this year because overall, people look at the school and its history. They want to come [here] because it is an excellent school,” said Max Benavides, Associate Vice President for Public Affairs and Communications at CMC.
So far, however, CMC’s large jump in applications appears to be unique within the 5Cs.
“With the exception of Claremont McKenna, the applications were down modestly at the Claremont Colleges,” said Seth Allen, Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at Pomona College.
Pomona received roughly 7,100 applications this year, down from 7,457 applications for the Class of 2016.
However, these numbers have not yet been finalized, though admissions officers have been reading applications since November 2012. Allen said applications asking for an exception to the deadline are still coming in.
“We are still receiving applications,” Allen said. “We have a similarly strong pool to other years. There are 15 of us reading the applications, and it is a slow process.”
Despite the decline in applications, Allen does not believe that there is cause for concern.
“One of the reasons why we think the application numbers went down is because we no longer mail out the paper applications. The plus or minus five percent in application numbers is noise. We don’t know what causes it,” Allen said. “No matter what the numbers are, the incoming class will be an incredibly talented and diverse class.”
Scripps College received a total of 2,376 applications so far—three more than last year—and expects to enroll about 240 to 250 students for the incoming class.
Pitzer College received 4,103 applications for the Class of 2017. According to published statistics from the Class of 2016, Pitzer had a slight decrease in applications as well.
“[We look for] students who are passionate about the values of the college and want to use their education to change the world,” said Angel Perez, Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at Pitzer College.
Harvey Mudd College has received 3,537 first-year applications so far and is expecting an incoming class of 196 students for the fall of 2013. Compared to last year’s 3,596 applications, the numbers seem to be consistent, although slightly lower.
“We continue to be extremely humbled by the applicants who chose to apply to Harvey Mudd [and] be spoiled with smart, funny, determined, and inspiring students,” said Raissa Diamante, Associate Director of Admission at HMC. “We’re going to have a tough time in committee.”