Admissions and April Visits

If you’re seeing a surprising amount of younger students on campus recently, it’s because each April the admissions office hosts a series of open house days to give admitted students an opportunity to see our campus.

This year, the incoming freshman class is one of the most ethnically diverse ever, but the university has not become more selective. Multicultural students make up about 34 percent of the class of 2012, a six percent increase from last year, but the acceptance rate is relatively stagnant since 2005, at 37%.

Kathy Napper, dean of undergraduate admissions, has said the freshmen come from more than 1,300 high schools in 48 states and 48 foreign countries and about 9% are from the U.S. territories and abroad. The increased diversity is apparently a result of a push by the admissions office for more minority students that included two on-campus open houses and events for visiting minorities planned with the help of student cultural organizations. About 67 percent of incoming freshman were in the top 10 percent of their high schools, and the average SAT score is 1935.

During their April visit, these students can meet with deans, faculty, and advisors, take campus tours, talk with GW students, and preview residence halls. Events will be held April 13, 15, and 21.