By Helen Stevenson

As of Jan. 16, Fordham University has received more than 47,400 applications for Early Action (EA), Early Decision (ED) and Regular Decision (RD) admission. Of that number, about 359 students applied ED, 21,174 applied EA and more than 25,900 students applied RD.

According to Patricia Peek, dean of undergraduate admissions, this number is the largest applicant pool in university history and a 4 percent increase from last year.

“Last year our final application number was 46,164, and we anticipate our final overall increase to be around 2.5 percent to 3 percent,” Peek said. “This year’s gains were slightly higher than anticipated, but within the patterns we have seen in recent years.”

Peek said that for EA and ED programs, the university saw a 3 percent increase for EA, 20 percent increase for ED and an aggregate increase of 3 percent. However, she said the university anticipated this increase; nationwide, trends show students taking greater advantage of early programs.

Peek said that in addition to acquiring a record-breaking number of applications, the university’s applicant pool is composed of an academically talented and diverse group of students.

“I am very excited about the students who have chosen to apply to Fordham,” she said. “Having learned about them through visits and application review, they are talented, diverse and committed to service and issues of social justice.”

Peek said the applicant pool is extremely talented academically, especially among those that applied Early Action.

“For the early rounds, the average admitted GPA is a 3.77 on a 4.0 scale and the average high SAT Score is a 1409,” she said. “For students who report a high school rank, 90 percent are in the top 25 percent of their high school graduating class.”

According to Peek, Early Action applicants are either admitted, denied or deferred to Regular Decision so that the university has the opportunity gain more information prior to making a final decision. She said the waitlist decision is not employed in the early rounds of applications.

Peek said that because the applicant pool for Early Action was very strong, the university was able to admit 53.7 percent of the students.

“Typically, our overall admit rate is around 46 percent,” she said. “About 26 percent of applicants.. were deferred for additional information and will be reviewed again, [and] 12 percent of students were denied.”

In terms of which applicants will join the class of 2023, Peek said the yield rate will probably stay consistent in comparison to years past.

“Our average yield rate in the most recent 5 years has been 10.9 percent. We would like to see this number increase, but given the strength of the pool and the many options available to these students, we anticipate a similar rate,” she said.

In addition, this year’s pool of applicants saw an increase in diversity across the board.

The pool showed that 6,134 Asian students applied, a 12 percent increase in students compared to the fall of 2018; 3,551 black students applied, a 7 percent increase; 8,597 Hispanic students applied, a 9 percent increase; and 1,968 students who are two or more races applied, a 12 percent increase.

According to Peek, the university’s pool of applicants continue to grow geographically as well. The number of international student applications saw a 3 percent increase with more than 125 countries represented. Nationally, only one state (North Dakota) was not represented.

In addition, the admissions department has seen application increases in our top distance markets including California (8 percent increase), Illinois (16 percent increase), Florida (7 percent increase) and Texas (7 percent increase).

Peek said that the admitted students have the potential to bring a variety of interesting experiences and perspectives to the university that would enrich its classrooms and community.

She said the undergraduate admissions office is excited to continue to learn about and meet potential students of the class of 2023.

“Those of us on the undergraduate admission team are looking forward to the remainder of the cycle as we head into our final applicant review period and plan for our spring admitted student events,” she said.