Applications for the entering class of 2021 totalled the most-ever, surpassing 25,000.

The record marked one of many jumps over the past decade, along with a steady decrease in the acceptance rate, and was attributed to new developments on campus by Robert McCullough, assistant vice president for enrollment and director of admission. Early Decision and Early Action applications increased by 13 percent, while Regular Decision and Pre-Professional Scholars applications increased by seven percent.

In the 2012-2013 application cycle, Case Western Reserve University received 18,000 applications, of which over half were accepted. During the 2015-2016 cycle, 35 percent of applicants were accepted.

McCullough pointed out that the expansion of the Larry Sears and Sally Zlotnick Sears think[box], the addition of the Milton and Tamar Maltz Performing Arts Center, the Wyant Athletic and Wellness Center, and the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Residence Hall and the Tinkham Veale University Center contributed to this increase.  Efforts were also made by Undergraduate Admission to highlight these locations through guided tours.

Since TVUC opened, guided tours by Undergraduate Admission have been walking through the building. Tours also go through Uptown, which has expanded over the previous years, and there are opportunities for visitors to tour think[box]. McCullough said that the campus is too large for tours to visit all buildings in the time allotted. He emphasized changes in the surrounding area and Cleveland overall, along with the national spotlight the city has received over the past few years, which has increased the attention paid to CWRU.

“It is more exciting to talk to students, parents and counselors about CWRU, University Circle and Cleveland every year,” said McCullough.

In order to facilitate the increase in applications being processed, McCullough said the admissions process was changed to allow Undergraduate Admissions to read applications “more carefully and efficiently.” Part-time readers that work remotely have been added to the process to ease the workload.

The size of incoming classes, as well as their academic standings, have increased over the past years. The class of 2020, those that joined CWRU last fall, had a median GPA of 3.98 and the middle 50 percent had a median SAT score of 1310-1470 and ACT score of 30-34. Just over 70 percent were in the top tenth of their high school class.

The size of the incoming class is expected be around 1,250.