Colgate Applications Up 102%

Even in a year when top colleges are reporting increases, the numbers surprised officials at the university.

By

January 25, 2021

Colgate University

Competitive colleges are doing very well in applications this year. Harvard University is up 42 percent, to 57,000. New York University is up 20 percent, topping 100,000 applicants.

But Colgate University, when it hit its application deadline on Jan. 15, was up 102 percent, to 17,392. Colgate is smaller than either Harvard or NYU, but the percentage increase is attracting attention at the university.

“I am quite certain no one on our team was thinking, even in their dreams, that we would experience a 100 percent increase in applications, year over year,” said Gary Ross, Jones and Wood Family Vice President for Admission and Financial Aid. “I do know the response internally from the admission team has been sensational. Everyone is ready to step up and do what needs to be done to give each of these applications a holistic review.”

He cited a number of factors that could explain the increase:

Colgate is currently test optional, a change related to the pandemic.
Colgate is now a "no loans" institution for families earning up to $125,000.
Colgate has a new partnership with QuestBridge, which helps low-income students enroll.

An early review of the applications suggested they were from academically strong people.

Last year, Colgate received 8,582 applications, admitted 2,345 and enrolled 802 students.