Seeing its number of early decision applicants rise 3.3 percent from last year, Cornell accepted almost 33 percent of its early decision applicants for the Class of 2016 — a 2.35 percent decrease from last year.

After the first year in recent memory that the number of early applications to Cornell decreased, the rise in regular applications is slim. Cornell must accentuate its strengths as a university. 

Cornell increased its early decision acceptance rate by about two percent from last year.

Four years ago, Cornell didn’t seem to care if prospective undergraduates were fabulously wealthy. This was good for me, because I was not. Nor am I now, in spite of a two-year stint as a highly paid employee at Olin Library. I was fortunate the undergraduate admissions process was completely need-blind, with no regard for family income or potential building donation. Current applicants may not be so lucky.

Four months ago, the University announced it would be expanding the class of 2013 by 100 students in response to the ubiquitous “financial crisis.” This, I thought, could only mean one thing: 100 more wealthy students to help offset our school’s endowment losses.

In mid-December, Cornell admitted 1,249 high school seniors, filling 41 percent of its available seats in the Class of 2013. The percentage represents an all-time high for Cornell, and is indicative of a step backward in the University’s commitment to economic diversity.

Just 10 years ago, only 31 percent of the incoming class was filled via early decision, which requires accepted applicants to commit to enrolling at Cornell. In the past decade, however, the University has seen a steady rise in the proportion of freshmen admitted through the binding program.

Cornell hopefuls for the class of 2013 have turned in their applications, and it is now up to the admissions office to determine who will receive acceptance letters. The Sun sat down with Doris Davis, associate provost for admissions and enrollment, to find out about this year’s crop of potential Cornellians, the changing face of early decision and what is next for financial aid.

The Sun: This year is riding on the heels of last year’s record high number of applicants ever to Cornell. But, with a financial crisis also threatening to deter many college hopefuls, do you think the number of applicants will be up?

School librarians could not stop John DeSantis ’13 from celebrating his admission into Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration last Thursday when he received his acceptance letter inside his high school’s library.

“I was so excited and really nervous just to hear from Cornell and to get a decision,” DeSantis said. “When I finally found out, it was crazy.”

Last week, librarians across the country were confronted with similar expressions of happiness as admissions notices went out to all who applied to Cornell early decision, and the first students of the Class of 2013 found out their matriculation statuses.