<iday, May 19, 535 students had accepted Carleton’s offer to join the class of 2021, slightly above Admissions’ target enrollment number of 525, according to Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Paul Thiboutot.
The yield rate went down one percent from last year’s historically high 40 percent yield. However, “the yield rate is one of the highest in this decade,” Thiboutot said.
Currently, 573 students are enrolled in the class of 2020, 498 students in the class of 2019 and 526 in the class of 2018.
“The figures are not final yet,” said Thiboutot. Admissions anticipates losing another 10 students between now and Monday, Sept. 1, which is called “summer melt.”
Some students change their mind when they are taken off waitlists of other colleges, and some choose to defer enrollment, according to Thiboutot. Admissions will also take some students off the waitlist to make sure the college matriculates at least 525 new students.
This year’s acceptance rate is 20.7 percent, which is among the lowest in Carleton’s history, according to Thiboutot. “We have been there before, but it’s still a very low figure in our history,” he said.
In the last 10 years, the acceptance rate has been around 21 percent for two classes: the class of 2019 had an acceptance rate of 20.6 percent and the class of 2017 had an acceptance rate of 21 percent.
In addition to students accepted this year, 23 students will join the class of 2021 upon return from their gap year. Nine of the accepted students this year had requested to take a gap year by Friday, May 19.
When asked about the impact on housing and class size, Thiboutot mentioned that the 535 figure is decided within the college’s capacity.
“Compared to last year, we are on target,” he said in reference to the abnormally large class of 2020.