November 26, 2003 -- The University of Virginia today mailed acceptance letters to 872 early decision applicants, forming the vanguard of the Class of 2008.

Those accepted came from an applicant pool of 2,368 that featured significantly more international and African-American applicants than applied for early decision last year.

“I’m struck at the number of international applicants,” said John A. Blackburn, U.Va.’s dean of admission, attributing the more than threefold increase to positive word-of-mouth from current students. “As we get more international students here, word gets out.”

In-state applicants made up 64 percent of the applicant pool and 82 percent of those offered admission, which is comparable to past years, Blackburn said. The final class will be roughly two-thirds in-state, which is consistent with previous entering classes.

Males closed the gender gap, accounting for slightly more than 48 percent of applicants, compared to 46 percent a year ago.

Overall, “it’s a good group,” Blackburn said. “There’s a sense that they look a lot like last year’s group, which is the strongest class we have enrolled in the history of the University.”

Early applicants met a Nov. 1 deadline. In exchange for receiving early admittance, they pledge to enroll at U.Va. The deadline for the regular admission process is Jan. 2.

Of those who were not accepted at this time, 1,062 saw their applications deferred into the regular admissions process, while 322 were denied admission outright.

Approximately 70 percent of early applicants filed their applications online, continuing a dramatic three-year trend. Two years ago, just 18 percent applied online; last year, 47 percent filed electronic applications. The chief benefit: online early applicants may look up their admission status online beginning today, forgoing the wait for their mailed notification.