NUMBER OF U.VA. HOPEFULS APPLYING
FOR EARLY DECISION CONTINUES INCREASE

	CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Dec. 19 -- Reflecting a trend among
top institutions, the University of Virginia continues to experience
an increase in high school students seeking early admittance into
next year's entering class.
	U.Va. received 2,325 applications from students asking to be
considered through the early decision process -- an increase of
nearly 150 applications or roughly 6 percent over the number that
applied last year. Admission offers were extended to about 785
students.  Of the 2,178 who applied for early decision (ED) last
year, 749 were offered admission. 
	In the fall of 1994, U.Va. received approximately 1,700
early-decision applications and offered admission to 732.  The
number of early applicants prior to 1994 ranged between 1,100 and
1,300. 
	Applicants applying for early decision are notified by the
University by Dec. 1 if they are offered admission.  If accepted,
they must withdraw applications from other institutions. Students
who apply through the regular-decision process are notified of
admission decisions around April 1.
	Because of the increase in early-decision applications,
U.Va. has admitted more students through the ED process in recent
years.  Before 1994, the University admitted approximately 600 ED
students annually; last year U.Va. admitted 749 students, or 26
percent of the first-year class.
	U.Va.'s admission officials are not encouraging students to
apply for early decision, but the increase reflects a trend among
many selective schools, Dean of Admission John A. Blackburn says.
Although many students have a strong preference for the schools
where they are applying for early decisions, others seem to believe
their chances of being offered admission are better through the ED
process because of the smaller number of applicants.
	Those who apply for early decision, however, are evaluated
in the same general process as candidates who apply for regular
decision, Blackburn notes.
	"We make a great effort to be consistent from one
admission-review program to the other," he said.
	U.Va. students who are not offered early-decision status are
re-evaluated as part of the regular admission-review process. 
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December 18, 1996
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