The University of Western Ontario is bracing for its biggest first-year class ever, as approximately 5,100 students plan to arrive on campus in September.
The number of confirmed acceptances came as a bit of a surprise, as the university projected its first-year enrolment to be 4,800 in 2011-12, an increase from the past target of 4,350 students. This also exceeds Western’s plan of increasing its first-year intake to 4,900 by 2013-14.
“Clearly, the acceptance rate exceeded our projections, even despite having made 600 fewer offers than we did last year,” says Janice Deakin, provost and vice-president (academic). “In fact, we also raised our entering grade cut-off from 81 per cent to 82 per cent.
“This is a good news story because it demonstrates there’s high demand for a Western degree from high-caliber students, all of which speaks to our university’s strong reputation.”
The programs that have seen increased enrolment growth include: management and organizational studies, health sciences, biological and medical science, and social science.
“On balance, the incremental increases in those program enrolments should not pose a major concern in our ability to accommodate these additional students,” Deakin says.
As part of its undergraduate enrolment expansion plans, Western aims to increase its first-year international student enrolment to 250 in 2011-12 from 146 students in 2010-11.
“We do indeed anticipate we will meet the international enrolment target for 2011,” says Lori Gribbon, director, undergraduate recruitment and admissions. “It is early on in the summer and we still need to work very hard to retain the students who have accepted our offer and to keep them engaged over the course of the summer.”
Gribbon is celebrating the success of a rigorous recruitment year.
In order to meet this year’s enrolment targets, Western made a few strategic adjustments during its recruitment cycle, based on a lot of research conducted during the past year, says Gribbon. This included working with the Department of Communications and Public Affairs to refine print materials, web information, newsletters and general messaging. The success of the campus open houses, as well as the time spent with individual prospective international students via online chats, personal telephone calls and pre-admission counseling appointments, contributed to the recruitment campaign.
Western also further developed its relationship with CultureWorks, a local English as a second language (ESL) program, and the Fanshawe ESL program.
With larger growth than expected, the university’s first-year residence guarantee will mean the number of spaces for upper-year students will be reduced. London Hall, which has traditionally been an upper-year residence, will be used as a first-year residence.
As well, apartments in Lambton Hall will be furnished to accommodate exchange students.
“We will be able to accommodate everyone who accepted residence,” says Susan Grindrod, associate vice-president (housing & ancillary services).
Housing has also added more staff in London Hall to reflect the change to a first-year residence and added staff to provide programming for the students at Lambton Hall.
“It will take some juggling to manage within the constraints of our existing residence capacity, but we are confident we will be able to maintain our first-year residence guarantee for those students who wish to live on campus,” Deakin adds. “It does underline, however, the need behind our plan to add another student residence.”
Construction of the 1,000-bed hybrid residence, similar to Perth Hall, is expected to begin this fall on the Althouse north parking lot (south of Sarnia Road and west of Western Road). The building will be ready for occupation by September 2013.
“With a new residence in a couple of years we will be able to increase upper year spaces again and revert London Hall back to upper year,” says Grindrod.
The strong demand for a Western degree is reflected in these enrolment numbers, notes Deakin.
“Exceptional students seek out institutions where they will receive an excellent education—and Western is one of those institutions,” Deakin says. “This reflects very positively on our entire campus community and the work we’re all doing to deliver on our mission to provide Canada’s best student experience.”